Read Online The River by Beverly Lewis - Free Book Online Page A

reunion.

Chapter 10
    A fter managing to navigate nearly every road in Eden Valley, Tilly had driven past the blacksmith’s shop, Deacon Kauffman’s farm, and the one-room schoolhouse where Amish and Mennonite children alike had attended alongside several English children, too, when Tilly was young.
    Presently, she headed back to Daed’s farm, lest Ruth become upset at her prolonged disappearance. She turned into the driveway and parked only a few dozen yards from where her brother Melvin was getting out of his gray enclosed carriage.
    When he noticed her, he didn’t waste a minute in coming and surprised her by opening her door and waiting good-naturedly until she got out. Then, closing it firmly, he kept his hand on the handle. “You are here,” Melvin said with a smile. “ Gut to see ya, Schweschder .”
    “Safe and sound.” She nodded toward the house. “Ruth’s visiting with Mamm.”
    “I came to give Daed a hand in the stable.” He touched the brim of his black hat. “Would ya want to help me water the animals?”
    She turned to look again at the house, squinting to seeinto the kitchen windows, but there was no sign of Ruthie or Mamm. “I’m not exactly dressed for barn chores, am I?”
    “ Ach , I’ll fix you up.” He motioned for her to follow him. “You can wear one of Daed’s long work aprons.”
    Thoughtful. Tilly hurried to keep up. Now that she was back at the farm, she felt tense and kept looking over her shoulder for her father to appear.
    The stable smelled of sweet alfalfa bales, humidity, and sweat from the animals. Tilly was surprised to discover she’d almost missed these surroundings. How many hours had she spent out here watering field mules or the driving horses? One of her favorite pastimes. The livestock had always been like family pets.
    “How is it, comin’ back home after all this time?” Melvin reached up for the brown apron he’d promised, took it down from its peg, and slipped it over her head. “If ya don’t mind me askin’?”
    “It’s . . . real different, I’ll admit.”
    “I’d ’spect so.”
    She tied on the apron while Melvin pulled two buckets off a small stack. “Still, it’s mighty gut of you and Ruthie . . . showin’ up for the anniversary an’ all.”
    She nodded, trailing along with him, the brother she’d felt closest to back when, in spite of the difference in their ages. Melvin had always demonstrated a gentle side toward her, no matter Daed’s mood. “Guess you never thought you’d see the likes of me again,” she ventured.
    “Well now, Tilly, ain’t a gut time to be sarcastic.” His tender gaze on her belied the seeming rebuke. “I’m glad to see ya again, sister!”
    He still cares. The realization made her skin prickle.
    They moved silently to the young colts’ pen and filled the water trough, and then on to the ponies’. Tilly felt tongue-tied and was thankful when Melvin began to talk again, revealing the plans for tomorrow’s gathering.
    “All the boys and their families will be here,” he said, referring to their brothers. “Chester and I’d thought of having the get-together out here in the barn, getting things all redded up, like for Preachin’. But Sam and the twins thought better of it. Besides, this late in October, ya just never know ’bout the weather.”
    She listened, curious if other Amish families were starting to have these kinds of celebrations, too. Was the English world closing in?
    “Instead of a big doin’s and a feast, there’ll be a sheet cake Susannah and Josie are baking. Chocolate with buttercream frosting, is what I hear. We’ll have us some fruit punch, too, and maybe a dish full of the creamy mints Mamm likes.” He straightened, and she noticed he was much taller than she remembered, even taller than their father. “The adults can stand around in the kitchen since there’ll be no gettin’ everyone’s feet under Mamm’s table,” he continued. “The little ones will need to