Beyond the Pine Read Free

always have, Riley. He’ll see you through it.”
    I nod silently toward him, returning his tired smile and patting his hand in reassurance.
    By the time I leave him an hour later, the sun has set and another day on the farm has come to a close. I walk with Sara, telling her about my busy day until we come to the edge of the small walkway leading to her house.
    “How was your day?” I ask her, smiling when I see her lips quirk up on either side.
    “It was good,” she beams, scarlet touching her cheeks. “Brother Tobias came by the infirmary today.”
    Sara had set her eyes on Reverend Tucker’s son, Tobias, some time ago. Ever since, she’d hoped she’d be betrothed to him when the time came. He was a nice boy, humble and honest as they come. He’d always expressed an interest in Sara as well, so to the rest of us in the community, we’d always thought it would be a good fit. With her eighteenth birthday passing just a few weeks after mine, she’d been eagerly awaiting the Reverend to announce if we’d all been right.
    The sounds of her young twin brothers, David and Elijah, fill the air, their laughter singing out like music over the cool evening breeze. As her front door gently swings open, their mops of golden hair dance down the stone sidewalk, barreling toward us.
    “Sara!” they sing in unison, their laughter contagious as they jump into her already outstretched arms.
    “Hiya,” she smiles, kissing them each before releasing them, sending them toward me.
    “Hello there,” I beam, returning their hugs and smiling at their excitement. “Did you have a good day today?”
    “Yes, we ate your muffins,” they giggle, making me laugh.
    “I heard,” I grin back at them as they smile in unison, tugging on Sara’s hand and leading her toward the house.
    “Come and play with us!”
    “I’m being beckoned,” she giggles, smiling over at me. “If you need anything, you know where I am.”
    “Thank you,” I smile warmly, releasing her hand and watching her go for a moment before turning back toward me. “Be blessed!”
    “And you!” she calls back. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
    I make my way to the small, stone house I’ve called home my whole life and push open the door, lighting the small lantern nearby, illuminating the living room.
    I push the door shut, closing myself inside and releasing a deep breath of exhaustion. I fill the large pot on the small stove, heating water for my bath before setting the lantern on the small table beneath the mirror and pulling my clothes off. As the water slowly heats, I study myself in the mirror, taking in the reflection of the pale faced, dark-haired girl staring back at me.
    My green eyes, the color of the pine trees in summer, have always been my favorite feature. Over the past months, though, their color has faded, much like the vibrance of the trees that surrounded our farm.
    I trace my full, pink lips with my fingers, taking in my bare, petite frame, studying the freckles sprinkled over my shoulders with scrutiny.
    I’d never thought myself to be a very pretty girl. In fact, next to someone like Sara whose long, blonde strands and bright smile illuminated her features, I’d always felt painfully plain. However, I knew I’d been blessed with a good heart and a face that showed my inner light.
    Picking up the shears from the small cabinet where my lantern rests, I make quick work of tidying up the strays that litter my soft bangs. Pleased with the results, I replace the shears to their spot and turn to see the pots on the stove steaming.
    I fill the basin, saving just enough for my nightly cup of tea before I slip into the water, the warmth instantly soothing my tired joints as I scrub the evidence of the day away.
    Leaning back into the water, I rest my head against the edge of the basin, my thoughts wandering into a place somewhere along the path of my forgotten dreams and my obligation.
    Pulling myself back to reality some time later, I release a