has been so hard on herself,” Belinda mourned.
Yes, it was true, reflected Virginia. Jenny had been terribly hard on herself over the years. She was so determined to have her own way, and her own way seemed to bring her nothing but sorrow.
Belinda finally said, “Well, we’ll keep in touch….”
“I don’t have her address. When I asked about it, she said they were about to move. I don’t even know her married name.”
“Oh my,” said Belinda, distress on her face. “How can we possibly help her?”
“I get the feeling she doesn’t want help,” said Francine rather dismissively. Virginia noted that her once softhearted sister was getting a bit too cynical.
“Sometimes people do not realize that they need help until it’s too late,” Belinda answered sadly. “I certainly hope Jenny doesn’t wait too long.”
“It’s little Mindy that breaks my heart,” observed Virginia. “You saw her, Mama. She will soon be three and she looks not more than a year. She’s so pale and drawn … and silent. I have never seen such a quiet child. She didn’t say a word all the time she was here. Not even ‘mama.’ And she kept that poor little thumb in her mouth the entire time.”
“That’s why she didn’t say anything,” spoke up Francine with an impish grin. “She’s been taught not to talk with her mouth full.”
“Not funny.” Virginia gave her sister a disapproving frown, but she heard her father chuckle softly.
“Well, whatever the circumstances, it appears that our Jenny needs help and doesn’t have any friends nearby to whom she feels free to turn.”
Her mother’s remark was frightening to Virginia. Was it already too late for Jenny?
Virginia was beginning to wonder if Jonathan had been a figment of her imagination. Either that or he had gone off home and decided not to come back after all. Perhaps Jenny had been right and Virginia had been “dumped” again. But, no. She had his letters. He certainly wrote like he was coming back, was anxious to get back to her. Virginia clung to that thought even as she much-too-slowly ticked the days from her wall calendar.
She was glad her job at the post office helped to fill her That and church activities and trips over to Clara’s and taking care of those little ones and helping around the yard and house.
Many free hours were spent with Mrs. Withers. Virginia had promised Jonathan that she would watch out for his grandmother, and she took that promise seriously. Besides, she enjoyed the elder woman’s company so it was not a burden. And she loved the flowers. She was so glad that they were being cared for as Mr. Adamson would have wanted. She wondered at times if he was leaning over heaven’s picket fence, nodding his approval as he watched them weed and fertilize and prune and stake. She smiled as she imagined his heavenly halo. Was it as begrimed as his old garden hat that still hung in the tool shed? No, she wasn’t even sure that people wore halos in heaven. And it was doubtful that there was a picket fence, or that Mr. Adamson even concerned himself with his earthbound flowers anymore. Still it was fun to think about him as she carefully bent over his plants.
“Another letter from Jonathan!” Virginia’s whisper could barely contain her excitement as she sorted the post-office mail for each recipient. She wondered how she would ever endure waiting to open it until her noon break. She was so anxious for word that he was coming soon. Would this be the letter that would carry the good tidings?
Virginia lifted her eyes to the wall clock. Only twenty past ten. With a sigh she returned to her work. Such a long time to wait until noon. Suddenly she was glad that the day’s train had brought a lot of mail. The busier she was, the faster the time would go.
She was interrupted many times to wait on customers, so eventually she had to hurry to get the mail sorted into the various boxes before the noon whistle sounded. Just as the wail
Yes, it was true, reflected Virginia. Jenny had been terribly hard on herself over the years. She was so determined to have her own way, and her own way seemed to bring her nothing but sorrow.
Belinda finally said, “Well, we’ll keep in touch….”
“I don’t have her address. When I asked about it, she said they were about to move. I don’t even know her married name.”
“Oh my,” said Belinda, distress on her face. “How can we possibly help her?”
“I get the feeling she doesn’t want help,” said Francine rather dismissively. Virginia noted that her once softhearted sister was getting a bit too cynical.
“Sometimes people do not realize that they need help until it’s too late,” Belinda answered sadly. “I certainly hope Jenny doesn’t wait too long.”
“It’s little Mindy that breaks my heart,” observed Virginia. “You saw her, Mama. She will soon be three and she looks not more than a year. She’s so pale and drawn … and silent. I have never seen such a quiet child. She didn’t say a word all the time she was here. Not even ‘mama.’ And she kept that poor little thumb in her mouth the entire time.”
“That’s why she didn’t say anything,” spoke up Francine with an impish grin. “She’s been taught not to talk with her mouth full.”
“Not funny.” Virginia gave her sister a disapproving frown, but she heard her father chuckle softly.
“Well, whatever the circumstances, it appears that our Jenny needs help and doesn’t have any friends nearby to whom she feels free to turn.”
Her mother’s remark was frightening to Virginia. Was it already too late for Jenny?
Virginia was beginning to wonder if Jonathan had been a figment of her imagination. Either that or he had gone off home and decided not to come back after all. Perhaps Jenny had been right and Virginia had been “dumped” again. But, no. She had his letters. He certainly wrote like he was coming back, was anxious to get back to her. Virginia clung to that thought even as she much-too-slowly ticked the days from her wall calendar.
She was glad her job at the post office helped to fill her That and church activities and trips over to Clara’s and taking care of those little ones and helping around the yard and house.
Many free hours were spent with Mrs. Withers. Virginia had promised Jonathan that she would watch out for his grandmother, and she took that promise seriously. Besides, she enjoyed the elder woman’s company so it was not a burden. And she loved the flowers. She was so glad that they were being cared for as Mr. Adamson would have wanted. She wondered at times if he was leaning over heaven’s picket fence, nodding his approval as he watched them weed and fertilize and prune and stake. She smiled as she imagined his heavenly halo. Was it as begrimed as his old garden hat that still hung in the tool shed? No, she wasn’t even sure that people wore halos in heaven. And it was doubtful that there was a picket fence, or that Mr. Adamson even concerned himself with his earthbound flowers anymore. Still it was fun to think about him as she carefully bent over his plants.
“Another letter from Jonathan!” Virginia’s whisper could barely contain her excitement as she sorted the post-office mail for each recipient. She wondered how she would ever endure waiting to open it until her noon break. She was so anxious for word that he was coming soon. Would this be the letter that would carry the good tidings?
Virginia lifted her eyes to the wall clock. Only twenty past ten. With a sigh she returned to her work. Such a long time to wait until noon. Suddenly she was glad that the day’s train had brought a lot of mail. The busier she was, the faster the time would go.
She was interrupted many times to wait on customers, so eventually she had to hurry to get the mail sorted into the various boxes before the noon whistle sounded. Just as the wail
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