Read Online Kelly's Chance by Wanda E Brunstetter - Free Book Online Page B

to take a few lemon drops, and they weren’t worth half as much as the art supplies. Since Kelly did have some money of her own, she could probably purchase a box of pencils, but she might be saving up for something more important.
    Suddenly, Mike had an idea. “I’ve got some burned charcoal chips in my home fireplace at the back of the store,” he announced. “How ’bout I run in there and get them for you?”
    Kelly hesitated a moment but finally nodded. “That would be right nice.”
    Before she had a chance to change her mind, Mike hurried to the back of the store. He passed Kelly’s mother on his way to the door leading to his attached house.
    “I’ll be right back, Mrs. McGregor. Take your time looking around for anything you might need.”
    ***
    Kelly watched Mike’s retreating form as he disappeared behind the door at the back of his store. He seemed like such a caring young man. Probably would make someone a mighty fine husband. Maybe he and the preacher’s daughter would link up. Betsy had seemed pretty friendly to him the last time Kelly saw the two of them together.
    She frowned. Why did the idea of Mike and Betsy Nelson together make her feel so squeamish? She reached into the sack inside her pocket and withdrew a lemon drop, then popped the piece of candy into her mouth.
    “We’ll head on back to the boat as soon as the storekeeper returns and I pay for the cough syrup and a few other things I found,” Mama said, driving Kelly’s thoughts to the back of her mind.
    Kelly slowly nodded her head.
    “Mike Cooper seems like a nice young man,” Mama remarked.
    Kelly nodded again. “He offered to let us stable Herman and Hector in his barn for the night.”
    Mama’s dark eyebrows lifted. “For free?”
    “I think so. He never said a word about money.”
    “Hmm ... guess as soon as we leave the store, you should get the mules fed and ready to bed down then.”
    “I’d be happy to,” Kelly readily agreed. “I’m sure Hector and Herman will be right glad to have a bigger place to stay tonight than they have on board our boat.”
    “You’re probably right.” Mama smiled. “Say, I was thinkin’—since tomorrow’s Sunday, and we won’t be movin’ on ’til early Monday morning, why don’t the two of us head into town and go to church?”
    Kelly opened her mouth to respond, but Mama rushed on. “It’s been a good while since I’ve sat inside a real church and worshiped God with other Christian folks.”
    “Well, I ... uh...” Kelly swallowed against the urge to say what was really on her mind. Being in church would make her feel uncomfortable—like others were looking down their noses at the poor boatman’s daughter who wore men’s boots and smelled like a dirty mule. Kelly had seen the way Betsy Nelson turned her nose up whenever the two of them met along the towpath. She wasn’t good enough to sit inside a pretty church building; it was just that simple.
    “I’m waitin’ for your answer,” Mama said, giving Kelly’s shoulder a gentle tap.
    “I was kinda hoping to get rested up tomorrow. Maybe do a bit of drawin’.”
    Mama’s squinted eyes and furrowed brow revealed her obvious concern. “You ain’t feelin’ poorly, too, I hope.”
    Kelly shook her head. “Just tired is all.”
    “And well you should be,” Mama agreed. “The last few days, you and your dad have been workin’ real hard trying to do all my chores plus keeping up with your own jobs as well.” She gave Kelly a hug. “I think you’re right. It might be good for us all to spend the day restin’.”
    Kelly felt bad about not being willing to attend church with her mother. She could tell by Mama’s wistful expression that she really did miss Sunday services inside a church building. Reading the Bible every night after supper was a good thing, but it wasn’t the same as being in fellowship with other believers.
    She and her mother went to wait for Mike by the wooden sales counter.
    A few seconds