Read Online Katie's Redemption by Patricia Davids - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Patricia Davids
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He withdrew the pink-and-white wooden baby rattle he’d made and simply stared at it.
“She can’t be gone.” His mother’s distress was clear as she carried her burdens in and set them next to his. A letter sat in the middle of the table. Nettie picked it up and read it.
She pulled her bonnet from her head and laid it and the note on the table, then turned to Elam. “That girl doesn’t have a lick of sense. She isn’t strong enough to be gadding about. She’s gone to the bus station. You have to go after her.”
That was exactly what he wanted to do. He wanted to bring her back where she and her baby would be safe, but perhaps this was for the best. Perhaps it was better that Katie went away before he grew any fonder of her and her child. He knew what heartbreak lay in that direction.
“She’s a grown woman, Mamm. She has made up her mind.”
“She’s not thinking straight. She’s putting herself and her baby in danger.”
“What do you mean?”
“The baby blues have muddled her thinking. Tell me you didn’t notice how depressed she has been. What if she collapses on the way, or worse?”
“The town is only three miles away. Amish children walk that far to school every day.” He slipped the rattle back in his pocket.
“Please, take the buggy and fetch her back. It will get cold as soon as the sun goes down.”
“By then she’ll be on a bus headed for Kansas. She will be happier with her own family.”
Nettie paced the length of the kitchen and back with her hands pressed to her cheeks. “I’m not sure that’s true.”
He frowned. “Do you know something you aren’t telling me?”
“It’s not what I know. It’s what I feel. She didn’t want to write to her brother. Why? Something isn’t right.”
“You can’t know that.”
“Even if I’m wrong, we at least need to make sure she made it to the bus depot. I couldn’t rest without knowing that she and that precious baby are all right. Katie isn’t strong enough to be traveling. What will become of Rachel if anything happens to her mother?”
Everything Nettie said was an echo of his own concerns, but still he hesitated. “Katie has the right to live her own life as she sees fit. She has made her choice. She chose to leave us.”
He turned to the bed in the corner and began dragging off the mattress.
“Elam, what are you doing?”
“I’m putting the bed back in the spare bedroom. We have no need of it in here anymore.”
The little bassinet, which seemed like such a wonderful way to carry Rachel, had become horribly heavy long before Katie had finished the first mile. By the time she reached the outskirts of town she’d already stopped to rest a dozen times. Now, outside the Amish Trading Post, she simply had to stop again.
After setting Rachel down gently on the sidewalk, Katie used her suitcase as a seat. Rubbing her aching arms, she willed her nagging dizziness away. She was stronger than this. She had to be.
The hollowness in the pit of her stomach made her wish she’d had the forethought to bring something to eat. The sun was low in the western sky and the chill had returned to the air. She had no idea what time it was, but it was getting late. She couldn’t rest for long. She had to make it to the bus station on time.
Glancing down, the sight of her sleeping daughter brought a little smile to Katie’s lips. At least the baby had slept the whole trip. Lifting Rachel from the bassinet, Katie swaddled her tightly in her blanket. Rising, she pushed her suitcase beneath the branches of a nearby cedar tree, picked up Elam’s gift and crossed the street to the store.
At the door, she hesitated. Rachel’s bed was the only thing she owned that had been given to her out of kindness. Keeping it meant hanging on to a small part of Elam.
No, I’ve already been over this. It has to be done. Open the door and go in.
Selling the bassinet proved to be easier than she hadhoped. In fact, the woman behind the counter
“She can’t be gone.” His mother’s distress was clear as she carried her burdens in and set them next to his. A letter sat in the middle of the table. Nettie picked it up and read it.
She pulled her bonnet from her head and laid it and the note on the table, then turned to Elam. “That girl doesn’t have a lick of sense. She isn’t strong enough to be gadding about. She’s gone to the bus station. You have to go after her.”
That was exactly what he wanted to do. He wanted to bring her back where she and her baby would be safe, but perhaps this was for the best. Perhaps it was better that Katie went away before he grew any fonder of her and her child. He knew what heartbreak lay in that direction.
“She’s a grown woman, Mamm. She has made up her mind.”
“She’s not thinking straight. She’s putting herself and her baby in danger.”
“What do you mean?”
“The baby blues have muddled her thinking. Tell me you didn’t notice how depressed she has been. What if she collapses on the way, or worse?”
“The town is only three miles away. Amish children walk that far to school every day.” He slipped the rattle back in his pocket.
“Please, take the buggy and fetch her back. It will get cold as soon as the sun goes down.”
“By then she’ll be on a bus headed for Kansas. She will be happier with her own family.”
Nettie paced the length of the kitchen and back with her hands pressed to her cheeks. “I’m not sure that’s true.”
He frowned. “Do you know something you aren’t telling me?”
“It’s not what I know. It’s what I feel. She didn’t want to write to her brother. Why? Something isn’t right.”
“You can’t know that.”
“Even if I’m wrong, we at least need to make sure she made it to the bus depot. I couldn’t rest without knowing that she and that precious baby are all right. Katie isn’t strong enough to be traveling. What will become of Rachel if anything happens to her mother?”
Everything Nettie said was an echo of his own concerns, but still he hesitated. “Katie has the right to live her own life as she sees fit. She has made her choice. She chose to leave us.”
He turned to the bed in the corner and began dragging off the mattress.
“Elam, what are you doing?”
“I’m putting the bed back in the spare bedroom. We have no need of it in here anymore.”
The little bassinet, which seemed like such a wonderful way to carry Rachel, had become horribly heavy long before Katie had finished the first mile. By the time she reached the outskirts of town she’d already stopped to rest a dozen times. Now, outside the Amish Trading Post, she simply had to stop again.
After setting Rachel down gently on the sidewalk, Katie used her suitcase as a seat. Rubbing her aching arms, she willed her nagging dizziness away. She was stronger than this. She had to be.
The hollowness in the pit of her stomach made her wish she’d had the forethought to bring something to eat. The sun was low in the western sky and the chill had returned to the air. She had no idea what time it was, but it was getting late. She couldn’t rest for long. She had to make it to the bus station on time.
Glancing down, the sight of her sleeping daughter brought a little smile to Katie’s lips. At least the baby had slept the whole trip. Lifting Rachel from the bassinet, Katie swaddled her tightly in her blanket. Rising, she pushed her suitcase beneath the branches of a nearby cedar tree, picked up Elam’s gift and crossed the street to the store.
At the door, she hesitated. Rachel’s bed was the only thing she owned that had been given to her out of kindness. Keeping it meant hanging on to a small part of Elam.
No, I’ve already been over this. It has to be done. Open the door and go in.
Selling the bassinet proved to be easier than she hadhoped. In fact, the woman behind the counter
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