Read Online The Courtship Basket by Amy Clipston - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Amy Clipston
Ads: Link
he’s been having a tough time lately.”
“ Ya , that’s what happened.” Mike sat down on the stool across from Sam and shared the conversation while his cousin listened with his eyes wide. “I told her I’m doing the best I can, but that didn’t seem to be gut enough for her. I really don’t know what else I can do. I’m the one carrying the load for the family. I sent John to the special school hoping the teachers there could give him the extra help he needs, but they’re blaming me for not giving him enough attention at home.”
Fury exploded through Mike once again. “What else can I do for him? I’m already trying to be both mamm and dat to him. Isn’t it the teacher’s job to teach him how to read and write? Isn’t it her job to teach him math? Don’t we pay the teachers to do that for us?”
“All right, Mike,” Sam said slowly while motioning for him to calm down. “You need to just relax. It’s going to be fine.”
Mike shoved his hand through his hair. “I just don’t know what else to do, Sam. I’m already exhausted from sleeping on the sofa so I can be close-by if mei dat needs me. I don’t want him to fall again.”
“Your dat is falling now?” Sam looked concerned, and Mike nodded. “You didn’t tell me that.”
“I was going to.” Mike scowled. “I’ve just been preoccupied with everything. Now I have to worry about his teacher being upset with me.”
“She came here to see you about an issue with John without going through the school board chairman?” Sam asked, and Mike nodded. “Isn’t that against the rules?”
“ Ya , it is.” He shook his head as he gripped both of his suspenders. “I told her I might call the school board chairman and tell him about our conversation.”
“Are you going to call him?” Sam asked.
“Probably not.” Mike blew out a frustrated sigh. “I just don’t understand who she thinks she is to judge me. I’m doing the best I can to take care of mei dat and John.”
“You’re doing great,” Sam insisted. “You’re actually working too hard.”
“Too hard?” Mike asked. “Why am I working too hard? I have to do my part to make sure we keep up with the orders. It’s our busy season.”
“But if you feel like you need to be home more, then you should go,” Sam said. “If you think John needs more attention, then maybe you should go home earlier.”
“No.” Mike shook his head. “ Mei dat wants me to make sure the business keeps going, so I need to be here. We don’t expect you and your dat to take up all the slack.”
Sam gave him a wry smile. “You’re still as stubborn as you were when we were six years old and you refused to stop fishing in the lake until we caught at least three fish. You didn’t even care we were late for supper and you’d get a whooping for staying out too long.”
“What’s your point?” Mike asked, crossing his arms over his chest.
“My point is, we’re family, and we’re here to help you. If you need Marie and Janie to stay overnight at the haus to help with your dat so you can get more sleep, then let them know. They’ll be froh to do that. All you have to do is ask.”
“That’s not necessary.” A yawn overtook Mike’s words. He rubbed his eyes and then limped over to the awaiting lighthouses. He had to keep busy to work off his frustration. “I need to get back to work.”
“All right.” Sam stood and smacked Mike on the back. “You know, you could ask Marie and Janie to work with John too.”
“What do you mean?” He looked back at his cousin.
“Marie and Janie could give John some extra help when he gets home from school every day. They could talk to him about how to behave in school and help him with his reading and math.” Sam shrugged. “It’s just an idea. They could get the teachers to stop complaining about him, and it would make things less stressful for you.”
Mike shook his head. “ Danki , but I don’t think it’s necessary. I believe
“ Ya , that’s what happened.” Mike sat down on the stool across from Sam and shared the conversation while his cousin listened with his eyes wide. “I told her I’m doing the best I can, but that didn’t seem to be gut enough for her. I really don’t know what else I can do. I’m the one carrying the load for the family. I sent John to the special school hoping the teachers there could give him the extra help he needs, but they’re blaming me for not giving him enough attention at home.”
Fury exploded through Mike once again. “What else can I do for him? I’m already trying to be both mamm and dat to him. Isn’t it the teacher’s job to teach him how to read and write? Isn’t it her job to teach him math? Don’t we pay the teachers to do that for us?”
“All right, Mike,” Sam said slowly while motioning for him to calm down. “You need to just relax. It’s going to be fine.”
Mike shoved his hand through his hair. “I just don’t know what else to do, Sam. I’m already exhausted from sleeping on the sofa so I can be close-by if mei dat needs me. I don’t want him to fall again.”
“Your dat is falling now?” Sam looked concerned, and Mike nodded. “You didn’t tell me that.”
“I was going to.” Mike scowled. “I’ve just been preoccupied with everything. Now I have to worry about his teacher being upset with me.”
“She came here to see you about an issue with John without going through the school board chairman?” Sam asked, and Mike nodded. “Isn’t that against the rules?”
“ Ya , it is.” He shook his head as he gripped both of his suspenders. “I told her I might call the school board chairman and tell him about our conversation.”
“Are you going to call him?” Sam asked.
“Probably not.” Mike blew out a frustrated sigh. “I just don’t understand who she thinks she is to judge me. I’m doing the best I can to take care of mei dat and John.”
“You’re doing great,” Sam insisted. “You’re actually working too hard.”
“Too hard?” Mike asked. “Why am I working too hard? I have to do my part to make sure we keep up with the orders. It’s our busy season.”
“But if you feel like you need to be home more, then you should go,” Sam said. “If you think John needs more attention, then maybe you should go home earlier.”
“No.” Mike shook his head. “ Mei dat wants me to make sure the business keeps going, so I need to be here. We don’t expect you and your dat to take up all the slack.”
Sam gave him a wry smile. “You’re still as stubborn as you were when we were six years old and you refused to stop fishing in the lake until we caught at least three fish. You didn’t even care we were late for supper and you’d get a whooping for staying out too long.”
“What’s your point?” Mike asked, crossing his arms over his chest.
“My point is, we’re family, and we’re here to help you. If you need Marie and Janie to stay overnight at the haus to help with your dat so you can get more sleep, then let them know. They’ll be froh to do that. All you have to do is ask.”
“That’s not necessary.” A yawn overtook Mike’s words. He rubbed his eyes and then limped over to the awaiting lighthouses. He had to keep busy to work off his frustration. “I need to get back to work.”
“All right.” Sam stood and smacked Mike on the back. “You know, you could ask Marie and Janie to work with John too.”
“What do you mean?” He looked back at his cousin.
“Marie and Janie could give John some extra help when he gets home from school every day. They could talk to him about how to behave in school and help him with his reading and math.” Sam shrugged. “It’s just an idea. They could get the teachers to stop complaining about him, and it would make things less stressful for you.”
Mike shook his head. “ Danki , but I don’t think it’s necessary. I believe
Similar Books
