The Land Beneath Us (Sunrise at Normandy #3) - Sarah Sundin Page 0,71
the wedding has undone me more times than I care to admit.
I don’t write this to make you squirm or so you’ll mourn me more. I say this only to build your confidence in the lovely woman you are.
Go live your life to the fullest of God’s purpose. Love our daughter and raise her well. Give your best to libraries as a librarian or a volunteer. Marry again with my heartfelt blessing. Most of all, continue to grow in faith and love.
I love you, my darling, my muse, my Thalia.
I was blessed to be your husband.
Yours,
Clay
His breath caught. His throat felt rough, his nose stuffy, and his eyes burned.
He didn’t want to leave her, but he had no choice.
Clay bent his head over the letter, his heart splayed out on paper. Lord, I’ve lost my desire to die. So please strengthen my resolve.
33
TULLAHOMA
SATURDAY, MAY 20, 1944
Wheels rattled on the pavement as Leah pushed Helen in the baby carriage, Mrs. Paxton pulled the Bellamy children’s wagon, and Rita Sue pushed a wheelbarrow.
Leah paused and adjusted her new summer hat to keep the morning sun out of her eyes. “Thank you again for helping the children’s home with the scrap drive.”
“It’s a pleasure,” Rita Sue said. “I know y’all need adults to help with the little ones—as well as wagons and wheelbarrows.”
Mama steered the wagon around a pothole. “Besides, I can’t wait for everyone to see these kids as assets, as giving, not taking.”
“Today they are taking,” Leah said. “Taking scrap.”
The ladies laughed.
“Lupe, have you told her yet?” Rita Sue asked.
“Told me what?”
Mama changed hands on the wagon handle. “Now I can tell you about yesterday’s errand—I spent the day at the library.”
“The library? I thought you were shopping.”
“I didn’t want to raise false hope.” Mama turned onto Jackson Street. “Mrs. Sheridan is quite the research librarian. We now have a list of addresses of all the orphanages in the Chicago area.”
Leah stopped, and her mouth hung open.
Rita Sue smiled and motioned her forward with her chin. “Move along.”
Mama wore a smug expression. “I was planning on returning to Kerrville at the end of May, but I’ll stay an extra week. You and I are taking the train to Chicago—the Dixie Flagler.”
Leah’s head whirled. “But that’s—I couldn’t—how?—the baby.”
“It’s all set. We’re staying with my cousin’s daughter in Chicago. She has two little ones, so we’ll have supplies and can wash diapers. And I can watch Helen while you search.”
“But that’s so expensive.”
Mama flapped her hand. “Will insisted, and Clay’s been nagging me to make you go. These Paxton men are generous to a fault. That’s mighty handy sometimes.” She winked at Leah.
All the pictures she’d seen of the city scrolled through her mind, but the picture she couldn’t see was the one she longed for most dearly—Callie and Polly.
Mama puckered one corner of her mouth. “You aren’t used to receiving gifts, are you?”
“Yes, I am.” Leah frowned into the borrowed baby carriage. “I’ve received charity all my life.”
“Ah, mija. It’s not the same. This is a gift of love.”
Leah blinked over grainy eyes. Biblical love from Clay. Familial love from Mama Paxton. “So when do we leave?”
Mama grinned. “Sunday, June 4. Helen will be seven weeks old.”
Leah smiled at her sleeping daughter, dressed in a light kimono for the warm day. “I’m sure she’ll be a good traveler.”
On the lawn at the Coffee Children’s Home, Miss King passed out red, white, and blue sashes to the children. Wagons and carts bore hand-lettered signs reading “Coffee Children’s Home for Victory!”
“Mrs. Paxton!” Miss King looked even more flustered than usual, but in a happy way. “The children are so excited about this scrap drive.”
“I’m excited too.” Leah braced herself as two of the girls hugged her, one on each side, and Leah hugged them back.
Miss King leaned closer. “They can’t join the Scouts or the Junior Red Cross, because we can’t pay their dues. They’re itching to do something for the war effort.”
“Of course, they are,” Mama said. “I’m glad my Leah thought of a way for them to help.”
Miss King divided the children into pairs, with an adult or older child minding each group, including Mama and Rita Sue.
Leah was assigned to ten-year-old Mikey and six-year-old Hattie. The little girl had arrived at the orphanage recently when her foster father was drafted and her foster mother took a factory job. Since the child was one-quarter black, Miss King said it would be difficult to place her in a home, which broke Leah’s heart.