Read Online Looking for a Miracle by Wanda E. Brunstetter - Free Book Online
Authors: Wanda E. Brunstetter
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dog with me and Melvin?”
Of course Nadine wanted to go. Selling Rebekah’s plants was boring, and it would give her a chance to get to know Carolyn’s cousin a little better. “Let me ask my folks.”
Nadine pushed her chair aside and moved to the other table, where Dad sat with his jugs of root beer, and Mom her mounds of produce. “Can I go have lunch with my friend Carolyn and her cousin?” Nadine asked, leaning close to her mother’s ear.
Mom shook her head. “Not until Rebekah gets back. You’re needed here right now.”
“How come?”
“Someone needs to keep an eye on her flowers.”
“But that’s not fair. You let Simon go to lunch at the same time as Rebekah.”
“And you shall go as soon as they get back.”
“But why can’t you and Dad watch Rebekah’s table?”
“Because the market is really busy, and a lot of customers are heading our way,” Dad interjected. “So put on your best smile, sell lots of your sister’s plants while she’s gone, and no sulking. You hear?”
Nadine grunted and moved back to her end of the table. “Sorry, but I can’t go to lunch until my sister and brother get back.” She kept her gaze fixed on one of the African violets, afraid if she looked at Melvin as she spoke he might see the tears that were stinging the back of her eyes and threatening to spill over.
“How long will they be gone?” Carolyn asked.
“Probably another half hour or so.”
“I guess we could walk around awhile and come back for you then.”
Hope welled in Nadine’s soul, but before she could give a reply, Melvin spoke up. “I’m really hungry, so if it’s all the same to you, I think I’ll head over to the hot-dog stand right now.”
“Jah, okay. Maybe we can visit some other time,” Nadine mumbled.
As Carolyn and Melvin walked away, Nadine pushed one of Rebekah’s plants closer to the front of the table and gritted her teeth.
Rebekah always gets to do what she wants. Sometimes I wish I were the one in a wheelchair.
***
“It’s another hot, sticky day,” Rebekah remarked as Mary Ellen took a seat on the grassy patch beside her wheelchair. “I’m glad we have a nice shady place to help keep us cool.”
Mary Ellen took a drink of her foamy root beer. “Umm ... your daed sure makes some good soda. This helps put the fire out on a muggy summer day such as this.”
Rebekah giggled when the end of Mary Ellen’s nose became covered with the frothy white head of the root beer. “And you wear my daed’s soda real well, too.”
Mary Ellen reached into her lunch basket and retrieved a napkin; then she swiped it across her nose. “There. Do I look any better?”
Rebekah nodded. “But then, you always look good in the face. It’s not hard to figure out why so many of the fellows we know act like silly kinner in order to seek your favor.”
“There’s only one man whose favor I seek.”
“And who might that be?”
“I’d rather not say just yet. Not until I’m sure he likes me, too. Besides, you didn’t agree to have lunch with me so we could talk about my love life. I want to discuss a possible business venture with you.”
“Business venture?” Rebekah’s eyebrows lifted high on her forehead. “You and me?”
“No, just you. I’ve got my teaching job at the school, remember?”
“Of course I do, but what business venture are you thinking about that would involve me?”
“You’ve been telling me for weeks that you want to be self-sufficient. Isn’t that right?”
Rebekah nodded. “Right as rain.”
“Then I think I have an idea that might work quite well for you,” Mary Ellen said as a feeling of excitement welled in her soul. She did so want to see her cousin make some money of her own.
“What idea do you have?”
“You need to make money in order to be more independent, correct?”
“Right again.”
“Today you found out that you have a product people will buy.”
“Jah. The flowers and plants.”
“And you enjoy
Of course Nadine wanted to go. Selling Rebekah’s plants was boring, and it would give her a chance to get to know Carolyn’s cousin a little better. “Let me ask my folks.”
Nadine pushed her chair aside and moved to the other table, where Dad sat with his jugs of root beer, and Mom her mounds of produce. “Can I go have lunch with my friend Carolyn and her cousin?” Nadine asked, leaning close to her mother’s ear.
Mom shook her head. “Not until Rebekah gets back. You’re needed here right now.”
“How come?”
“Someone needs to keep an eye on her flowers.”
“But that’s not fair. You let Simon go to lunch at the same time as Rebekah.”
“And you shall go as soon as they get back.”
“But why can’t you and Dad watch Rebekah’s table?”
“Because the market is really busy, and a lot of customers are heading our way,” Dad interjected. “So put on your best smile, sell lots of your sister’s plants while she’s gone, and no sulking. You hear?”
Nadine grunted and moved back to her end of the table. “Sorry, but I can’t go to lunch until my sister and brother get back.” She kept her gaze fixed on one of the African violets, afraid if she looked at Melvin as she spoke he might see the tears that were stinging the back of her eyes and threatening to spill over.
“How long will they be gone?” Carolyn asked.
“Probably another half hour or so.”
“I guess we could walk around awhile and come back for you then.”
Hope welled in Nadine’s soul, but before she could give a reply, Melvin spoke up. “I’m really hungry, so if it’s all the same to you, I think I’ll head over to the hot-dog stand right now.”
“Jah, okay. Maybe we can visit some other time,” Nadine mumbled.
As Carolyn and Melvin walked away, Nadine pushed one of Rebekah’s plants closer to the front of the table and gritted her teeth.
Rebekah always gets to do what she wants. Sometimes I wish I were the one in a wheelchair.
***
“It’s another hot, sticky day,” Rebekah remarked as Mary Ellen took a seat on the grassy patch beside her wheelchair. “I’m glad we have a nice shady place to help keep us cool.”
Mary Ellen took a drink of her foamy root beer. “Umm ... your daed sure makes some good soda. This helps put the fire out on a muggy summer day such as this.”
Rebekah giggled when the end of Mary Ellen’s nose became covered with the frothy white head of the root beer. “And you wear my daed’s soda real well, too.”
Mary Ellen reached into her lunch basket and retrieved a napkin; then she swiped it across her nose. “There. Do I look any better?”
Rebekah nodded. “But then, you always look good in the face. It’s not hard to figure out why so many of the fellows we know act like silly kinner in order to seek your favor.”
“There’s only one man whose favor I seek.”
“And who might that be?”
“I’d rather not say just yet. Not until I’m sure he likes me, too. Besides, you didn’t agree to have lunch with me so we could talk about my love life. I want to discuss a possible business venture with you.”
“Business venture?” Rebekah’s eyebrows lifted high on her forehead. “You and me?”
“No, just you. I’ve got my teaching job at the school, remember?”
“Of course I do, but what business venture are you thinking about that would involve me?”
“You’ve been telling me for weeks that you want to be self-sufficient. Isn’t that right?”
Rebekah nodded. “Right as rain.”
“Then I think I have an idea that might work quite well for you,” Mary Ellen said as a feeling of excitement welled in her soul. She did so want to see her cousin make some money of her own.
“What idea do you have?”
“You need to make money in order to be more independent, correct?”
“Right again.”
“Today you found out that you have a product people will buy.”
“Jah. The flowers and plants.”
“And you enjoy
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