Dear to Me Read Online Free PDF Page B

Ben King. She’s an orphan and nearly blind.”
     “That’s too bad.”
     “At first, Reba wouldn’t eat and kept bumping into the side of her cage. After I sat with her awhile, she finally ate a little and seemed much calmer.”
     Susie groaned. “I can’t believe you’d lose sleep over some dumm critter or that you’d bother to name a wild animal.”
     “Reba’s not dumb. Do you think your cat’s dumb?”
     “Of course not. Daisy’s a good mouser. She also keeps me company and likes to cuddle.”
     “Well, there you go.”
     “Are you still planning to go to the young people’s gathering at the Hiltys’ place tonight?” Susie asked.
     Melinda was thankful for the change in topic. She and Susie seemed to be arguing a lot lately—especially whenever they talked about Melinda’s love for animals.
     “Of course. I wouldn’t miss it.” Melinda smiled. “Gabe’s giving me a ride home again. He said so in the note he left in our birdhouse the other day.”
     “You’re sure the lucky one.” Susie released a gusty sigh. “I wish I had the promise of a ride home with some cute fellow tonight.”
     Melinda stopped swinging and reached over to pat Susie’s hand. “Your time will come. Just wait and see.”
     “Jah, well, I’m twenty years old. Many Amish women my age are married by now. I’ll probably end up en alt maedel . Could be I’ll spend the rest of my days working at Kaulp’s and never have a husband or family of my own.”
     “You won’t be an old maid, and I doubt you’ll be working at Kaulp’s General Store the rest of your life. One of these days you’ll—”
     Susie jumped up, jostling Melinda and nearly tossing her out of the swing. “Let’s not talk about this anymore. Some more buggies have pulled into the driveway, and one of them belongs to Bishop Frey. Church will be starting soon, so we’d better get inside.”
     “You go on,” Melinda said. “I’m going to sit here awhile and enjoy the fresh air. Once we’re all in the house, it will be hot and stuffy.”
     “Suit yourself.” Susie went in the front door, and Melinda resumed her swinging.
     A few minutes later, John Frey and his wife, Margaret, stepped onto the porch. The bishop walked with a limp these days and was beginning to show his age, but he could still preach God’s Word and lead the people. Melinda figured he would continue as bishop for several more years before he died.
     
     “Good morning,” she answered with a nod.
     “Are you planning to be baptized and join the church soon?” the bishop asked.
     Melinda could hardly believe the man had posed such a question. Was Bishop John’s memory failing him the way Grandpa Hertzler’s seemed to be? It was a shame to witness older folks forgetting so many things.
     “I got baptized last year, Bishop John,” she said. “It was soon after my eighteenth birthday.”
     The wrinkles in the bishop’s forehead deepened, and he gave his long gray beard a couple of sharp pulls. Then he narrowed his eyes and stared at Melinda so hard she began to squirm. “Hmm. Well, jah, that’s right, you were one of those I baptized last year.”
     Melinda realized the man’s memory wasn’t going after all. His problem was probably failing eyesight. She had felt bad when her mother began to lose her close-up vision and started wearing reading glasses, but Mama had laughed and said, “It’s okay. That’s what comes with getting older.”
     Margaret smiled and adjusted her own metal-framed glasses. Then she clasped her husband’s arm and said, “Shall we go inside now, John? The service will be starting soon.”
     The bishop yawned noisily. “Jah, guess we’d better.”
     As soon as John and Margaret stepped into the house, Melinda left the swing and headed straight for the barn. If she hurried, there would be time to see the kittens Susie’s cat had given birth to a few weeks ago.
     Inside the barn, Melinda took a seat on a bale of