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“Rob, I’m glad you could work it into your schedule to help teach Rosie to read,” Emma said, welcoming Rob into her house. She knew Colton was skeptical of the young man, but she felt Rob was sincere in his desire to help.

“They changed the hours they want me to be on duty. I hope that won’t be a problem, but afternoons are when I’ll have some free time.”

Emma took his hat and put it on the side table in the entryway. “I think afternoons are fine.”

He leaned closer. “And Mr. Benton is all right with this?”

“I told him I wanted to give it a try, and he begrudgingly said yes.” She glanced down the hall.

“Rosie doesn’t know that Colton disapproves of you spending time with her.

You have to understand, he’s worried about her.

She’s spent all her life sheltered away from the world.

She hasn’t been allowed to go to school because of her condition. ”

“I understand, and it’s not my desire to hurt anyone or cause trouble.

The fact is, from the moment I first met Rosie, I felt something for her that I’ve never felt for anyone else.

I’ve even talked to my folks about it, and they urged me to pray about it, and believe me, that’s what I’ve been doing. ”

Emma had wondered about the looks she’d seen on Rob’s face when he watched Rosie at church.

He was in love. It seemed evident now that he’d brought it out in the open.

This would complicate things with Colton.

He had a hard time imagining his sister ever being able to marry and have a family of her own.

Emma would have to work on him regarding that matter.

“I’ll pray on it too, Rob.” Emma patted his arm. She heard Rosie in the kitchen and motioned him into the dining room. “We’ll be working in here. Rosie! Rob has come.”

They entered the dining room just as Rosie came from the kitchen.

She was dressed in a simple lavender skirt and white lacy blouse.

Emma had offered to help her arrange her hair that morning.

She had settled on a simple braid and left it hanging down her back, tied with a ribbon that matched her skirt.

Emma thought she’d never looked quite so lovely.

She glanced at Rob and saw that he was completely captivated by Rosie.

Rob stepped forward looking more than a little awkward. “It’s good to see you, Rosie.”

“You too. I’m really excited to learn to read. Emma has some special books that Mrs. Decker let us borrow.” She held up a McGuffey Eclectic Primer .

Rob nodded. “I know them very well. I learned to read using these readers.”

“Emma taught me the alphabet,” Rosie continued. “I know how to sound out most of the letters, but sometimes I forget, and sometimes the letters have different ways to sound, so it’s confusing.”

“Well, hopefully it won’t confuse you for long. I think you’ll get through this book in no time at all, Rosie. You’re very smart.”

She frowned. “You shouldn’t lie. I’m not smart.”

Rob shook his head. “That’s the lie. You are smart. People just thought you couldn’t learn, and they were wrong.” He looked at Emma. “Isn’t that right?”

“It is.” Emma took hold of Rosie’s hand.

“Rosie, sometimes people misjudge situations and the people in them. Your parents and the doctors who spoke to them didn’t realize how much you were going to want to learn.

That’s a big part of mastering any task.

They judged you on other cases and situations and believed they knew best. They didn’t hide you away because they didn’t love you, but took the best advice offered to them and followed those instructions.

They were wrong, however. You are quite capable of learning, and because you want very much to learn, I believe you will. ”

“I do too,” Rob quickly agreed. “You just need to work at it, and we’ll help you along.”

Rosie smiled and gave Emma’s hand a squeeze. “I’m so happy. I’ve prayed a long time that God would let me learn to read and be like other people.”

“Just be yourself, Rosie,” Rob said, pulling out a chair for her. “The rest will come in time. I’m committed to helping you learn to read. I promise I’ll be here for you.”

“Thank you.” She took her seat and looked up at Emma. “I’m ready to start.”

Rosie wasn’t sure what Emma and Rob had in mind, nor what the primers would offer, but she was quickly caught up in the lessons.

From time to time, Emma had her write out words that they were learning.

Some of them Rosie already knew. She had been able to pick up a few words in Texas and had memorized the looks of them so that she could recognize them at a later date.

Aunt Clementine had helped her memorize Scriptures, and Emma had promised they could find them in the Bible as part of their reading time.

It was so exciting to imagine that one day she would be able to read the Bible for herself.

The idea of being able to understand what the printed words said was all that Rosie had ever wanted.

She used to dream of it when she was younger.

Sometimes Colton or Tommy would read to her and leave the book in the nursery for their next visit.

Rosie would open the book and run her finger along the lines of words, wondering what they meant.

She had never tired of looking at those books and imagining that she was able to read them.

She had even pretended to read to her dolls, but of course it was nothing more than a recital of the story she’d heard earlier.

Now, if everything went as Emma assured her it could, Rosie would be able to read books for herself.

Thank You, Heavenly Father. Please let it be true. Let me be smart enough to learn.

As their time of study continued, Rosie couldn’t help but be a little distracted by Robert Vogel’s presence.

He was a very handsome man. Handsome like Colton, but with lighter brown-gold hair and blue eyes.

She thought his blue eyes were the most beautiful she’d ever seen.

They were such a rich blue that they reminded Rosie of a clear summer sky.

“All right, Rosie, let’s read this page one more time,” Emma instructed, “and then we’ll stop for the day.”

“Do we have to stop?” She looked up in question, hoping Emma might change her mind.

“Rob has to go to his job protecting the town, and you are to have a cooking lesson with Mrs. Olson.”

Rosie nodded with a sigh. “I forgot about Mrs. Olson.”

“Mrs. Olson from church?” Rob asked.

“Yes. Rosie and I decided to hire her on to handle the kitchen, and she heard that Rosie wanted to learn how to cook. We had been making a few things together, and Mrs. Olson said she was more than happy to teach Rosie, as she’d only ever had sons and never a daughter.

She said she had all sorts of recipes that had been handed down to her from her mother and grandmother, and she didn’t want them to just end with her.

She’s going to help Rosie write them down and keep a box of recipes for herself. ”

“I still need to get a recipe box,” Rosie reminded her.

“Yes, we’ll tend to that soon.”

Rosie turned to Rob. “I’m so excited because she knows how to make pecan pie, and that is Colton’s favorite. She’s going to teach me to make it as soon as we can get some pecans.”

Rob chuckled and leaned closer to her. His action surprised Rosie, and she pulled back. She saw the look on Rob’s face. He looked upset. Was he mad at her? She reached out and touched his arm.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to jump. I’m not used to being close to men, except for Colton.”

Rob’s face relaxed. “I’m the one who’s sorry, Rosie. I didn’t think, and I shouldn’t have startled you that way. Please forgive me. I was just going to tell you that I’m very fond of pecan pie too. Now it seems unimportant.”

“No.” She patted his arm. “It is important. I’m glad to know that you like pecan pie because when we make one, I’ll save you a piece.”

“I’d like that very much, Rosie. Thank you.”

Later, after he’d gone, Rosie worked on her sewing while Emma read to her aloud.

It was a wonderful book called Little Women .

They’d already read the first volume and had now started on the second.

Rosie loved the stories of the March girls and all their antics.

She related best to Beth, who was very shy and delicate, and because of this stayed home from school.

Beth also played the piano, and Rosie had already begun to wonder at the possibilities that might present.

“Do you think I could learn to play the piano?” Rosie asked when Emma paused to take a sip of water.

“I think you can learn to do most anything, Rosie. Of course, it is rather hard to try to take on everything at once.”

Rosie knew she was already very busy each day with cooking, reading, and learning to keep house. Emma had told her that knowing how to do household chores was especially important.

“You might not always have a maid or housekeeper, and it’s good to know for yourself how to lay a fire and how to make tea and do other important household duties,” Emma had said.

“I sometimes feel like I was born all over again when I got to meet you. You always thought good things about me.”

Emma put her glass aside. “And I always shall, Rosie. You are like a little sister to me.”

“I always wanted to have a sister.” Rosie had never been able to play with her brothers because they were much too rough, Aunt Clementine had told her.

Sometimes Tommy would come to visit with her in the nursery, but usually their father had him busy elsewhere.

It was always special when Tommy would sneak away to come and see her.

“Then it’s settled. We will always be sisters.”

Rosie thought about that for a moment. “Can we really make it so?”