Read Online Trading Secrets by Melody Carlson - Free Book Online Page B

and—”
    â€œNo, no—it is all right. You can stay.” Mrs. Miller gives Katy one last grim look, then turns away, hurrying off toward the garden.
    â€œIt’s making trouble having me here,” I say quietly to Katy.
    She giggles. “That’s all right. It’s a good kind of trouble.” Before I can make an excuse to leave again, she snatches my backpack and hurries toward the house, and I follow. But on the back porch she notices that my backpack is dripping. “This is wet,” she informs me.
    â€œI know.” I tell her about getting caught in the rain.
    â€œWe will hang it to dry.”
    I follow her out to where a clothesline is strung, and together we hang my soggy clothes on the line. But when we get to my underwear, I shake my head. “No way,” I tell her.
    â€œWhat is it?” she asks.
    â€œMy undies,” I tell her.
    â€œSo small.” She frowns at the several pairs of colorful underwear in my hand. “How can they fit you?”
    I chuckle. “They stretch. Anyway, I’m not hanging them out here for God and the world to see.”
    She laughs. “But God sees everything.”
    â€œThat may be so.” I shove the brightly colored pieces into my bag. “But that doesn’t mean everyone else needs to see them too.” As I zip the backpack closed, a striped gray cat comes up and rubs against my legs. “Hello,” I say as I bend down to pet the friendly animal. “What’s your name?”
    â€œThat’s Rosie,” Katy tells me. “She’s got three kittens in the woodshed.” She points to a small outbuilding near the house.
    â€œKittens?” I say eagerly. “Can I see them?”
    â€œSure. You can have them if you want.”
    I chuckle as I follow her to the woodshed. “I can just imagine what my dad would say if I brought home three kittens.”
    â€œThey’re old enough to leave their mamm now,” Katy says as she opens the door. “But no one around here needs more cats.”
    I kneel down to where the little furry critters scurry up to greet us. I examine and pet each of them, finally gathering a friendly gray-and-white fluffball into my lap. “You’re so sweet,” I coo as the animal cuddles up to my chin. The other kitties, with stripes like their mother, are preoccupied with climbing on the knees of my jeans. “I wish I could keep this one,” I tell Katy.
    â€œGo ahead,” she urges. “Take it home with you if you want. That would mean one less home to find.” She scoops up the two lively kittens, holding them in her skirt like it’s a hammock. “Or maybe I can talk Mamm into letting these guys stay in the barn. We already have a few barn cats. A few more shouldn’t really matter. Although Daed complains sometimes.”
    As I continue to pet the affectionate kitten, I consider this possibility. What if I did adopt this kitty? It’s not like we can’t have pets in our condo, although every time I’ve asked Dadabout a dog, he’s said no. He claims that we’re gone too much and a dog would be lonely. But I’ve never asked him about a cat. Aren’t they kind of independent?
    â€œThat one’s a girl,” Katy tells me.
    â€œShe’s so pretty.” I peer down into the big, pale green eyes, knowing this feline is getting me hooked.
    â€œWhat would you name her?”
    I study the cat closely, then look back up at Katy. “How about Katy?”
    Katy laughs. “You’d name a cat after me?”
    â€œWhy not?” I smile. “I like you.”
    She shrugs. “ Ja . Why not name her Katy?”
    â€œLittle Katy,” I murmur as I cuddle the furry kitten close to my face. “Maybe I will take you home with me.”
    â€œThat would be very good,” Katy declares. “Mamm will be happy.”
    â€œIt would be nice to see your mother happy about