Until I Love Again Read Online Free PDF Page B

but even goot things must come to an end. He could not impose on Katherine forever, nor on the good graces of his parents. At their age, they could use Katherine’s help on the homeplace. Instead he had Katherine tied up with the care of his two young girls, Lizzie and Martha. He compensated his parents for Katherine’s time, but that didn’t get the work done at home.
    â€œWe are glad to help out where we can,” Mamm often told him.
    Daett always nodded, and sometimes said, “When your heart is healed, son, then we will think of what comes next.”
    He knew what that meant. He was eventually expected to find and marry a proper woman who could care for Lizzie and Martha. His parents continued to wait, but action would also be expected from him. In fact, he should already have a Sunday evening date lined up with an available unmarried woman from the community. There were plenty of decent choices from which to pick. Two young widows lived in the district, but he had settled his mind on Susanna Miller—and more than just settled. The truth was, he was completely taken by the girl. He couldn’t keep his eyes off of Susanna at the Sunday services, and he had made several unnecessary trips over to the Millers’ place on needless errands in the hopes he would get a chance to speak with the girl. But Susanna hadn’t appeared, and he had been reduced to incoherent mumbles in his conversations with Susanna’s Daett , Ralph.
    â€œNice weather we’re having, isn’t it?” he had asked. “The Lord has been gracious again this year.”
    â€œ Yah ,” Ralph had allowed. “That it is. We receive both the rain and the sunshine as from the Lord’s hand.”
    â€œI used to enjoy the rain as a boy,” Ernest had said. “I used to take my shoes off to clomp through the barnyard puddles. I appreciated the heritage the Lord gave us from a young age. Seems like my heart has always been with the community and the life we live here. May the Lord’s name be uplifted and praised among His people.”
    Ralph had looked strangely at him. “We all have our memories, I suppose. And I, too, love our way of life.”
    â€œWell, tell Susanna hello for me,” Ernest had managed before driving quickly out of the lane.
    He was sure Ralph understood and even approved of his intentions, but he knew that Ralph would likely approve of any man from the community who called on his daughter. He had learned of Susanna’s past from his parents after he mentioned Susanna’s name a few weeks ago in their presence.
    â€œAll the older people know this,” his Mamm had informed him. “Ralph made his wishes known years ago when he took Susanna into his home after his marriage to Linda. No one is to speak to Susanna about her past. I doubt she even knows the truth herself. Of course, people can tell the tale when their sons show an interest in her, so I’m sure the story has been told often. The girl is quite goot -looking, and doubtless has generated plenty of interest. You should consider what we told you, Ernest. Considering her background, Susanna could be unstable. Look at the reports we’ve been getting on her wild rumspringa time. She’s not the frau to replace Naomi, Ernest.”
    â€œNo one can replace Naomi,” Ernest had told them. “And this interest I have in Susanna is of the Lord.” So they had fallen silent and let the matter lie.
    The story of Susanna’s past had not changed his mind. There was no reason that the sins of the parents should be held to the child’s account. The Lord had said so Himself in the Old Testament. Susanna was not to blame. The blessing of the Lord was on the girl, and there should be no obstacles in his path to marrying her. He would approach Susanna directly. It just wasn’t the time yet.
    But Mamm was right on one point. By now many of the unmarried men in the community knew the