Read Online Cousin's Challenge by Wanda E. Brunstetter - Free Book Online Page A

must be hard for the children to have moved from their home in Ohio and come here where nearly everyone was a stranger.
    If only Irvin could make some friends, she thought. Everyone needs a good friend.
    Jolene didn’t know what she’d do without the friendship she’d established with her cousins. Even when she’d been living several hundred miles away, she’d kept in touch with Loraine, Ella, and Katie through letters. And even when they’d each gone through trials of their own, she’d felt their love and support.
    Pulling her thoughts aside, Jolene glanced at the battery-operated clock on the far wall. It was time to collect the children’s papers.
    She rose from her chair and stepped up to Sylvia’s desk. “Are you finished?” she signed.
    Sylvia nodded and handed Jolene her paper.
    â€œThank you.” Jolene moved over to Irvin’s desk. When she looked down at his paper she was stunned. He hadn’t written one single word!
    She groaned inwardly and made a decision. As much as it pained her to do it, she would stop by his house after school and speak to his parents about this.
    ***
    â€œI thought Lonnie would be returning to work today,” Ella said when she entered her father’s shop and didn’t see Lonnie in front of his workbench.
    â€œI don’t know what’s up. Last time I saw him he said he’d be comin’ in this morning.” Papa shrugged. “He’s not usually late, so I guess it’s fair to say that his hand must still be hurting.” He frowned. “But then, he should’ve at least come by and told me if he didn’t feel up to workin’ today.”
    Ella couldn’t argue with that, but it wasn’t like Lonnie to be so inconsiderate. He’d always come to work early and sometimes stayed late to finish a job. He often whistled while he worked and usually wore a smile, so she knew he must enjoy working here. His hand was either still hurting, or else something had come up at home to keep him from being here today. She hoped it was nothing serious.
    For the next hour, Ella worked quietly, inserting some recent purchases and customer invoices into the ledger. While she did that, Papa cut some pipe for new chimes, and Charlene kept busy stringing the pieces of pipe together.
    At ten o’clock, the shop door opened and Jolene’s father, Uncle Alvin, stepped in.
    â€œGuder mariye,” Ella said, smiling up at him. “Did you come to buy a new set of wind chimes or just to visit with Papa awhile?”
    Uncle Alvin removed his hat and fanned his face with it, although Ella didn’t know why, because it was a chilly fall day. “Came to see if you’d heard about the explosion that took place over at the Hershbergers’ early this morning,” he said.
    â€œWhich Hershberger?” Papa asked. “The bishop or his nephew Ezra?”
    â€œIt happened over at Ezra Hershberger’s place,” Uncle Alvin replied.
    A sense of alarm shot through Ella as she slowly shook her head. “We haven’t heard anything.”
    Papa hurried over to his brother. “What kind of explosion?”
    â€œFrom what I was told, the Hershbergers’ propane tank blew up.”
    â€œAch, That’s baremlich! Was anyone hurt?” Charlene asked, joining the group.
    Uncle Alvin nodded soberly. “You’re right. It is quite terrible. Lonnie got hit in the head by a flying fence post and was knocked out cold. Heard he was taken to the hospital, but That’s all I know for sure.”
    Ella felt like her heart had leaped into her throat. She hoped Lonnie wasn’t seriously hurt. They’d had enough tragedies in their community over the last few years.
    ***
    A sharp pain shot through Lonnie’s head as he slowly opened his eyes. He blinked at the blurred image of a middle-aged woman looking down at him. She wore some kind of a uniform, like that of a nurse.
    He