The Haven Read Online Free

across from her. Then she picked up her fork and poked at the mashed potatoes on her plate. “Who all did you tell?”
    M.K. had her eye on Uncle Hank, who was spearing large slices of roast beef onto his plate. She hoped there would be some left. “Just a few people.”
    Sadie narrowed her eyes. “Who, exactly?”
    M.K. put up her hand and counted off her fingers. “Ruthie. Ethan. Solomon Riehl and his little boy, Danny.” Uncle Hank passed her the platter and she grabbed it eagerly.
    Relief covered Sadie’s face.
    M.K. lowered her head and quietly added, “And maybe Edith Fisher.”
    “Noooooooooo!” Sadie looked like she’d swallowed a firecracker. “Edith Fisher will spread the news through this entire town by morning.”
    M.K. took a large mouthful of roast beef and mumbled, “I still don’t understand why it’s so bad.”
    Sadie glowered at M.K. “Lower your voice or you’ll wake the baby up. I just got him to sleep.”
    M.K. looked at her father and raised her palms in exasperation. She mouthed the words, “But I’m not talking loud! Sadie is!”
    Fern, sitting to the right of M.K., placed her hand on her forearm. “Denk zehe mol, schwetz eemol.” Think ten times, talk once. “How many times have I told you that?”
    Too many to count, M.K. thought. Along with zillions of other bromides about talking too much, moving too fast, acting without thinking, accepting correction, being humble, on and on and on. Fern was famous for her sayings. M.K. thought she must study them so that she could whip one out at just the right moment.
    Sadie got up and checked on the baby, sleeping in the little basket in a corner. “M.K., you had no right to tell people anything about the baby. I was barely home for five minutes and you couldn’t keep quiet. You just don’t think . And now you’ve started all kinds of rumors about me.”
    Uncle Hank’s fist hit the table. “NO SIR! No one would dare say a mean word about our Sadie. I WON’T HAVE IT!” He clamped his jaw, but his emotions passed quickly, like a racing thundercloud. He picked up a few biscuits and generously lathered them with butter.
    “Don’t be so sure,” Fern said. “Folks think that a rumor is truth on the trail.”
    Uncle Hank took a bite and chewed it thoughtfully. “I did hear someone say something about Sadie’s absence being mighty suspicious. But, DAGNABIT!”—that was the only cuss word Fern would allow out of Uncle Hank, so he made plenty of use of it—“I set them straight. I said she was exiled to be with relatives for the winter.”
    “Exiled?” Sadie said, horrified. “You used the word ‘exiled’?”
    Uncle Hank stroked his chin. “Exiled? I said excited.”
    Sadie was mortified. “You said exiled!”
    Uncle Hank frowned. “I said excited and I meant excited! Your ears must be full of cotton. I said ‘Sadie was excited to be with relatives for the winter.’” But he didn’t look quite convinced.
    Sadie crumpled. “See? I told you! Folks are going to think I had this baby! And it’s all M.K.’s fault!” Looping her arms to rest on the table, she slid lower and let her forehead rest on her fists.
    M.K. was disgusted. It was a scandal how often the finger of blame pointed to her. She thought she was sharing happy news. What could be so bad about having a baby come to stay with them? Her friend Ruthie was thrilled!
    “Would you go over everything one more time, Sadie?” Amos said.
    Sadie lifted her head and sighed. “I arrived at the Lancaster bus depot and had to wait for the Stoney Ridge connection, so I started to read my book and must have nodded off. When I woke up, there was a basket by my feet.” She pointed to the basket. “And in the basket was that little baby.”
    “No note?” Fern said.
    Sadie shook her head. “Just a bottle and a can of powdered formula. And some diapers.”
    M.K. pinched her nose with her fingers. “Not enough of them.”
    “You didn’t remember seeing anyone?” Amos