The River by Beverly Lewis Read Free Book Online Page A

as a time to console her parents in particular, although Ruth had received solace, too, simply by listening to Uncle Abner talk at the table. The man had a kindly way of expressing himself.
    “He seems to care about everyone , no matter,” her mother had always said of him.
    Presently, he reached to pour more coffee into his cup. “I ’spect your mother’s holdin’ her breath till she lays eyes on ya again.”
    This pleased Ruth. “And . . . she’ll be happy to see Tilly, too,” she said, not certain it was true.
    Her uncle took his time responding, eyeing her carefully. “ Jah , the both of you,” he said at last.
    This took her by surprise, since she’d wondered if her parents might still be upset about Tilly’s leaving. And encouraging me to leave, too . . .
    She heard a knock at the back door, and Abner rose to answer it. Ruth could hear muffled talking, the low sound of another man’s voice. Younger, and one she thought she recognized.
    When her uncle was delayed, Ruth spooned up some more sugar and stirred it into her remaining half cup of coffee. Seems strange, being here. Strange but good.
    After a short time, the men’s talking ceased. Then, lo and behold, Will Kauffman’s best buddy, Lloyd Blank, came walking in with Uncle Abner and sat down at the table like it was the only thing to do. He nodded in her direction but didn’t say a word at first, as if unable to find any words to speak. It was downright awkward.
    Ruth clenched her jaw. The dark-haired fellow with narrow brown eyes was the very reason Wilmer had chosen to join the rowdiest buddy bunch in all of Lancaster County. Seeing Lloyd again made Ruth want to run right out the back door and never look back.
    Instead, she picked up her coffee and took small sips—all she could manage. Her hands were terribly unsteady.
    Finally, Lloyd leaned forward. “Heard you were comin’ home, Ruthie.” He frowned slightly. “You wouldn’t look any different if it weren’t for those fancy clothes.”
    She could scarcely swallow. Back when she and Lloyd were in school together, Ruth had thought of him as foolish and, at times, even lidderlich— despicable.
    Uncle Abner intervened. “Ruth and her sister are just visiting.”
    Lloyd nodded slowly, locking eyes with Ruth. “Well, if ya don’t mind, there’s someone who’d like to see ya.” Ruth’s heart dropped, and she felt as if all the air had been sucked from the room. “If you can spare the time,” Lloyd added.
    Ruth looked away, steeling her will.
    “’Tis Wilmer,” Lloyd said more softly. “ He’s asking ’bout ya.”
    She winced, and Lloyd’s eyebrows wavered as if he’d noticed.
    Ruth glanced at her uncle, hoping for support. “What does Will want?” she asked Lloyd.
    “Oh, just to talk.”
    Ruth spotted Tilly coming into the kitchen with Aunt Naomi and was relieved when she didn’t have a chance to accept or decline. She pushed back her coffee cup and saucer as gently as possible, fingers trembling. That quick, she got up to join her sister.
    Goodness, but she found it curious that Uncle Abner hadn’t offered to introduce Lloyd to Tilly.
    She could hear Aunt Naomi chattering about getting Tilly a bite to eat and maybe getting Ruth something more, too, but Ruth hurried to the opposite side of her sister, flanking her all the way to the back door.
    Aunt Naomi’s face registered bewilderment.
    “ Denki for your hospitality, Aunt Naomi,” Tilly said, her voice low. “But we really should get Ruth to Mamm and Daed’s soon.” She glanced furtively toward the kitchen, and Ruth guessed she wondered what Lloyd was up to that made Ruth so anxious to depart.
    Aunt Naomi seemed reluctant to let them go but wished them well as they hastened to put on their coats, then left just as quickly.

    “ Schlofschtermich — nightmarish,” Ruth admitted to Tilly as they drove away. “That’s exactly what it was.”
    Tilly didn’t reply at first, not knowing what to say. She had,