Tides of Truth [02] Higher Hope Read Online Free Page B

of their heads in quick succession. “My Flip leads a much different life from Mrs. Fairmont’s Chihuahua.”
    The dogs left me and carefully sniffed Zach.
    “Leave everything,” I said. “We’ll meet everyone, then distribute the gifts.”
    The front door opened and my twelve-year-old sisters, Ellie and Emma, ran onto the porch. Mama was behind them.
    “Girls!” she called out.
    “Hey, Tammy Lynn,” they cried out in unison as they looked past me at Zach.
    I saw Ellie put her hand over her mouth as they turned back toward the house. Zach and I climbed the front steps. I gave the porch swing a slight push as we passed. The swing was one of my favorite spots. Zach opened the screen door and held it for me.
    My family was standing in a cluster in the middle of the front room used for everything from homeschool classes to church prayer meetings. Mama, wearing one of her nicer dresses, had her arms around Ellie and Emma. Daddy stood beside Mama. He’d combed his dark hair and put on his Sunday shoes. He stepped forward, kissed me in the usual spot on top of my head, and shook Zach’s hand.
    “Walter Taylor,” he said. “Pleased to meet you.”
    Zach introduced himself, then shook hands with my eighteen-year-old brother, Kyle, and my sixteen-year-old brother, Bobby. My brothers weren’t as tall as Zach, but Kyle, who loved working with livestock, was thicker in the shoulders and chest. Bobby, the musician in the family, was slimmer.
    “Mama,” I said, “this is Zach Mays, one of the lawyers I’m working with this summer.”
    Zach stepped close and gave her a hug. I could see the surprise in Mama’s eyes and inwardly kicked myself for not giving him guidance on how to greet her. Hugging was reserved for blood relatives. No man in our church hugged a woman except his wife or daughter. As they separated, I could see Mama staring at Zach’s ponytail.
    “Hi, Mama,” I said as we embraced, and I kissed her on the cheek.
    “And this is Ellie and Emma,” I said to Zach. “We’ve shared a bedroom since they were born.”
    “Tami has told me a lot about you,” Zach said. “You’ll have to be patient with me if I get you confused.”
    Seeing Zach through the twins’ saucer-sized blue eyes made me realize what a chance I’d taken.
    “It’s okay,” Ellie answered. “For you, I’ll answer to Emma.”
    “There’s pie in the kitchen,” Daddy said formally. “After that, the girls need to get to bed. It’s already past their bedtime, and we have a busy day tomorrow.”
    Mama led the way. I lagged behind. Zach put his hand on my back to guide me. I jumped.
    “Don’t touch me,” I whispered.
    Zach held up his hands in front of him. Emma turned around at the sound of my voice and gave me a puzzled look.
    The kitchen was a large room added after Daddy and Mama bought the house. We ate our meals at a long wooden picnic table painted white.
    “It’s blackberry pie,” Emma said. “We picked ’em this morning. Ellie ate some of the best ones instead of dropping them in the bucket.”
    “You did it, too,” Ellie shot back. “And then you didn’t want to roll out the piecrust—”
    “If either of you wants pie, stop it,” Mama said.
    “And there’s homemade vanilla ice cream to go on top,” Daddy said. “Bobby, bring in the churn from the back steps.”
    Going all out for a fancy, late-night snack showed me how much trouble Mama and Daddy had gone to so I would feel special. Their kindness gave me a lump in my throat.
    “I’ll cut the pie,” I offered. “It will be easier dividing it into eight pieces.”
    “And I’ll dish out the ice cream,” Zach said.
    “No,” Mama said quickly. “You’re a guest. Have a seat.”
    “Over here.” Daddy directed Zach to a place at the end of a bench.
    Everyone sat in silence while Mama and I fixed dessert. Normally, we would have all been talking at once. I was used to awkward social situations beyond the borders of the house on Beaver Ruin Road