Someone to Trust by Patricia Davids

Author:Patricia Davids
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2020-11-09T15:29:21+00:00

* * *

Gabe had his binoculars and his book on bird identification in his hand when Jonah came rushing into the kitchen.

“Esther says I’m supposed to ask you what to do if I see a bear.”

“I thought she wasn’t going to tell you that we saw one.”

“You did? Where? Esther never said she actually laid eyes on a live one.”

“It was a long way from here, and I wasn’t supposed to tell you because she’s afraid you’ll go looking for it.”

“I promise I won’t.”

Gabe nodded and told the boy what he needed to know if he encountered a black bear. He started to leave but stopped and turned to the boy. “Jonah, is it difficult to learn sign language?”

“Not really.”

“How could I go about learning to sign? Could you teach me?”

“Sure. If you tell me where you saw the black bear.”

Gabe crossed his arms over his chest. “Nope. So thanks, anyway.”

“I was just kidding. I’ll be happy to teach you some words in sign. Why don’t you ask Esther? I’m sure she’d do it.”

“I wanted to surprise her.”

Jonah folded his arms and cupped his chin with one hand. “You’re sweet on my sister, aren’t you?”

“We are friends, but would you have a problem with it if I was?”

“Only that it would make Waneta think she is right about her gift for matchmaking.”

“Esther doesn’t get along with Waneta. Why is that?”

“They just don’t see eye to eye about a lot of things. I’m not sure they ever will. Esther and Waneta can both be stubborn.”

Gabe’s mother came into the kitchen. “What are you two discussing so intently?”

Jonah winked at Gabe. “Bears.” The boy went back outside.

“I like that kid,” Gabe said.

“Are you enjoying our visitors? I want our two families to be close friends.”

Gabe wagged a finger at her. “You want your sons to fall head over heels for Waneta’s girls.”

She grinned. “Maybe I do. They are wonderful women. I wouldn’t mind having one or more of them as daughters-in-law. What’s wrong with that?”

“Nothing, I reckon.” They were nice women, but they sometimes neglected Esther. He wasn’t sure how to broach the subject but decided he needed to say something. “I did notice that they deserted Esther yesterday at the picnic.”

His mother nodded. “I saw that, too.”

“Tomorrow is our church service. There will be a lot of visiting afterward. Could you suggest to them that they include Esther rather than leaving her on her own? Without someone to sign for her, she is uncomfortable in a crowd of people.”

“I’m not sure it’s my place, but I will speak to Waneta. Sometimes we take our family members for granted without realizing that they may need our attention as much as others do.”

“I appreciate that, Mamm.”

“Where are you off to?”

“Esther and I are going over to the Arnett farm to do some bird-watching.”

“The two of you have been spending a lot of time together. Is it because you feel responsible for her after saving her life, or do you feel sorry for her?”

“Neither. The fact that she is deaf makes things more difficult, but I don’t pity her.

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