Read Online Hopeful by Shelley Shepard Gray - Free Book Online Page A

this week? You could meet Kaylene and maybe sit with her for a few minutes? Oh, Miriam, if you could help this little girl, I’d be so grateful.”
    “All right,” she replied, feeling a little stunned. “I’ll stop by as soon as I can.”
    “Oh, wunderbaar ! I’ll send a note home and say that I’ve got a plan for her to get some special help. Her brother will be happy about that.”
    “I’ve never heard of a bruder caring so much about a little sister’s schooling.”
    “ Jah , it’s curious, ain’t so? Kaylene is the youngest of eight children, and the only one still in school. It’s so sad, both of her parents have passed away. Anyway, you’d think that one of her older sisters would be the one who worried about school but it seems to be the brother who Kaylene relies on the most. He’s the one who came to school to visit with me.”
    A small thread of worry began to form in her stomach. That sounded suspiciously like how Junior was with his sister. And . . . wasn’t one of Junior’s sisters named Kaylene? “What is Kaylene’s last name?”
    “Beiler. Do you know the Beilers?”
    “Oh, jah .”
    “Then you probably know Junior Beiler.”
    “I do, as a matter of fact.”
    New interest sparked in her eyes. “Do you know him well?”
    “I’ve known him for years. We grew up together.” Every word felt stuck in her throat as she mentally braced herself for Mary Kate to talk about how he had sparked her interest.
    Mary Kate looked relieved. “Oh, gut . Maybe you can help me decide how to talk to him.”
    “Why would you need my help?” In spite of knowing better than to say such things, she added, “I’m surprised you aren’t jumping at the chance to talk to Junior Beiler. He’s so handsome. One of the most eligible bachelors in town, most would say.”
    “Oh, he’s a handsome man, all right. I suppose some might think he would be quite a catch with his blond hair and blue eyes.”
    “You . . . You aren’t interested in him?”
    “Me? Not at all.” Looking vaguely embarrassed, Mary Kate said, “I’m not interested in dating.”
    “Truly?”
    “I have no desire to be courted ever again,” she said without a trace of doubt in her voice.
    “Why? Every woman I know around our age is either courting or hoping to be courting.” Or already married , she thought about adding.
    A shadow fell across Mary Kate’s face, and she stood up, brushing off her skirts, seeming to want to end the conversation. “I . . . I had a bad experience once.”
    “What kind of bad experience? Did you get hurt?”
    “Nee . ” Mary Kate wouldn’t look her in the eye.
    Miriam was starting to understand her friend in a new way. “Mary Kate, did that experience make you wary about men? Did something happen?”
    “I, ah, once dated a man who wasn’t the type to take no for an answer. He was difficult to get away from.” Looking beyond Miriam, out the window, Mary Kate murmured, “Sometimes I fear that even Sugarcreek isn’t far enough away from him. That maybe I’ll never be far enough away.”
    Miriam was confused, but finally was beginning to understand her friend’s constant talk of getting away. “Do you think he might be looking for you now?”
    “ Nee . Well, I hope and pray not.” She pursed her lips, then said, “When I broke things off, he didn’t take it well. My parents didn’t really understand either—he is the son of their best friends. That is why I took this teaching job in Sugarcreek. I was willing to do anything to get away. To have an excuse to leave him behind.”
    Miriam shook her head in wonder, torn between the desire to hug Mary Kate tight and pester her with a dozen questions.
    Here, they’d been practically in each other’s pockets since Mary Kate arrived but never had her friend hinted that she had just come out of such a scary situation. “I don’t know what to say.”
    “There isn’t anything to say.” Her voice turned brisk. “I was in an