June 24, 1859

June 24, 1859
Dear Safiya,


Thank you so much for telling me!  I always imagined what had happened when they met, but I never imagined that!  I usually imagined them meeting at a Christmas ball, with a whole bunch of dancing and twirling and laughing!  Just one question, if you don’t mind my asking.  How did you know all that?  It seems so strange to me, you knowing exactly what they said . . .

    Well, you may already know about this, but Father Ryan came today.  He gave a speech to them about being kind to others and teaching people not to be vain.  Oh the look on their faces!  I guess I should not say that, but it is true.  They looked so shocked like they had no idea what was going on.  Mr. and Mrs. MacJohns kept glancing at me.  I was told to get tea for Father Ryan, but he refused to drink anything ‘that a child had wrongly been forced to create.’  He wouldn’t eat or drink anything that I made, but he had Mrs. MacJohns make tea instead and drank so much she had to make three kettles!

    When Mr. MacJohns told me to sit on the floor so his sons could sit in the armchair, Father Ryan made him have Bobbi and Jack sit on the floor so I could sit on the armchair!  It was all very strange and awkward, but I had never been allowed to sit in the armchair before and it was very comfortable.

    Right before he left, Father Ryan had Mr. and Mrs. MacJohns go into the kitchen and talk with them.  Bobbi and Jack tried to listen, but Father Ryan is just so smart!  He sent them to their room and politely told me to go and read a book.  I did as I was told, not wanting to disobey an elder, and a few minutes later he left.  Cindy has been kind to me ever since!  If this was your doing, I thank you ever so much.  I just hope that it lasts.

    But Bobbi and Jack haven’t been so nice.  They’ve been bugging me all day, and I can’t stop them.  Cindy is ignoring them when they do it, even if she is nice to my face.  I don’t think she got all of Father Ryan’s message.  If only someone could do something to make her listen!  My life would be so much easier.

    I am afraid that by tomorrow I will be doing chores again.  She had be do the laundry and cook and do most of the cleaning.  She only doesn’t let me clean Henry’s den because she says she doesn’t want me to defile it.  She doesn’t even want me in her house.  I have a feeling that she only took me in to make my life completely and one hundred percent terrible and miserable.

    What can I do about it?  I have nowhere else to go.  They’re selling Grandma Julia’s house so I won’t be able to go there, and even if I was able to I wouldn’t be able to pay for it.  I did love that place, and I do want to go back.  But I can’t.

    But the terrors of Cindy MacJohns is the least of my worries.  Henry is already drinking, and he never stops until ten.  Never before, and thankfully never after.  However, he will not hurt any of his family members when he’s drunk, but I don’t think he cares enough for me not to do anything.  I’m worried, but there is nothing I can do about it.

    Oh well.  What happens may happen, but I will still be me.  Grandma Julia used to say that when she was worried about something.  She was always brave.  I do miss her dearly.


Always, Lucy

 

 

 

 

Author's Note

Sorry it took so long to get this up! I've been working on a ton of other projects. Enjoy!!

Reviews

[Aislinn Gryffin ((Ashes..]

I love this. I love the way you worded it and the plot is terrific. I can't wait to see how Safiya knew about Lucy's parents and how the MacJohns will treat Lucy now! I can't wait!