Blessings Read Online Free PDF

into it. Almost two years it was now, and here they were.
    Her reflections ended, Jennie wiped the pearls as she had been advised to do, laid them carefully on their velvet cushion, and hid the box under her nightgowns. Undressed, she regarded herself in the full-length mirror on the bathroom door. Not bad. She had never had much trouble keeping her weight down, which was a blessing because she loved food, good rich pastas and lots of bread. No flab, either, thanks to tennis and running. Humming to herself, she whirled and did a little dance in front of the mirror. Happy, happy—
    The telephone rang.
    “Is this Janine Rakowsky?” Janine. Nobody except her mother called her that anymore.
    “Yes,” she answered cautiously.
    “My name is James Riley.” The voice was courteous and refined. “I know that what I’m going to say will startle you, but—”
    Mom. An accident in Florida. Mom’s hurt. In the flash of a second, brakes yelp. Rain glitters on the highway. Sirens. Police converge. An ambulance comes racing. Red lights revolve.
    “What is it? What’s happened?”
    “No, no,” the man said quickly. “Nothing bad. I’m sorry I frightened you. It’s just this. I represent a service for adoptees. We’re called Birth Search. You’ve probably heard about us.”
    “I don’t believe so.” She was puzzled. “Are you in need of an attorney?”
    “Oh, no. This isn’t a legal matter. It’s this way—”
    She seemed to see the man settled back for a lengthy explanation, and so she interrupted quietly. “I’m an attorney, so since it’s not a legal matter, I really don’t have time to talk. I’m sorry—”
    Now it was he who, with equal quietness, interrupted.
    “If you’ll just give me a minute or two, I’ll explain. You’re aware, I’m sure, of the numbers of adoptees who are now seeking their natural parents. So many organizations have sprung up to help, of which ours is just one, and we—”
    A long sigh quivered in Jennie’s chest. “I give as much to charity as I can afford. If you’ll send me a brochure describing your work, I’ll read it,” she said.
    The man wasn’t about to let go. “This isn’t a call for charity, Miss Rakowsky.” There was a long pause. When he spoke again, it was almost in a whisper. “You gave birth to a girl nineteen years ago.”
    Seconds passed. The second hand jerked and ticked on the desk clock. Small crackling sounds came over the wire, or maybe they were the sounds of blood rushing in the arteries.
    “She’s been searching for more than a year. She wants to see you.”
    I’m going to be sick, Jennie thought. I’m going to faint. She sat down.
    “I called you at home rather than at your office, since this is so personal.”
    She couldn’t speak.
    “Are you there? Miss Rakowsky?”
    “No!” A terrible sound tore out of Jennie’s throat, as if she had been cut without anesthesia. “No! It’s impossible! I can’t!”
    “I understand. Yes. Of course this is a shock to you. That’s why your daughter wanted us—me—to call first.” A pause. “Her name is Victoria Miller. She’s called Jill. She’s here in the city, a sophomore at Barnard.”
    Cold fingers ran on Jennie’s spine. Her leaping, crazy heart accelerated.
    “It’s impossible… . For God’s sake, don’t you see it’s impossible? We don’t know each other.”
    “That’s the point, isn’t it? That you ought to know each other?”
    “It’s not the point! I put her in good hands. Do you think I would have let them give her away to just anybody? Do you?”
    Now Jennie’s voice squealed and ended with a sobbing breath.
    “No, I certainly don’t think you would, but—”
    “Why? Is there something wrong with her? Has something happened to her?”
    “Not a thing. She’s quite happy and well adjusted.”
    “There! You see? I told you! So she has a family, they’re taking care of her. What does she want with me? I never even saw her face. I—” Clutching the phone, Jennie