Read Annie's Truth (Touch of Grace) for Free Online Page B

comments, Annie was saddened to hear of the devastating loss.
    “Ezekiel lost every one of his chickens, but the tornado didn’t touch the rest of his herds.”
    “Mel’s family took cover in a cave when they saw that twister coming. Good thing too, because their house is gone and everything in it.”
    “I hear the west side didn’t get hit at all—not a single farm. Hard to figure.”
    Annie’s sadness changed to appreciation that they were all well, and as she looked out to the farthest pasture, she saw a four-legged creature sure to be Otto. She felt the air seep out of her lungs with relief.
    Her daed thought she was too attached to the animal. “He’s a work horse, not a pet,” he’d tell her when she gave him special attention, so she would steal time with him away from her daed’s sight. She rationalized this by telling herself she was caring for one of Gott’s creatures.
    She clucked to him, and he lifted his huge head toward her. As he made his way over, Annie looked out over the fields. Strange how some were affected and others were left unscathed.
    Much like when God puts more obstacles in one person’s life than another’s. With the new burden she carried she felt like one of the former. One piece of knowledge had turned her whole life upside down. Now she could humbly relate to others with hardships to bear. Now she knew how it felt to be in pain.
    As Otto approached, Annie turned and headed to the barn, corralling some of the other wandering horses and animals that were scattered along her path as she went. Once they had been tended to, she made her way into the house to help Mamm. The men would stay in the fields trying to salvage what they could, and the women would prepare a good meal for them before they went out to help.
    Mamm stood over the counter cutting up meat into pieces while Hanna cut up vegetables. Frieda was attempting to mix up a batch of dough to make rolls, and Annie went over to help her.
    “Need a hand?” She took quick steps over before the bowl of lumpy batter fell onto the floor. When Frieda removed her hands from the bowl, a sticky string of dough trailed along with her.
    “Oops!” Frieda stretched her fingers out full of dough and went to the pump to clean up.
    Mamm looked over at them. The smile that mishaps usually brought out in her was replaced with hard eyes and straight face. “Hanna, Frieda, will you take this out to the men?” She handed them some cups and a large bottle of water.
    Hanna’s eyebrows drew together in question. Annie was curious too. They had much cooking to do before the men would come in to eat. Hanna helped Frieda off the stool where she washed, and they went out back with the water.
    Annie added flour to the dough to try and save the mushy mess Frieda had made. Mamm picked up the pieces of meat and put them in a large pot that was simmering with broth.
    “Annie, are you going to go through with this idea of leaving?” She looked up after she asked and gazed into Annie’s eyes.
    Annie looked away and answered, “Jah, Mamm. I hope you underst—”
    Mamm turned, and they both continued with their work. “If that is so, I will make contact with a family that can take you in.” She reached up to the top shelf of the hutch and pulled out an old flour container. Mamm pulled out a roll of cash and handed it to her. “Here, you’ll need this.”
    Annie had not had many occasions to deal with money, aside from the few times they’d gone to town and she’d been asked to pick up something for her mother, which was rare. Paper or a particular spice that Mamm used for fall cooking that she couldn’t grow in her garden, or one time when Daed purchased a tool—those were the only times she could remember. They had all they needed.
    “I have some, Mamm.” She only had what had she earned by selling baked goods at the mud sales they had in town every year. Furniture, crafts, quilts, and livestock were all sold at the spring event. Annie had