Read Love's Abundant Harvest for Free Online Page B

danke .
    “If you ever want to talk, feel free to stop by.”
    What a lovely thought, but it would never happen. “I bet you’re a good listener.”
    He grinned. “Actually, Sweet Pea is better than me.”
    Lucy chuckled, picturing him talking to the horse the same way she just had, and
she didn’t feel quite so foolish. She grinned at Manny. “ Jah , I know.”

M anny sat up in his bed and looked out at the dark sky. It would be a long day of
threshing wheat. It was time-consuming and hot this time of year, but the flour would
last through the winter and then some for all the baking the women did.
    He glanced at the empty side of his bed. “Not that I need as much as most now.”
    But his cousin, Emma, would be sure to come over and make him his favorites—cherry
pie and peach cobbler.
    He dressed and took slow steps down the stairs to the kitchen to fix some coffee.
Rummaging through the pantry to find the coffee beans to grind, he came up short.
One more grocery item he had forgotten at the store. He bent his head and placed
his palms on either side of the door. Even the littlest of things seemed to keep
popping up, showing him another chore Glenda had done that he took for granted. The
canister of the herbal tea she liked was almost full. He eyed it before shrugging.
It wasn’t the same as a strong cup of coffee.
    He looked out the window over at the tall cluster of trees that blocked any view
of Lucy’s haus . As he tapped his fingers on the counter, he could almost smell the
roasted beans being ground. He was in need of coffee, but wouldn’t it also be neighborly
to stop over at her place just to say hallo ? He had to admit he worried about her. Not that it was his place to. There was just something that didn’t sit right.
    He tried to push aside his worries about Lucy and headed outside to get started on
his morning chores. But once the cows were milked, his thoughts drifted once again,
and he decided he needed coffee, which would give him a good excuse to check in on
Lucy. The rest of the chores could wait. He swallowed his pride and got up his nerve
to face Sam as he started down the lane to the main dirt road that led to their place.
He stopped at the driveway. Somehow their place always seemed darker. Maybe it was
the tall, thick trees that surrounded the haus . Or maybe it was just Manny feeling
uncomfortable being there.
    He stood at the back screen door, savoring the smell of the coffee and bacon. Maybe
some eggs too . . . or was that his imagination, dreaming about them. Standing under
the window, he heard Abner’s voice and took a step back, listening, not wanting to
intrude. Abner walked in from the mudroom and seemed to be talking slower today.
Manny glanced through the window and noticed he held a letter against his chest as
if it was made of gold.
    Lucy walked over to the stove and stirred up something that sizzled. “Good to see
you, Abner.” When Abner didn’t respond, she took a closer look at him. His pinched
forehead and the way he averted his eyes worried Manny. “Are you feeling all right?”
    Abner rubbed his hand over his wrinkled face. “ Nee . I’m not.”
    She waited, and watched him stroke his beard. “Why don’t you take a load off and
have a seat.” Lucy motioned toward a kitchen chair.
    He sat down heavily. “ Nee . I need to get something off my chest. That’s what needs
to be done.” He scratched his thinning gray hair and let out a breath.
    Manny was eavesdropping, but at this point, he was as concerned as Lucy appeared
to be and needed to know what was on poor old Abner’s mind. He made himself visible,
taking a step forward, but couldn’t get himself to go any farther and interrupt the
conversation.
    “What in the world’s got you so upset?” Lucy rested her hands on her belly and waited,
shifting her weight.
    Abner’s eyes went to her hands that cradled her stomach. “I just have to say this
once and for all.” He glanced outside, and she followed his