Katy's Debate (Katy Lambright Series, The)

by Kim Vogel Sawyer

  Too late. He accomplished that at least three years ago. Katy held the thought inside and took the tray from Caleb’s freckled hands. “Thanks.” She turned her back on Caleb and began arranging the dessert plates on the tray.

  Mrs. Penner scooped the freshly whipped cream into a bowl, added a spoon, and placed the bowl on the corner of the tray. She lifted the tray from the counter and offered a smile that reached clear to Katy’s heart. “Thank you, dear. I appreciate your help.”

  Basking in the glow of Mrs. Penner’s warm appreciation, Katy returned to the dining room and quickly cleared a spot on the table for the tray. She started to help serve, but Mrs. Penner waved her away with a light laugh. “No, you’ve done enough. Sit down. I’ll serve.”

  Katy slid back into her seat, careful not to brush against Caleb. He sat with his legs widespread and his elbows on the table, leaving her very little space. If she ever came to his parents’ house for a meal again, she’d insist on sitting across the table from the rude boy. But then he’d probably be kicking me.

  Conversation stopped while everyone ate their dessert. The cake was moist and sweet, and Katy savored every bite even though it was Caleb’s favorite.

  Caleb pressed his fork tines against his plate, picking up the tiniest crumbs. He licked the fork clean then dropped it on his napkin. He pushed back his chair. “Dad, can the girls and me hitch up the old buggy and go for a drive?”

  “The girls and I,” Katy corrected without thinking.

  Caleb sent her a puzzled look. “What?”

  Katy flicked a glance around the table before facing Caleb again. “What you said—the girls and me—was grammatically incorrect. You wouldn’t say, ’Can me go hitch up the old buggy,’ would you? If you would use ‘I’ by itself, then you should use it when it’s part of a compound subject, such as in ‘the girls and I.’”

  Caleb stared at her with his Adam’s apple bobbing. Katy thought he looked like a bullfrog sucking air. Even though she hadn’t meant to strike him silent, she admitted to being pleased by the result.

  “Why, Kathleen…” Mrs. Graber’s eyes widened in amazement. “That was an excellent explanation. You would make a very good teacher.”

  Katy shrugged, shooing away the pleasure the woman’s words created. “Thank you, but I don’t want to be a teacher. I want to be a writer.”

  Mrs. Graber opened her mouth to say something else, but Caleb blurted, “So can we, Dad?”

  Katy held her breath. She had no desire to go buggyriding with Caleb, but she couldn’t refuse without looking uncooperative. And she couldn’t be uncooperative today, not with her new plan in full swing.

  “It’s too cold for that today, Caleb. Even with a lap blanket, you kids would probably catch a chill,” Mr. Penner answered.

  Katy nearly melted with relief, but Caleb slumped in his chair. Annika, too, seemed to wilt with disappointment. Katy pasted on a bright smile. “Maybe another time. It’ll warm up eventually, you know. Besides, Annika and I are going to do the dishes for your mom to say thank you for this wonderful meal.”

  Mrs. Penner said, “Now Katy—”

  Katy bounced up. “Oh, we insist.” She began stacking her dishes with Caleb’s, who stared at her like she’d lost her mind.

  “Are you sure?” Mrs. Penner sounded dubious.

  “Of course!” Katy grinned. “If I were at home, I’d be washing dishes. So I don’t mind at all. Really, I want to. You’ve been such a kind hostess. Besides, you grown-ups will want to sip coffee and visit, so we’ll just get this mess out of your way.”

  Mrs. Penner laughed and shook her head. “All right, then. You heard Katy. I’ll get a fresh pot of coffee, and we can go to the living room to visit.”

  Katy said, “Let us get that coffee.” She risked a quick glance at Dad. Would he think she was being pushy? He’d never cared for impudence of any kind. His approving smile spurred her forward. “You just go relax. Annika and I have it all under control.”

  Mrs. Penner came around the table and gave each of the girls a quick hug. “Thank you, Katy and Annika. You’ve given me a sweet gift.”

  The adults headed to the living room. Katy tried not to stare when Dad put his hand on Mrs. Graber’s back as they rounded the corner.

  Caleb swung out of his chair and held up both hands. “Don’t think I’m helping with dishes.”

  Katy wrinkled her nose at him. “Of course not. You’d just be in our way, right, Annika?”

  Annika frowned and didn’t answer.

  “I’m going to my room.” Caleb disappeared down the hallway. A door slammed a few seconds later.

  Katy heaved a sigh of relief. “Finally! I thought he’d never leave.”

  Annika’s scowl deepened. “I happen to enjoy Caleb’s company, Katy, as you well know. And I don’t know how I got stuck washing dishes. Part of the reason I like to go to someone else’s house on Sunday is so I don’t have to do dishes. So thanks a lot!” She snatched up a stack of plates and stomped into the kitchen.

  Katy hurried after her. “Don’t be mad, Annika. I’ll do all the washing and drying. You can just talk to me, okay?”

  Annika huffed.

  Katy clasped her hands beneath her chin. “But would you make the pot of coffee and take it out to them?”

  Annika rolled her eyes, but she lifted the coffeepot from the stove and carried it to the sink. While Annika prepared the coffee, Katy cleared the table. It took all the willpower she possessed to keep from peeking into the living room to find out if Dad and Mrs. Graber were sitting all cozy together on the sofa or if they’d chosen separate chairs. She replayed the time at the table. She’d been polite, cheerful, and helpful. Dad had smiled and nodded at her. Her chest expanded when she remembered the tenderness in his eyes. He was pleased with her behavior. She knew it. Dad 1 -Katy 1.

  She ran sudsy water, humming to herself. Annika was mad, but she’d get over it. What mattered most was Dad didn’t have any reason to complain. If Katy could keep it up, his whole notion of her needing a mom would fly right out the window. So far, so good.

  Chapter Seven

  Katy hunched into her coat while she waited for the morning bell to ring. She wished the school would change its rule about no students inside until the first bell—at least during the winter months. They might all freeze to death while they waited! But she supposed it kept kids from arriving on the campus too early. She would gladly put off her arrival, but she had to ride the bus, and the driver always dropped her off first.

  Shivering, she leaned against the cold window and looked across the grounds at the other students, who huddled in little circles, blowing on their hands and shifting from foot to foot. She spotted Paul and Marlys, and she couldn’t resist giving a little wave with her mitten-covered hand. Paul waved back, but Marlys just pulled her scarf snugly around her neck as if she hadn’t seen Katy wave.

  Katy sighed, her breath hanging in the air. She supposed she didn’t have to be friends with Marlys, but it would be nice if the girl would at least be a little friendly. After all, they were debate squad partners. And their names would be together on that trophy.

  “Katy!”

  Katy spun around when she heard Shelby’s cheerful voice. Shelby and Jewel scurried toward her across the dried grass. Shelby’s face wore its customary smile and Jewel’s the far-too-familiar scowl. Those two girls were as different as night and day. Katy wondered how they managed to live under the same roof.

  Shelby plopped her backpack on the cement by her feet then flashed Katy a wide grin. “How did the debate tournament go? I wanted to call you yesterday to find out.”

  For the hundredth time, Katy wished she and Dad had a telephone in their house. But they had to use the one at the restaurant in Schellberg, like the other fellowship members. Telephones were an intrusion, her fellowship believed, but Dad thought maybe the church would lift the ban against them someday. Katy hoped it was soon.

  Her chest puffed with pride when she answered. “We got th
ird place.”

  Shelby squealed. “Sweet!” She punched Jewel’s shoulder. “See? I told you Katy would rock ’em.”

  Jewel grunted, shifting away from Shelby. “Yeah, you told me. Way to go, Katy.” Although Jewel’s tone lacked enthusiasm, Katy decided not to be insulted. Jewel always acted bored, and Katy had learned the girl used her tone as a mask for her real feelings.

  “Thanks. We got a trophy and everything, and Mr. Gorsky said our names will be imprinted on it. Then it’ll go in the trophy case.” Katy peeked through the window at the long, glass-enclosed cases that lined the walls of the foyer. For the rest of the school’s existence, the trophy she helped win would be in that case as a reminder that she’d been here. She smiled, thinking about it.

  “So will you be going to any more tournaments before Christmas break?” Shelby bounced on her heels, hugging herself. Her breath came out in little puffs.

  Disappointment sagged Katy’s shoulders. “No. That was the last novice tournament, and Mr. Gorsky has enough experienced debaters to fill the remaining tournaments. That was my only chance this year.” Then she brightened. “But I plan to debate next year too, if Dad lets me stay in school.”

  Jewel snorted. “I wish I had the choice to stay in school or not. I have to stay in as long as the state has control of me. But if I was living with my mom, she’d probably let me get my GED instead.”

  Katy sent Shelby a quick look. Jewel was in a really sour mood this morning. Shelby raised one eyebrow and nodded, as if agreeing with Katy’s secret thoughts. The bell rang, and Jewel shot through the doors. Shelby looped elbows with Katy and followed more slowly.

  “Jewel was supposed to spend the weekend with her mom, but her mom cancelled.” Shelby kept her voice low so the kids crowding around them wouldn’t hear. “She’s really bummed. She wants out of foster care pretty badly, but until her mom meets the requirement and makes her boyfriend move out of the house…”

  Katy had seen Jewel’s house, her mom’s boyfriend, and the way her mother lived. If she were Jewel, she’d rather stay with Shelby’s family as a foster child in their clean, happy home than go back to the awful place Jewel’s mother called home. Yet she couldn’t blame Jewel for wanting to be with her mother. If Katy’s mother were still alive, she would be tempted to live with her, no matter where that might be.

  Midway through the first-hour class, the PA system suddenly clicked on and the principal’s voice interrupted the biology teacher’s lecture on the separation of cells.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, I have an announcement. This past weekend at the Dodge City Novice Invitational Debate Tournament—”

  A pleasant chill skittered up Katy’s spine. She nearly giggled.

  ”—our debate team made up of members Paul Andress, Marlys Horton, Kathleen Lambright, and Bryce Porter took third place. Congratulations to these students and their coach, Mr. Gorsky. Let’s give them a round of applause.”

  Half-hearted applause pattered across the biology room. One of the boys hooted, “Go, Kathleen!” Several students snickered at his outburst, but Shelby patted Katy on the back and whistled loudly. Katy sent a shy smile around the room. Were Bryce, Marlys, and Paul receiving heartier congratulations in their classrooms right now?

  Then the principal’s voice came on again, ending the cheers. “Thank you, Mr. Gorsky, Paul, Marlys, Kathleen, and Bryce, for representing our school so well. We wish success to all of our debaters in the final tournaments of the season.” The PA system clicked off.

  The teacher walked over and shook Katy’s hand. “Congratulations, Kathleen.” He immediately returned to his lecture, as if the interruption hadn’t occurred, but Katy had a hard time concentrating. Success—even when few people celebrated enthusiastically—was exhilarating. Hearing her name announced over the intercom had been embarrassing but thrilling. Even though she’d been taught from the time she was a little girl that she shouldn’t be prideful, she couldn’t swallow the feelings of satisfaction. She was a good debater. The trophy proved it.

  When Katy entered Mr. Gorsky’s class for English, he quirked his finger at her to come to his desk. Her face hot, she dropped her backpack next to her chair and scurried to the front of the room. He pointed at a paper on his desk.

  “I’ll be taking the trophy in for engraving after debate practice this afternoon. I just want you to double-check the spelling on your name to be sure it’s correct.”

  Katy looked at the paper, where her name—KATHLEEN LAMBRIGHT—was printed in neat block letters. She nodded. “It’s perfect.”

  Mr. Gorsky held out a pen. “Good. Put a check mark next to it.”

  Katy followed his instruction. “When do you think the trophy will be done?”

  “Probably within a week—before Christmas break, certainly.”

  Katy handed back his pen. Tangling her hands in the fabric of her skirt, she said, “Will I be scorekeeping for everybody at practice after school today, since I won’t be debating again?”

  A thoughtful frown creased Mr. Gorsky’s brow. “Hmm, I hadn’t thought about that. Actually, Kathleen, since there are just three weeks left in the season, if you’d rather take the early bus after school, you probably wouldn’t need to come to practice anymore.”

  “I—I don’t need to come?”

  Mr. Gorsky didn’t seem to notice the tremble in her voice. “It really isn’t necessary since you won’t be able to debate again until next year.” He smiled, unaware of how much his words hurt. “But it’s up to you. You’re certainly welcome to come in and do the scorekeeping, if you’d like.”

  “Th-thank you.” Katy scuffed her way to her desk and sat down, defeated. She’d helped win a trophy, but now she wasn’t needed. All of the warm feelings that had carried her through the morning slipped away.

  The class opened their copies of Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest and began discussing the author’s viewpoint that style was more vital than sincerity. Although Katy normally joined eagerly into class discussions, today she stayed silent. When class ended, Katy hurried out the door ahead of everyone else. Shelby caught up to her and grabbed her arm.

  “Katy, are you okay?”

  The genuine concern in Shelby’s voice made tears sting behind Katy’s nose. She sniffed. “I’m fine.”

  “The way the kids acted in biology didn’t bother you, did it? They never get very excited about debate or music stuff. They save their cheers for the football or basketball teams. Don’t take it personally.”

  Kay hurried on. “I’m not.”

  “I’ve never seen you so quiet.” Shelby tugged Katy over to the wall and stopped, allowing the other students to go on past them. “Are you sure somebody didn’t say something stupid to you? Like maybe Jewel?”

  There had been times in the past when Jewel had hurt Katy’s feelings, but Katy couldn’t blame Jewel for her change in mood. Not this time. “Jewel didn’t do anything. I’m just a…a little bummed”—she borrowed one of Shelby’s words—“because the debate season is over. I really liked getting to debate in that tournament.” She swallowed hard when tears threatened.

  “Aw, I’m sorry, Katy.” Shelby squeezed Katy’s arm. “But there’s always next year, you know. And forensics next semester. So you’ll still get to compete. It won’t be your only tournament.”

  “I guess so…”

  At that moment Bryce bustled by, and Shelby called, “Bryce! Come here a minute.”

  Bryce spun around and leaned against the wall next Shelby. “Hey, what’s up?”

  “You were part of forensics last year, weren’t you?”

  Bryce nodded. “Yep, why?” He sent a grin toward Katy that made her heart skip a beat.

  Shelby said, “Katy really likes to debate, so what can you do in forensics that’s close to debating?”

  Bryce scratched his head. “Well, there are a couple of things, actually. You can do extemporaneous speaking, where you draw a topic from a hat and have thirty minutes to prepare a seven-minute
talk on the topic.”

  Katy licked her lips. That sounded pretty hard.

  “Or there’s original oration. You choose a topic you really care about and write a seven-minute speech that’s meant to convince the judge that your point of view is the right one.” Bryce shrugged. “The only difference is nobody’s arguing with you on the spot—it’s just you giving your opinion.”

  Katy felt her lips twitching into a smile. “I think I could do that.”

  “Yeah, you’re a good writer and a good speaker. Original oration would be perfect for you.”

  Katy’s knees started to quake. Bryce thought she was a good writer and speaker! Her ears burned with happiness.

  Bryce took two backward steps, bouncing his grin from one girl to the other. “Lunch is calling. See you after school, Katy.” He whirled and trotted around the corner.

  “So, see?” Shelby offered an encouraging smile. “You’ll still get to use those debating skills. Now, c’mon, let’s get to the cafeteria before the lunch period is over.”

  Katy deposited her backpack in her locker and walked with Shelby to the cafeteria. She replayed Shelby’s comment about using her debating skills, and she fought a giggle. Of course she’d be using her debating skills—with Dad.

  By the time lunch was over, she’d decided not to go to any more debate practices. Mr. Gorsky had said it wasn’t necessary, and she trusted his opinion. Plus if she went home right after school, she’d have more time with Dad to show him how well she could meet all of the challenges of schoolwork, helping in the dairy, caring for the house, and staying out of trouble without anyone else’s assistance.

  At the next table, Bryce suddenly burst out laughing. Katy turned around, and he caught her eye. He grinned and winked before looking away, and warmth flooded Katy’s ears and her face. She bent over her tray and focused on the chicken and noodles. Even though going home was the best idea, she kind of wished she didn’t have to. She’d miss that time with Bryce every day.