Free The Bluebird and the Sparrow by Janette Oke Page A

comments to Berta.
    “He is so—so wonderful. Everything about him is so wonderful. I—I feel like—Cinderella.”
    “Well, Cinderella,” said Berta dryly, “if you don’t get out of your flannel and into that new dress, you’re going to miss the ball.”
    Glenna giggled. “Oh, Berta,” she exclaimed, “I’m going to miss your—your crazy sense of humor.”
    And Glenna crossed impulsively to her older sister and gave her a warm hug.
    It caught Berta totally by surprise. They were not used to sharing intimate moments. There was nothing she could do but return the embrace, and as her arms enclosed the shoulders of the younger girl she suddenly realized that she was going to miss Glenna as well.
    Who would be her champion? Who would make her laugh with her bubbling stories of school mishaps? Who would sense her every mood and respond to it with love and understanding?
    Berta fought back the tears, then released Glenna and pushed her back from the embrace. “I’m going to put on the coffee,” she said in an impatient tone. “You’d best get yourself dressed. We have plenty to do today.”
    Mrs. Berdette was already in the kitchen. There was much to get done in preparation for the meal that would follow the wedding service. Berta knew it would take all three of them scurrying about all morning to accomplish the tasks.
    “Is Glenna awake?” asked her mother.
    “Awake—and swooning,” replied Berta, not looking her mother’s way.
    “No wonder,” replied Mrs. Berdette, and Berta could tell from the sound of her voice that she was smiling.
    “What a lovely couple they make,” her mother went on. “She’s so beautiful and he’s so handsome. They will be so happy.”
    “I didn’t know that one’s degree of happiness was determined by how one looks,” mumbled Berta as she set the coffeepot to boil.
    Mrs. Berdette looked up quickly. “Oh, Berta,” she said with a hint of impatience. “I didn’t mean that, and you know it.”
    Berta was silent for a moment as she went for the bread to make toast.
    “Still,” she said to her mother, “there is truth to it. It was Glenna’s—’prettiness’ that got her the most prized man in town. And I daresay it was his good looks that drew her attention.”
    She saw the expression on her mother’s face and knew she wished to deny the statement—yet in her honesty could not.
    “But it—” began Mrs. Berdette.
    “Doesn’t seem too fair,” continued Berta. “What about us plain people? What chance do we have?”
    “You’re far from plain, dear,” her mother answered.
    Berta did not even reply to the remark. She was plain and she knew it. Only a mother would argue against that fact.
    Berta was about to speak again when the bride-to-be appeared in a burst of Glenna-energy and a wealth of glowing smiles.
    “Mama,” she said before she even got through the door, “thank you for your prayers. Look at this glorious day.”
    Mrs. Berdette put down the pan in her hand and reached out her arms to her younger daughter.
    Berta went back to her toast making.
    ———
    Even Berta had to admit it was a beautiful wedding. Glenna was glowing and more lovely than ever, and Berta heard many comments from the gathered crowd concerning that fact. “And so sweet, too,” people often as not would add.
    “And he’s so handsome. They do make a stunning couple, don’t they?” the talk went on.
    Berta moved away from the voices, her thoughts churning. It didn’t seem fair that what happened to one in life was governed by how favored one had been in good looks. Glenna had won Parker. Yet hadn’t she, Berta, seen him first? Hadn’t he smilingly handed her back her retrieved hankie? But he would have never taken a second look her way, she was sure. She wasn’t pretty like Glenna.
    She shrugged her shoulders and moved on to check the tables. The food seemed to be evaporating into thin air as the long line of guests moved past to fill their plates.
    Without thinking