“Why?”
Dad’s sad frown pierced Katy, but she hardened herself against it. “Because I don’t want her. Because it’s all happening too soon. Because…” Katy ran out of reasons. Where were those debate skills when she needed them? Katy 0-…She sank into her chair and put her head in her hands. Her hair spilled forward, giving her a shield. She didn’t push it back.
Dad scooted his chair close and sat next to her. He put his arm around her shoulders. “Katy, I know this will be hard for you. It’s been just you and me for a long time.”
Katy nodded with her face still hidden behind her hair.
“But I want you to know that Rosemary is excited about having another daughter. With her own daughter so far away, she’s missed her.”
Oh, great. I get to be a replacement for her real daughter. Katy sniffed.
“And I think, once you get used to it, you’ll be glad we asked Rosemary to become part of our family.”
We didn’t ask her—you did. “I think you’re making a mistake, Dad.” Slowly Katy raised her head. She pushed her hair over her shoulder and looked her dad in the eyes. “You’re doing it again. You’re bringing some lady from far away to Schellberg to be your wife. It didn’t work for my mom—she didn’t like it here. And now Mrs. Graber…How do you know for sure she won’t get tired of us and leave?”
Dad’s lips formed a thin, grim line. “Your mother and Rosemary are two very different people.”
“So you love Rose—Mrs. Graber more than you loved Mom?” Katy thought her chest might split in two while she waited for Dad to answer.
“That really isn’t a fair question, Katy.” Dad’s voice sounded raspy.
“Why? Because it’s true?” Katy couldn’t believe her daring. The deacons would frown if they heard her speaking so rudely to an adult—especially to her own father. But the anger and hurt had to come out somehow.
“No, because it’s impossible to measure love. Of course I cared for your mother or I wouldn’t have married her. We had a child together, and a part of me will always be bound to her because she gave me you. But she’s gone, Katy. She’s been gone for a dozen years.” Dad leaned back in his chair and ran his hand down his face. “It’s time for both of us to move on. To quit thinking about Kate and open our hearts to someone else.”
Katy lowered her head. She didn’t want to open her heart to anyone else. No one would ever replace Kathleen Jost Lambright. Not as far as Katy was concerned.
“Now why don’t you go on up to your room. Write in one of your new diaries, or take a nap. I’ll call you when it’s time to dress and go to Grampa and Gramma’s.”
Katy shifted her eyes to peek at her dad. “You mean you’re going to do the dishes too?”
Dad laughed. Not a happy laugh, but more a nervous laugh. “Sure. I can do them. Go on up.”
As Katy headed for the stairs, she thought, Go ahead, Dad. Cook. Do dishes. Smile and. be nice. But you can’t win me over. That woman will never replace my mother.
Chapter Sixteen
With her fork, Katy poked at the food on her plate. All of her favorites—roasted turkey with Gramma Ruthie’s famous walnut and cranberry stuffing, mashed sweet potatoes swimming in butter and brown sugar, homecanned green beans, breaded tomato casserole, and fruited Jell-O salad—begged her to take up a bite and enjoy. But her rolling stomach refused to let her try so much as a morsel.
The entire family gathered around the huge trestle table in her grandparents’ dining room, just like they had for as far back as Katy could remember. Grampa Ben and Gramma Ruthie sat at opposite ends. Katy and Dad across from each other. Aunt Rebecca, Uncle Albert, all of their kids from the twins down to three-year-old Trent, who was almost too big for the old wooden highchair, filled every spot. They sat so close their elbows bumped, but nobody complained. This was Christmas, and they were supposed to be together.
She glanced around at the smiling, happy faces. Even Aunt Rebecca looked cheerful today—her Christmas face, Katy called it. Most of the time Aunt Rebecca looked as if she carried the weight of the world on her shoulders. Her relaxed, smiling face should have cheered Katy. But not even Aunt Rebecca’s happy attitude could make a dent in Katy’s armor of sadness.
After this Christmas, everything would change. Dad would be married. Maybe Mrs. Graber would want them to be with her family for Christmas instead of with Dad’s. A lump grew in Katy’s throat when she thought about Christmas away from Gramma Ruthie and Grampa Ben. Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without them!
Lola pointed to the basket of rolls that sat right in front of Katy’s plate. “Katy, would you hand me the rolls, please?”
Katy automatically handed the basket to her cousin.
“Thanks.” Lola plucked out a crusty roll and looked at Katy’s plate. “What’s wrong with you? You haven’t even touched your food.”
The question sounded like something Aunt Rebecca would say. Katy bristled. “I’m not hungry.”
“Too bad. Everything is really good. And Mom brought chocolate lava cake for dessert. But you won’t get any if you don’t eat your dinner.”
Katy shook her head. As if she were a six-year-old who needed to be threatened into eating! “I’m not hungry,” she repeated, daring Lola with her eyes to challenge her again.
Lola shrugged and plopped the basket back on the table. “Then don’t eat.”
Even before everyone had emptied their plates, Aunt Rebecca scooted away from the table and scurried into the kitchen. An “oh!” of delight sounded when she returned with a huge, moist, dark chocolate cake on a platter.
Uncle Albert patted his stomach. “I’ll take the first piece of that, Rebecca—and don’t skimp on the size.”
Aunt Rebecca clicked her teeth on her tongue, but her eyes sparkled. She sliced into the cake, and gooey pudding oozed from the center. Uncle Albert eagerly took a dessert plate, and Aunt Rebecca shot a smile around the table. “Who else is ready for dessert?”
Dad raised his hand.
“A big piece, Samuel?” Aunt Rebecca asked, knife poised.
Dad nodded. “Yes, but hold up for a minute. I have something to tell everyone.”
He pushed back his chair and stood. He held his napkin in his hand, repeatedly squeezing the wad of linen.
Katy stared at his convulsing fingers and the twitching napkin. He was nervous. So was she. She held her breath.
Dad cleared his throat. “I guess all of you know the deacons gave their approval for me to court Rosemary Graber.”
Everyone nodded. Katy bit down on the end of her tongue to keep from protesting.
“Well, Rosemary and I have talked, and…” He gulped. His ears turned bright red. “She’s agreed to become my wife. We plan to be married on the last Saturday in February.”
Aunt Rebecca sucked in a huge breath. “Oh, Samuel…”
“I’d say it’s high time!” Uncle Albert socked the air with his fist and let out a whoop that scared little Trent into puckering up.
Gramma Ruthie clapped her hands, tears filling her eyes. “Praise be to God…”
Grampa Ben rocked his chair and grinned. “Congratulations. We’re so happy for you, son.”
“Thanks, Dad. Thanks, everyone.” Dad’s shoulders rose and fell in a huge heave. “I can honestly say…I’ve never been happier.”
Katy swallowed hard. Never been happier…Never?
The adults all jumped from their chairs and surrounded Dad, giving him hugs and patting his back. Lola and Lori leaned toward Katy, their faces wreathed in matching smiles. But Katy didn’t smile back. She blinked rapidly to hold back tears. Her cousins’ bright smiles faded into frowns.
“Katy, what’s wrong?” Lori whispered, tugging at the purple sleeve of Katy’s new dress.
Katy scooted away from the table. “Excuse me,” she managed to choke out, then she dashed down the hallway to the bathroom. She closed herself inside and leaned against the door, her heart pounding. Seconds later, someone tapped on the do
or.
“Katy?” Lola’s voice. “Can we come in?”
We…That meant Lori was with her. Katy closed her eyes. The last thing she needed right now was a lecture from her cousins. Those two were becoming more like Aunt Rebecca every day.
“I—I’d rather be alone.”
“Mom said we needed to check on you.”
Katy sighed. If she didn’t let them in, they’d go back and send Aunt Rebecca instead. Even though there were two of them, she’d rather deal with Lori and Lola than Aunt Rebecca. She didn’t have to be polite to the girls. With a grunt of irritation, she twisted the knob on the door and swung it open. “Just go tell her I’m okay.”
The pair bustled into the bathroom. Lola closed the door then folded her arms over her chest. Lori adopted the same pose. Neither smiled.
Katy held her arms wide. “You can see I’m fine. You don’t need to stay.”
They exchanged a quick look. “You’re not fine,” Lori said, “and we know why.”
Katy raised one eyebrow. “Oh?”
“Yes.” Lola nodded hard, her cap ribbons bouncing. “You don’t want a stepmother.”
Sinking down to sit on the edge of the tub, Katy rolled her eyes. “Duh!” The word from the hallway at school left her throat before she had a chance to stop it. Her cousins gawked at her. “I mean,” she said, drawing in a big breath, “who would?”
The twins scuttled forward and sat on either side of Katy on the rolled edge of the tub. Lola slipped her arm around Katy’s shoulders. “I’m sorry, Katy. But you knew it had to happen sooner or later.”
“Of course, it did,” Lori added matter-of-factly. “Your dad’s been alone a long time. Longer than any other widower in Schellberg. If it wasn’t Mrs. Graber, it would be somebody.”
Katy almost snorted. Did the twins actually think they were helping her?
“Be glad it isn’t Mrs. Stoltzfus,” Lori said.
“Oh, wouldn’t that be awful?” Lola leaned forward and offered a horrified look. “She’s fat and bossy, and her sons are as lazy as overfed hogs. You’d end up waiting on them hand and foot, just like the girl in that one story…Oh, what was that, Lori?”
Lori tapped her lips. “Cinderella!” She shuddered. “Mrs. Graber is better than Mrs. Stoltzfus, that’s for sure.”
“Much better.” Lola nodded emphatically.
“And just think, Katy,” Lori went on, patting Katy’s shoulder, “with another woman in the house, you won’t have nearly as many chores. That will be a good thing, right?”
“Sure it will!” Lola answered as though Lori had asked her the question. “Even though Lori and I do all our housecleaning, with two of us, it’s never too much. Your life is going to get easier. You’ll see.”
Katy sighed. She appreciated that her cousins were trying to cheer her up. Usually, the two of them ganged up on her. Their behavior was a pleasant surprise. But they weren’t exactly being realistic.
“Thanks, Lori and Lola. I’d like to think that you’re right, but…” Katy swallowed. “I don’t think life will be easier. I’ll have to answer to somebody new—somebody I don’t even know. And she’ll take over my house. It’ll become her house. What if she brings her own furniture and stuff, and we have to take our stuff out? It won’t even feel like home anymore…”
Tears pricked her eyes, and she blinked several times to clear them. “And even worse, I probably won’t see my dad anymore. He’ll want to be with her instead of me. It’s bad enough I have to compete with the stupid cows for his time, but when he gets a wife…” She heard the selfishness in her tone, but she couldn’t help herself. Everything she said was true. “Like you said, things are definitely going to change, but I don’t think I’m going to like the changes.”
She waited for her cousins to argue, to say, “You’re wrong, Katy,” or “You need to think about your dad, Katy,” or even quote Bible verses. But for once they didn’t. They sat silently, their heads low, their hands patting Katy’s back in sympathy. In those moments, Katy liked them more than she ever had.
Suddenly, a knock at the door sounded. The three girls jumped. “Yes?” Lola called.
The door cracked open, and Gramma Ruthie peeked in. “What are you girls doing? We finished dessert, and we’re ready to open packages. Are you coming out?”
The twins jumped up and dashed to the door. “We’re coming!”
Katy rose more slowly. Gramma sent her a worried look. “Katy, are you feeling sick? You didn’t eat your dinner, and now you’re hiding in the bathroom.”
“I’m fine,” Katy said.
The look on Gramma’s face indicated she didn’t believe Katy.
“Honest, Gramma Ruthie,” Katy insisted. She forced her lips into a smile. “I’m ready to open packages.”
For a moment Gramma stood still with her lips parted, as if she was getting ready to say something. But she closed her mouth, offered a little nod, and held out her hand. Katy took it, just as she had when she was a little girl, and they walked down the hallway together. They reached the living room where everyone was sprawled on the furniture or the floor.
Dad looked up. A hesitant smile quivered on his lips. He patted the spot on the sofa next to him. A lump filled Katy’s throat. She darted forward and slid into the spot beside her dad. But she couldn’t relax.
Next year, the spot next to Dad would be filled by Mrs. Graber. Where would Katy belong then?
Chapter Seventeen
The last day of Christmas break sneaked up on Katy. She’d looked forward to two weeks of freedom—to sleeping late, writing long entries in her journal, and hanging out with Annika. But her break got filled with work: milking twice a day, helping Dad inject the cows with vitamins to stave off winter colds, helping in Aunt Rebecca’s store…Her break hadn’t been hers at all. And it still hadn’t snowed!
“What a lousy Christmas,” she muttered as she dried the last of the breakfast dishes and put them in the cupboard. But Dad had promised to leave her alone today and let her do whatever she wanted.
She had her day all planned. First, she would write in her notebook journal. She hadn’t opened one of the new ones Mrs. Graber had picked out, and she wasn’t sure she ever would. Then she wanted to cut out the pieces for a new dress. After that, she planned to visit Annika and invite her for supper. Of course, that meant she’d have to cook a bigger meal, but it would be worth it to have some time with her friend. Other than the day they made candy, she’d had no time at all with Annika, and they still needed to exchange Christmas gifts. She hoped Annika would like the plaque she’d bought in town.
Katy whisked off her apron and hung it on the hook beside the back door. A movement outside caught her attention, and she pulled the curtain aside to peek. A familiar car pulled into the yard.
“Oh, great.” She smacked the curtain into place. “The perfect way to ruin my last day of vacation—Caleb Penner!”
She whirled toward the stairs, intending to hide in her bedroom. A car door slammed, followed by a second one. Katy froze in place. Two car doors? That meant Caleb had brought someone with him. Curious, she crept back to the door and peeked outside again. Caleb and Annika were heading toward the house.
Katy flung the door open. “Come on in, Annika!” She flicked a look at Caleb. “Dad’s in the milk room, washing out the tank.”
Caleb grinned. “I’m not working this week, remember, Katydid?” He followed Annika through the door and clicked it shut behind him. He popped off his hat, leaving his hair standing on end. It reminded Katy of how Bryce’s short-cropped hair stood up in the front like little spikes. She liked the way it looked on Bryce; on Caleb, it just looked uncombed. He must have noticed her staring at his hair, because he ran his hand over his head and smoothed the strands back into place. “I saw Annika in town, and she said she wanted to visit, so we both came.” His smile grew, like he’d given Katy a gift by coming over.
Katy linked elbows with Annika and drew her into the kitchen. “I’m glad yo
u’re here. I was going to see if you wanted to eat supper with Dad and me tonight. We’ve hardly had any time alone my whole break.” She hoped Caleb caught the hint and would leave now that he’d delivered Annika.
“I’d love to! I don’t think Mom will mind,” Annika said. She shot Caleb a questioning look. “Is that okay with you, Caleb?”
Caleb shrugged. “Sure.”
Katy gawked at him. Since when was Caleb included in the invitation? She clenched her teeth.
Caleb added with a smirk, “I’ve eaten Katy’s cooking before. It didn’t kill me.”
Annika hunched her shoulders and giggled, a shrill, girlish giggle she seemed to save for whenever Caleb was around. It grated on Katy’s nerves. Annika gave Caleb’s arm a playful smack. “Caleb, that’s an awful thing to say! Katy’s a terrific cook. But then, so am I…”
Katy rolled her eyes. If she had to watch Annika and Caleb flirt all morning, she’d lose her breakfast. Although she’d like to spend the extra time with Annika, it appeared she couldn’t have Annika without Caleb. Looking straight at Annika, she said, “Well, plan on supper at six thirty. If you want to come a little early, we can do our Christmas gift trading before we eat.”
Annika’s face pursed into a pout. “You mean you don’t want us to stay now? I hoped we’d have a whole day.”
Katy sighed. Not if it meant Caleb would hang around too. “I have stuff I need to do,” she said. “Sorry.”
Once again, Annika shrugged. “Oh, well. I guess Caleb”—she scooted sideways a step and took hold of Caleb’s skinny elbow—“can take me home then. I need to get your Christmas present anyway.” She started guiding Caleb toward the door. “I’ll check with Mom about tonight, but I’m sure it’ll be okay. Should I come over around five o’clock?”
Katy sighed. “I’ll be in the barn milking at five. Better make it six.”
Caleb blurted, “I could come help your dad with the milking tonight. Then you girls would have more time together.”
Katy's Debate (Katy Lambright Series, The) Page 11
