Finding Love at Home (The Beiler Sisters) Read Online Free Page B

cracked. “Our food ought to be so blessed today, being freshly baptized and all.”
    “You can shut up!” Debbie snapped before she could seal her lips. This would only encourage Paul further. Why couldn’t she keep her mouth shut when Paul teased? The room teetered with laugher, and Paul’s look was triumphant. Ida placed her bowls on the table with a quick sideways glance at Paul. Ida used to have her heart set on the eventual capture of the man’s attention, but that had never happened. Why didn’t Ida try again? Debbie wondered. Instead she planned to settle for Minister Kanagy. Such an effort would so be like the self-sacrificing Ida. She probably didn’t even know how to pursue her own interest in Paul. And Paul wasn’t interested anyway. He wanted a flashier girl—like Debbie, Paul claimed.
    “Oh, she’s still in dreamland… ” Paul leaned over to coo in Debbie’s direction. “Well, I say I’m glad to see it myself.”
    There was weak laughter from the other men. Paul sounded half-genuine in his appreciation. Debbie’s heart softened toward him for a moment. Surely on one’s baptismal day she ought to think nice thoughts—even of Paul Wagler.
    Paul had a big grin on his face. “I see Deacon Mast’s water didn’t wash away any of her beauty.”
    “That’s enough out of you!” Ida gave Paul a glare.
    Paul appeared chastened for a second before he joined in the laughter all around him.
    As she followed Ida back to the kitchen, Debbie stared at her friend in astonishment. What had come into Ida to speak up like that? Normally she didn’t dare stand up to any wisecrack Paul made.
    “Thank you!” Debbie whispered. Emery had sat at the end of the table, but he acted like he approved of Paul’s actions. Thankfully his sister disagreed. It would have been nice if Emery had also stuck up for her.
    Ida glanced back, appearing pale and surprised at her words to Paul. “That wasn’t a nice thing for him to say.”
    Debbie smiled. “At least you noticed. But I know that’s just Paul.”
    Ida continued as if she hadn’t heard. “You’re good looking and very decent, Debbie. On that he was saying the truth.”
    “Hush!” Debbie felt a rush of heat run up her neck. “Don’t say that.” Now if Alvin said such things she would have accepted them—but not from Paul.
    Ida gave her a weak smile. “I guess it isn’t decent to say such things.”
    Debbie leaned closer in the press of the crowd of women to whisper, “You ought to pursue him yourself, you know.”
    Ida choked for a moment. “Now you’re thinking crazy. You ought to accept who Da Hah has laid out for you, Debbie. The two of you are made for each other like peas in a pod.”
    Ida’s words stung deep. She meant them as a compliment, but Debbie knew she and Paul were not in any way a match. Paul was an arrogant man. Despite Ida’s own feelings for Paul, she’d tried to push Paul and her together all of last year. Ida acting in her usual self-sacrificing way, of course.
    Debbie stepped closer as Ida leaned toward her. “Debbie, did you notice Alvin wasn’t here on your baptismal day?”
    Debbie winced. She’d been too distracted by Paul’s teases to see for sure if Alvin was at the unmarried men’s table.
    Ida continued. “I really should tell you this, Debbie. It’s not right that you don’t know.”
    Debbie gave Ida a quick glance. Ida wasn’t one to spread rumors, so she had to think this was serious news.
    Ida came even closer. “Alvin’s mamm , Helen, hasn’t been well for some time—since her stroke this summer.”
    Debbie nodded and waited. She already knew that.
    Ida struggled for the words. “The Knepp family hired on Mildred Schrock the week before last. Alvin’s daett won’t move in with any of the sisters-in-law. Not unless he absolutely has to. Anyway, Mildred’s living right there on the farm, Debbie. You know what that could mean. And Alvin could have forbidden it—if he had objected. You do know