LITMIR.BIZ

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his mother, not Kevin, sitting in the parlor.

      “Mamm? What are you doing up?” he asked quietly.

      “I’m waiting for you,” she said, and rocked back and forth in her chair a few times before saying anything else. “Your brother told me where you’ve been.”

      Nick’s pulse quickened—Kevin had decided to own up after all. On one hand, Nick was relieved he wouldn’t have to cart Lucy back and forth to the library after all. On the other hand, he dreaded the lecture his mother was about to deliver. He straightened his posture and resigned himself to shouldering part of the blame for Kevin’s carelessness in causing the fire.

      “I’m surprised, but I’m glad he did.”

      “Well, he didn’t want to, but I insisted. So don’t get angry at him.”

      Nick was confused. Why would he be angry at Kevin for telling the truth about the fire? Before he could tell his mother he didn’t understand, she said, “Don’t worry. Other than telling your daed, I won’t mention to anyone that you’re courting Lucy Knepp.”

      Oh, right—I forgot I told Kevin to plant the seed in Mamm and Daed’s minds. That’s where Kevin told them I’ve been—at Lucy’s haus, not at Jenny’s. Nick didn’t know why but he wasn’t as disappointed as he expected he’d be when he realized he’d still have to carry through with his arrangement with Lucy. Still, he was surprised his mamm was bringing up the topic. As often as she lectured Nick that it was time he put his running around years behind him, she rarely spoke openly about the meed he courted.

      “Denki,” he said. “I appreciate that—”

      His mother butted in, “Lucy Knepp is a wunderbaar maedel.”

      Good—his mother approved. This was going to be easier than he thought. “Jah, she is—”

      Again, his mother cut him off. “So you’d better not be up to any shenanigans.”

      “Wh-what do you mean?” Nick sputtered. Had Kevin let something else about their plan slip?

      “She’s not like other meed you’ve courted. You’d better not be toying with her feelings, suh.”

      Nick clenched his jaw. While it was true he’d courted many meed who were frequently distraught when he ended their relationships, he never set out to hurt anyone’s feelings. He was offended his own mother would think that was ever his intention. “I wouldn’t do that, Mamm. I wouldn’t deliberately play around with any woman’s emotions.”

      His mother must have caught the defensiveness in his voice because she said, “Neh, I don’t suppose you would, Nick. I only mean I want you to be careful, okay? As I said, Lucy’s not like other meed you’ve courted. She’s...she’s special.”

      She’s special all right. She’s so special she thinks she’s a cut above everyone else, Nick thought. As uncomfortable as he was discussing this subject with his mother, he felt it was important to emphasize, “I’ve always considered every woman I’ve courted to be special.”

      “I believe you have, suh. But some women are more...they’re more earnest than others. I don’t think Lucy has had many suitors and I wouldn’t want her to get her hopes up about a relationship with you if that’s not a real possibility,” his mother explained.

      It seemed a struggle for her to find the right words, but Nick knew what she meant. She meant he’d ended every relationship he’d had so far, and she was assuming he’d end this one, too. As much as Nick resented the implication, he admitted there was an element of truth to it.

      “Don’t worry,” he assured his mother. “I’ve made my intentions very clear to Lucy. But she’s not quite as naive as you think. I got the feeling she was reluctant to walk out with me. We’re not even really courting, it’s more like we’re spending time together. I’m sort of helping her with...with one of her charity endeavors for Grischtdaag. After that, we’ll have to see what happens.”

      His mother looked perplexed, but she smiled and said, “Well, for your sake, I hope it works out this time. Who knows, Lucy might be a gut influence on you.”

      That was exactly what Nick was hoping his parents would think about Lucy, but now that he heard his mother say the words, he was disgruntled. Who was to say he wouldn’t be a good influence on her? Maybe he’d show her a thing or two about how to lighten up and be a little more social. Didn’t anyone ever consider that?

      Mildred and Katura were considerate enough not to turn on the lamp while they were getting ready for bed, but their voices woke Lucy anyway.

      “I wish Mark didn’t have to go back to Ohio tomorrow morning,” Mildred whined. “One of the rare few likable guys who comes to Willow Creek leaves as soon as he gets here. It’s not fair. I hope he visits Frederick again at Grischtdaag.”

      “Speaking of Frederick, didn’t you tell me he was planning to ask to court Lucy tonight?”

      “That’s what Melinda Schrock told me she heard Frederick’s mother saying to Jesse’s ant in the store last week,” Mildred said, and her words caused Lucy to remember what the book of James said about a little fire kindling a great matter.

      “Do you think Frederick got a chance to ask to court Lucy before she left with Nick?” Katura questioned.

      “Probably not. Otherwise, she would have stayed until the singing was over so Frederick could have given her a ride home. Or she would have asked him for a ride right then since she was sick.”

      “I suppose that’s true.” Katura yawned. “Can you believe she asked Nick for a ride instead? That’s awfully forward.”

      “Jah, but Nick’s so nice he probably agreed because he felt sorry for her.”

      Lucy considered coughing to let her stepsisters know she was awake and could hear them, but she felt too humiliated. Why didn’t Mildred and Katura believe she hadn’t left because she was ill? Couldn’t they at least entertain the possibility Nick was interested in her?

      As if answering Lucy’s unspoken question, Katura said, “One thing’s for sure. He’d never consider being her suitor. She’s not his type. Nick only courts women who are outgoing and adventuresome. You know, women who are more like you and me.”

      Lucy heard Mildred gasp. “That’s it!” she exclaimed. “Nick probably wanted to talk to Lucy about one of us!”

      “Do you really think so?” Katura questioned, and Lucy discerned the hopeful catch in her voice.

      “Jah. That’s how buwe in Willow Creek sometimes determine if a maedel is interested in being courted. They talk to her friends or sisters. Or if they’re really shy, they’ll pass a note,” Mildred explained knowingly.

      “But Nick isn’t shy at all.”

      “Neh, not usually. But maybe he likes one of us so much he’s afraid we’ll reject him. Maybe that’s why it’s taken him so long to propose courtship—he hasn’t been able to work up the courage. So instead of asking us straight out, he’s taking the safe approach.”

      Lucy would have been inflamed, but instead she pushed her quilt against her mouth to suppress a giggle. Her stepsisters might have lacked self-awareness, but they sure didn’t lack self-esteem.

      “I should get him. I’m the oldest,” Katura demanded, as if she were competing for a prize.

      “You can’t claim him. He’ll decide for himself which one of us he wants to court.”

      As her stepsisters bickered about who

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