The Bluebird and the Sparrow by Janette Oke Read Free Book Online Page B

would be.
    Hurt and anger swept through Berta. For one awful minute she wished she were an only child, that her mother had never blessed her with a baby sister. Not a sister … like Glenna.
    ———
    “What should I wear? Oh, I don’t know which to choose. This one or this one? What do you think?”
    Mama had given Glenna permission to attend the corn roast. Excitedly she went through her closet, trying to decide on a gown that would fit her mother’s demand for sensible, warm attire, but would still favorably impress the amazing Parker.
    Berta chose not to be involved. She kept her nose in her book and tried to shut out the sound of Glenna’s voice.
    “What do you think?” Glenna asked again.
    When there was still no response, she crossed to where Berta sat propped up by the pillows on her bed.
    “What do you think, Berta?” she asked at close range.
    Berta could no longer ignore her.
    “How should I know,” she replied tersely.
    Glenna’s large eyes showed surprise.
    “And what do I care?” Berta shifted her weight to a more comfortable position.
    “But—” began Glenna.
    Berta only stared at her book.
    “Aren’t you going?” asked Glenna, her voice full of shock as it dawned on her that Berta was not preparing for the occasion.
    “No!” said Berta flatly.
    “But Thomas asked—”
    Berta gave her a sharp look. She wondered how Glenna knew about Thomas’s invitation.
    “So—?” she said haughtily.
    “He’ll be—hurt,” went on Glenna timidly.
    “So who made you Thomas’s guardian?” demanded Berta, straightening up against the pillows. “And what business is it of yours, anyway?”
    “Well—none, but—”
    “Then stay out of it,” snapped Berta.
    Glenna blinked.
    “Okay,” she finally nodded. “I didn’t mean to—to pry. I just thought—”
    “Well, don’t.”
    Glenna moved away from the bed and began to quietly change into the gown of her choice. As she pinned up her hair and tucked in stray curls she dared to speak again.
    “I think Thomas is nice,” she said carefully.
    “Then why don’t you go with him?” Berta responded harshly.
    “Because Parker asked me,” Glenna replied, casting a glance Berta’s way. Then she stopped short at the look on Berta’s face before the older girl could hide it.
    “Oh, Berta,” she exclaimed, her voice full as the truth dawned. For one moment she stood in silence, studying the face of her older sister. Then she said, “Do you like him?”
    Berta fought for proper control. Her chin lifted and she stared evenly back at Glenna. “What do you mean?” she asked as matterof-factly as she could.
    “Parker? Do you like Parker? Because if you—”
    So here it was. Glenna—generous Glenna—was going to be “giving” again. She was going to offer Parker to her older sister—to keep the peace—to present happiness. It was a generous offer. The most generous that Glenna had ever made. But—even if she was willing to make the sacrifice, didn’t Parker have some say in the matter? Would he be willing to be “handed off”? Certainly not. Not to the plainest girl in the school.
    “Don’t be ridiculous,” retorted Berta. “Are you out of your mind? I think boys are nothing but—offensive bores.”
    Glenna drew in her breath. “I’m glad,” she admitted. “Really glad. I like him—a lot.”

Chapter Six
    Changes
    The cold fall wind sent shivers through Berta’s slender frame, making her pull her long gray coat closer about her body and hurry her step. She had graduated from high school and taken a job at the town library.
    She was thankful for the job. It provided a bit of income to supplement her father’s insurance money provided by the bank where he had put in the years of his employment. And it also gave her opportunity to be among books.
    Berta had never lost her love for books. She found it difficult to resist the urge to bury herself in one when duty called her to be filing them back on the shelf instead. But she