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

sit there.”
    “Who will give the blessing?” Tilly asked without thinking.
    Her brother cocked his head, frowning. “Daed will lead the silent prayer, like always.”
    She’d completely forgotten her family didn’t verbalize their prayers like she and Kris and the girls.
    “Did ya think Bishop Isaac and the other ministers might be present, then?” Melvin was still looking askance at her.
    “Not really, no.”
    “What, then?”
    She shrugged, not wanting to clarify her blunder.
    Melvin let it drop. “Too bad your husband and daughters didn’t come along,” he said, moving toward the mules. “Would’ve liked to meet ’em.”
    “I didn’t think—”
    Melvin shook his head, catching her eye. “ Nee —prob’ly not.”
    At that moment, their father’s ear-piercing whistle caught them off guard. Their heads jerked in unison at the shrill sound. With two fingers between his lips, Daed could be heard for nearly a mile away.
    “Is he signaling you?” Tilly asked quietly, clenching her jaw.
    “Might just be.” With that, Melvin left her there with a lone bucket and the dark-eyed stares of eight mules.

    In her mother’s spacious, sun-splashed kitchen, Ruth wiped her hands on the black apron she’d borrowed. “I assume you’ve asked Daed to consider getting a pacemaker, then?” Ruth said, continuing to chop raw vegetables for a tossed salad.
    Mamm nodded and stopped to lean against the counter. Wearing one of her brown choring dresses and black aprons, she looked much as she always had on an ordinary weekday. “Ain’t anyone gonna change his mind, neither.”
    “Wish he’d take his doctor’s advice.”
    “It’s no use.” Mamm put her hand on her chest. “He’s decided and that’s all there is to it.”
    “Then Daed’s days are numbered?” Ruth was aware of the lump in her throat.
    “Daughter . . . must ya say it like that?” Mamm wiped herbrow on the back of her forearm. “It’s hard enough seein’ him fail like this. And ever so quickly, too.”
    “I’m sorry.” Ruth blinked back tears. “Really, I am.”
    Her mother sighed and brushed past her to the head of the table, where she pulled out Daed’s chair and sat. She looked tired all of a sudden, and her blue-gray eyes seemed darker as she stared back at Ruth. “We Amish live each day with God’s will in mind, first and foremost.” She kept her gaze fixed on her. “Maybe you’ve forgotten certain things, ain’t so?”
    To the contrary, Ruth wholeheartedly believed what her mother said. She also believed there were benefits to consulting a doctor.
    But Mamm had more on her mind. “Don’t be forgetting, the Lord God knows the day of our birth, and the very moment we’ll die, too.” Mamm’s eyes welled up, and she pulled a hankie from under her long sleeve.
    “Mamm, I didn’t mean to—”
    “Ain’t worth troublin’ yourself. Not a whit.” Her mother rose and plodded to the icebox in the far corner. She opened it and reached for a pitcher and began to pour cold meadow tea into four green tumblers.
    The ice in the glasses crackled, and Ruth realized then that only four would be present for supper—she, Tilly, Mamm, and Daed.
    Poor Tilly! she thought, her heart sinking.

Chapter 11
    H aving returned to the barn, Melvin watched in disbelief, although he should’ve known something like this might happen. Just having Tilly home again had been risky.
    Ruth had come wandering out to the stable a few minutes before, making a beeline to the corner and whispering to Tilly, “It’s just going to be us at supper with Daed and Mamm.”
    Next thing, and without so much as a good-bye to Melvin, Tilly turned tail and scurried to her car, then backed out of the driveway and promptly drove in the direction of Uncle Abner’s.
    Melvin now wished he and Susannah might have invited themselves over for the meal. Anything to ward off Tilly being uncomfortable on this, her first night home. Why do Daed and Tilly have that effect on