Landchester Amish Love: Ruth (Amish Romance) (Landchester Amish Love Series Book 2) Read Online Free Page B

himself, without suspicion. He considered going home, but was afraid he would only do something rash. And he knew for certain that even if he didn’t, that he would end up just spending the whole night wondering how Ruth was feeling, and whether or not she regretted even speaking to him. And he could not bear that idea.
    So instead, he set his buggy toward Ruth’s haus . He’d learned where she lived not long after they had met the first time, and was amazed that this girl had lived so close to him all these years and he’d never known it.
    When he arrived, he found the haus nearly deserted, except for a grossmammi , sitting in the living room.
    “She’s upstairs,” the old woman said, without any greeting or explanation, and then went back to her sewing.
    Joseph went upstairs, where he found most rooms open and empty. All except for one.
    He knocked. There was no reply, but he heard someone moving around inside. He knocked again, but there was still no reply.
    Of course she didn’t want to talk to him, he thought. Would he in her place? Regardless, he’d clearly lost his chance.
    When he left the haus , he found he’d made a decision, quite without realizing it. He would go right home. He would pack his bags. He would go to the telephone out by the road that his familye shared with several of their neighbors. And he’d call the Englischer friend he’d made on his Rumspringa who had promised that when Joseph wanted to leave, he would offer him a place to stay for as long as he needed until he got his feet under him.
    To have finally made a choice, and to have no doubts about that choice, now, was thrilling. He was beginning something new! He would have a new life, out with the friends he’d made. He would work in a kitchen. He would get to be a cook.
    But it was also profoundly sad, and the mix of residual anger over what had been done to Ruth, as well as the sadness of mourning for what he himself was losing in this decision made the drive home very unpleasant.
    Packing up his small suitcase took longer than expected. There was not much room in it, and he had to take everything with him that he would need in the future. Everything in that suitcase had to pull its weight and hold the memories of the entire life he’d had this far. It was not an easy task.
    It would be incorrect to say that he calmed down while he was packing. The full flame of his anger had gone out, but the embers were still glowing bright.
    When he was nearly done packing, he heard his familye come home from the barn raising. They would have been wondering where he’d gone, perhaps, and come home early. Or maybe they would have known. Whatever the case, he couldn’t speak to Maemm and Daed. They had suspected this day might be coming. They had warned him against it, and told him what they would have to do. It would be easier for everyone if he let them do it in silence, and didn’t force them to do it in person.
    So Joseph took his suitcase, and went downstairs. Once he went to the phone to call his friend, he thought, he wouldn’t come back inside. He would wait out there, even though the night had a chill in it. It wouldn’t be long. His friend had a car, and was trustworthy enough, and close enough of a friend that Joseph knew he’d come to get him right away.
    The common rooms on the first floor were all empty. His familye knew. They stayed out of his way. That was good. That was best.
    Or so Joseph thought, until he got to the front porch. There was Miriam, his youngest schweschder, sitting there lit only by the light from the living room spilling through the windows.
    “Are you leaving?” she asked him, and Joseph felt his heart break.
    “I’ve got to,” he said. He knew he should just go. But instead, he sat down with his schwescher .
    “Is it because of what happened today?” she asked.
    Joseph was surprised.
    “Who told you what happened today?” he asked her.
    She shrugged and spoke lightly, “I understand more than