Hansel and Gretel by Jenni James Read Free Book Online

All was not well. How could she believe otherwise, even for a moment?
    “Hello, Pa,” she called as he wandered into the kitchen. “Are you hungry? Would you like me to fix something quick?” It was only three, too early for supper.
    Adale glanced a moment in her direction. “What did you say?” he asked, his eyes scanning the counter of clean dishes and then the table.
    “I asked if you were hungry.”
    “Hungry?” He looked confused before shaking his head. “No, no, I am not hungry. I am fine.” He turned to leave.
    “Pa, wait!” His growing lack of appetite was disconcerting.
    He continued to walk away as if he did not hear her. She tried again. “Father, what did you need? You came in the kitchen with me. Did you need something?”
    He stopped and glanced over before mumbling, “Nothing. Just Cora. She will help me. You cannot.”
    She walked forward, clutching his elbow as he began to move again. “Father, please, do not—”
    He yanked his arm out of her grasp. “Do not touch me!” he suddenly shouted, acting so very childlike. “Cora says you cannot touch me. Do not!”
    Gretel stepped back a few paces, her heart lurching at the fear she saw within him. “I will not harm you.”
    “No, you will not!” he snarled, fierceness coming out in his surprise anger toward her. “You will not harm me or my wife, or you will know what true pain is!”
    She flinched and scurried back until she bumped into the stove. What was happening to him? How much worse would he get? It was almost as if he did not remember her at all.
    Adale seemed to be satisfied with her retreat. He smirked and then blinked, his eyes all at once taking on a faraway stare again as he turned and slowly made his way out of the room.
    Gretel waited until she heard his bedroom door shut. She hurried past the living room and out of the house. She needed to speak to Hansel and tell him how much worse Father was getting. They would have to intervene soon, or all would be lost.
    As she went around to the back of the cottage, she came flush up to Hansel. “Forgive me!” she gasped. He must have been heading home.
    “Yes,” he said as his eyes sparkled in the sunlight. “I see how you are—a typical woman, never looking where you are going.” He reached out to touch her, but she quickly sidestepped out of his reach.
    “Ooh! You will not begin this nonsense about men and women today of all days.”
    He chuckled. “Whyever should I not?” Looking up toward the sky, he said, “Today seems as fine a day as any.”
    She placed her hands on her hips. “You would believe so! And here I was positive you had become nearly gentlemanly in your manners, but now I see I was most likely mistaken. You are just as big a nuisance as always!”
    “Did you come all the way out here to pick a fight with me, or did you have other things you wish to discuss, my shrewish sister?”
    Outraged, she glared at him. There were things she wished to say, of course. But how could she get past his flippant mood to the truth of the matter? With a tilt of her nose upward, she brushed past him, determined to go somewhere and sort her fears out on her own. Who needed to deal with men at a time like this?
    She had made it a whole five steps before she felt Hansel’s arm on hers.
    “Gretel, wait. I apologize.”
    She was about to push his arm away when she paused and slowly turned toward him. “What did you say?”
    “Wait.”
    “No, after that. What did you say?”
    “I apologize.” He took a deep breath. “I should treat you better, I know this. But there are times when old habits are hard to break. Please forgive me.”
    Her jaw dropped. “Hansel?” She searched his gaze.
    “Yes?”
    “I—thank you.”
    “You seem so stunned that I would beg your forgiveness.” He stepped forward and removed a wisp of hair from her brow. “Have I never done so before?”
    “No. Never.” She let out a short laugh. “Well, at least not for some time.”
    He held her