A Hand to Hold

Author:Kathleen Fuller
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: ebook, book
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Published: 2010-08-10T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 11

I told you I’d come pick you up.” Stephen cast a glance at Ruth as he started the buggy moving again. “Why were you walking home?”

Ruth didn’t answer him right away. She’d walked almost a mile down the road when she saw Stephen heading toward her. He pulled over and she ran to the buggy. But maybe she should have kept going instead. She’d been walking to avoid Zachariah and his questions, only to have to hear them from Stephen. She closed her eyes. Would this day never end?

“Ruth, what’s going on?”

“Nix.” How many times did she have to say that before someone would understand?

“I don’t believe you. I know mei glee schwester and—”

“Don’t call me that! I’m not a kinn, I’m a grown woman!” She balled her fists and fought the burning pain in her throat.

“I’m sorry.” Stephen’s deep voice was nearly inaudible. “I didn’t mean anything by it.”

She knew he didn’t, but right now she was so upset she couldn’t speak. From the time she forgot her key, the entire day had spiraled into a waking nightmare. After Jacob left, she’d had to keep two brothers from fighting with each other, she caught one girl copying math answers from the boy sitting next to her, and little Lori Fisher frequently burst into tears because she missed her mami. By the end of the day she hadn’t completed a single objective in her lesson plan, and she was ready to drop with exhaustion. If she couldn’t be successful on her first day, how was she going to manage her classroom for an entire school term?

And then there was Zachariah Bender. As if her reaction to him this morning hadn’t been enough, this afternoon she had to fight more conflicting emotions than she knew what to do with. His offer to replace the window, the way he snatched her hand before the window slammed on it, the low, concerned tone of his voice when he asked her if she was okay. She’d even squeezed his hand! She’d never touched a man’s hand before, much less squeezed one while wishing she didn’t have to let go. None of it made any sense.

“Ruth? I really am sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

She looked at her brother, taking in the uncomfortable expression on his face. It was unfair for her to take her frustration out on him. “I know, Stephen. I’ve just had a bad day.”

He paused. “Want to talk about it?”

“Nee.”

“Okay. But if you do, let me know.” He gave her an encouraging smile and focused on the road ahead.

She leaned back in the seat and closed her eyes. They flew open a second later when she realized she’d left her satchel at the schoolhouse. And the notebooks she was supposed to grade. And her glasses. They were halfway home by now, so she couldn’t ask Stephen to turn around, even though he probably would if she did. She would have to trust that Zachariah would lock the schoolhouse. After all, he had been keeping his word lately.

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