Keturah walked out the door and was almost immedietly bowled over by her younger brother.
“Nathan! Watch where thee is going! You could have knocked me down!” She scolded the boy.
“I didn’t see thee, honest, Keturah.” Nathan shook his head in the bright sunlight.
“Where is thee going in such a hurry?” Keturah looked down curiously at Nathan.
“Nowhere,” Nathan shrugged.
“Ah, I see, thee were running like a rabbit with a fox after it to ‘nowhere’.”
Nathan nodded.
“Thee is off to the creek isn’t thee. Thee has decided to go swimming” Keturah smiled. “ If thee will help me get the eggs out of the barn, I will tell Oma that thee is off swimming and ask her to let thee go. Joshua and I can split up thy chores and thee can help us with ours tomorrow.”
“Thank you, Keturah!” Nathan’s face broke into a smile and he ran off toward the barn.
“I will be with you in a minute,” she called after him. Keturah chuckled to herself and walked back into her house. It was a hot June morning in Lancastor County and she wanted to get some water before she went to help her brother with the eggs.
“Keturah?”
“Yes, Oma?” Keturah turned to see her mother standing in the kitchen door.
“You got a letter from someone in Ohio. Would you like to read it?”
“Yes, thank you. Who would write me from Ohio? I don’t know any of the girls from the Amish settlement up there in Walnut Creek.”
“Its not from Walnut Creek anyhow.” Keturah’s mother checked the postmark. “Its from Cincinatee.”
“That’s strange,” Keturah took the letter her mother handed her and opened it.
“Who is it from?” her mother asked curiously.
“Oh! Its from Erin.” Keturah laughed. “I suppose her brother’s band is having a concert there or something… Yes that’s it.” Keturah read on.
“I’ll leave you to read it then,” Oma left the room.
“I’ll tell you what she says later!” Keturah called out after her mother.
Dear Keturah, she read
It’s only the first week in June and I am ready to leave this tour bus. Will the tour ever end? I have only been on this tour for 2 months, yet it seems like 2 years. The tour goes into August. Ugh.
I have found one friend on this tour. Her name is Stacie. She is in charge of the guys’ costumes and that sort of thing. She is very nice, although unlike you. She cheers me up when things seem especially awful.
Stacie cheers me up, but its not the same as having a real friend. I mean, Stacie is a real friend, but we are not very close. She knows almost nothing about me. Nothing. Of course that is of my own choosing. I could tell her my history if I wanted, but I’m afraid she would tell Brian. Since she doesn’t know all about my life, its hard for her to connect with me. She thinks I’ve grown up in a regular home all my life. She has no idea I’ve killed someone in a gang fight over drugs.
I wish I could talk to someone about killing Erek. Someone who would really care. I know if I was there with you, Josiah and you would be there to comfort me and counsel me. But you’re not here and I’m not there.
I feel guilty about killing him. I took someone’s life away. I didn’t have a choice. If I had not taken his life, he would have taken mine. That doesn’t seem to stop this awful guilty feeling though.
I am also afraid of what might happen if the police found out I killed him. The charges might not be too bad since I killed him in self defense, but still… Thinking about the subject makes me depressed and lonely.
I have lied so many times to Brian. About my life, about my age, about everything. I have scar from a bullet wound on my shoulder, its from a while back. I was wearing a tank top yesterday and he saw it. I don’t think it’s the first time he’s noticed it, but yesterday he actually asked me about it. I told him it was a birthmark. I don’t think he believed me. I think that Brian is clueing in.
Another one of the guys in his band is also clueing in I think. His name is Nick. He’s the youngest. He raised his eyebrows when I told Brian my scar was a birthmark. Nick keeps trying to pry into my life, they both do really. Its driving me wild. I don’t know how much longer I can keep my whole life a secret.
Thankfully, I have not had any trouble breathing since the first day at Brian’s house.
You told me your family would be happy to have me live with you if I needed it. I am starting to need it very badly. I’m not coming yet, but I may have to come soon.
Write and tell me how things are on the farm. I do wish I was there with you. You have no idea how much I miss you. I especially want to see Amya and Sarah. I have never seen Amya and Sarah was tiny when I left.
Tell Joshua hello for me. I miss him greatly. I still can’t believe he is courting Anna Neho. She always was kind to me.
I need to go now.
Erin
Keturah put down Erin’s letter and sighed. Erin was not having an easy time of it. With any other girl Keturah would have said it was her own fault for not letting her brother know the truth. But Erin… Erin was different. Erin has been through so much, she just couldn’t trust anyone.
“Oma!” Keturah called.
“Yes,” Oma appeared in the doorway.
“Read this,” Keturah pointed to the letter lying on the table. “It looks as if Erin may be coming back home.”
Keturah’s mother picked up the letter and read it. When she finished, she set it down.
“Who did Erin kill?” Oma asked quietly.
“A drug dealer in New York. She didn’t really have a choice, Oma. He was about to shoot her and she was faster.”
“That justifies it.” Oma nodded. “But it doesn’t mean Erin won’t feel terrible guilt and pain over it.”
“Do you think I should tell her we want her to come home?” Keturah asked.
“Keturah, thee knows I want Erin to come back home to us as badly as thee does. But this is a decision that Erin must make by herself. She knows she is welcome to come home if she needs to.”
“Yes, thee is right,” Keturah slowly nodded. “But I do miss her so much.”
“I know,” Oma hugged her daughter. “I know.”
