A Daughter's Dream by Shelley Shepard Gray Page B

you looked pretty upset.”
    â€œI guess I was.”
    â€œWant to talk about it? Was it why your uncle had to come up to school today?”
    â€œ Jah . Mrs. Mast—I mean your aunt—”
    â€œYou can call her Mrs. Mast. I do when I’m here.”
    â€œWell, anyway. She . . . Well, she noticed that I am having an easy time in school.”
    â€œNee.” He smiled. “She noticed that you’re really, really smart.”
    â€œJah.” She kept her gaze straight ahead. “I don’t know why book learning is so easy for me. It just is.”
    â€œIf I tell you something, will you promise not to get mad?”
    â€œPeter, you’ve been walking me home for weeks and you just rescued me from bursting into tears in front of the entire class. I won’t get mad.”
    â€œAunt Rachel talks about you to my parents.”
    â€œWhat does she say?”
    â€œShe thinks you’re special.”
    â€œI’m not that,” she protested quickly. She did not want anyone feeling sorry for her because her parents died. And she really didn’t want anyone noticing that schoolwork came easy for her. She just wanted to fit in.
    â€œLilly, don’t get all upset,” he cajoled. “Please, just listen to me. She says that when the Lord gives a person a brain like yours, it needs to be nurtured. She is really excited about helping you.”
    Her eyes filled up with tears again.
    He noticed. Hopping off his swing, he grabbed ahold of one of her chains, keeping her in place. “Hey. What just happened?”
    â€œMy last teacher never made me feel good. She always acted like I was bragging or something.”
    Peter’s eyebrows rose. “She shouldn’t have made you feel bad because God made you smart.”
    â€œI don’t know about that.”
    â€œAll right. How about you shouldn’t feel bad because you’re smarter than the rest of us?”
    She still didn’t like how that made her sound. “I’m only book smart. You are smart in a lot of other ways. You even have a gut job. That’s pretty special.”
    For the first time since she’d met him, Peter looked unsure. “I don’t think so.”
    â€œI do.” Taking a fortifying breath, she said, “I can’t believe how different everything is here in Charm. Even my parents never really understood how I’ve felt about school. They loved me, of course. But they didn’t want me to do anything different. I started hiding the things that I was working on. Your aunt and even my uncle Jake—and now you . . . well, all of you make me feel like I don’t have to be ashamed.”
    â€œYou don’t have anything to be ashamed about, Lilly. There’s nothing wrong with you.”
    She smiled at him. “ Danke . I hope you don’t think I’m complaining.” She stopped abruptly. She was though, wasn’t she?
    Peter shook his head. Somehow, even while shaking his head he looked confident and self-assured. “Stop worrying so much. Everything that’s happening is good.”
    â€œYou’re so confident. I wish I was that confident.”
    â€œThen stick with me,” he said with a laugh. “You’ll get the hang of it.”
    â€œSure I will,” she muttered, taking care to make sure he heard the sarcasm in her voice. She and he both knew she’d never be as self-assured as he was.
    Still grinning, he said, “All right. If you don’t think you can ever be as confident as me, then trust me instead. I think it’s great.”
    She smiled softly. “Thanks for being my friend.”
    â€œI’m glad I’m your friend. I promise.”
    â€œLilly? Peter?” Miss Kinsinger called out. “It’s time to come in now.”
    â€œRight here!” Peter yelled. “We better get inside.”
    He waited until she hopped off the swing, then walked beside her all the way