Free Katie's Way by Marta Perry

glimpsed the back of Becky’s kapp, the soft brown hair fastened securely under it. Next to her sat Rhoda Miller, head turned slightly to the side so that he could see the resemblance between her profile and Katie’s. Rhoda’s kapp tilted, and he thought she whispered something to Becky.
    He frowned. He was trying to be fair to the Miller girl, but he couldn’t help feeling she wasn’t the best friend for their Becky.
    And now he was looking at Katie, unable to escape the feeling that she’d handled the girl incorrectly yesterday. She’d let Rhoda get away with her irresponsibility.
    As for that story of the girl’s, he knew full well Rhoda had been gone far longer than it would take to get a cup of coffee. Probably flirting with one of the boys along the way.
    Katie, slim and erect on the backless bench, seemed oddly vulnerable when he was looking at the curve of her nape instead of at the stubborn jaw and snapping eyes she so often showed him. Katie was too young, in his opinion, to have charge of a high-spirited teenager like Rhoda. Her parents should have kept the girl at home and dealt with her themselves.
    He tried to imagine Mamm and Daadi shipping one of them off to live with someone else. He couldn’t. Mamm and Daadi had handled any mischief or disobedience themselves, with love and kindness, but firmly.
    Well, folks were different, and he had to hope Katie’s parents knew what they were doing. As for Katie . . .
    He suspected he was past the point of staying detached from Katie Miller’s concerns.
    His brother Andy, sitting next to him, dug his elbow into Caleb’s ribs, just as he’d done when they were kids and he’d thought Caleb wasn’t paying attention. Caleb grinned at him, reminding himself that he lived with his older brother, just as Rhoda now lived with her older sister.
    But that was different. He wasn’t a difficult teenager. His smile disappeared. He focused his gaze on Bishop Mose as he began the final prayer, but he found his mind forming a prayer of his own.
    Show me what is right, Lord, and I will do it.
    In a few minutes the service had ended. The barn doors swung open, letting in a path of May sunshine. The usual after-service bustle began. Women collected young ones and herded them outside, while others, along with a flock of teenage girls, headed for the kitchen to bring out food.
    Caleb joined Andy and the other men in converting the backless benches into tables for their meal.
    â€œThought you were dozing off there toward the end of the service,” Andy said, flipping the bench up with the ease of long practice.
    â€œCaleb wouldn’t do that.” Gideon, their host, joined them, adding some extra muscle to the task. “He’s the serious one of the family, ain’t so?”
    â€œSo folks say, but I’ve known him too long to buy that,” Andy retorted.
    â€œDon’t listen to him,” Caleb said, relieved at the interruption. He certainly didn’t want to talk about the reason for his distraction during worship. “At least I’ve never dozed off during the sermon.”
    Andy grinned. “I’d been up all night helping that stubborn mare give birth, and you know it.”
    â€œSo you tell us.” He was in a mood to be glad of the careless teasing that went on among them. He’d known Gideon near as long as his own brother, and Gid had been one of the few who hadn’t ever doubted him.
    â€œLooks like your Becky has made a new friend.” Gideon straightened, nodding to where Becky and Rhoda, heads together, were walking toward the house.
    â€œJa, that’s so,” Andy said. He leaned against the table they’d just erected. “Becky is doing some work for Caleb at the shop now, and she’s gotten thick with Rhoda Miller. A gut thing, I think.” He gave a short nod. “Becky is so quiet and shy, we figure it helps her to have a friend who’s