Free A Life of Joy by Amy Clipston Page B

I’m young and have a lot of living to do before I settle down.”
    Lindsay returned with a glass of water and set it in front of Jessica. “You say you don’t know what you want, but you criticize those who do.”
    Jessica sipped the water and then turned to her sister. “I didn’t criticize you, Lindsay. I merely suggested that you keep your options open.”
    “But that’s not your decision,” Lindsay countered, scowling. “It’s up to me if I want to live here, just like it’s up to you if you want to go to New York.”
    “Can we not rehash this now?” Jessica snapped. “I think I’ve been through enough tonight.”
    “Have you?” Lindsay’s voice rose. “I’m still reeling from what you said to me on the porch. Doesn’t that count for something?”
    “Girls! Girls!” Rebecca held her hands up. “You must lower your voices. You’ll wake the kinner , and you’ll upset Daniel.” The groan of the water pressure above the kitchen sent relief flowing through Rebecca. She was glad Daniel was in the shower and out of earshot of the bickering. “Now, you two have argued enough for one day. You’re family. Stop hurting each other and speak with respect.”
    Lindsay sighed. “Fine. Jessica, I’m sorry that you and Jake had a terrible argument. However, I want you to know that you hurt me when you took off after saying all of those hateful things to me.”
    Jessica wiped her eyes with the napkin. “I’m sorry that my words came across as hateful, but I was only trying to give you options.”
    “I don’t want your options,” Lindsay said simply. “I want your respect.”
    Rebecca was tickled by how mature Lindsay sounded. She bit her lower lip to stop a grin from forming.
    Jessica sipped her drink. “I respect you, but I also want what’s best for you.”
    “I’m not your child,” Lindsay said. “And you were thoughtless to leave tonight. This party was for you.”
    “I didn’t want a party,” Jessica said. “I came here to see you, Rebecca, the family here in this house, and Jake. That was it.”
    Lindsay shook her head, looking frustrated. “How can you be so self-centered? Don’t you realize that everyone loves you and wants to see you before you leave for New York? You’re so into yourself that you can’t see beyond your own world. It’s not just about you. You think you’re so grown up, but you’re still the same selfish little girl you always were.”
    Jessica’s lips formed a wry smirk. “Really? Little Miss Baker is going to tell me what it’s like to be an adult? What responsibilities do you have beyond making cookies for tourists?”
    Rebecca’s stomach twisted at the sting of their words for each other. She had to stop them before they permanently damaged their already fragile relationship. “Girls,” she began with a frown. “You’re getting out of hand again. Tone it down before you say something you’ll regret.”
    “I want to answer that, Aenti Rebecca,” Lindsay said. “I have quite a few responsibilities. I not only work for the bakery, but I do plenty around the house to help Rebecca and to care for our cousins. You may not see working in a bakery as a worthy job, but it is to me. I’m contributing to my community and my family—both my family in this house and the extended Kauffman family.” She tapped the table for emphasis as she spoke. “I don’t have to be a college student to be considered responsible. In fact, I’m more responsible than a college student because I’m thinking about more people than just myself.”
    Jessica rolled her eyes. “Lindsay, you’ve got it all wrong. I think of more than —”
    “That’s enough,” Rebecca said, her voice louder than she expected.
    Startled, her nieces jumped and stared at her.
    “I’m not going to sit here and listen to you two try to destroy each other,” Rebecca began. “I wish I could speak to mei schweschder one last time, but you two look as if you don’t care if you ever see each