He’d waited too long to leave the Shirack farm. Dusk gathered quickly and it was past his bedtime. He shouldn’t be angry with Bethel’s declaration that she needed friends who understood her situation, but he couldn’t help it. She’d chosen this soldier she’d met once to be a friend over a Plain ma...
The success of a quilting frolic depended not only on the sewing ability of the quilters, but also on the quality of the visiting. Emma’s stories about Eli, Rebecca, Mary, and Lillie always made her laugh. The four of them were having fun showing the Gless children all the best places to fish, cl...
The heat billowed inside just as it did outside. From the smell of it, supper involved fried pork chops and fried potatoes and onions. His stomach growled at the thought. It had been a long time since the noonday meal of navy beans, ham, and cornbread. He hoped his nose was right. It rarely faile...
As hard as she tried, Emma couldn’t keep from drifting off. She awoke with a crick in her neck, embarrassed that the nurses might have watched her sleep. She shifted in her chair a few feet from the ICU and willed herself to keep her eyes open. Maybe if she moved around… She stood, pu...
She inhaled his scent of man sweat and soap. He’d sopped up the pulled pork and barbecue sauce with the last of his oversized bun, polishing the plate to a shine. The fried potatoes, pickles, and red beets had disappeared in short order. He liked to eat. Abigail appreciated that in a man. She’d l...
Tiny plumes of flour wafted in the air. She smacked the dustpan to the floor and stooped to finish the job. Customers would’ve been a welcome interruption. She couldn’t help replaying the scene on the courtroom balcony earlier in the day over and over again. Sergeant Parker declaring he had feeli...
She held it up and examined the creases to make sure it didn’t bear any stains. Lydia always had grubby hands. Katie couldn’t give a stained dress away. This one appeared pristine. Surprising. Nothing about Lydia had been pristine. She liked to play in the dirt and chase the cats and climb trees ...
The aroma reminded Susan of homemade spaghetti sauce. Of suppers spent around the table as kinner when Mordecai had been on a practical joke streak a mile long and Mudder and Daed pretended to bicker over her cooking or his dirty clothes. It smelled like contentment. Steam billowed from the mammo...