A Brighter Dawn by Leslie Gould

Author:Leslie Gould
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Contemporary Fiction;FIC053000;FIC042100;FIC042040
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
Published: 2023-02-02T00:00:00+00:00

Over the next few weeks, I mostly worked in the shop and sometimes on the farm. Treva helped on the farm every day except Mondays, when she did the wash with Rosene because Brenna wasn’t much help with her left arm in a cast. Treva and I also did the dishes after each meal. Brenna soon joined Treva in wearing an Amish dress and Kapp, and I finally did too, because it was easier than putting Mammi off over and over. But I insisted on wearing one of Brenna’s Mennonite Kapps instead of the heart-shaped Amish one.

I called Gran every few days to check in. Sometimes she sounded weak. Other times she sounded okay. Alec and I texted a few times a week but never about anything important. Still, I felt secure when I heard from him, as if I belonged. Was FOMO my entire motivation for being with him?

I’d been boy crazy since middle school, but boys had never been crazy about me, which added to my sense of not belonging. The football player I had a crush on never invited me to the fall banquet. The cross-country runner who was my best bud in chemistry did instead, which made my parents happy. But it made me feel rejected.

When I started hanging out with Tony, Ellen, and Alec, I was wary. Alec was tall, handsome, and cool in a way I’d never been, nor would ever be. He’d played football at his high school in the next town over. He’d even been on the homecoming court. I did my best not to develop a crush on him.

About four months ago, when Alec became interested in me, I was shocked. Ellen assured me it was genuine. “He’s a good guy,” she’d said. “Besides, look at you. Blond, blue-eyed, petite. What’s not to be interested in?”

For as boy crazy as I’d been, Alec was my first kiss. At first, I felt relieved by the attention. I finally felt normal. Accepted. As if I belonged.

But then it seemed as if all he wanted to do was go for rides in his new pickup and then make out. And it wasn’t that I was opposed to that; I just wasn’t sure where we were headed in the long run.

Ellen called occasionally over the summer, leaving messages that I returned when I could. Overall, she was sympathetic, although when I told her Brenna was going to Germany, she exclaimed, “What?! You and I are supposed to be roomies!”

“We will be,” I said. “And Brenna too. She and I will share a bed.”

She paused and then said, “Okay, then. It’ll be fun, right?” Before I could answer, she asked, “How’s Treva?” She’d always been Ellen’s favorite of my sisters.

“Treva seems to be doing fine,” I said. “Mammi made her an Amish dress and Treva actually prefers it.”

“Cute!” Ellen was trying to be positive—I could give her credit for that. She was my best friend. I still needed her.

She began consistently posting for the Global Gathering.

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