A Love Undone Read Online Free PDF Page B

them.”
    “Which could easily take three to four months,” Levi said.
    “Ya, it could.”
    Tobias took the article from Sadie, running his finger under the headline as he read it. “What happens to them if no one steps up?”
    Levi’s shoulders slumped. Apparently the reality Andy saw was just now dawning on his younger brother. “They’ll try rescue organizations first, but the resources are always stretched for those groups. They’ll be left resorting to questionable places, causing the horses to become more traumatized. The weakest and most temperamental—often the ones who were the most abused—will probably be euthanized.”
    “Daed, we can’t allow that.”
    “I agree,” Levi said. “It would be hard to live with ourselves if we don’t respond to this plea for help.”
    Sadie returned the article to its envelope. “Call your uncle and see if he’s willing to board them for free and if he knows anyone who could help you tend to them. Levi and I will ask your Daed to help us run the farm for the summer. Surely you could have most of them ready to be adopted in three to four months.”
    It was a huge sacrifice of time and money, but how could they make a living from buying, training, and selling horses and not give back when the need arose?

4

    The aroma of the pastries Jolene was baking wafted through the air as she grabbed a clean, wet shirt from the laundry basket. When she snapped it sharply in the wind, a faint spray of water danced from the shirt and into the crystal-clear air. Sunlight played with the miniscule dots of water, causing the colors of the rainbow to speckle the air for a brief moment before disappearing. Desire to capture the moment in paint swept over her. If time allowed late this afternoon, she’d unlock her hiding place, climb the stairs, and paint.
    She pinned the shirt to the clothesline, breathing in the warm spring air. It was such a gorgeous day here on earth. How much more so was it for her Mamm and Daed?
    After attaching the last article of clothing to the line, she picked up the basket. While heading for the house, she saw remnants of the Mother’s Day festivities in the side yard and walked that way. For the last five years, her siblings had honored her on Mother’s Day. Even now the joy of yesterday made her grin. She walked to the hammock her siblings had given her, gave it a gentle push, and laughed.
    Her three brothers—Josiah, Michael, and Ray—had hung it for her between two old maple trees. But when she’d tried to lie in it, she’d fallen out. Numerous times. With their help she’d finally gotten the hang of using it. She had lounged there while the family sat in chairs around her, sharing warm and funny memories from bothbefore and after their parents died. Josiah’s two-year-old son had climbed into her arms and snuggled with her until he was fast asleep.
    It was days like yesterday that refreshed her and reminded her what a blessed life she had. She couldn’t imagine being any more content than she was—even if Van had chosen to marry her and help her raise her siblings.
    But he hadn’t.
    To his credit, when he realized they wouldn’t marry, he didn’t simply break up with her and walk off. He’d remained by her side, giving her someone she could confide in as she carried the grief of such loss. Someone she could turn to when she didn’t know how to write checks or balance a checkbook, or where to order propane for the tank out back, or how to pay the water bill. He helped her with those things for six months. Then he gently said he couldn’t do it anymore. Apparently she and her siblings were an obstacle to his desire to move on with his life. According to Van, that was especially true of Ray, who was struggling with the loss of their parents and exhibiting it through impulsive and often violent outbursts. After telling her that, Van left the Keim property, shoving her back into that thick, unbearable grief once again. About two weeks later