Rachel leaned out as far as she could, but she couldn’t quite reach the frog.
Ribbet! Ribbet! Mr. Frog leaped onto another rock a short distance away.
Rachel knew there was only one way to catch that sneaky old frog, but she would have to move fast. She crouched down low and waited to see what the frog would do. It just sat there, still as could be.
In one quick movement, Rachel stepped into the water and thrust out her arm. Her fingers were just inches from the frog, but it leaped again. This time it landed back in the grass. Ribbet! Ribbet!
“I don’t think that old frog wants to be caught,” Grandpa said with a chuckle.
Rachel groaned and trudged through the water. She was getting ready to step out when her foot slipped on a slimy rock, and—splash!—into the water she went! She came up spitting and sputtering, “Trouble, trouble, trouble! All I ever have is trouble!”
Grandpa held his sides and rocked back and forth as he laughed. “Ach, Rachel, I thought you came here to fish, not take a dip in the pond.”
“It’s not funny, Grandpa,” Rachel said as she sloshed out of the water. “My kapp’s got a hole in it, and now my clothes are soaking wet. I’ll be in trouble with Mom for sure.”
Grandpa grabbed an old quilt from the back of his buggy and wrapped it around her shoulders. “I’m sure your mamm will understand once you explain what happened.”
Rachel shook her head. “You don’t know Mom like I do.”
He laughed some more and slapped his knee. “She’s my dochder [daughter], Rachel. I raised her for over nineteen years before she married your daed. I think I know her well enough.”
Rachel thought about the day last summer when she fell in the pond while making a mud dam with Jacob. Mom called them out of the water, saying it was time to go home. Jacob went right away, but Rachel didn’t come when she was called, choosing instead to work on her dam. Then she slipped on a slimy rock and fell into the water, just like she did today. As punishment for not coming when she was called, Rachel had to wash her dress when they got home from the picnic.
Mom will probably be mad when she sees my torn kapp and wet dress, Rachel thought as she grabbed her fishing pole and climbed into the buggy. She’ll probably give me more chores to do.
When Rachel and Grandpa arrived home, she spotted Jacob in the yard, giving Buddy a ride in the wheelbarrow Mom used for gardening. “Jacob giving his dog a ride in the wheelbarrow is so lecherich,” she said as Grandpa helped her down from the buggy.
Grandpa’s forehead wrinkled. “It’s no more ridiculous than you trying to catch a frog or giving Cuddles a ride on your skateboard.”
I wonder if Grandpa’s mad because I got three fish and he only got one, Rachel thought as she hurried across the lawn. Maybe that’s why he’s sticking up for Jacob.
When Rachel entered the house, she found Mom lying on the sofa reading a book. “I thought you were going to sew baby clothes today,” Rachel said as she stood in the doorway.
“I did get some sewing done, but I got tired and decided to rest.” Mom gave a noisy yawn. “How was the fishing? Did you catch any fish?”
Rachel nodded. “I got three and Grandpa got one.”
Mom chuckled but didn’t look up. “I’ll bet he wasn’t too happy about only getting one fish.”
“He said he didn’t mind.”
Mom sat up and stretched. “Where is Grandpa now?”
“He’s outside putting the horse in the barn.” Rachel removed her kapp from her head. “Grandpa snagged my kapp with his fishing hook, and now there’s a hole in it,” she said with a frown. “Then I fell in the pond and got my dress all wet.”
“It’s too bad those things happened, but it’s not the end of the world. I have some extra kapps put away in a drawer, so you can have one of those. You will need to get out of your wet clothes, though.”
Rachel waited to see if Mom would say anything more.
“Is there something else?” Mom asked, giving Rachel a questioning look.
Rachel shook her head. “No, I—uh—just wondered if you wanted me to wash my dress.”
Mom shook her head. “I’ll wash clothes on Monday morning, so just put your dress and under things in the laundry basket. Then change into some clean clothes.”
“Okay, Mom.” Rachel looked at her kapp again. At least she wouldn’t have to wear a kapp with a hole in it to school on Monday morning. And she couldn’t get over how calm Mom had seemed when she’d told her what had happened at the pond. Maybe Grandpa does know her better than me, she thought. Or maybe it’s because I wasn’t being disobedient when I fell in the pond this time.
Rachel turned toward the door leading to the stairs, but she’d only taken a few steps when Mom called, “Oh, Rachel, I almost forgot. There’s a surprise on the table for you.”
“What surprise?” Rachel loved surprises.
“A letter came for you in today’s mail.”
“Is—is it from Mary?”
Mom nodded.
Well, it’s about time Mary wrote to me, Rachel thought.
“I got a letter from Mary’s mamm, too.”
Rachel started for the kitchen but halted again when Mom said, “You can get the letter now, but then you’d better go right upstairs and change out of those wet clothes.”
“Okay, Mom.” Rachel raced into the kitchen. Sure enough, there was a letter lying on the table. She scooped it up and rushed upstairs to her room. She placed the letter on the bed and quickly changed into a clean dress. Then she picked up the letter and flopped onto the mattress.
Rachel’s hands shook as she tore the envelope open and began to read.
Dear Rachel,
I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to write, but I’ve been awful busy since we moved. There have been boxes to unpack, things to put away, and the house to help clean.
I like my new school. The teacher’s name is Sadie, and she’s real nice. Oh, and I’ve made a new friend…Betty Stutzman. She used to live in Missouri and moved here a few months before we did. Betty and I are going shopping with our midder [mothers] this Saturday. We’ll probably go out to lunch somewhere, too.
How are things with you? Have you taken Cuddles for any more rides on your skateboard?
Write back soon.
Love,
Mary
Rachel let the letter fall to the bed. She felt like she’d been kicked in the stomach by a wild horse. It wasn’t fair! Mary had a new friend—and she didn’t. And Mary hadn’t said a word about the letter Rachel had written her. Didn’t Mary even care how miserable Rachel had felt since she’d moved away?
I’m not going to write Mary back, Rachel decided. Tears welled in her eyes, and she pulled the pillow over her head. “Oh, Mary, I miss you so much. I have no friends now, and I’m so lonely.”
The bed squeaked, and Rachel felt someone touch her hand. “You have to be a friend if you want to have any friends,” Mom said softly.
Rachel pulled the pillow aside and sniffed. “Mary doesn’t need me anymore. She’s found a new friend. I wish Mary would move back to Pennsylvania so things would be like they used to be.”
“I know it’s hard to have your best friend move away, but you shouldn’t be mad at Mary for making a new friend.” Mom handed Rachel a tissue. “Don’t you think it’s time for you to make a new friend, too?”
Rachel sniffled and blew her nose. “I’ll think about it.”
Chapter 9
Bubbles and Troubles
Rachel grunted as she carried a basket of clean clothes out to the clothesline and placed it on the ground. When she arrived home from school this afternoon, Mom said she hadn’t felt well this morning, so it had taken her longer than normal to get their clothes washed, and she’d only hung a few things on the line. She asked Rachel to hang the rest of the things while she went back inside to rest before it was time to start supper.
Rachel glanced at the barn. She wished she was in there riding her skateboard or playing
with Cuddles instead of hanging laundry out to dry. Maybe if she hurried and got it done, there would be time for her to play before she had to help Mom with supper.
Rachel bent down, picked up a pair of grandpa’s trousers, and stepped onto the wooden stool she used to help her reach the clothesline. She had just clipped the trousers to the line when Buddy ambled across the yard toward her, an old bone hanging from his mouth. She looked away in disgust, hoping the dog wouldn’t notice her.
Disgusting mutt, Rachel thought as she pinned one of Mom’s towels to the line. He’s nothing but trouble.
Woof! Woof!
Rachel looked down just in time to see Buddy drop his bone at her feet, dip his head into the basket, and grab one of the towels in his mouth.
“Give me that!” she shouted.
Buddy flicked his ears, swished his tail, and darted away, dragging the towel across the grass.
Rachel hopped down from the stool and tore across the yard after him. “You come back with that towel, you bad breath, hairy beast!”
Buddy kept running—straight through the biggest patch of mud he could find!
Rachel gasped. “Look what you’ve done to Mom’s clean towel! It’s filthy!” Rachel grabbed one end of the towel and pulled.
Buddy’s whole body shook as he growled and yanked on the towel.
“You’d better let go,” Rachel said through gritted teeth.
Gr-r-r-r … Rip! The towel tore in two!
Rachel’s whole body felt angry. She shook her fists and stamped her feet at Buddy and hollered, “Mom’s not gonna be happy about this!”
Woof! Woof! Buddy wagged his tail, dropped his half of the towel, and bounded back to the laundry basket.
Rachel took off after him, waving her piece of towel in the air. “Oh no, you don’t!”
But she was too late. Buddy grabbed another towel, and he ran in circles, dragging the towel across the grass, through the dirt, and into the same mud.
Rachel knew better than to grab the towel this time. Buddy would probably tear it like the last one. She turned toward the house and cupped one hand around her mouth. “Jacob Yoder, you’d better come out here right now and get your dog!”
Jacob poked his head out the back door. “What’s the trouble, Rachel? Why are you yelling?”
“Buddy’s the trouble! Your dog took a clean towel from the laundry basket, dragged it through the mud, then ripped it in two when I tried to take it from him.” Rachel pointed to Buddy, who lay under the clothesline with his head resting on the second towel he’d swiped from the basket. “Now he’s got another towel and is using it for a pillow!”
Jacob sprinted across the yard, grabbed Buddy’s collar, and pulled him away from the towel. “There, is that better?”
Rachel shook her head. “Nothing will be better until you get rid of that nuisance! He’s been nothing but trouble ever since Orlie gave him to you!”
“I think you’re exaggerating,” Jacob said. “Buddy’s a nice dog.”
She held up the dirty piece of towel in her hand. “Do you call this nice?”
“I don’t think Buddy ripped it on purpose. He probably thought you were playing.”
“Jah, right! That dog needs to be trained, and you ought to know better than to let him run free on laundry day!”
Jacob scratched the side of his head. “I thought I had Buddy penned up. I wonder if I forgot to latch the gate on his pen.”
“I’m going in the house right now to tell Mom what happened. If I get in trouble for this, it’ll be your fault for not keeping Buddy penned up!”
Before Jacob had a chance to reply, Rachel raced across the yard toward the house. She’d just stepped into the kitchen when—bam!—she heard a loud crash followed by a rattling noise coming from the living room.
“Mom, are you okay?” Rachel hurried into the room where she found Mom on her hands and knees holding pieces of a broken jar. Dozens of marbles rolled all over the floor!
Rachel gasped. “Ach, Mom, what happened to my jar of marbles?”
Mom looked up and stared at Rachel over the top of her glasses. “I was dusting the end table and accidentally knocked the jar on the floor.”
Rachel frowned. “I saved up my money to buy that special jar for my marbles and now it’s broken. Why weren’t you more careful when you were dusting, Mom?”
“I didn’t do it on purpose,” Mom said as she rose slowly to her feet. “I’m sorry your jar is broken, but if you’d put the jar of marbles away in your room like I asked you to do this morning, this would not have happened.” She pointed to the piece of towel in Rachel’s hands. “What happened to that towel?”
“It’s Buddy’s fault.” Rachel sniffed a couple of times, trying to hold back the tears clogging her throat. “He got out of his dog run and took a towel from the basket of clean clothes. When I ran after him, he sloshed the towel through mud. Then when I tried to get the towel away from him, he ripped it in two.” She gulped in a quick breath of air. “When I wasn’t looking, Buddy pulled another towel from the basket and laid his dirty, smelly head on it like it was a pillow. I think you should make Jacob get rid of him!”
“Do I ask Mom to get rid of you every time you do something wrong?” Jacob said as he entered the room. He looked over at Mom. “I don’t think Buddy meant to get those towels dirty. I’m sure he was only playing.” He glared at Rachel. “And it’s her fault one of the towels ripped in two!”
“Were you outside when this all happened?” Mom asked Jacob.
He shook his head. “I was in the kitchen having a snack.”
“You know your dog’s not supposed to be out of his pen unless you’re there to watch him.”
Jacob stared at the floor. “I know, but I didn’t let Buddy out of his pen, honest.”
“How did Buddy get out?” Mom asked.
Jacob shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe he unlatched the gate.”
“Right!” Rachel grunted. “Like that dumm mutt’s smart enough to unlatch the gate himself.”
“He’s not a dumm mutt. He’s very schmaert [smart],” Jacob said. “You’re just en aldi grauns [an old grumbler] who likes to blame everyone for everything and doesn’t know how to forgive.”
Rachel’s chin quivered as she glared at him. “You take that back, Jacob Yoder!”
“Why should I? It’s the truth.”
“A lot you know. For your information—”
Mom clapped her hands. “That’s enough!” She motioned to the marbles on the floor. “Rachel, gather up all these marbles before one of us slips on them and gets hurt. After that, you can wash the towel Buddy laid his head on.” She looked over at Jacob. “Go outside and make sure your dog is in his pen and that the gate’s secured. I don’t want any more dirty laundry to do today.”
Jacob nodded and hurried out of the room. Rachel dropped to her knees and started gathering up marbles, grumbling as she put each one into an empty coffee can Mom gave her. By the time she finished, she was tired and cranky.
Maybe Jacob’s right, Rachel thought as she lugged the marbles up the steps to her room. I do feel like en aldi grauns today.
Rachel put the marble-filled coffee can on the floor in her closet. She was tempted to sit on the bed and hold her faceless doll, but she knew Mom was waiting for her to wash the dirty towel. With a weary sigh she headed back downstairs.
When Rachel finished washing the towel in the kitchen sink, Mom smiled and said, “You’re free to play until it’s time to help with supper. Why don’t you find something fun to do?”
“Don’t you want me to hang up the rest of the laundry that’s still in the basket outside?” Rachel asked.
Mom shook her head. “I’ll take care of that.”
“But I thought you weren’t feeling well today.”
“I just had a queasy stomach this morning, but I’m feeling better this afternoon.” She patted Rachel’s head. “I think you’ve done enough work for now, so I’ll take over your job of hanging the
clothes.”
“Danki, Mom.” Rachel headed out to the barn, hoping to find Cuddles there. But when she entered the barn, she saw no sign of her cat. She took a seat on a bale of straw and looked around. It was quiet in the barn. Sunbeams streamed through the cracks in the ceiling, and a pigeon cooed from the loft overhead.
Rachel yawned and closed her eyes. She was too tired to skateboard or swing on the rope hanging from the hayloft. Maybe I’ll visit with old Tom, she decided. He probably needs cheering up as much as I do.
Rachel walked to the part of the barn where the horses were kept. When she came to old Tom’s stall, she opened the door and peeked in. She was disappointed to see that the old horse was lying in a pile of straw, fast asleep.
“Guess I’d better find something else to do,” Rachel mumbled as she shut the stall door and headed back through the barn. She was almost to the door when she spotted a jar of bubbles on a shelf. Maybe Grandpa would like to blow some bubbles with me, she thought as she reached for the jar. Grandpa makes bubbles better than anyone I know.
Rachel hurried to the house. She found Mom in the kitchen, peeling potatoes over the kitchen sink. “Did you finish hanging the laundry already?” she asked.
Mom nodded. “Just got it done a few minutes ago.”
“Is it time to start supper?” Rachel hoped she had time to play before she had to help Mom in the kitchen.
Mom pushed her glasses to the bridge of her nose and shook her head. “I’m just getting a head start on things. You go ahead and play some more if you want to.”
“I’m going to sit on the back porch and blow some bubbles,” Rachel said. “I came in the house to see if Grandpa wants to join me.”
Mom motioned to the bedroom down the hall. “Grandpa’s taking a nap right now. He spent most of the day working in the garden and said he was plumb tuckered out.”
Rachel couldn’t hide her disappointment as she frowned and said, “Maybe I won’t blow any bubbles then.”
Mom clucked her tongue noisily. “Don’t martyr yourself, Rachel.”
Look Out, Lancaster County Page 37