Katie's Journey to Love Read Online Free PDF

seat. He appeared to be waiting for someone, so perhaps his wife was still inside the store. Two Amish men sat in the truck bed. Katie stopped mid-stride. Ben Stoll was one of them!
    Ben smiled as he caught sight of Arlene. “Time to go home, huh?” Ben called out.
    Arlene hadn’t noticed Ben, and she jumped at his voice. “Of course it’s time to go home. Did you think I lived here?”
    Ben laughed. “Now don’t go telling me you have to do chores all evening when you get home.”
    â€œI know I have to work harder than you do, Ben!” Arlene snapped. “You don’t even have chores when you get home. You have the easy life that carpenters get to live.”
    The other man joined in her laughter, but Ben didn’t say anything.
    Katie remained frozen in place. What was wrong with her? Why couldn’t she speak up and join this conversation? She would be doing that if this were at a Mennonite gathering. But here there were too many bad memories from her growing-up years to battle. Usually when she tried to enter into discussions with Amish youth, everyone went on talking as if she weren’t even there. Nee , she couldn’t take the pain that would throb in her heart when that happened. It was even worse than when Mamm had asked her to leave the kitchen this morning. She noticed the other boy in the back of the pickup glancing her way. Oh! She was already making a spectacle of herself by hesitating. He’d seen her, and yet it probably hadn’t registered. So now what was shesupposed to do? Just walk past them to her buggy without saying anything?
    Before Katie decided, the driver of the pickup truck motioned for her to come closer. He didn’t look happy as Katie approached with slow steps.
    â€œYou wouldn’t have seen my wife inside, would you?” he asked. “She was only supposed to pick up some cheese, and we’re in a hurry.”
    Here was her chance to get out of this situation. “If you’ll describe her, I can go inside and look,” Katie offered. “She can’t be too much longer, I imagine.”
    â€œOh, you’d be surprised,” he said. “I’d go look myself, but I’m a little slow on my feet with my back injury.” The man lifted a crutch inside the pickup truck high enough for Katie to see.
    â€œI’d be glad to go,” Katie said. “What is your wife wearing?”
    â€œA blue sweater and black slacks. And she’s about as round as I am. Constance is her name.” He laughed.
    Katie was already on her way, almost running across the parking lot. The sounds of Arlene’s voice, mixed in with Ben’s deeper voice, murmured behind her. “I’m not jealous,” Katie told herself. “Arlene can talk with Ben all she wishes.” Katie knew her feelings went deeper than that. Somehow she would have to overcome feeling worthless with the Amish kids. When she came back out, she would march right up to the pickup truck and say hi to Ben. It wouldn’t make Ben like her or make her crush go away, but she would feel better.
    Her face determined, Katie found a woman in a blue sweater and black slacks standing in front of the cheese case. She had three types in her hands.
    â€œExcuse me,” Katie said. “Are you Constance?”
    â€œYep.” The woman smiled and looked at her curiously.
    â€œYour husband asked me to tell you that he’s in a hurry to leave.”
    â€œOh, Robert.” A frown spread over the woman’s face. “He’s always in a big hurry, but when we get home there’s nothing to do but watch television. And if I don’t get the right kind of cheese, there will be no end of complaining from him about it.”
    Katie didn’t know what to say so she just stood there.
    Constance held up the pieces in her hand. “What do you think? Is Swiss better than Mozzarella? That’s what I’m thinking, but Swiss