The Amish Doll: Amish Knitting Novel (Bonus Knitting Pattern Included) by Karen Anna Vogel Read Free Book Online

inside. It was a closed buggy that was charming. Raven heard him make a clicking noise and the horse was off.  They headed down Main Street and passed the Town Square before he spoke.
    “Eb told me what happened last night.”
    She looked down. “Told you what?”
    “You were crying so hard you couldn’t milk the cow. He came over because he heard screaming. Are you okay?”
    A familiar sense of shame swept over her, making her speechless. Why would he care?
    He slowed the buggy to a stop on the side of the road and jumped down and went behind the buggy. She looked behind to see he was turning on battery operated lights. Then he turned the set on in the front of the buggy.  He had a handsome profile, a strong jawline like his father and with a small turned up nose like his mom.  He looked at her thoughtfully when he got into the buggy but she still couldn’t talk. “God could save us from trauma, but instead he sends us a Comforter.” That’s my favorite Amish proverb. It’s helped me get through my mom’s illness.  God can comfort like no other human can, but I’d like to help you.”
    There it was again. Talk about God and his comfort. It was in the chapter she was reading in the Bible: She was well acquainted with the wall she was about to put up, but for some reason, she found it harder to do with Joshua. Raven looked forward, trying to ignore him. She wanted to tell him a lie, like the cow kicked her and she screamed. That she’d never really milked a cow and was afraid, but instead she felt her chin quiver. She quickly put her hand to her mouth to hide it, and she felt tears as she gasped for air. She felt Joshua’s arm around her. “It’ll be okay,” he said. “I’m here to listen if you want to talk.”
    Her throat hurt, trying to swallow her pain. She felt Joshua’s arm withdraw from her and she soon heard the clip clop of the horse’s hoofs and the rhythm calmed her. Raven looked out of the buggy at the fields full of wheat. Some of it was drying in piles stacked like tee pees. She felt rude being so silent, and tried to find her voice. She heard an owl hoot. Surely she could speak up, too. “I was raised on a farm on the Indian Reservation in Salamanca. When I milked the cow, it brought back bad memories.”
    Joshua didn’t say anything, just nodded his head for her to go on. She wasn’t used to sharing her feelings, but for some reason she felt safe. “The reason I was put in a foster home was abuse. My Aunt Brook never liked me, and after my grandparents died, there was no one to protect me from her.”
    Joshua took her hand. “I’m sorry, Raven,” he said. “Foster children are blessed to have you work with them. You weren’t protected and now you’re making sure other children are.”
    She looked into his blue eyes, and found she could see herself more clearly in them. They were like deep pools of water that brought refreshment. She felt accepted by him … unconditionally. And he knew her; deep down she wanted to make sure other children would be protected. She couldn’t look away from him and wanted to tell him more, but he turned his head and let go of her hand. “I better get you back to Appleton.”
    ~*~
    A few days later, Raven had another home visit to make at Joshua’s Aunt Hannah’s house. Susanna had told her of the burden she had for the boys and now she and her husband wanted to be foster parents as well. Then she would interview the Millers, Lottie’s parents. If they were anything like her, they wouldn’t qualify. If she stopped dating Joshua because his time was spent taking care of Susanna, then they didn’t have the hearts to be foster parents. 
    Raven thought of all the foster families she’d had. Lucky to never suffer abuse in a foster home and maybe there was a God who had been looking out for her. The more she read the Bible, she felt like Jesus cared. She’d been in so many Sunday Schools, but the song, “Jesus Loves Me” was sung in them all.