Courting Cate Read Free

the spouse who died. That’s all.”
    Betsy reached for my plate. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
    “That Dat and Mamm had a good marriage. For Dat to remarry wouldn’t discredit Mamm—it would compliment her.”
    Dat didn’t seem to have heard me. “That I didn’t remarry is one of the reasons I want the two of you to turn out well.”
    “What?” Betsy sat up a little straighter.
    “Well, there was talk that a widower raising two girls, especially two beautiful girls”—Dat sounded a little boastful for a Plain man—“wouldn’t be able to keep them on the straight and narrow. But we’ve all done just fine. Don’t you think?”
    Betsy and I both nodded in agreement. I felt the same way as Dat—pleased that, even though she was flighty, I’d done a good job mothering my little Schwester and, for the most part, managing myself. Just before our grandmother died there had been an incident that raised the bishop’s concern, but I’d responded with determination, keeping myself in line and working even harder at caring for Betsy to the best of my ability.
    “Back to business,” Dat said, rubbing his rough hands together, signaling it was time to reveal his latest edict.
    I exhaled slowly.
    “What I want”—Dat looked at Betsy and then at me, focused and intent—“is for both of you to experience marriage and motherhood, God willing. Your Mamm was the best wife any man could have. And the best mother too. That’s what I want for my girls.
    “So,” he continued, “I’m implementing a new policy in our family, beginning tonight. Betsy doesn’t go to the singing if Cate doesn’t go.”
    “Dat, I’m a grown woman,” I gasped.
    “I’m not done.” He squared his shoulders. “Betsy doesn’t court unless Cate courts.”
    Betsy moaned.
    It was a good thing I wasn’t still trying to eat, or I might have choked.
    Dat leaned forward. “And Betsy doesn’t marry unless Cate marries first.”
    Betsy burst into tears—something she’d perfected through the years. When she was little she had been known to put her finger in her eye to make herself cry.
    I fell back against my chair.
    Dat boomed. “Understood?”
    Betsy sobbed. I couldn’t move. Neither one of us answered.
    “That’s the final word,” Dat said. “I’ll not budge an inch.”
    In shock, I watched as he stood and retrieved his Bible from the sideboard. Dat was a kind man, but when he made up his mind, he stuck to it. It made us love him even more because he usually acted in our best interest.
    I couldn’t think of a thing I wouldn’t do for him—except get married.
    Dat sat back in his chair and opened his Bible, holding it like a shield between him and me. “I finished Revelation this morning.”
    It seemed as if it had been a lifetime ago.
    “So, tonight, Genesis one,” he proclaimed.
    Betsy whimpered. I stared straight ahead. Dat ignored us both. “‘In the beginning,’” he read, “‘God created . . .’”
    The only other words I heard were “‘Be fruitful and multiply.’”

    “Cate, you have to find a husband.” Betsy attacked the kitchen floor with the broom as she spoke. “Or I’ll never be able to get married.” Her tears had turned to anger, an emotion not usually displayed by my sweet sister.
    I added more water to the dishwater, drowning out the sound of Betsy’s voice.
    Dat had gone out to the shop to meet the landscaper—jah, M&M were right about that—and then he said he would do the choring by himself. I would have rather been out in the barn too, visiting my horse, Thunder, than trying to ignore Betsy and her lament.
    A new round of emotion overtook her an hour later as we readied ourselves for bed.
    “Who are we going to find to court you?” She sat on her twin bed as I braided her fine hair by the light of our propane lamp.
    I didn’t answer.
    “How about Joseph Koller?”
    I didn’t mean to yank. It just happened.
    “Ouch!”
    “Sorry,” I muttered.
    “He’s not so