Courting Cate Read Free Page A

bad.”
    “He’s how old? Fifty?”
    “Oh, I don’t think he’s more than forty-five,” Betsy said.
    That made him older than Dat. “And he has eight kids,” I added.
    “Half of them are grown.”
    I wrapped the tie around Betsy’s braid, biting my tongue as I did. Two of Joseph Koller’s kids were older than I. One of them had children. I had no desire to become a grandmother at twenty-three.
    She turned on the bed and fixed her gaze on my face. “You know you’ve gotten really pretty in the last year or so.”
    I frowned.
    “Your eyes are such a beautiful blue. And your hair is so dark now it’s almost black. And your ears don’t look so big anymore. And your temper’s better than it used to be, although—”
    “Stop!” I couldn’t suffer her comments.
    “No, it’s true,” she said. “I think you were just a late bloomer.”
    I hobbled off her bed, my right leg asleep, and limped across the room to my side, determined to distance myself from her.
    “But you should smile more. That’s when you look your—”
    A pebble hit our window. Then another one. She quickly turned off the lamp and opened the curtain as a third pebble pinged against the glass.
    I followed her, wondering if someone new might have made the late-night trek. She opened the window and stuck out her head. “It’s Levi.” She giggled.
    I stared into the darkness, letting my eyes adjust. I could make out the outline of a man standing at the edge of the lawn. He stepped out of the shadows of the chestnut tree. I could see why Betsy thought him good-looking with his square jaw and broad shoulders. His hair was the color of his straw hat, and his smile grew brighter the longer he lookedat her. He had a shyness about him that I found endearing, and he clearly adored her.
    She called out, “I’m coming down.” She plucked her robe off the end of her bed. “I’m just going to tell him to come by tomorrow, so Dat will hire him. That’s all. It’s not like we’re courting or anything. Honest.”
    I put the brush on our bureau. “Don’t worry about it.” I couldn’t seem to stop the sarcasm in my voice. “It’s not like I’m going to tell Dat or anything. Honest.”
    She seemed to be unaware of my tone as she stepped across the room and grabbed my hand, squeezing it. “You’re the best big sister . . .” Her voice trailed off. “Don’t worry,” she said. “Surely Dat’s money will attract someone.”
    “Betsy.” My entire body bristled. “I don’t want ‘someone.’ Don’t you remember? I tried that. It didn’t work. He was only interested in Dat’s money—I won’t go through that again.”
    “But what about me?”
    We stared at each other a minute. “Well, that’s our dilemma, isn’t it?” was all I could manage to say.
    Another pebble hit the window.
    “We’ll find the right person.” Betsy let go of my hand. “I’ll put the word out. Tonight.”
    “Don’t,” I said as she dashed out of the room. I heard her steps on the stairs, and then the back screen door banged. “Please don’t,” I whispered, knowing it was already too late. I’d made peace with my being a Maidel for the rest of my life. Why couldn’t Dat?
    I turned off the lamp and climbed under my quilt, my book in one hand and my flashlight in the other, ready to finish off Rural Country Medicine. I’d already read all the other books I’d checked out. Thankfully I’d visit the bookmobile the next day. The driver, a Mennonite woman named NanBeiler, was becoming a friend of mine. Besides working for the Lancaster County Library, she also wrote for The Budget, a Plain newspaper, and a few magazines. I was interested in writing, but even more so in editing and eventually publishing. Dat said there wasn’t much money in it, though.
    All of the women entrepreneurs I knew were single, widowed, or had grown children. It was hard to run a business and raise a family at the same time. Being single would make it much easier. I would