Letters to Katie Read Online Free Page A

another contraction overtook her. When it subsided,
     she leaned against the pillows. “I know.” She started to cry. “Please. Get Mamm .”

C HAPTER 3

    Katherine sat on the couch in Mary Beth’s tiny living room, her hands clasped together,
     elbows resting on her knees. The house was so small she could hear every sound, and
     she flinched and prayed at each wail, each cry of pain coming from the bedroom.
    Mary Beth was in good hands—her mother had been a midwife for the past five years.
     But Hannah Mullet hadn’t been able to hide her concern when Katherine told her the
     baby was coming.
    Another agonizing cry. Mary Beth had been in labor for five hours now. Katherine looked
     outside the picture window into the black night.
    “Katherine?”
    She turned at the sound of Hannah’s voice. “The boppli ?”
    Hannah shook her head. “It’s breech. I think I can turn it around, but it’s going
     to be a long night. Do you mind staying?”
    “Of course not. What can I do to help?”
    Mary Beth cried out again.
    “Pray,” Hannah said. “Just keep praying.”
    For the next half hour Katherine paced the room, continuously praying, yet feeling
     helpless. Just as Mary Beth was screaming through another contraction, the door opened
     and Chris walked in. His tanned face paled. His tool belt hit the floor with a heavy
     thud.
    “Katherine?”
    She went to him, forcing herself to remain calm. God was in control, no matter what
     happened to Mary Beth or the baby. “It will be okay, Chris.” She explained the situation.
     “Hannah is with her now.”
    Chris nodded. He picked up his tool belt with shaking hands and slung it over his
     shoulder. “Got to check on the animals.”
    Katherine nodded. His reaction wasn’t unexpected. If he’d tried to see Mary Beth,
     Hannah would have told him to leave. She turned as the door clicked shut, paced again,
     and resumed her prayers.

    Late for supper again.
    Johnny sighed as he turned in the driveway. At least his parents knew why he kept
     coming home late. But this would be the last time they would have supper together,
     at least here, for a long time. He’d taken the day off work and moved his few belongings
     to the new house. He thought his boss, Gideon Bender, might give him a bit of a hard
     time about it. An exacting business owner, Bender ran his small machine repair shop
     with the same precision he used to make repairs. But since Johnny hadn’t askedfor a day off in months, Bender must have decided to cut him some slack.
    As he pulled into the driveway, Johnny noticed an unfamiliar buggy parked in front
     of Mary Beth and Chris’s house. He pulled into his parents’ barn and unhitched his
     horse. When he went inside, he expected to smell supper cooking. Instead he saw Caleb
     making a sandwich for Eli.
    “Where’s Mamm and Daed ?” Johnny hung his hat on the peg in the mudroom next to the kitchen. When he met
     Caleb’s worried eyes, his stomach dropped to his knees. “What’s going on?”
    “Eat your sandwich, Eli.” Caleb put the bologna sandwich in front of their younger
     brother.
    “Yum.” Eli picked up the sandwich and took a huge bite.
    Caleb motioned for Johnny to follow him to the living room. When they were out of
     earshot of Eli, he said, “Mary Beth is in labor.”
    Johnny gaped. “Isn’t it early?”
    Caleb nodded. “That’s what Mamm said when Katherine came to get her a few hours ago.”
    “Katherine’s here?”
    “ Ya . She found Mary Beth.” Caleb swallowed. “Chris is home by now, I’m sure. Daed had a school board meeting tonight, so he doesn’t know what’s going on. Probably
     best that way. Micah’s at a friend’s house.”
    “Have you talked to Mamm ?”
    “ Nee . I’ve been praying, but that women’s stuff—” Caleb shuddered. “It’s best left to
     them.”
    “I’ll geh find Chris.” Johnny said a quick prayer as he left the house. He and his twin had
     always been close, but Caleb was right.