Free The Bluebird and the Sparrow by Janette Oke

such a rush?” demanded Berta.
    “He plans to start classes in the fall.”
    “Classes. For what?”
    “You don’t know? I thought everyone knew. He’s going to be a doctor.”
    Berta stared, openmouthed. Why hadn’t she been told? Even Glenna had said nothing about such plans.
    “You didn’t know?” asked Mrs. Berdette again.
    “No. No, I didn’t know,” replied Berta. Then added quickly. “Did Glenna?”
    Mrs. Berdette looked up quickly, her hand with the needle and trailing thread stilled. “Of course,” she replied. “But I think Glenna expected him to finish his training before he considered marriage.”
    “And why doesn’t he?” asked Berta tartly.
    “He’ll have to go away for the training. They don’t teach medicine at our little university here in Allsburg.”
    “Go away?” Berta didn’t like that thought. “Why doesn’t he go alone and leave Glenna here—until he’s finished?”
    Mrs. Berdette let the question go unanswered for a while. At last she spoke. “Glenna is a beautiful girl,” she said honestly. “I don’t think any man would be comfortable taking a chance on waiting.”
    “Just because she’s—she’s pretty doesn’t mean she needs to be fickle,” replied Berta, her tone sharp.
    “Fickle? Glenna?” Mrs. Berdette laughed softly. “Glenna couldn’t be fickle if she put her whole mind to it,” she said. Then she continued. “I’ve always been so thankful to God that she didn’t get spoiled. With all the attention she has constantly had—she didn’t let it go to her head. I used to pray and pray—asking God for wisdom in raising her—asking for her heart to be kept pure—her mind free from conceit.”
    Her eyes were moist with unshed tears.
    “Well, He has answered me,” she continued. “Abundantly. I’ve never met a sweeter, more giving person in my life. Her father would be so proud of his little girl.”
    Berta stirred uneasily. All the praise for Glenna made her totally uncomfortable. All the things her mother was declaring Glenna to be, Berta knew that she, herself, was not. No wonder her mother had always favored Glenna.
    Yes, it was true. Berta had never brought it to the forefront of her mind before. But her mother clearly and unapologetically favored the younger girl.
    “How will you ever get along without her?” she asked, letting sarcasm color her words.
    Mrs. Berdette looked up. “I won’t get along without her,” she replied simply. “She’ll still be my daughter. I’ll just finally be blessed with a son.”
    “Humph!” snorted Berta. “We’ll see,” and she rose to her feet and hastily escaped the room.

Chapter Eight
    Moving On
    The morning of August tenth dawned clear and bright. Glenna’s wedding day was the first thought that entered Berta’s mind as her eyes opened.
    “Mama prayed for a beautiful day,” said an excited voice from across the room.
    Glenna stood at the open window, her long dark hair tumbling about her shoulders, her hand sweeping back the curtain.
    “Didn’t you?” mumbled Berta in return.
    “Oh no,” said Glenna, turning slightly. “I wouldn’t have dared to—to be so selfish. God has given me so much already.”
    “Then, I guess you should be thankful for Mama’s prayers,” Berta retorted and swung her feet over the side of her bed and into the waiting slippers.
    Glenna only sighed and let the curtain drop back into place.
    “Berta—” she began.
    Berta did not look her way. She went to the dressing table that they shared, lifted her brush, and began to stroke the tangles from her long hair.
    In the mirror she could see her sister’s reflection. She was standing with a bemused look on her pretty face, studying the ring on her finger.
    “I am so—blessed,” she said at last, but Berta didn’t know if she was speaking to her or to herself. “So very blessed. Imagine me—marrying the—the most sought-after young man in town.”
    Her head swung up, and she clearly began addressing her