The Courtship Basket by Amy Clipston Read Free Book Online

across from him.
    “His teacher Rachel left me a message saying he’s not participating in class, and he pushed a kind off a swing on the playground yesterday.” The palms of his hands blocking his face muffled his voice. “I’m not sure I can deal with this today. I hardly slept last night. I stayed on the sofa to make sure Dat didn’t fall again.”
    “He fell last night?” Janie asked with surprise.
    “ Ya , he did. He fell in the bathroom.” Mike shoved his fingers through his hair. “Rachel asked me to write in the daily journal. I was going to write in it last night, but after Dat fell, I totally forgot about it.”
    “You have too much on you.” Janie’s smile was supportive. “Why don’t I write in it for you? I’ll send a note saying you’re going to talk to John. Marie and I can take care of the journal for you, so you can concentrate on other things. Will that help you?”
    Mike cleared his throat. It was time for him to stop whining and take care of things. After all, that’s what Dat would do. “No, but danki . I’ll take care of it.” He pushed back the chair and stood. “I’ll write a note and then go check on John.”
    “All right.” Janie hesitated. “You know Marie and I don’t mind helping you. That’s what family is for, Mike.”
    “I know. Danki .” He located John’s tote bag on the floor of the mudroom and retrieved the journal. “John is my responsibility since Dat can’t care for him.”
    “Really, Marie and I can handle the journal with the teacher for you,” Janie said. “I can’t stand seeing you so upset about this.”
    “It’s fine.” Mike read Rachel’s note and a frown formed on his lips. Her notes for the past two days were a summary of everything his brother had done wrong in the classroom. He hadn’t sung with the class, he refused to read aloud, he pushed a girl off the swing, and he ignored a boy named Luke when he asked John if he wanted to help him sweep. Mike stared at Rachel’s perfect handwriting while mentally debating what to write in the journal.
    Finally, he wrote:
Received your notes and voice mail. Will be in touch.
    —Mike Lantz.
    “What did you write?” Janie appeared beside him and craned her neck to read the page, then turned a confused expression on him. “All you wrote is that you’ll be in touch?”
    “That’s right.” He closed the journal and shoved it back into the tote bag. “I’ll be in touch when I figure out what to say to her.”
    “But, Mike,” Janie began, “Rachel is only doing her job. The parents and teachers are supposed to work together, especially in a special school.”
    “I know.” Mike started toward the stairs. “I’m going to talk to John, which is doing my part.”
    “But why didn’t you tell her that?” Janie followed him. “Rachel is going to think you don’t care or you’re not taking her concerns seriously.”
    “I do take them seriously.” Mike stepped onto the stairs. “I’m going to handle them in my own way.”
    “She’s going to be upset with you,” Janie warned as she stood at the bottom of the steps. “You really should write a note and tell her you’re going to talk to John.”
    Mike continued up the steps, ignoring his well-meaning cousin.
    “Mike, wait,” Janie called after him.
    When he reached the top step, he looked down at her.
    “You should just write her a note telling her you’re talking to John and working with him. That’s all she wants to hear.” Janie pointed in the direction of the kitchen. “I’m going to finish the dishes and then head home. Marie will be here tomorrow.”
    “ Gut. Danki .” Mike said good night and then ambled down the hallway toward John’s room. He found his younger brother sitting on his bed, playing with a metal toy tractor. He knocked on the doorframe, and John looked up.
    “How are you, John?”
    “Fine.” John placed the tractor on the bed and gave Mike a puzzled expression. “Why didn’t you want me to help