Forever by Karen Ann Hopkins

Author:Karen Ann Hopkins [Hopkins, Karen Ann]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2013-01-31T06:00:00+00:00

29

Rose

The blast of wind spooked Lady, and she bolted sideways. I clung with my thighs and tugged on the reins until I had her trotting in a straight line again. Glancing up at the darkening sky, I wished I’d listened to Sam about the strong possibility of storms that afternoon.

I probably would have taken his advice if he hadn’t been so bossy about it. In typical Sam fashion, he told me how stupid I was to go riding while pregnant. He even threatened to phone Dad at the hospital if I went, but I’d called his bluff and galloped away, anyway.

He’d shouted after me about tornado warnings in the area, but I’d ignored him, more intent on getting away to think than to worry about the weather. It had been several weeks since I’d been on my gray Arabian’s back and at first the feel of the colder air hitting my face had been exhilarating. For a little while, I even forgot about the pregnancy, enjoying the freedom that riding a horse gave me.

But now, with Lady shaking beneath me, ready to bolt again, and the wind picking up even more, I started becoming afraid. To make matters more nerve-wracking, I worried that the fearful tightness in my body would fuel Lady’s nervousness.

Of course I wouldn’t even be out in the storm if it hadn’t been for Noah. The way he’d shot down my suggestion that he go English was not really unexpected, but it still stung. I didn’t want to be Amish in some faraway community. I’d have enough trouble surviving the lifestyle in Meadowview. At least here, I knew people, and my family lived just up the road. Even if I wasn’t allowed to visit with them much, they would still be there—waiting for me.

I didn’t want to leave Summer, either. She was my best friend and probably the only person who could keep me sane in the days to come. Her words of warning were also heavy on my mind.

“You know, Rose, if it’s a girl, she’ll be stuck living her life in the shadows of men. At least you made the decision to throw away your freedom…she won’t have a choice.”

Another thing that had been on my mind was wondering what Mom would have said if she’d been sitting at the table this morning with the rest of them. It was a dumb thought. If Mom was still alive, I wouldn’t be pregnant. We’d never have moved to Meadowview and Dad wouldn’t be dating Tina.

And, I wouldn’t be in danger of being thrown into the mud of the newly plowed corn field in the middle of Ohio nowhere.

The flash of lightning was so close that it blinded me for an instant, but it was the boom of thunder directly overhead that caused Lady’s legs to spread low to the ground before she gathered her muscles and took off.

My body was thrown back, but I held on, righting myself in the saddle. Once I felt fairly certain that the mare wasn’t going to buck, I began pulling on the reins to slow her down.

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