Read Online Seasons of Sugarcreek 02. Spring's Renewal by Shelley Shepard Gray - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Shelley Shepard Gray
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tucked her chin. “Yes. Yes, of course,” she said before leaving his side and walking to the front door.
Grabbing the letter from Caleb, Tim glared at him.
“What?”
“Sometimes you need to stay out of other people’s business.”
“But you always like to receive Ruby’s letters. What did I do wrong?”
Tim brushed by Caleb’s side without answering and hurried to the kitchen. Perhaps he could talk to Clara some? Try to explain things even he didn’t know the answer to?
“Good evening, Timothy,” Mrs. Slabaugh said without a smile. “I hope you enjoy the rest of your stay in Sugarcreek.”
Clara held her mother’s elbow as they brushed passed him.
“Clara?”
“I’m sorry. I must go.”
“But perhaps we could talk some more later?”
“Maybe we could.”
“Clara, let’s leave.”
“All right, Mamm. Yes. We will go now.”
As soon as the door closed he clenched his hands. What had he done?
“Careful with your letter, Timothy!” Elsa exclaimed. “You’re about to crush it!”
With dismay, he looked at his right hand. There, in his hand, was the crumpled envelope.
He’d completely forgotten he held it.
Chapter 8
Two weeks had passed. Fourteen terrible, emotional, painful days.
Every time Lilly thought about those hours spent in the emergency room, she relived the pain. Whenever she recalled waking up to the doctor’s announcement, tears pricked her eyes. Lilly hadn’t known if she’d ever stop crying.
But then, just yesterday, she’d woken and felt a little better. Almost like herself before everything had happened. It was both a blessing and a curse. She was so grateful for the feelings of relief, but also troubled. Somehow, some way, God was enabling her to return to normalcy. It didn’t seem right.
Now, in the early morning, as a golden house finch chirped outside her window and called to attention the glory of spring, Lilly sat in bed in the quiet of her room, wondering how much longer she would be able to stay in her retreat, away from the rest of the family.
So far, they’d let her have a lot of time to herself, but last night, when she’d refused to come downstairs to dinner, Lilly had heard a strand of impatience that was new in her mother’s voice.
Lilly understood their feelings. After all, the rest of her family had moved on. She heard Ty talking about school projects and his need for a new pair of cleats for soccer. Charlie had met a girl and was now constantly on his cell phone or going to class.
Her parents went to work each morning, seemingly more determined than the day before to accomplish as much as possible in twenty-four hours. Her father had even taken up running.
Only she had been unable to do anything but mourn.
After a quick knock, her mom opened the door and peeked inside. Within seconds, Lilly saw her gaze dart from the pile of clothes and towels on the floor, to the stack of dishes littering her desk, to the partly pulled-down shades, to her daughter.
“Good. You’re up,” she said as she walked right in.
Lilly pulled up the sheets around her shoulders like a shield. “Not really. I was about to go back to sleep.”
With a new look of determination, her mother shook her head. “No, I don’t think so. It’s Monday morning. A new week. The sun is shining. Ty left for school three hours ago. It’s past time for you to start your day.”
Lilly had purposely hid her clock. Watching the numbers change had been her sole activity the day she’d come home. It had just about driven her crazy. “Why aren’t you at work?”
“I told them I’d be coming in late today because I had a few things to do around here.”
“Like what?”
“Like get you out of bed, dear. Honey, I know it’s hard, but take it from me. Things won’t get better if you only sit and stew and cry.”
With a start, Lilly remembered that her mother had had a miscarriage years ago. In her haze of depression, she’d forgotten all about that.
But still…she
Grabbing the letter from Caleb, Tim glared at him.
“What?”
“Sometimes you need to stay out of other people’s business.”
“But you always like to receive Ruby’s letters. What did I do wrong?”
Tim brushed by Caleb’s side without answering and hurried to the kitchen. Perhaps he could talk to Clara some? Try to explain things even he didn’t know the answer to?
“Good evening, Timothy,” Mrs. Slabaugh said without a smile. “I hope you enjoy the rest of your stay in Sugarcreek.”
Clara held her mother’s elbow as they brushed passed him.
“Clara?”
“I’m sorry. I must go.”
“But perhaps we could talk some more later?”
“Maybe we could.”
“Clara, let’s leave.”
“All right, Mamm. Yes. We will go now.”
As soon as the door closed he clenched his hands. What had he done?
“Careful with your letter, Timothy!” Elsa exclaimed. “You’re about to crush it!”
With dismay, he looked at his right hand. There, in his hand, was the crumpled envelope.
He’d completely forgotten he held it.
Chapter 8
Two weeks had passed. Fourteen terrible, emotional, painful days.
Every time Lilly thought about those hours spent in the emergency room, she relived the pain. Whenever she recalled waking up to the doctor’s announcement, tears pricked her eyes. Lilly hadn’t known if she’d ever stop crying.
But then, just yesterday, she’d woken and felt a little better. Almost like herself before everything had happened. It was both a blessing and a curse. She was so grateful for the feelings of relief, but also troubled. Somehow, some way, God was enabling her to return to normalcy. It didn’t seem right.
Now, in the early morning, as a golden house finch chirped outside her window and called to attention the glory of spring, Lilly sat in bed in the quiet of her room, wondering how much longer she would be able to stay in her retreat, away from the rest of the family.
So far, they’d let her have a lot of time to herself, but last night, when she’d refused to come downstairs to dinner, Lilly had heard a strand of impatience that was new in her mother’s voice.
Lilly understood their feelings. After all, the rest of her family had moved on. She heard Ty talking about school projects and his need for a new pair of cleats for soccer. Charlie had met a girl and was now constantly on his cell phone or going to class.
Her parents went to work each morning, seemingly more determined than the day before to accomplish as much as possible in twenty-four hours. Her father had even taken up running.
Only she had been unable to do anything but mourn.
After a quick knock, her mom opened the door and peeked inside. Within seconds, Lilly saw her gaze dart from the pile of clothes and towels on the floor, to the stack of dishes littering her desk, to the partly pulled-down shades, to her daughter.
“Good. You’re up,” she said as she walked right in.
Lilly pulled up the sheets around her shoulders like a shield. “Not really. I was about to go back to sleep.”
With a new look of determination, her mother shook her head. “No, I don’t think so. It’s Monday morning. A new week. The sun is shining. Ty left for school three hours ago. It’s past time for you to start your day.”
Lilly had purposely hid her clock. Watching the numbers change had been her sole activity the day she’d come home. It had just about driven her crazy. “Why aren’t you at work?”
“I told them I’d be coming in late today because I had a few things to do around here.”
“Like what?”
“Like get you out of bed, dear. Honey, I know it’s hard, but take it from me. Things won’t get better if you only sit and stew and cry.”
With a start, Lilly remembered that her mother had had a miscarriage years ago. In her haze of depression, she’d forgotten all about that.
But still…she
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