Found by Shelley Shepard Gray

other side of the counter. In the cage, a pair of black and white kittens lay contentedly curled up around each other.
    Deborah was wondering how they would react to being separated. Time and again, the kittens had proven to be rather skittish around the customers. Every time the pen’s door opened and one of the kittens was carefully pulled out, leaving the other alone, both cats had made their displeasure known.
    Just that morning, Mrs. Schrock had gotten scratched across her cheek.
    â€œI’m right tired of these naughty things,” Mrs. Schrock said. She was dusting a few of the shelves near the back wall. “I like animals, especially cats. But these two are quite the pair. I’ve never seen the like.” With a frown, she said, “My husband made a poor choice when he decided to do a neighbor a favor and offer these kittens for sale. They are the most antisocial pets I’ve ever come across.”
    Most folks seemed to agree with Mrs. Schrock. It was a very good idea to leave them alone. Beth discovered that right away. Approaching the cage, she got the usual hiss and backed up warily. “Wow, Deborah. They’re a lot meaner than they look.”
    From the back, Mrs. Schrock sighed. “They’re a difficult pair, for sure. I doubt anyone will even take them for free.” She looked to add more when a buzzer rang from the back. “Oh, gut ! The delivery truck has arrived.”
    After the back door clicked shut, Deborah shook her head at the tiny pair of furballs. “They do seem to have little interest in being held or cuddled. I don’t know what Mr. and Mrs. Schrock are going to do with them.”
    â€œMaybe they’ll stay here and be your mousers?” Frannie suggested. “A good mouser is always needed.”
    â€œPerhaps, though I can’t see them ever being that helpful.” Turning to her friends, Deborah got down to business. “Now, how may I help you two?”
    The girls exchanged looks. “Oh, we just came to look around,” Frannie said airily.
    Something was up with them. Deborah had never known Frannie to speak so nonchalantly. Usually she verged on being too blunt.
    Curious, Deborah walked around the counter. “Did you come in here to look for anything special?”
    â€œMaybe,” Frannie said. “I told Luke I’d make a little gift basket for one of his aunts who’s coming here to visit. She’s curious about his new life here, you know.”
    Deborah could only imagine. The fact that Luke had fallen in love with an Amish innkeeper in a small Kentucky town had to have caught his whole family off guard. “The baskets are over there,” she said, pointing to a display of handmade baskets on metal shelves.
    â€œDanke,” Frannie said.
    But Deborah noticed that Frannie wasn’t all that interested in the baskets. And Beth didn’t seem like she was looking around the store much, either.
    Instead, it looked like they were more interested in chatting. And stealing looks her way.
    Deborah grew impatient. “Something is going on. Come on, Beth, tell me what it is. Do you have news, too?”
    Looking shamefaced, Beth bit her lip. “I do, but I don’t think I should share it.”
    â€œYou should definitely not share anything, Beth,” Frannie admonished. “Gossiping helps no one.”
    Deborah could agree with that . . . to a point. Now, though, she was anxious to hear about anyone else’s problems. It would be a relief to not only be fixated herself. “Come on. I know gossip isn’t good, but I wouldn’t say a word to anyone.”
    Beth bit her lip. “You promise you can keep a secret?”
    â€œI promise. Now, come on. You girls are torturing me! Both of you look like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders. What do you know that I don’t?”
    â€œAbby told Frannie that Walker and Lydia might break up,” Beth blurted