Hopeful by Shelley Shepard Gray

Author:Shelley Shepard Gray [Gray, Shelley Shepard]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780062204486
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2013-12-27T08:00:00+00:00

chapter sixteen

A few mornings later, Claire walked out to the barn with a large mug filled with coffee in her hands. “Levi came home late again last night.”

“Gut matin to you, too,” Junior replied sarcastically, though he took the mug she offered with a grateful heart. After a fortifying sip, he said, “I’m guessing you want me to deal with him?”

“Yep.”

“Any reason you don’t want to?”

“Yep.” Claire raised her eyebrows. “I’m, ah, fairly sure our Levi was with a girl last night.”

“Who?” This was news to him. He hadn’t heard that Levi had his eye on any particular girl.

“Between you and me, I don’t think it was a special girl. Just an easy one.”

He groaned. Like he wanted to have a conversation this morning about that. “Claire—”

“You’re the oldest boy. Plus, you’ve already been through this with Randall, Micah, and Neil.” She smiled sweetly, obviously imagining that her smile took the sting out of her words.

What was unsaid was that Randall had always had his eye on one girl, Elizabeth Nolt, Micah seemed to care only about mathematical theories, and Neil truly preferred to spend time with his animals than to spend time with girls. “Where is Levi?”

“Struggling to get dressed and come help you in the barn.” She lowered her voice. “By the way, he’s lookin’ a bit green around the gills. I think he was drinking last night, too.”

Junior sighed. “I don’t think siblings should let other siblings have their rumspringa. This is the last thing I want to deal with right now.”

Claire’s voice gentled, though her words stayed sharp. “You know that we promised to stop complaining about our lot in life years ago.”

“I hear you.” He paused. “Save me a plate of breakfast, wouldja?”

“I already have.” Her voice brightened as they watched their sixteen-year-old brother open the kitchen door and start a very slow walk toward the barn. “Ah, here he is. Good luck.”

He grunted as he watched Levi pass Claire without a word, then attempt to pass him by in the same way. The moment Levi was within arm’s length, Junior snaked a hand out and grabbed his shoulder. “Not so fast, little bruder.”

“What?”

“We need to talk.”

“Why?” His voice turned belligerent. “What did Claire come out here to tell you?”

“Only that you came in late last night.”

Levi shrugged off his hand. “It weren’t all that late. Besides, I’m here now, aren’t I? Ready to do more chores.”

Junior bit back a dozen responses as he struggled for patience. At last he pointed to a rake. “Come with me, we’ve got to muck stalls.”

As Claire mentioned, Levi looked a little green. “You haven’t already done them?”

“Nope.” Feeling more pleased about his brother’s discomfort than he probably should, he murmured, “I waited for you.”

Levi picked up the rake and entered the first empty stall. He wrinkled his nose. “It smells like—”

“Watch your mouth, Levi.”

His brother pursed his lips and slowly began to rake the straw on the ground. Junior leaned over the rail and watched for a good five minutes.

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