On Her Own by Wanda E. Brunstetter Read Free Book Online Page A

ready, so sit down and relax until the mannsleit and buwe come inside.”
    “Speaking of the boys, where are my other three? Haven’t seen or heard from them all morning.”
    “A few minutes ago, I sent Aaron to the harness shop to tell the menfolk lunch was ready. The two younger ones have been playing on the back porch.”
    Barbara sat down. “I hope Aaron does what you asked. He used to help his daed with little things in the shop, but since David’s death, he seems to have lost interest.” She sighed. “Now I can barely get him to go in the shop at all.”
    Mom placed a bowl of coleslaw on the table. “The boy probably misses his daed, and being in the shop is a reminder that David’s gone.”
    “Maybe so.” Tears sprang to Barbara’s eyes. “Aaron reminds me of David in so many ways. He enjoys working with his hands, and he’s got his daed’s determined spirit.”
    “Maybe someday, when you’re ready to give up the shop, he’ll take it over.”
    Barbara nodded. “He’s not old enough to do a whole lot outthere yet, but after he finishes eighth grade and is ready to learn a trade, we’ll see if he has any interest in the harness business.”
    Her mother smiled. “If he takes after his mamm, he surely will.”

    When Paul entered the Rabers’ kitchen, the first person he saw was Barbara. She sat at the table, holding the baby in her arms. He halted inside the door and stared. The sight of her kissing the infant’s downy, dark head brought a lump to his throat. He’d seen plenty of women with babies, but never had it affected him like this. It made him long to be a husband—but a father? No way! He didn’t have the patience for that.
    What’s the matter with me? I shouldn’t even be thinking about marriage or children. Maybe I worked too hard this morning and it addled my brain .
    “Hello, Paul,” Barbara said. “How’d it go in the shop?”
    He hung his straw hat on the closest wall peg. “Everything went fine. There’s a lot to be done out there, that’s for sure.”
    She nodded. “With me not being able to work for the few weeks before the baby came, we really got behind.”
    “We’ll catch up quick with this man minding the shop,” Samuel said, following Paul into the kitchen. “I’ve never seen anyone work as hard as him.”
    Paul’s ears burned, and he reached up to rub them, hoping to hide his embarrassment.
    “I–I’m glad to hear it.” Barbara’s voice wavered when she spoke, and she stared down at her baby.
    Alice Raber lumbered across the room, her generous frame pushing at the seams of her long blue dress. “If you men have already washed, then sit yourselves down at the table, and I’ll call the boys inside.”
    “We cleaned up in the harness shop,” Samuel said, “so we’re ready to eat.”
    “I’ll be right back,” his wife said and went out the door.
    Samuel sat down at the head of the table, then motioned for Paul to take a seat.
    Paul complied but shifted uncomfortably in his chair. He felt out of place.
    Barbara seemed equally ill at ease. She kept her attention on the baby.
    The tantalizing aroma of sugar-cured ham tickled Paul’s nose and made his stomach rumble. This meal was bound to taste better than the cold sandwich and apple he’d brought to work. Struggling to come up with something intelligent to say, Paul felt relief when Alice returned with three young boys in tow.
    “Paul, these are Barbara’s boys,” she said, tapping each one on the shoulder. “This is Aaron—he’s close to nine. Joseph’s nearly six, and Zachary is three and a half.”
    Paul nodded as the boys took their seats. “I met Aaron the other day. It’s nice to meet the rest of you.”
    The two younger ones giggled, and Joseph nudged Aaron. Paul didn’t know what they found so amusing. Could they be laughing at him? Maybe so. He remembered one of the young English boys who’d come into Andy’s harness shop not long ago had laughed at him, saying he was so tall