A Simple Song by Melody Carlson Page B

conference ended, Peter and I did some shopping in a secondhand store.” She pointed to the stool beneath Katrina. “I need that.”
    Katrina watched as Bekka moved the stool next to the shelf, climbing onto it to reach up to the top shelf and retrieve what looked like a small blue suitcase. “Help me with this.” She handed the heavy case down to Katrina.
    â€œWhat is in this?”
    Bekka hopped down and took the case from her, set itnext to her computer, and removed the lid to reveal some kind of machine.
    â€œIs that to play records?” Katrina asked hopefully.
    â€œJa.” Bekka pulled a cord out, plugging it into the power strip that was connected to a large battery pack.
    Katrina handed her the record, so excited her hands were trembling. “I can’t believe you did this, Bekka. Just for me?”
    â€œI want to hear it too.” Bekka slid the record down a small metal holder, then flipped a switch to make it start spinning. “The woman at the store showed me how it works.”
    Katrina watched with interest as Bekka moved another piece, saying it was the needle, although it looked like a stick. She set it carefully onto the outer edge of the record. There was a click-click sound but still no music. Katrina hoped it wasn’t broken. And then, just like that, a song began to play.
    Katrina closed her eyes to listen, soaking in each word, each note, each sound of the guitars playing. It was all so beautiful. When the song ended, she looked at Bekka with misty eyes. “Thank you so much!” But already another song was beginning to play.
    By the third song, Bekka had returned to her computer, but Katrina, mesmerized by the music, could only sit and listen. She hardly moved until the needle had traveled all the way across the record. “That was so wonderful,” she said as she moved the needle back to its resting spot. She turned the knob to Off and shook her head. “Mammi had a beautiful voice.”
    â€œ Ja , she did.” Bekka was still working at the computer. “But not as beautiful as yours.”
    â€œNow I know you’re just saying that.” Katrina took the record off the player and was reverently slipping it backinto its case when she realized it had words and the little lines on the other side as well. “Do you think the back side plays too?”
    â€œOne way to find out,” Bekka said over her shoulder.
    Sure enough, the back side played too. But Katrina was getting worried over the time and knew she couldn’t listen to every song. “I wish I could hear all of it, but I have to go,” she told Bekka as she put everything away.
    â€œI have an idea,” Bekka said suddenly. “See if you can ride to the group singing with me and Peter tonight. Then ask if you can spend the night here afterward. By the time we get home, everyone will be asleep, and we can sneak back to the office and listen to it.”
    â€œWhat about Cal?” Katrina asked. “He usually drives me to the group singing.”
    â€œInvite him to come with us.” Bekka’s eyes twinkled merrily, and Katrina just laughed. Bekka had been eyeing Cal for some time now. Of course she would want him to join them.
    As it turned out, the Yoders did ride with the Lehmans, picking up Cooper along the way. Peter had been allowed to use his parents’ larger buggy, the one with a backseat where Cooper, Katrina, and Cal sat. And instead of just one horse, Peter had a pair of gleaming black Percherons pulling tonight. Katrina knew that pride was wrong, but she sensed that Peter was very well pleased with himself as he drove them through the settlement. She knew that the Lehmans’ soap and candle business was prosperous, and she suspected the buggy and horses were a result of this.
    â€œThe group singing is at the Nashes’ barn tonight,” Peter told them. “Clear on the other side of the settlement . . . so we might