Read Online Amish Promises by Leslie Gould - Free Book Online

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    Eve reached for Rose’s hand.
    â€œI want to stay,” the girl said. “With the Englischers.”
    Eve spoke softly. “Not today.”
    As Charlie approached with another cow, Rose put her free hand on her hip and asked, “What did the lady mean when she said her husband was ‘out of sorts’?”
    Eve shook her head. “Rose,” she whispered. “That’s none of our business.”
    Zane stood at the trough, balancing the shovel in his hands. “Did my mom say that?”
    â€œJah,” Rose answered.
    Zane turned toward Charlie. “He’s always out of sorts these days.”
    â€œYour dad had a rough time with the X-ray technician is all.” Charlie pointed toward the shovel. “Dump the grain.”
    Zane did as he was instructed.
    â€œCome on, Rose,” Eve said, leading her niece toward the door. To Charlie, she said, “We’ll have supper waiting for all of you when you’re done.” She’d sit Rose down first and give her a talking to though. Eve had been lax in teaching the child her manners.
    â€œGood-bye!” Rose called out to Charlie. As Eve dragged her through the barn, the little girl called out again, this time to Zane, “Don’t scare the cows. They kick too!”
    â€œRose,” Eve chided.
    â€œWe’ll be careful,” Charlie replied, the hint of a smile pressing against the serious line of his lips.

    An hour later Eve put the noodles into the boiling water when Lila, Daniel, and Zane came in—without Charlie. “He’s going to the store outside of Strasburg,” Zane said, “to get some groceries. But he said I could eat with all of you.”
    Eve’s face grew warm. She shouldn’t have asked Charlie to supper.
    â€œThen I need to head home so we can move boxes and stuff around,” Zane said.
    â€œWhy don’t you help them?” Eve turned to Daniel as she dished up the green beans.
    â€œI can help too,” Lila said.
    Eve shook her head. “I need your help here.” She put the plates on the table and the children gathered around.
    Rose climbed onto Tim’s chair. “Do you have a TV?” she asked Zane.
    He nodded.
    â€œAnd a computer?”
    He nodded again.
    â€œHow about a cell phone?”
    â€œNot yet,” he answered. “But Mom said she’ll get me one by the time I’m in high school.” He sat down next to Daniel. “You don’t have any modern stuff in your house, right?”
    â€œJah,” Lila answered. “Just the phone in the barn.”
    â€œWe don’t need anything else,” Daniel said. “None of our people have electronic stuff.”
    That wasn’t entirely true. Sure, none of the families in their district had TVs, but some had a computer in their shop or barn, to use exclusively for business. And many of the youth had cell phones they charged with batteries out in their barns, but she didn’t need to explain that to Zane.
    Eve drained the noodles and placed them on the table along with the creamed chicken, green beans, and applesauce. Daniel led them all in a silent prayer again. As the children ate, Eve started on the pots and pans and listened to their chatter. She wasn’t hungry.
    After a few minutes, Daniel asked, “What did your Dat do in the Army?”
    â€œHe was a staff sergeant in a signal unit.”
    Eve was grateful Simon wasn’t hearing the conversation. Daniel leaned forward. “What’s that?”
    â€œThey figure out the communication stuff—installing networks, connecting with satellites, teleconferencing, fixing cables, that sort of thing.”
    â€œSo he wasn’t really a soldier?” Daniel said, leaning back in his chair.
    Zane shook his head. “He was.”
    â€œBut he didn’t shoot anyone?”
    Eve turned toward the table. “Daniel,” she said. “There are all sorts of different