A Baby by Easter Read Online Free Page A

up—”
    â€œThere are no ‘buts’ where God is concerned. He loves you. Period.” Connie pressed the tendrils away from Susannah’s face, then cupped her cheeks and peered straight into her eyes. “God has a plan. He’s going to work all of this out for your benefit.”
    â€œYou sound so sure.”
    â€œI am sure. Positive.” Connie smiled. “But until He shows us the next step, I have the perfect guest room upstairs. You’ll stay as long as you need to. Now finish that soup and try to swallow a few of the crackers,” she insisted. “You’re thinner now than you were when you first came to North Dakota, and you were a stick then. Eat.”
    â€œStill as bossy,” Susannah teased, her heart swelling at the relief of being able to count on a friend.
    â€œStill needing bossing,” Connie shot back, laughing. “You need taking care of, and I’m just the person to do it.” She watched while Susannah ate. “What was Darla saying about Sleeping Beauty?”
    Susannah shrugged but couldn’t stop her blush. “I passed out on the doorstep. Her brother carried mein here. When I came to, she was demanding he kiss me, like Sleeping Beauty.” Susannah crunched another cracker, enjoying the feeling of having enough to satisfy her hunger. It had been ages since she’d been able to eat her fill.
    â€œShe loves that story.” Connie smiled fondly.
    â€œDarla is a bit old for fairy tales,” Susannah mused. “Something’s wrong with her, right?”
    â€œShe had a skiing accident.” Connie’s voice filled with sadness. “It happened a few months after her mother died. Their father was already gone so David had to handle everything. He’s been looking after her the best he can, but it’s been a challenge for him.”
    â€œWhat do you mean?” Susannah struggled to decipher the cautious tone in Connie’s voice.
    â€œWell, David was engaged. Twice.”
    â€œOh.” Not much wonder, Susannah thought. He was very good-looking.
    â€œEach time his fiancées backed out because of Darla.”
    â€œThey wanted him to dump her into some home?” Indignation filled Susannah. “Typical.”
    â€œWhy do you say that, Suze?”
    â€œIt was like that where I worked,” Susannah fumed. “So often the seniors were seen as burdens because they took a little extra time and attention, or couldn’t remember as well.”
    â€œWell, in Darla’s case, David’s fiancées might have had a point,” Connie said, her voice quiet.
    â€œOh?” Susannah frowned. “Why?”
    â€œDarla has had—” Connie paused “—difficulty adjusting to her world since the accident.”
    â€œBut surely she goes to a program of some sort?” Susannah asked.
    â€œShe does. The problem is Darla. She has trouble working with anyone. Her temper gets very bad. I’m sure that’s what happened with my lamp.” Connie inclined her head toward the shattered glass.
    â€œWhen I came to, she was yelling.” Susannah frowned. “But she didn’t act up when I was speaking with her. She was sweet and quite charming.”
    â€œThat’s the way she is, until someone doesn’t do as she wants. Then she balks and makes a scene. It’s part of her brain injury. She’s had a number of workers try to teach her stronger self-control.” Connie made a face. “With little success, so far. They keep quitting.”
    â€œWell, maybe David hasn’t found the right people to work with her,” Susannah said. “He seemed kind of frustrated by her.”
    â€œMaybe he is,” Connie agreed, “but he devotes himself to his sister.”
    â€œTo the exclusion of everything else?” Was that why he looked so tired?
    â€œYes, sometimes. David is convinced it’s his duty to his parents to ensure