Read Online Wonderful Lonesome by Olivia Newport - Free Book Online

starving to death and revive the long-forgotten taste of meat in everyone’s mouths.
    Whatever decision was to be made could be made without Rudy. He would go collect the morning’s eggs—oh, how he was tired of subsisting on eggs—and go back to bed for another hour. There was no point in going into the fields.
    The day’s yield was seventeen eggs. Rudy placed them in a tin bowl and shuffled back toward the house, turning only when he heard the sound of a horse and buggy.
    Willem Peters.
    “You’re a mess,” Willem said. “Have you even washed your face this morning?”
    “I’m not going.” Rudy reached for the door.
    “Of course you are.” Willem dropped down from the buggy bench. “I’ll wait for you.”
    “Willem—”
    “Rudy, you’re an able-bodied Amish man. The council has asked us to attend, and we will respect them. We knew when we joined the settlers that we might face some difficult decisions.”
    Rudy did not appreciate Willem’s authoritative tone, but he took his point. “I think I have a clean shirt.”
    Or at least one that was less thick with dust.

The Weaver house filled with women and small children. Abbie knew her mother had invited Mrs. Chupp, the cobbler’s wife, and Mrs. Nissley to stop by while their husbands were meeting. The others must have come out of anticipation for what the men’s conference might yield. Abbie put a fresh pot of coffee on the stove and fanned herself with an envelope from her cousin Leah in Indiana. Abbie would have to cut the coffee cake and canned apples into small portions to extend hospitality to a dozen extra women and children. The house was crowded and tepid, but Abbie did not mind. Having so many of the Amish women together in one place was almost as satisfying as a shared meal after a church service, an event beginning to fade in memory.
    When Abbie heard one more buggy clatter into the yard, she threaded her way through the visiting women to look out the front window.
    Mary Miller. And Little Abe.
    Abbie grinned wide as she held the door open for them and scooped up Little Abe as soon as his bare feet and wiggly toes crossed the threshold. He showed her all his teeth and put a playful hand over her face.
    “He is so adorable that I don’t know how you can stand it,” Abbie said. She slobbered a kiss on the boy’s cheek.
    Mary laughed. “He is not always so well tempered. When he has a tantrum I’m grateful we live miles from anyone else or we would have to supply the neighbors with something to plug their ears.”
    “We’ll have to see if we have a treat for you.” Abbie gently poked the child’s tummy. She looked at Mary. “I’ll bring you some kaffi . Mrs. Chupp is here. Perhaps she knows when her husband will have Little Abe’s new shoes ready.”
    “He’s excited to have shoes, but he is so used to bare feet that I don’t know if he’ll wear them.”
    “It will be good for him to have them. The ground here is not like the soft grass at home. Anything that grows is scratchy, and there are so many pebbles. Once he has shoes you can let him play more freely.”
    “He’s not a baby anymore.” Mary looked around. “Speaking of babies, is Ruthanna here?”
    Abbie shook her head. “I’m sure she wouldn’t want to leave Eber at home just to visit. She hasn’t left their farm since the day he fell ill.”
    “I want to ask her what she needs for the baby. I would be happy to share the things Little Abe has outgrown.”
    “I’m sure she would be grateful.”
    Little Abe wriggled out of Abbie’s arms and squatted to touch the nearest pair of shoes.
    “How is your quilt coming along?” Mary asked.
    “I have almost all the pieces cut out.” Abbie tickled Little Abe under the chin. “I can’t wait to start piecing.”
    “I’m eager to see your progress.” Mary looked around. “I suppose everyone is here for the same reason. It’s too nerve-racking to wait alone at home for news of what the men are discussing. I hope