Read Online What a Pair! by Wanda E Brunstetter - Free Book Online Page A

school today. Did you forget?”
    Mattie groaned and pulled the covers over her head. “No, but I wish I could.”
    “What was that?”
    She lowered the covers just a bit. “Nothing. Go on downstairs, and tell Mom I’ll be there as soon as I get dressed.”
    “Okay.” Mark practically skipped out of the room. He looked excited this morning. He was probably glad they were going to school. Well, Mattie wasn’t glad. She always dreaded the first day of school and wished she could think of some way to get out of going. She realized, though, that if she didn’t go to school today, then tomorrow would be her first day of school. So she might as well get up, get ready, and get this day over with—unless she could convince Mom to let her stay home. Maybe she wouldn’t have to go to school any days this week.

    When Mattie entered the kitchen a short time later, she found Mom standing in front of the counter, putting sandwiches in everyone’s lunch boxes.
    “Guder mariye, schlofkopp,”
Mom said, looking over her shoulder at Mattie.
    “Good morning,” Mattie mumbled, slouching against the table. She really felt like a sleepyhead.
    “What’s wrong? Did you get up on the wrong side of the bed?” Mom asked.
    “No, I … uh … think I need to stay home from school today—and maybe all week.”
    Mom’s eyebrows shot up. “What’s wrong, Mattie? Are you
grank
?”
    Mattie didn’t want to lie and say she was sick, but she had to do something to keep from going to school. “I’m … uh … feeling a little under the weather.” She’d heard Grandpa Troyer say that when he wasn’t feeling his best. Maybe by saying that now, it would be enough for Mom to let her stay home today.
    Mom stopped what she was doing, hurried over to Mattie, and touched her forehead. “You don’t seem to have a fever. Open your mouth and let me take a look at your throat.”
    Mattie did as Mom asked. This wasn’t working out so well. She was sure there was nothing wrong with her throat, and Mom would know that just as soon as she looked.
    “I don’t see any unusual redness,” Mom said. “Does your stomach hurt?”
    Mattie shook her head. “Uh … no, not really, but …”
    “Then I don’t think you’re sick.” Mom gave Mattie’s shoulder a little squeeze. “Now hurry and set the table so we can eat.” She looked over at Mark, who stood near the sink smiling from ear to ear. He obviously knew Mattie had been trying to get out of going to school. Mom probably did, too.
    “Well, I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m hungerich,” Mark said. “And the sooner we eat, the sooner we can leave for school.”
    “Jah, I can hardly wait,” Mattie mumbled under her breath.
    Mom pointed at Mark’s feet. “How come you’re wearing two different shoes this morning?”
    Mark’s face turned red as a radish as he stared down at his feet. “Oh, I … uh … guess I was so excited to get dressed and head for school that I wasn’t paying attention to which shoes I was putting on my feet.”
    Mattie stifled a giggle. On one foot Mark wore a black sneaker. On the other foot he wore one of his black dress shoes. How in the world could he not have known what he was doing? Mark must have been really mixed up this morning.
    Mom chuckled and patted Mark’s shoulder. “Well, hurry upstairs and exchange your dress shoe with your other sneaker so we can eat. I hear your daed and the older boys coming up the back steps now, so I’m sure they’ll expect breakfast to be on the table.”
    “I’m going right now.” Mark hurried from the room and Mattie began setting the table. It was obvious that she wasn’t going to get out of attending school today. All she could do was grin and bear it.

    As Mark and Mattie headed to school that morning, Mark felt like singing and kicking up his heels. Instead, he just swung his lunch pail back and forth as he hurried up the dirt path. He was excited about going to school because he enjoyed learning