Read Online Seasons of Sugarcreek 02. Spring's Renewal by Shelley Shepard Gray - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Shelley Shepard Gray
Ads: Link
farm with your father?”
“Yes. With my daed and a few of his neighbors. A few years ago they joined together to form a cooperative. That relationship helped us all work together. Toward our common good.”
She smiled.
That seemed to be all the encouragement he needed to keep blabbering away. “I also enjoy the quiet in the fields. I like animals. I like time to think about things…I hate to be rushed. Perhaps that comes from being an only child. I’m a selfish man in that way.”
“I can’t imagine that you are always alone. Do you have a large circle of friends in Indiana?”
Her question gave him a small sense of foreboding. “I do. There’s a large Amish population where we live, as I’m sure you know. From the time I started school to most recently, I’ve been blessed with a good number of close friends. We get together often.”
“Is there someone special to you?”
Ruby Lee was. Ruby Lee was someone who he’d always singled out as special to him. Her parents’ farm was next to his. Everyone had always assumed that they would one day marry.
Except for his parents, though. They were the ones who had said he needed to get a taste of someplace else. Just to be sure.
And now, as he looked at Clara…Clara, who wore her imperfections well, who had so much to give from inside of her that she appeared to shine—so brightly that he was fairly stunned by the beauty. If Uncle Frank hadn’t written him, Tim would have never met Clara. Timothy started to believe that his parents had been right to send him to Sugarcreek.
And so, he lied. “No. There is no one special to me.”
They were almost to the house. Out front, Tim could see little Maggie chasing Carrie and Anson.
On the front porch swing sat Joshua and Gretta.
To his surprise, a lump of happiness sprung inside of him as he saw their familiar faces. In spite of his protestations, all of them had found their way into his heart.
But Clara didn’t look to be concerned with anyone but him. Her gaze on his face hadn’t strayed. “Timothy, are you sure there is no one special to you? No girl who is your sweetheart? You act as if there might be.”
Before he could reply to that, she held up a hand, looking crestfallen. “Please forget I even asked. Of course your friendships back home are none of my business.”
She was right, of course. His relationship with Ruby wasn’t her business. Especially since it was so puzzling, anyway.
“We’re back,” he said instead. “Thank you for walking with me. I enjoyed it.”
She blinked. “I…I enjoyed it as well,” she murmured as they crossed the large grassy area and approached the others. Very properly, she walked by his side. Her hands were clasped in front of her. Some of the light that had shone in her eyes dimmed. “I thank you for it, Timothy.”
“We didn’t know when you were ever coming back,” Anson called out as he ran to meet them halfway. Behind him, Caleb followed at a more sedate pace. “Where did you go?”
“Not very far,” Tim answered.
“Just down to the Millers’ stand,” Clara added.
“Your mother said to tell you that she’s anxious to leave,” Anson said.
“She’s told all of us several times,” Caleb added wryly.
Clara sighed. “Yes, I imagine she probably has. It’s getting dark out.”
As the four of them slowly climbed up the last of the hill before reaching the front porch, Caleb thrust out a letter. “I’ve been meaning to give you this, too,” he said. “I’m sorry I forgot earlier.”
Tim stared at the envelope in surprise but made no move to take it. “ Danke .”
Clara looked at him strangely. “Is that a letter from home?”
“Yes.”
“Oh, it’s more than that,” Caleb said with a too-knowing look. “It’s from—”
“My parents, most likely,” Tim interrupted. Clara looked confused. Tim didn’t blame her, he was acting mighty peculiar about a simple letter. “We best get inside. Your mother’s waiting.”
She
“Yes. With my daed and a few of his neighbors. A few years ago they joined together to form a cooperative. That relationship helped us all work together. Toward our common good.”
She smiled.
That seemed to be all the encouragement he needed to keep blabbering away. “I also enjoy the quiet in the fields. I like animals. I like time to think about things…I hate to be rushed. Perhaps that comes from being an only child. I’m a selfish man in that way.”
“I can’t imagine that you are always alone. Do you have a large circle of friends in Indiana?”
Her question gave him a small sense of foreboding. “I do. There’s a large Amish population where we live, as I’m sure you know. From the time I started school to most recently, I’ve been blessed with a good number of close friends. We get together often.”
“Is there someone special to you?”
Ruby Lee was. Ruby Lee was someone who he’d always singled out as special to him. Her parents’ farm was next to his. Everyone had always assumed that they would one day marry.
Except for his parents, though. They were the ones who had said he needed to get a taste of someplace else. Just to be sure.
And now, as he looked at Clara…Clara, who wore her imperfections well, who had so much to give from inside of her that she appeared to shine—so brightly that he was fairly stunned by the beauty. If Uncle Frank hadn’t written him, Tim would have never met Clara. Timothy started to believe that his parents had been right to send him to Sugarcreek.
And so, he lied. “No. There is no one special to me.”
They were almost to the house. Out front, Tim could see little Maggie chasing Carrie and Anson.
On the front porch swing sat Joshua and Gretta.
To his surprise, a lump of happiness sprung inside of him as he saw their familiar faces. In spite of his protestations, all of them had found their way into his heart.
But Clara didn’t look to be concerned with anyone but him. Her gaze on his face hadn’t strayed. “Timothy, are you sure there is no one special to you? No girl who is your sweetheart? You act as if there might be.”
Before he could reply to that, she held up a hand, looking crestfallen. “Please forget I even asked. Of course your friendships back home are none of my business.”
She was right, of course. His relationship with Ruby wasn’t her business. Especially since it was so puzzling, anyway.
“We’re back,” he said instead. “Thank you for walking with me. I enjoyed it.”
She blinked. “I…I enjoyed it as well,” she murmured as they crossed the large grassy area and approached the others. Very properly, she walked by his side. Her hands were clasped in front of her. Some of the light that had shone in her eyes dimmed. “I thank you for it, Timothy.”
“We didn’t know when you were ever coming back,” Anson called out as he ran to meet them halfway. Behind him, Caleb followed at a more sedate pace. “Where did you go?”
“Not very far,” Tim answered.
“Just down to the Millers’ stand,” Clara added.
“Your mother said to tell you that she’s anxious to leave,” Anson said.
“She’s told all of us several times,” Caleb added wryly.
Clara sighed. “Yes, I imagine she probably has. It’s getting dark out.”
As the four of them slowly climbed up the last of the hill before reaching the front porch, Caleb thrust out a letter. “I’ve been meaning to give you this, too,” he said. “I’m sorry I forgot earlier.”
Tim stared at the envelope in surprise but made no move to take it. “ Danke .”
Clara looked at him strangely. “Is that a letter from home?”
“Yes.”
“Oh, it’s more than that,” Caleb said with a too-knowing look. “It’s from—”
“My parents, most likely,” Tim interrupted. Clara looked confused. Tim didn’t blame her, he was acting mighty peculiar about a simple letter. “We best get inside. Your mother’s waiting.”
She
Similar Books
