Leah's Choice by Marta Perry Read Free Book Online

anger toward John. He should be explaining this himself instead of putting it onto her.
    “He’s working with that doctor who’s doing the research on genetic diseases that affect the children. He said he’d be here for six months, at least.”
    “Six months?” Rachel bit her lip. “It will be hard, having him near that long but not one of us.”
    “Did you have any idea of what he was doing?”
    “No.” The sidelong look seemed a little guilty. “Just that he’d gone to college for some kind of science.”
    “You never told me that.” She’d thought that she and her closest friend shared everything.
    Rachel’s gaze slid away from Leah’s, and she fiddled with the forks much as Leah had done, as if her hands needed to be busy. “You seemed like you’d forgotten him. I didn’t want to bring it all up again and make you feel bad. Did I do wrong?”
    “No. It’s all right.” But she hadn’t forgotten. She’d just learned to hide her feelings.
    “What does he want from us, then?” Rachel’s eyes went dark with misery, hurting Leah’s heart. “Why did he come to you?”
    “He wants to see you and the rest of your family. He asked me to tell you. He’s coming to the schoolhouse tomorrow to hear your answer.”
    Her friend’s eyes widened. “But I can’t tell him anything, not so soon. Not until I talk to Mamm and Daadi about it. And how will I do that?”
    “I know it’s hard.” She thanked the Lord that she’d never had to face that particular burden with her parents. “But you should tell them right away, before they hear about him being here from someone else.”
    “But if no one knows but you—”
    “Daniel Glick saw him at the school,” she said quickly, before Rachel could imagine this secret would keep. “He hasn’t said anything, but anyone could see John, could start talking about his coming back. You know how fast that news would spread.”
    “You’re right. I can’t be a coward about it. I’ll talk to them tonight.” She shook her head, worry darkening her eyes. “I don’t know what to say. I don’t want to hurt them.”
    Leah squeezed her in a quick hug. “They haven’t forgotten about him. Maybe they’ll be relieved to know what he’s doing. Anyway, it must be done.”
    “Oh, I know that. It’s just so hard. I want to protect them from hurt. You’d feel the same, wouldn’t you?”
    Leah glanced at her mother. Mamm sat in a lawn chair, watching the children play. She was smiling, but her face seemed thin and tired.
    “Ja, of course I would. I do. It’s strange. All these years we’ve relied on our parents, and now we need to care for them. It seems we’re changing places, doesn’t it?”
    Rachel nodded in quick understanding. “How is your mamm?”
    “She says she’s doing fine, but fighting the cancer has taken a lot out of her. She and my father have decided to move to the grossdaadi haus.”
    Rachel’s face expressed all that she might be reluctant to say. “So your brother and his family will be moving into the house. What about you and Anna?”
    “That’s what Anna wants to know.” It was a relief to pour it out to someone who would understand and keep it to herself. “Levi and Barbara say that nothing will change, that we should keep our own rooms, but she’s expecting again, and—”
    “And it’s only a matter of time until she wants those rooms for her family.” Rachel shook her head. “Even if she didn’t, you know how hard it will be to live in another woman’s house.” Now it was Rachel’s turn to give a comforting hug. “What will you do?”
    “Nothing for a bit. I haven’t had time to think it through. I knew it would come sometime, but I didn’t think it would be so soon.”
    Rachel nodded, eyes clouding. “I know. It’s odd, isn’t it? One day life seems settled and routine, and the next it’s turned upside down, as if a storm came and tipped us all on our heads.”
    “Ja.” That was surely how she’d felt