Seasons of Sugarcreek 03. Autumn's Promise by Shelley Shepard Gray Page B

you’re feeling. Your parents are good people. They might have some ideas for you. Maybe even more ideas than you can imagine.”
    “Like what?” All Caleb thought they’d do was tell him to go gather more eggs and chop wood.
    “Perhaps they could let you leave for just a time? Some teens do that, you know.”
    “And do what?”
    “I don’t know. Maybe stay with some friends of the Allens for a month? Then you would know if living with the English is the right thing for you.”
    “I could never do that.” Just the thought of being somewhere temporarily gave him a stomachache.
    Still working, she carefully lifted jars out of the water and placed each one on a row of folded towels. “Could never or don’t want to?”
    “It’s the same thing, really.”
    She walked around the counter and rested a hand on his shoulder. “I don’t think so.”
    “I had hoped you would make things easier for me.”
    “I know.” A sad smile lit her face. “But I promise you this, everything you are considering is difficult. If you imagine not living at home is going to make your life easy, you are much mistaken. If you leave your family, your home, and everything you hold dear, you should be prepared to know what you intend to reach out and grab a hold of.”
    “How can I know? How am I supposed to know? This—working in Sugarcreek, working on our farm—this is my life. I don’t know much about the outside world at all.”
    To his surprise, she didn’t soften. “Don’t play me for a fool, Caleb Graber. Ignorance and naiveté can only go so far. And I’ve never thought you were full of either trait. If you leave here, you will be leaving all your security and protection. You’ll be an outsider, and subject to much more than you are dreaming of now. And everyone you meet won’t care about your confusion. All they’ll do is attempt to take advantage of it.” A hint of a secret pain darkened her eyes. “And they will. Trust me on that one. They will.”
    For a second, he was tempted to ask what had happened to the brothers she’d helped. If their lives had become even harder after leaving.
    But part of him was afraid to know. Before, all he’d cared about was that two boys had gotten out. Now, though, she’d given him something more to think about.
    What if things weren’t any better in the outside world? What if they were even harder? The thought of that made his stomach churn.
    “Thank you for the banana bread,” he mumbled.
    “You are welcome. Come back anytime, Caleb. You are always welcome here.”
    He turned away before she could see the flush he knew was staining his cheeks. The things she had told him didn’t make him feel any better. If anything, they’d only made his situation worse.
    Right at that moment, he didn’t know if he’d be in any hurry to stop over there again.
     
     
    He’d come to the restaurant again. Lilly fought a suspicious onslaught of nerves as she approached his table. It didn’t help that he seemed to be silently watching her every move. “Hi.”
    “Good morning,” he said politely.
    “Would you care for some coffee?” She felt slightly silly. The two of them were acting like they hardly knew each other. But she didn’t feel comfortable enough yet to gauge his moods.
    “Sure.”
    “And pie or a cinnamon bun?”
    “Just coffee, Lilly. And, perhaps, you could spare me a few moments?”
    “Of course.” She waved a hand around. “There’s no one else here. I’ll, um, be right back.”
    She hurried to the drink station and poured Robert a mug of coffee. On the other side of the picture window leading into the kitchen, she heard Miriam chuckle. Oh, her friend would have a lot to tease her about when he left!
    “Here you go, Robert,” she said, trying to find the right combination of friendliness and warmth in her voice. “It’s fresh.”
    He took the cup from her as she sat down across from him. “It’s hot,” he said with a smile. “Though…I don’t suppose