Read Online I Will Send Rain by Rae Meadows - Free Book Online

the hot backseat, the light diffuse through the dirty windshield and cloudy air, she had felt outside of time, transported. Like someone else.
    â€œI sure wouldn’t have imagined myself here in No Man’s Land,” Jack said with a laugh.
    She found she loved his voice, smooth and clear, laced with bits of his Chicago accent. They caught glances and turned away.
    â€œWho would have?” she said. “I hoped Mr. Darcy would find his way to Kansas.”
    Jack Lily raised his eyebrows. “Austen?”
    She reddened, caught showing off with the little she remembered from high school English.
    â€œYou are lovely,” he said.
    And there it was.
    Annie stared straight ahead. She felt electric.
    â€œI should go,” she said, avoiding his eyes. She touched her fingertips to the scowl lines between his eyes before opening the door.
    Her hat had been caught, wedged under the car’s front tire, crushed. She had done nothing and she had done everything.
    *   *   *
    F RED HAD KNOCKED his glass of milk to the floor with one of his unruly elbows.
    â€œGet a towel, Fred,” Samuel said.
    â€œI’ll get it,” Annie said, leaping to her feet.
    He would never suspect. Never be jealous.
    â€œNo use crying over spilled milk,” Birdie said. Fred stuck his tongue out at her.
    â€œI’m going over to the Macks’ place after supper,” Samuel said. “He’s got a bunch of sick cows. Needs to figure out what to do.”
    â€œIs there anything to do?” Annie asked as she sopped up the milk.
    â€œI think he’ll take the dollar a head. They herd them over to Fairview gulch.”
    Annie looked up. “It’s awful.” All of it, she thought.
    â€œDon’t I know it.”
    *   *   *
    A NNIE HANDED B IRDIE the last pot to dry, and took a rag to wipe down the table.
    â€œYou were with Cy. Earlier.”
    Birdie silently dried the already dry pot.
    â€œBirdie.” Annie turned to face her. “Barbara Ann.”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œDon’t go sneaking around.”
    â€œI’m not sneaking.” Birdie shoved the pot on the high shelf until it clanged against the wall.
    Annie pushed the hair from her forehead, that stubborn curl that never stayed back. “It’s becoming,” Jack had said in the car, “how it always falls like that.”
    â€œYou think you know everything there is to know, Birdie.” She knew it was the wrong thing to say, but she couldn’t help herself.
    Birdie crossed her arms and clamped her lips together. “So you’ve said before,” she muttered.
    Annie took a breath, evened her voice, and tried to start again.
    â€œCy’s a farmer like his father,” Annie said.
    â€œSo what? You married a farmer.”
    I know I did, Annie thought. I know, I know. Jack in his rolled-up shirtsleeves. His clean cut-grass-and-mint smell.
    â€œI’m not saying a farmer is a bad thing,” Annie said, lowering her voice. “I chose this life.”
    â€œBesides, Cy doesn’t want to stay here forever. You don’t know anything about him.”
    â€œI know that you like him. And that’s a wonderful thing. But you don’t need to decide on someone yet. You’re only fifteen.”
    â€œYou don’t know what it’s like,” Birdie said, her voice gone quiet. She bit her lip and shook her head, giving up trying to explain it.
    I do know what it’s like, Annie thought.
    â€œBe a little careful with your heart. That’s all I’m saying,” she said.
    â€œI’m not like you, Mama.”
    I’m not like me, either.
    *   *   *
    F RED WATCHED HIS father set off toward the Mack farm, his steps quiet in the dust, and then the car chugging down the driveway, finally small against the horizon. The evening brought a light breeze, the clouds plum in the west. He would have liked to go along,