by Woods, Emily
“I-I need to go to the funeral home,” she said, almost apologetically. “And I guess the bank? And... And...” It was difficult to think of what else needed doing. “I suppose I should send a telegram to my aunt in Montana. She's the only living relative we have.” That hadn’t really been an option last night, but Kate figured she should at least inquire.
Mrs. Johnston frowned. “You can live here with us for now, Katie dear. Possibly even indefinitely. I have this big house that's empty now except for me and Mr. Johnston.”
Kate shook her head. “I appreciate it, but your children won't like it.”
That much she knew for sure. Although fully grown now, the three girls whom she'd lived next door to all her life would not be pleased if she were to take up residence here. They had never shown her any kindness when they were children, in part, she thought, because they thought that their mother spent far too much time trying to include her in their family. They all should have been the best of friends, especially since the youngest was her age, but instead, they saw her as a rival for their mother's attention. They wouldn't suffer her presence in their parents' house for very long.
“That's so kind, but I need to make a plan for Maddie and myself. If my aunt can't take us in, then I'll look for work in the city.”
She hated the thought of going to work, not because she was lazy or without skills, but rather because it would mean leaving her daughter with strangers much of the time. She'd worked as a secretary before she'd gotten married, and she knew that a woman was expected to work twice as hard as a man for roughly half the salary. In all likelihood, she would have to be out for twelve hours of the day just to make enough for them to live on.
Mrs. Johnston tried to persuade her otherwise, but Kate knew that she would have to leave. “Hopefully by the end of the month,” she promised. “Sooner, if my aunt gets back to me quickly.” A thought occurred to her, and she shifted uncomfortably in her seat. “I'm sorry to ask you this, but could I borrow the price of the telegram?” It grated on her to ask this small favor, but what else could she do?
Shaking her head with concern, Mrs. Johnston quickly retrieved a few coins, much more than what was needed to send a telegram, and pressed them into Kate's hand. “Never mind about the borrowing part. I'm happy to give you this and whatever else I have. No one has to know.”
So it seemed that she was aware of the bitter feelings her daughters harbored toward Kate. The generosity shouldn't have surprised her, but Kate felt tears prickle the backs of her eyes nonetheless.
“Thank you,” she whispered, tucking the money into the pocket of her dress. She pushed her chair back and started to clear the table.
“Leave that for me, if you please,” Mrs. Johnston said with a tender smile. “Believe it or not, I miss the days of cleaning up after someone. Run along and see to your errands. I'll have a nice lunch waiting for you when you get back.”
Kate left the house, coins jingling in her pocket, and headed for the lawyer's office. She knew they wouldn't get much for her parents’ estate, but it had to be worth something. It was just a short trip from there to the bank, where she would find out what her financial standing was. As an only child, she would inherit everything, so there must be enough for her to survive on temporarily. She hated herself for thinking that way, but for Maddie's sake, she had to try to be practical. That meant burying all her feelings, all her grief, down deep. She had no time for any of that now. Their future was at stake.
* * *
Both the trips to the lawyer’s and the bank had been disheartening. Kate discovered that until there was a buyer for her parents' land, there would be no money. The news was almost as bad at the bank. Apparently, her parents hadn't managed to save much over the years. There was barely enough to see them through the next few months, should she decide to rent a small place. That money wouldn't last longer than that. She knew that much.
Desperation and anger filled her as she walked toward their last stop: the postmaster. There, she sent a short telegram to her Aunt Marge in Great Falls, Montana. It had been many years since she’d seen her father’s sister, and she knew very little about her. One thing she did know was that Aunt Marge didn't live exactly in the town, so it was not possible to know how long it would take before she received the message, let alone how long it would be before she got a reply. Kate automatically sent up a plea Heavenward that it would be sooner rather than later.
Again, the prayer came from habit rather than out of a deep, abiding belief. She felt that any faith she might have claimed died with her parents. Her marriage, her husband’s suicide, and her eventual state of poverty had caused much of it to disintegrate, but now it was entirely gone. It was clear to her that God either didn't love her, or couldn't be bothered with her. In either case, she was on her own.
I hope you liked the preview of A Gentle Love. You can get the rest of the story on Amazon.
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