Now the boy really had his attention. “What about her?”
“I talked to teacher Constance about why someone who seems so clever otherwise wouldn’t be able to read or write.”
Seth frowned. “I’m not sure it’s a gut thing for you to be talking about Phoebe’s business to someone outside the household.”
Jesse shifted in his seat. “I know. But I didn’t mention any names. And I told Phoebe I did it.”
Constance was a perceptive woman. Whether Jesse had mentioned Phoebe’s name or not the schoolteacher had likely guessed who he was talking about. But Constance was also discreet and what was done was done.
“So what did your teacher have to say?”
“She said that my friend probably has something called dyslexia. It’s a condition you’re born with and you can’t change it, no more than you can change your eye color or your height. But it also doesn’t mean a person is slow-witted. In fact, she said some very intelligent people, people who have created wonderful fine inventions or held important jobs in their communities, have had dyslexia.”
“I see.”
“She also said that the best way to support a person with dyslexia is to acknowledge her shortcoming but not to treat her with pity or as if she can’t handle other aspects of her life.”
Seth mentally winced. Is that what he’d done?
Jesse stood. “I just thought you should know.”
“Danke.”
First Levi and then Jesse. How had they been able to see so clearly what was just now beginning to come clear to him?
Phoebe hummed as she worked at the stove, determined to focus on what she had here, not what she’d left behind in Sweetbrier Creek. It was Christmas morning and she had decided to get up extra early to cook breakfast for her familye.
When she’d arrived home yesterday her eldre, bruder and Rhoda had all run out to greet her—she’d obviously been missed. But it had quickly become apparent that they expected her to fall into her old familiar role as someone to be coddled.
She was determined to show them this morning just how much she’d changed.
“Was ist das?”
Phoebe looked over her shoulder to see her mamm standing in the kitchen doorway with a crinkled forehead and a confused expression on her face.
She continued tending to the eggs in the skillet where she had some of her special scramble cooking. “Gut matin and Hallicher Grischtdaag. As a Christmas gift to you I thought I’d get started with breakfast.”
Her mamm’s expression took on a slightly alarmed look and she crossed the room. “That’s a sweet thought but it’s not necessary, I don’t mind cooking.”
“Neither do I.” Phoebe kept her tone light but didn’t abdicate her place at the stove.
“What’s that you’re cooking?”
“I hope you don’t mind but I’m trying a new recipe I worked on while I was at the Beilers.”
“Something Edna taught you?”
“Nee. I discovered I like to experiment with recipes.”
“Experiment?”
Poor Mamm, she was having trouble adjusting to her supposedly slow-witted dochder’s newfound confidence in the kitchen. “Jah. I made a few mistakes along the way, but most of what I came up with made for a gut meal. At least the Beilers said they enjoyed them.” She turned the burner off and grabbed a large platter to dish the eggs up on.
Mamm held her hand out for the cook spoon. “Here, let me do that.”
But Phoebe held on. “Danke,” she said firmly, “but I can do it. Why don’t you have a seat?”
Rhoda entered the kitchen just then. “Gut matin.” There was a wary, uncertain note in her voice as she looked from one to the other of them.
“Gut matin.” Mamm hadn’t moved.
“Hallicher Grischtdaag.” Phoebe met Rhoda’s gaze. “You must help me convince Mamm to take a seat while you and I finish preparing breakfast.”
Rhoda and Mamm shared a glance. But before either of them could speak, Phoebe turned to Rhoda. “My biscuits never turn out as big and fluffy as yours. Would you mind baking some?”
Rhoda seemed pleased by the praise. “Of course.”
The two of them worked at the counter and stove, sharing the space harmoniously. With a sigh, Mamm finally left them to it and instead contented herself with brewing a pot of coffee. By the time she’d finished, Daed was up, closely followed by Paul. Phoebe caught the surprised looks both of them sent her way but neither spoke a word to her.
Once the biscuits were in the oven, Rhoda volunteered to cook the bacon while Phoebe prepared some of the chunky berry syrup the Beilers had enjoyed.
Later, as they passed the platters around, Phoebe explained the dishes she had prepared and was careful to give Rhoda credit for the biscuits and the bacon.
At one point Daed leaned back and met her gaze. “You’re different than you were before you left us a few weeks ago.”
She lifted her chin and smiled with a measure of self-assurance. “Jah, I am.” Would he agree that it was a positive change?
