The Ride of Her Life Read Online Free PDF

and I’ll help.”
    “You’ll do none of that. This is your first morning off in a week except for the Lord’s Day, and you should be relaxing.” The screen door banged shut as Mama went inside.
    Lilly arranged two wicker chairs side by side, then moved to what had been Marguerite’s play table and called Levi over.
    “I have a surprise for you, Levi.” She opened her handbag, pulled out a folded sheet of paper, and smoothed it on the table. Creases still remained, but it would be usable. She withdrew a box of Crayola crayons from her handbag. The box had cost her five cents out of her first week’s pay.
    “What is it?”
    She eased open the lid to reveal the eight crayons inside before handing him the box. “You draw pictures with them on the paper.”
    “Like paints?” His lips bowed in a broad smile so much like his daddy’s.
    “Sort of. Only these are like colored pencils. You can draw pretty flowers and blue skies. Be careful with them. You don’t want to break one.”
    By the time Mama returned with a bowl of apples to peel, Levi was deep in artistic thought, the candy stick propped between his lips. She set her bowl on the table between the wicker chairs and walked over to Levi.
    “Well, aren’t those the dandiest things?” Mama examined the box of crayons. “My, my, a person could paint the world with all those pretty colors. Think of all the possibilities.”
    “I’m hoping it will keep him out of trouble when I’m working during lunch. He loves to create things.” Lilly snagged the paring knife before Mama sat down and stripped the apple peel in one long string.
    “Lilly, I told you that’s my job.” Her mother held out her hand until Lilly laid the knife in her palm, then dropped into the wicker chair and pulled her shawl more tightly about her shoulders.
    “But I don’t mind, and it’s my fault you even have to work here again.”
    “Listen to me. You did the right thing in leaving that house. I know. I was there.”
    “And if you were still there, you wouldn’t have to be back making pies for Camille Westing.”
    “Mrs. Westing’s not the same woman she was when you were a child. Ask Marguerite. And she’s happy as a lark I’m back cookin’.”
    “And cleaning and polishing and doing laundry.”
    “Heavens no. Wilhelmina does all that.” She cut the core from the apple. “She even does the dishes after I cook. Mrs. Westing won’t let me do a thing. That whole financial scare changed her. She’s a new person now. And so is Mr. Westing. Hasn’t gambled a bit since that time. Praise the Lord for blessing him with a whole new business and for letting them keep the house in the meantime.”
    Lilly glanced toward the clothespin bag on the line. “Mama—”
    “I help Wilhelmina some when no one’s watching—if I have time and if I’m feeling up to it.” Mama chuckled, and her salt-and-pepper-colored bun bobbed. She cocked her head at Lilly. “I recognize that look in your eyes, and you need to stop. I don’t want you to go feelin’ guilty. I got a good place here. You know how warm my room is, and the Westings even bought me a new feather tick for my bed. Softest thing you ever laid on.”
    “You deserve a real home, Mama. When I married Ben, I thought I could make a home for all of us.”
    “Lilly May, God wanted me here.”
    “How do you know?”
    “Because I prayed about it.” Mama chose another apple. The slightly swollen knuckles of her hands didn’t keep her from making quick work of chopping the fruit. “I wanted to witness to Mrs. Westing, and I’ve been praying for years for the right time. Her heart is open now. I think she may come to know the Lord.” She dropped the naked apple in the bowl. “Besides, this world is not my home. Oh, I know you’ve wanted us to have a house since you were ten years old, but I learned to be content without one a long time ago.”
    “When I was ten, Marguerite got a beautiful dollhouse for Christmas.” Lilly