It is now late and I am tired to the point of falling asleep while typing this message…so let's get down to it.

Link's heart pounded as he lifted the crate up onto his kitchen table and pried open the lid. The box was from his mother, but he knew she couldn't have received his letter. Even before he'd remembered the books, he'd told Ralph he would take the job. Other than rote memorization, he didn't have a clue as to how to teach Zelda, but he was not going to let this opportunity pass.

The lid was off now, and Link moved aside old newspapers and straw. Again he felt his breath quicken. She'd sent his books- all of them! It had to be the Lord.

He dug deeply into the box, his heart sinking a little. Then he saw them. Two volumes, one rather thick and one quiet small and thin. He pulled the fat one out and dusted it off: Braille: Methods and Management. The other volume was a book of poetry written in Braille. They had been in his grandmother's library, and she had given them to him. He had never even looked at them. They'd been taking up space on his lower shelf for months, and he wasn't even certain if he still had them. He now turned to the first page of the manual, his hands shaking.

He read that a young Termina lad by the name of Sturgeon Braille, who had gone blind at age three, developed a system in 1828 that was based on a six-dot configuration. Link had heard of this method-reading by following raised marks on paper-but he had never studied or given much thought to it. Now he read in amazement that there were 63 possible characters in the Braille system. With those dot arrangements a person could make the alphabet, punctuation marks, numbers, and some small words.

For the next three hours, Link didn't move. He nick grew stiff and the hand holding the book cramped, but he read on. He didn't know if he could learn enough in two days, but he was going to give it a try. If it didn't work, he would tell Zelda that they would be learning together. Wit the instruction book under his left hand and the poetry book open in this right, Link tried to read with his fingers. It took another hour to learn even a few words, but he was getting it. He nearly shouted for joy when the turned to the back of the manual and found a long list of practice words.

Thank You, Lord. I know You've make this possible. Please help me to help her. You know that my heart has been involved in the past, but I don't ask this for myself. I ask for Zelda. Please help her to understand. Make me the teacher You would have me to be, patient and kind.

Link prayed for the next hour and then worked over the books some more. He did little else in the next 48 hours but sleep, study, and pray. When Thursday morning arrived, he knew he was as ready as he was going to be, and his heart thudded with a mixture of joy and apprehension, all the time telling himself to watch his expectations. He looked at the watch in his pocket constantly and nearly forgot to shave, but it was finally time to go.

(&)

Zelda pressed her damp palms deep into the folds of her dress and told herself she was not gong to use the necessity again. Her stomach and been in knots ever since she'd awakened and realized that this was the day Link was scheduled to arrive.

How would it feel? How would it be to hear his voice but never see his wonderful face again? Zelda's heart thundered at the very thought. Her breathing came fast, and she nearly jumped from her skin when Malon spoke to her from across the table.

"I'm sorry to startle you," she said, tears filling her eyes as they had been all morning. "Please try to eat something, Zelda."

"I'm just not hungry. I think if I eat, I'll be sick to my stomach."

Malon sighted. It was remarkable how much weight Zelda could drop in a few days. For a while she had started to fill out a little, but now she was back to her cadaverous state. Malon was feeling sick just thinking about what Zelda was going through.

"Just some toast," Malon coaxed, but Zelda shook her head.

The young wife wondered if Ralph would have held to his resolve if he could see Zelda now. It wasn't that Malon disagreed with the schooling decision; it was just that she felt too emotionally involved to be the one to enforce this. Not that she expected Zelda to fight it; indeed, a frightening transformation had come over her sister since Ralph had made his announcement. The younger girl looked hard now, implacable, and that was something Malon was not accustomed to seeing. The vulnerable, frightened, and oftentimes apathetic Zelda was gone. This Zelda was defensive and angry. Malon simply didn't know what to think.

"I think I'll wait in my room," Zelda suddenly said and rose.

"Are you sure? I thought you would want to be in the study before Link arrives."

"The study? We're going to be in there?"
"Yes. Ralph thought it would give you the most privacy."

Zelda nearly fainted on the spot. She had assumed they would be in the living room. She didn't know the study like she did the other rooms in the house. She was sure to bump things if she tried to move around. There was only one answer.

"I will go to the study now, Malon. Please give me some warning before he walks in the door."

"I will," Malon promised, but stared after her in confusion. What was the problem with the study? Thankfully, Malon realized the answer before Link arrived. She went to Zelda immediately and helped her find her way around. When the bell sounded at the font door, signaling Link's arrival, she left Zelda sitting at the inlaid mahogany writing table that Ralph had set up for just that purpose.

(&)

Link's heart was a mixture of emotions as he stood and waited for the door of the Langley home to open. In some ways he was glad that Zelda wouldn't be able to read his face, but her blindness was still so shocking to him that he was having trouble taking it in. She papered to be so accepting. First in the buggy, then when she waited for her glass of water, and then again at church, sitting silently through the whole morning, not even aware that he was in the room. Was she really so resigned? Link somehow doubted it. The door opened amidst the questions of his mind.

"Hello, Link," Malon greete4d him warmly, but the young man noticed a flush to her face.

"Are you all right?"
Malon gave a small laugh. "Just a little tense. Zelda wants me to warn her before I let you in the study. In truth, I think she's scared out of her wits."

"Understandable." His voice was wonderfully kind. "I'm worse than a stranger. It's embarrassing because of our past, and at the same time she doesn't know me well enough anymore to really judge what I'll be like."
"Yes, I see what you mean. I'll go now and give her a moment to get used to the idea that you've arrived."

Malon found Zelda on the sofa. She sat up rather tensely and looked toward her sister.

"He's here, Zelda."

Zelda came to her feet. "Do I look all right?" Her voice was low, and her hands smoothed down the skirt of her light gray dress. It was a perfect foil for Ralph's dark burgundy office. Zelda's question was the first sign of vulnerability Malon had seen for days.

"You look beautiful," she told her truthfully. It was amazing that the blindness had done nothing to mar the loveliness of Zelda's face. Her mouth was no longer given to smiling, but she was still gorgeous. "I'll send him in."

By the time Lin arrived, Zelda was back in control. Sitting had seemed so awkward, so she had remained on her feet and forced herself not to appear tense when she heard footsteps at the door.

"Hello, Zelda."

"Link?" He sounded so different. Some of her confidence left her.

"Yes, it's me. Are you ready to begin?"

"Yes," she answered without thinking.

"Okay. Why don't you come to the desk here?" Link came forward to take her arm. "I have some books to show-"

"I can do it," she snapped at him. Link dropped her arm and swiftly stepped back.

"Of course," he said quietly. "I'm sorry. How would you like to handle this? She I assume you'll ask for help if you need it?"

"Yes," Zelda replied coldly, even as she told herself she would never ask him for anything.

Link waited until she was seated before he spoke, and in that moment he saw that she hadn't needed his help. She went directly to the table and sat down at the chair. Her actions reminded him of the calm way she'd come down the stairs the week before. It would have been nice if they could have engaged in some small take, but Zelda's expression did not welcome it. Link felt he had no choice but to begin.

"I'm putting a book in front of you, Zelda. It's opened to the middle, and I'd just like you to touch the pages for a moment."

Link watched as she obeyed, and then studied her face as her brow furrowed in concentration.

"Have you ever heard of Braille, Zelda?"
"Braille?"

"Yes, it's a Termina name, and along with being a technique by which a blind person can read, it's also the name of the method's creator." Lin nearly stumbled on the word "blind" but managed it. Other than a slight lift in Zelda's chin, she had no reaction. "As you can fell, it's a series of dots or small bumps, if you will. I'm going to teach you to read and write with this method."

Zelda's mouth went dry. She'd have told Ralph or Malon no and without discussion that she couldn't possible learn such a ting, but not Link-never him.

"All right." Again the chin lifted.

"Here, let me have that book, and I'll give you another." Link slid the manual into her hands. "Now, we'll start with the alphabet. Right at the top you'll find A." He caused her to start when he took her hand and directed her finger. "Can you feel it?"

"Yes."
"What does it feel like?"
"Just one little bump."
"That's right. Read along to B and tell me what you feel."

Zelda's hand moved. "Two dots."

"That's right, but you've got to memorize their order. Are they on top of one another, or side by side?"

"On top."

"Good. Now go onto C and you'll understand why I asked."

Again Zelda's hand moved. "It's three dots."

"No, you've moved too far to D. Go back slightly."

"Oh." Zelda's voice actually sounded pleased. "It's two dots side by side."
"Right. You're doing great. Now go back to A and just go over A, B, and C one more time. Say them out loud."

Zelda did as she was told. The letters came slowly. "A, B, C."

"Excellent," Link praised her, carefully watching her fingers move.

The job done, her heart lifted for the first time in months. Link's presence was forgotten. She would read these letters! It seemed like a miracle to her. Link could see the pleasure on her face and smiled but didn't comment. His eyes softened as he looked at her.

"Do I go on now?" she asked when he grew very quiet. Her question snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Yes. Go on to D, E, and F. They get a little bit harder, but I know you'll get it."

And he was right. Zelda worked without complaint for the next three hours. Link was as excited as she was and never even thought about lunch. They didn't stop until Malon came to check on them.

"Lunch is ready," she said when there was a break.

"Oh." Link looked surprised and then glanced down at his watch. "I brought something from home."

"Well, you can take it home with you," Malon told him kindly "When you're here at noon, we'll just expect you for lunch."
"All right."

"Coming Zelda?" Malon wished to know.

"Yes." She stood but didn't move from around the table. Link looked undecided, but Malon signaled him with her hand, and he followed her out.

Zelda heard them leave and, with a rush, the morning's work caught up to her. She felt as though she could hardly move. The sofa was behind her to the right and if she could just sit down a moment, then she would go eat.

Link offered to look for her when she didn't arrive in the dining room right behind them. He made his way back to the study and started to turn away when he saw the empty desk chair. His eye caught sight of his sleeping student just before he left. He changed directions and moved back into the room. Zelda didn't rouse when his steps sounded on the floor or when he turned his desk chair around to face her. It was all done very quietly.

Malon was just as quiet when she came to the door a few minutes later. She looked in and saw Link sitting with Zelda, his eyes resting on her face. She left them undisturbed. Lunch was easy enough to reheat, and even if it wasn't, she wouldn't have disturbed them for anything short of a fire.

(&)

When Zelda awoke, Link was gone. She couldn't remember why she was alone on the sofa, but when she softly called Malon's name and then Link's, there was no answer.

Right then her stomach growled and lunch came to mind. Malon had called them to come to lunch, and she'd been too tired to even eat. Zelda stood and made her way to the kitchen where Lulu spotted her immediately.

"Oh, Miss Zelda, I'm so glad you came. Lulu's heart is heavy when you do not eat. Come, I have your food."

It was two hours past the time when Zelda should have eaten, and the loving housekeeper was not going to stand on ceremony. She sat the girl down at the kitchen table and fed her until she was ready to pop.

I hope you have enjoyed the story so far because we only have about six chapters left. The end is near!