A Christmas for Katie Read Online Free Page A

library. I like it a lot, and I want to make it pretty.”
    After a moment, her mother sighed. “I suppose I can’t fault you for that. A beautiful nativity is, indeed, a wonderful sight to behold.”
    Her mother’s expression softened for a moment, but then she closed the Bible once again and set it on the table. And looked at her sternly. “Ella also happened to mention that Miss Donovan wasn’t interested in your plans.”
    “That’s only because Miss D. is depressed about her love life.”
    Her mother closed her eyes, just the way she did when a headache was coming on. “Miss Donovan’s personal life isn’t any of your business.”
    “Don’t worry, Mamm. We’re going to fix her love life. Then she’ll be able to think about other things.”
    Her mother’s eyebrows rose. “We?”
    Uh oh. She’d said too much. “Um, Ella and me?” Katie said weakly.
    “Katie Weaver—”
    “All right,” she interrupted quickly, before another lecture came on. “Ella isn’t too excited about that. It’s just me who is.” Glancing at the Bible on the table, she slumped. “But I can do it. Miss Donovan just needs to find someone who likes books. And who likes her, too, I suppose.”
    For a moment, her mother looked like she’d swallowed a bad-tasting pill. Then she exhaled with a whoosh . “Katie, if I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times. You are twice as much work as your three older brothers combined.”
    That wasn’t good. At all. “Mamm, I don’t mean to be so much work.”
    “But you are, child. I don’t think I had any gray hair before you arrived. Now look at me!”
    Reluctantly, Katie looked at her mother’s neatly pinned hair under her white kapp . Thick gray strands now kept company with her dark brown hair. Katie didn’t think the gray strands looked bad, but she didn’t think she should say that.
    Her mother glowered as she held up one finger and waved it like a stick. “You may not start meddling in the librarian’s love life. And you must learn to listen to people. If they say they’re not interested in something, that means they aren’t. It isn’t an invitation to brush over their objections.”
    Getting to her feet, her mother picked up the Bible and held it close to her chest. “Do you understand?”
    Oh, she understood, but she didn’t agree. “Mamm, this is real important.”
    “It is not your concern.”
    Her mother’s tone was clipped now—a sure sign that she was losing her patience. Usually, Katie would back off. But today she simply couldn’t. “But Christmas is coming.”
    “It will still come without your interference, Katie.” Turning toward the door, she added, “If you have so much extra time, I think you’d best get up early in the morning and help me in the kitchen. We’ve got cookies to bake and quilted potholders to make.”
    “I will,” she said quickly, letting all her worries about Miss D. fade. She loved helping her mother bake Christmas cookies. “I’ll help you in the morning, Mamm.”
    Inch by inch, her mother’s frown lines smoothed. “ Gut . I love you, Katie. Now, close your eyes and go to sleep.”
    When she was alone again, Katie sighed. Her mother was right. She really didn’t have much say in other people’s business. Even her brothers had gotten married without much of her help. And though Loyal and Calvin had fallen in love fairly fast . . . Graham sure hadn’t. Everyone in the family had known he and Mattie were meant to be married way before they did. After all, when Mattie had been fighting cancer, her brother Graham would hardly leave her side. Now Mattie was healthy and they were happily married.
    How in the world was she going to find the librarian someone to love in just a week?
    As she pulled her thick quilt over her shoulders, she snuggled down deeper into the feather bed. Wiggled her toes against the flannel sheets. Yawned.
    Then closed her eyes and prayed to the only one who could help Miss D. “Jesus, I