Lizzie Jane and Jake sat holding hands watching the old clock on the mantle over the fireplace tick toward midnight and the new year -- 1955. Their clock may be off a few minutes, but to them it would be official and they would meet the new year together.
This is a short chapter. I hope you enjoy it. If you have not already done so, it might help if you would read my story, "Guns are not for Little Boys", Chapter 2. It may help understand this chapter.
YOUNG LOVE
Chapter 1
Lizzie Jane was curled up in front of the fireplace watching the fire dance around the split wooden logs, swaying back and forth, often shooting upward with flaming fingers seemingly trying to reach some unseen object and at other times swirling around in semi-circles.
Enjoying a cup of sweeten coffee, she sat on a pallet composed of patch-work quilts, padded to create a soft cushioned seat and to keep the coolness of the floor from coming through. It was a cloudy, dreary day with highs in the 50's. Christmas Day had come to an end. Everyone was looking toward a new year, wondering what mysteries might be revealed in 1955.
Lizzie Jane's mind was centered on Jake -- a young man who had been just a friend, who somehow had slipped into her heart, creating a powerful emotional attachment which was causing confusion to a young teenage girl, unsure of her feelings.
Did she love Jake? Was she capable of knowing love -- the kind of love that molded two hearts together with eternal bonding that would never be loosen? Or was she just a teen who was swept away by some temporary affection? When did it all happen?
Her mind went back to Sam's Place when Jake bought her a coke, where he had embarrassed her with talk about marriage, but walked her home with his arm around her, shielding her against the cool night air. That was when Lizzie Jane experienced her first kiss.
Lizzie Jane tried to piece together what could have happened in that short period of time to change a friendly association to one reserved for a couple in love.
At that time (just as she was doing now), she remembered asking herself if Jake was just a friend or did she really love him? The kiss seemed to be the magic moment when she submitted to the love and warmness of someone who truly loved her. The tenderness of that moment and the strange feelings that invaded her lasted only a short time before a bullet entered her body, fired by a murderer in a passing vehicle.
Falling unconsciously to the street, she did not remember the hours she spent in ICU as she struggled between life and death, but she did remember being told that Jake never left the hospital and did not go home until she was dismissed.
When she was able, but still in a weak state, Doc Brown had transported her home, lying in the back seat of his old car, while Jake rode in the front on the passenger side. He continually looked back, checking on her during the long trip. Lizzie Jane had seen him and remembered exchanging smiles. There wasn't any doubt of Jake's love for Lizzie Jane. He had proved that. (See "Guns are not for Little Boys", Chapter 2 for complete details.)
Oh, if only she could relive the warm moment of that first kiss -- but that was impossible. If the love was real and the experience was not just a passing fantasy, she realized there would be more tender romantic moments, but none like the first time.
A tear dropped from her eye -- not of sadness -- but of loneliness and the desire to be cuddled and secure in Jake's manly arms, submitting to his charm and being assured of his devotion as the girl of his life. She would return that devotion with a smile and a charming kiss.
Aunt Maudie stood at the door watching Lizzie Jane and the sorrow she seemed to be suffering. Walking over and placing her arm around her niece, Aunt Maudie asked, "Do you want to tell me about it?"
"Oh, Aunt Maudie," whimpered Lizzie Jane. "It is how I feel about Jake. I am so confused. I think I love him, but I don't know for sure."
Aunt Maudie smiled, "Ah, that thing called love -- sent from Heaven to worry the devil out of you. For some, it is stronger than it is for others. One thing to remember -- true love is more than just a fascination. It is much deeper -- and more rewarding."
"How will I know?" pleaded a tearful Lizzie Jane.
"In time..." Aunt Maudie paused, then continued. "In time you will know."
"How do you love Uncle Jed?" inquired Lizzie Jane.
"I love him enough to wash his stinking socks, dirty underwear, and put up with his little faults -- and kiss him while I am doing all that, even though I feel that I need a clothes pin on my nose sometimes. Now, that is real love," smiled Aunt Maudie. "Love is when you get to a place where you just can't seem to live without him. Love is like keeping those old shoes that you can't throw away because they are so comfortable -- even though they are worn out."
"Is Uncle Jed like an old shoe?" teased Lizzie Jane.
"Yep -- he is just comfortable to be around," replied Aunt Maudie "-- just like an old shoe and he is just about worn out -- but I will keep him, anyway. Couldn't get a plug nickel for him if I tried to trade him for someone else, so I might just as well keep the old codger."
That brought a smile to Lizzie Jane, followed by a little giggle, and before they knew it, Lizzie Jane and Aunt Maudie both were rolling in laughter.
"What are you two hens cackling about?" asked Uncle Jed as he walked in with Jake behind him.
"Oh, nothing -- just girl talk," replied Aunt Maudie.
Lizzie Jane spied Jake just as Uncle Jed proclaimed, "Look what I found wandering around."
The young couple smiled at each other as Jake began to speak, "I was just out walking around when somehow I wandered off this-a-way and I am glad I did," flashing another smile at Lizzie Jane.
Aunt Maudie spoke up, "I don't think the eggs have been gathered today. Lizzie Jane, would you...?" The question never was completed when Lizzie Jane said, "I will be glad to." Stretching out her hand to Jake, she asked, "Do you want to walk out to the chicken house with me?" That was like asking a dog if it wanted a big steak.
Jake reached out and took Lizzie Jane's hand and they walked through the kitchen with Lizzie Jane grabbing a wire handled basket for the eggs. Although it was a cool winter day, Lizzie Jane's heart was warm and her body did not notice the coolness, either. Pausing just before reaching the door of the chicken house, the couple stopped. Jake pulled Lizzie Jane up close and their lips touched. If there were any question as to whether the tenderness of that first kiss could be repeated, it was answered that day.
At the same time, both said to the other, "I love you." Realizing that was said in unison, they began to laugh, which was quickly hushed by another lingering kiss.
Uncle Jed and Aunt Maudie was peeping out the kitchen window at the loving couple when Uncle Jed said, "Reckon they will get the eggs?"
Aunt Maudie replied, "Does it really matter?"
"I guess not," answered Uncle Jed. "Whatta you say we try what they are doing?"
"You ole goat. You will never get too old to keep me from loving you," answered Aunt Maudie and the older couple embraced.
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Yep, love was in the air that winter day -- or do you suppose it was in the water?
--To be Continued--
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Copyright 2007 by Starla Anne Lowry
under the pen name of Billie Sue Pilgrim
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Lizzie Jane and Jake sat holding hands watching the old clock on the mantel over the fireplace tick toward midnight and the new year -- 1955. Their clock may be off a few minutes, but to them it would be official and they would meet the new year together.
YOUNG LOVE
CHAPTER 2
Lizzie Jane and Jake sat holding hands watching the old clock on the mantel over the fireplace tick toward midnight and the new year -- 1955. Their clock may be off a few minutes, but to them it would be official and they would meet the new year together.
They could hear firecrackers in the background. As usual, there would probably be drunks who would be out of touch with reality so much that they would not know what was happening. The Korean War (or conflict, as some called it) had been over about a year and a half and some of the soldiers were trying to forget. Others may had been a failure in life -- maybe a loser in business or love. But, there were some who just liked to get drunk.
There wasn't any liquor served at Aunt Maudie's home where Lizzie Jane and Jake were seated. Instead, they knelt in prayer and asked for God's guidance in their lives.They were just a young couple in love and both felt that there was something in God's plan for them, but did not know exactly what.
But, as for the time being, they only knew that they loved each other and that is all that mattered. What would lay ahead was unknown, but they knew that it was in God's hand and all would work out okay.
At the stroke of midnight, they kissed and took in the moment for awhile. Finally as the clock struck one o'clock, they said good night and Jake headed home to go to bed, but not until after one more kiss and the gentle words each whispered to the other --- "I love you."
Lizzie Jane lay upon her bed, sleep not coming quickly and thought about the future. She could see out the window from where she lay, so she looked at the stars and thought of the glory of God, the great expanse of the universe and the beauty of nature. As she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep, her mind was on Jake. In dreamland, she dreamed of being a wife in a house with children running around -- her children -- her and Jake's children. The dream was so sweet, not marred by anything to the contrary.
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The sun was already shining through her window when Lizzie Jane awoke to greet the first day of the new year. Aunt Maudie had let her sleep late, which was very unusual. Being on a farm meant there were chores to be done, but in winter maybe that was not as important as other times of the year when more active farming was going on. The major crop in one field was cotton and another field grew corn. Each year, the crops were reversed. Also, there was the family garden -- a huge one in which grew all the vegetables the family would need, most of it canned for later use.
Most farm families had a milk cow, but Uncle Jed had three so they could have milk all year. It had been Lizzie Jane's early morning job to milk one of the cows. Only one was giving milk because one cow had been turned dry, waiting to give birth to another calf, and another had just 'come in' (a term meaning that she had a new born calf which caused the milk to be too rich for humans).
As Lizzie entered the kitchen, she saw Uncle Jed coming from the barn, having already completed the morning milking. Aunt Maudie turned around, saw her and said, "Have a seat, honey. I will have you some eggs, sausage and gravy in a minute. I know you were up late and the reason why." Aunt Maudie smiled at her last statement.
Lizzie Jane saw the smile and smiled back. It was clear that Uncle Jed and Aunt Maudie approved of Jake.
Since New Year's Day fell on a Saturday this year, Jed had planned to make his regular trip into town to pick up a few groceries that they needed, such as sugar and coffee.
Although Christmas had been a major holiday, New Year's Day did not have much meaning except that it was a time for new beginnings. The stores should be open and Lizzie Jane figured most of the young people would be gathered at Sam's Place, so she welcomed the chance to go with Uncle Jed. Aunt Maudie would stay home preparing the traditional New Year Day's meal, black-eye peas, hog jowls and corn bread. That kind of meal was expected to bring prosperity. Lizzie Jane had secretly thought that it may have been selected because of all the rich foods on Christmas and people had run out of money.
Anyway, Lizzie Jane had been correct. Sam's Place was full of young people and Uncle Jed had given her forty cents. That was enough for a Coke, hamburger, some kind of dessert and have a few cents left over.
She quickly found two of her friends, Alice and Connie. Ordering a Coke, the girls began to catch up on the gossip of the day, which included who was sweet on whom.
"I hear that you and Jake are getting chummy", mentioned Alice.
"Yeah," agreed Connie. "He's cute, too."
"Well, we have talked," answered an embarassed Lizzie Jane.
"Well, from what I heard you were whispering 'cause your lips were close together," teased Alice. "When is the big day?"
"Big day?" asked Lizzie Jane.
"Yeah, the big day. When are you planning on getting hitched?"
"Now, wait a minute," insisted Lizzie Jane. "In the first place, I am not old enough and I am not sure I am ready."
"You can marry at 14 with consent. You are not far off from that," said Alice. "If you don't hurry up, you might wind up an old maid."
"In May," stated Lizzie Jane. "My birthday is May 4th."
"Girl, get married while you have the chance." chimed in Connie. "You know how men are. A pretty girl flashes her eyes and he finds another heifer."
"You know, he has already claimed you," stated Alice.
Lizzie Jane remembered very well when Jake did just that and she had crawled under the table and Jake crawled under there with her. That was the night when she wanted to go home and hide, but it was also the night of that first magic kiss.
"Here is your Coke, miss," a voice spoke.
Lizzie Jane looked up at the waiter -- and it was Jake. "And it has two straws and is already paid for."
Jake looked at the other two girls and asked, "You don't mind if I steal your friend, will you?" Alice and Connie nodded that it was okay.
Jake gently took Lizzie Jane by the hand and pulled her up and pointed, "There is a nice table in the corner."
"Jake, stop -- please," begged Lizzie Jane. "People are looking at us."
"Well, aren't we going to invite them to our wedding?" asked Jake.
Lizzie Jane decided to stand there arguing would cause more looks, so she said, "Let's go and sit down."
As Lizzie Jane took her seat, Jake sat down. "My, you are as red as a radish."
Lizzie Jane put her hand to the side of her face, trying to hide from the smiles of the other kids, pleading with a whispering voice "Please stop. You are embarassing me."
"You are so cute when you are embarassed," replied Jake, grinning from ear to ear. "I love you and I want everyone to know it."
Lizzie Jane knew that was true and she loved him, but here was a girl who could stand bravely in the face of danger without showing fear, but could not publicly show her love for the one she cared for so much. She was not a super heroine, but could substitute for one very easily.
Jake realized that. She had even rescued him from certain death once, but he was not in love with a heroine, but a tender, charming young lady -- a lady in every sense of the word. A young lady who needed him and he needed her.
As he took Lizzie Jane by the hand and whispered, "I have kidded so much about marrying you, but let me do it proper. You know I love you with all my heart and I believe that our love was created in heaven, so I now officially ask you -- Will you marry me?"
Lizzie Jane's heart began to flutter which has been described by some as being like butterflies. Tears swelled up in her eyes and she began to melt, becoming as limber as a dishrag. Everything seemed to be going around in circles. She closed her eyes.....
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When she opened her eyes, she discovered that she way lying on the floor with a wet cloth on her forehead and a circle of girls around her. On his knees beside her was Jake rubbing her hand and saying, "I am so sorry. Please be okay."
Lizzie Jane lay there looking up at her surrroundings. She heard someone say, "Here comes Doc Brown."
Doc Brown knelt beside her, checking her pulse, shining a small flashlight in her eyes. "What happened?" asked the Doc.
"She fell from her seat all of a sudden and hit her head on the concrete floor when she fell," replied one of the girls who had seen the whole thing.
"Does your head hurt?" asked Doc Brown.
"A little," replied Lizzie Jane.
"I don't think there is a concussion, but it would be best for her to go home and go to bed for awhile. Maudie is a good nurse and she can keep an eye on her," said Doc Brown.
Jake reached down to pick her up, looked at Doc Brown, and back to Lizzie Jane and asked, "Is it okay?"
"I think so," said Doc Brown. "Just be careful."
Lizzie Jane smiled and said, "Yes", reached and put her arm around Jake's neck. Jake carefully picked her up and carried her to Doc's car. He knelt in the floor by Lizzie Jane as she lay in the back seat.
"I am so sorry," Jake said.
Lizzie Jane looked up at him and quietly whispered, "Yes."
"Yes, what?" asked a surprised Jake.
"Yes, I will marry you," said Lizzie Jane. She smiled and closed her eyes. Jake tried to keep her awake, but she drifted off into a deep slumber.
"Don't let her go to sleep," ordered Doc Brown.
"I am trying to keep her awake," replied Jake, "but she is out."
"I will get her to Jed's as fast as I can. I need to examine her further," said Doc Brown as he started the car.
Lizzie Jane's deceased mother came to her again in a dream. "Lizzie Jane, I am so proud for you. This is God's will, so don't worry. Everything will work out and remember -- I will always be with you -- and your children -- and my grandchildren."
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To be continued
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"My name is --- ah, my name is ---," Lizzie Jane stopped for a moment, seemed to go into deep thought and then exclaimed, "I don't know! I don't know who I am!"
"We are not far from the truck stop. Maybe some food will help. Remember, I will be buying. Oh, by the way, when was the last time you ate?" asked Joe.
"I don't know that, either," said Lizzie Jane. "I know it has not been recently.".
YOUNG LOVE, CHAPTER 3
Lizzie Jane losing consciousness again was worrying Doc Brown. At first, it seemed that she had just fainted. That was probably the case, but she had also hit her head on the concrete floor. She had awaken enough to sense everything and, in transit to her uncle's house, she had spoken to Jake, accepting his proposal of marriage, but had closed her eyes again and could not be awaken.
Aunt Maudie and Doc put her to bed and a cold, wet cloth was put on her head. Doc Brown diagnosed it as a serious concussion with the understanding that it could be something more serious, such as a fractured skull or bleeding inside Lizzie Jane's head.
Without an ex-ray or other equipment nearby, all Doc Brown could suggest was to watch her carefully, hoping she would snap out of it soon.
Lizzie Jane did wake, later that night while Uncle Jed was sitting with her. When he saw her eyes open, he ran out of the room to tell Maudie, Jake, and Doc Brown that she was awake.
Lizzie Jane looked around for a minute in confusion and her eyes fell on the door as the group rushed in. Surprised, she asked, "Who are you? Where am I?"
Suddenly, the group was speechless. They were ready to rush in and bestow their very best wishes and love to Lizzie Jane, but were greeted with shocking questions.
Aunt Maudie spoke first. "Honey, we are your family -- Uncle Jed and I. Jake here is your boy friend."
Not speaking aloud, Lizzie Jane turned the answer over in her mind. Who are these strangers who claim to be family -- and who is this boy they call Jake? Had she not just spoken with her mother, who assured her that everything was going to be all right. How could this be her family when she had a mother?
Lizzie Jane lay on the bed, unable to determine the difference in reality and seeing her mother in a dream. To her, mother was the reality.
Had these people kidnapped her? Was her mother wealthy and they wanted money? Was she in some kind of hospital and these people were out of their minds? Or maybe she was some kind of prisoner?
Lizzie Jane finally spoke. "I don't know who you are and why I am here. I do know one thing -- get out of here and leave me alone!!"
She said it with such force that Aunt Maudie trembled and suggested that they leave for the present. Outside the room, Doc Brown stated, "This happens sometimes. Lizzie Jane has amnesia. It may just be temporary or it may last awhile. I don't know the seriousness of her head injury. I need to transport her to a hospital again for evaluation. With your permission, I will get started on that."
Aunt Maudie nodded her approval. Uncle Jed, Aunt Maudie and Jake went downstairs for some coffee while Doc Brown stepped out a few minutes to make some phone calls.
Looking at Jake, Aunt Maudie said, "I know this is rough on you."
"Yes, it is," replied Jake. "I love that girl so much and she had just told me that she would marry me before she slipped off into sleep." For the first time since he had been a small child, Jake's lips began to quiver as tears began to fill his eyes.
Uncle Jed put his arm around Jake and encouraged him, "Everything is going to be all right. Just wait and see."
Meanwhile, Lizzie Jane was thinking that she had to get away. She eased out of bed, a dull ache in her head, and walked to the window of Uncle Jed's two story house. She saw a narrow ledge just outside the window. From there, she could probably find a way to the roof and look for a way to the ground.
With the window raised, she stepped out on the ledge. It was so narrow that she had to turn her feet to the side, but she was not going to give up. Her hands grabbed whatever they could find. She had been put to bed wearing a skirt and her aunt had not taken time to change her clothing since she had passed out, so she could feel the cold wind against her legs which was not bad, but invigorating.
She could not find a way to the roof, but she did see a tree with a limb sticking out a few feet from the house. Without giving it much thought, she leaped as far as she could toward the limb. She did not realize that she needed more than a narrow ledge to spring from, so she only caught the edge of the limb, which bent quickly from her weight and she saw the ground rushing to meet her.
The limb did not break immediately, so it slowed her fall enough so that there wasn't any serious injuries, but it did cause a few bruises and a little pain. The only thought in her mind was that she had successfully completed the first stage of her escape from those crazy people.
With legs sore from the fall, she ran across the pasture to the woods where she would work her way to freedom as far away from this place as possible. One thing she had not considered was that it was late in the afternoon and would soon be dark. She also realized that the temperature that night would be cold, probably below freezing.
Something clicked in her mind and she remembered starting fires with a rock -- a flint rock. She searched for such a rock, but darkness began to fall and she found nothing with which to start a fire. She was weak and soon became exhausted and fell to the ground. The thought of dying crossed her mind, but she would rather die in the woods that go back to the loony house (as she now considered it).
She closed her eyes, not expecting to wake up. She awoke the next morning and felt something warm next to her body. She jumped up, startled, to see what had kept her from freezing. Surprised, she saw a big deer that evidently sensed her distress and had done what he could to keep her warm. But, why would a deer do that? She began to remember something else -- a little deer she had helped about four years earlier and had become her pet. It must be --- yes, it was -- it was that deer, all grown up. The deer's family was standing by and Lizzie Jane smiled. She was also pleased that she remembed that event.
Other things began to come to mind -- how she had previously spend a night in the woods before meeting the deer and how nothing had bothered her while she slept. She also thought about her mother and how she would visit Lizzie Jane whenever things did not seem to be going right. It was at this time that Lizzie Jane came to realize that her mother always appeared in a dream.
It was pleasing for memories to return, but she could still not remember anything about the people in the house from which she had escaped. Should she go back? She sat there awhile and thought about the matter and decided that, if she did know them, surely she would remember it, so the best thing was to follow through with her escape.
She was getting weak from hunger, not having eaten anything for -- well, she did not know how long. The last time she was lost in these woods, it was late summer and she found berries and natural foods, but now, in winter, such foods could not be found. She stumbled along and finally came to a highway.
Unable to go any further, she sat down on the shoulder of the road. She looked down the highway and saw a trailer truck coming, but she didn't care. She was too exhausted to run anymore. She just sat there as the truck stopped.
A big man climbed down from the rig. "Are you all right, young lady?" asked the man.
"I--I am tired and hungry. That is all," replied Lizzie Jane.
"Little lady, please don't think anything about this, but there is a truck stop down the road apiece and I could get you something to eat there. Will it be okay for you to ride with me that far?" asked the man.
"Oh, I am so tired and hungry, I don't care. No, I mean -- I am not scared of you. You seem to be nice," answered Lizzie Jane. Actually her first statement was true. She was too tired to care.
"Can you walk?"
"A little. I am so tired. Your truck is so high off the ground. I don't think I can make it," replied Lizzie Jane.
"If you will let me, I believe I can pick you up enough to make it."
"Okay, I guess -- if you are strong enough."
The man reached down, put his hands under her legs and said, "Okay, put your arms around my neck."
As near as she could remember, Lizzie Jane had never been picked up by such a strong man. He was able to raise her high enough to barely reach the passenger seat. "Now let's find something to eat," he stated. "Oh, by the way, my name is Joe."
"My name is --- ah, my name is ---," Lizzie Jane stopped for a moment, seemed to go into deep thought and then exclaimed, "I don't know! I don't know who I am!"
"We are not far from the truck stop. Maybe some food will help. Remember, I will be buying. Oh, by the way, when was the last time you ate?" asked Joe.
"I don't know that, either," said Lizzie Jane. "I know it has not been recently."
In just a few minutes, Joe was parking the big truck in the parking lot. Joe helped Lizzie Jane down from the truck. The couple found a booth in a quiet corner.
Joe asked, "Now, what would you like to eat?"
"I don't know. A horse? I am so hungry, I could eat a horse." smiled Lizzie Jane.
"Okay, you need some real food. We will order some soup and while you are eating it, they can fix you a steak and some potatoes -- something to stick to your ribs," replied Joe. "How do you like your steak?"
"I don't know that, either," said Lizzie Jane.
"Well, the women I know like their's well done, so we will order that for you."
Lizzie Jane smile, "That will do just fine. Thank you."
While Lizzie Jane was eating, Joe went over and talked to the waitress, explaining how he had found Lizzie Jane and that she had lost her memory. The waitress called the manager and, after a little discussion, the manager agreed to let her stay there for awhile and they would try to find out more about the young lady.
Joe walked back over to the table where Lizzie Jane was sitting. "I have to go and have a long way to travel. The folks here are going to help you."
"Okay," smiled Lizzie Jane. "Thank you again -- and please be careful."
Lizzie Jane seemed to be sincere in her statement -- that she cared about others. Joe smiled back.
The first place the manager called was the sheriff and was informed that they did not have anyone searching for a girl fitting Lizzie Jane's description. Lizzie Jane had crossed the county line and the sheriff in her home county had not put out a statewide alert, thinking that she would be found in his county. A few other calls produced the same result.
"How old would you say she is?" asked the manager.
The waitress looked at her and said, "It is hard to tell -- maybe sixteen."
The manager walked over to Lizzie Jane to ask her.
"Hello, my name is Sam", said the manager. "Can you tell me how old you are?"
Sam? That rung a bell. Somehow, in her mind, the name Sam and a restaurant went together, but she could not connect the name 'Sam' with the teen hangout in Carter's Bend.
"I am sorry, but I don't know. Is it important?" asked Lizzie Jane.
"No, it is not important -- particularly if you are at least 16," answered Sam.
"Well, since I don't know, let's just say I am 16. That is a nice age to be," answered Lizzie Jane. "Some girls are married by the time they are 16." Lizzie Jane paused and thought, now where had she heard that?
Sam continued, "We have a little room in the back with a bed, so you can lie down for the night. Don't worry. We are open 24 hours a day, so you will not be alone. Tomorrow we will do some more checking and, if we cannot find anything about you, you can help around here a little. We can always use another waitress when the place gets crowded. A young lady like you can get a lot of tips -- make a lot of money."
Lizzie Jane smiled again and welcomed the offer of a room. She was so tired.
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--To be continued
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Copyright 2007 by Starla Anne Lowry
under the pen name of Billie Sue Pilgrim
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Lizzie Jane has lost her memory, but little things keep coming back -- but how much? How fast? Why did she pick Lizzie Jane as a new name, not realizing that was her old name? Will she find a new love? There are many questions yet to be answered. Maybe we can find out these and other things together.
YOUNG LOVE, CHAPTER 4
"How do you like being a waitress?" asked Carol.
Lizzie Jane, who had only had one hour experience in the occupation replied, "Well, it is okay, but I don't know about that guy over there pinching me on my butt."
Carol smiled. "That is part of the job. None of us like scum like that. The best thing to do when that happens is to just turned to him and smile. To make an issue of it would lose customers. From then on, just don't get close enough for him to do it again. If he is your customer, check his table as soon as he leaves. He will probably leave a large tip. I know him and he is a big-shot timber man."
As a beginner, Lizzie Jane had only worked during the rush lunch hour. She found out that it was not easy -- trying to keep the orders and prices straight. Also, she had to put up with the advances of the male customers. She figured she must have turned down at least a dozen dates -- some good-lookers, too.
The rush being over, Carol and Lizzie Jane sat down to a cup of coffee.
"Another thing -- when business is slow, the waitresses try to push the juke box," stated Carol. "The owner gets half of what it takes in. Often we will match coins and get to pick the songs. I know that is gambling, but it is all in good fun and it doesn't cost us anything if we lose. The owner lets us take a nickle out of the cash register. Even getting half of it back, he makes more than he loses."
"I am getting hungry. What does the food costs us?" asked Lizzie Jane.
"Oh, not anything. If we want to eat or drink anything, we just get it. There is not any charge. You are not going to eat enough to break the owner," replied Carol.
Lizzie Jane looked at the menu. A vegetable plate lunch was 50 cents -- with meat, it was 60. Hamburgers and hot dogs had gone up from ten cents to fifteen cents. Soft drinks had gone up to ten cents. Prices were steadily rising.
Waitress uniforms were a plain white or green button-up dress with pockets on the side to hold a ticket book and a pencil, although most of the time the pencils were placed behind the ear. Although it looked nice for a waitress to wear nylon stockings, Sam did not require it.
"Do you have any more clues to who you are?" asked Carol.
"No, most everything is blank. I remember some things, but not people," replied Lizzie Jane.
"What kind of things?"
"Things that you would not believe. Sometimes I wonder if I am just remembering dreams. Some are just too fantastic," answered Lizzie Jane. "But, the name 'Sam' rings a bell and it is connected to a restaurant."
"Do you think you have been here before?" asked Carol.
"No, or at least I don't think so," answered Lizzie Jane. "Another thing, why cannot I remember my name?"
"Why don't we just name you. You need some kind of name," said Carol. "I know a good name -- Elizabeth -- and we could call you Liz -- you know, kinda like Elizabeth Taylor. You look kinda like an 'Elizabeth' or maybe a 'Jane'?"
"Sounds okay to me," replied Lizzie Jane. "Somehow those names seem familiar and they seem to fit. How about calling me Lizzie Jane? That would be putting the two names together."
"So it is -- from now on out, you are 'Lizzie Jane'."
Lizzie Jane's brain was working overtime -- why did the name 'Lizzie Jane' sound so familiar? Did she know someone by that name?
"Hey, Sam," called Carol to the manager working in the kitchen. "Little Miss Lost Girl has a name now -- it is Elizabeth Jane and we are going to call her Lizzie Jane."
Lizzie Jane became very proficient in waiting on tables and she particularly like the tips she received. Some weeks she could pocket $200 after Carol and she split the tips. No one else she knew made that much money in 1955.
"Before the season ends, I had hoped to go somewhere and go deer hunting", stated Sam as he walked up. "Wish people had not killed all the deer around here."
Carol spoke first. "I understand that the government is thinking about restocking Alabama with some deer, so it may not be too long until you can can hunt deer with your bow.
"Bow?" asked Lizzie Jane. "Could I see it some day?"
"Sure, I have it here in the office," stated Sam. He located the archery set and proudly presented it for Lizzie Jane to examine. "Takes a real expert to shoot one of those things."
"May I try?" asked Lizzie Jane.
Sam laughed. Surely Lizzie Jane did not realize how difficult it was to properly hold the bow, much less hit something. To have some fun and since it was a sunny afternoon and there wasn't any customers at the time, he decided that they could go outside and he could put up a target about 50 feet away.
"Isn't that kinda close?" asked Lizzie Jane.
"Well, okay -- how about twice as far?"
"How about five times further," suggested Lizzie Jane. She did not know why, but she felt that she could hit a target further than that.
"Okay, but don't say it was my idea," answered Sam.
Lizzie Jane placed an arrow properly and pulled back on the string, took aim, and let it fly. Bulls eye!
"Beginner's luck," teased Sam.
Lizzie Jane repeated the motion and the next arrow found its mark beside the other arrow, both touching. Sam, still not satisfied, threw an apple in the air and Lizzie Jane brought it down with an arrow. She seemed very pleased that she was a great marksman in archery.
"Wow!" exclaimed Carol each time.
"Where did you learn that?" asked Sam.
Without giving it a second thought, Lizzie Jane replied, "in the jungle." Surprising herself, she thew her hand up and covered her mouth. That came out without thinking.
Sam stood there looking strangely at Lizzie Jane and Carol had her mouth open. Here was something that may be important -- but what jungle, and when? What strange things are there that Lizzie Jane cannot remember?
Lizzie Jane could not answer their questions. All she knew was that she had said that she learned archery in the jungle -- but when and how was not readily available.
Perhaps, her family were missionaries. Ah yes, that would explain it. As for now, that must be the only reasonable answer, so with nothing else to go on, Sam and Carol accepted it -- at least, for the present.
The trio walked back into the restaurant hoping to find a couple of customers even though it had been a slow afternoon. Sam went into his office, came back out and handed Lizzie Jane a composition book. "Thought it might help if you kept up with every little thought and eventually maybe put them all together. Might help you find out who you are."
As Carol and Lizzie Jane sat at a table, each with a cup of coffee, Lizzie Jane remarked, "Maybe I should write what I think might be my dreams, too. I wonder where I have been and what I have done."
"It must be rough, not knowing what-is-what," mentioned Carol.
While Lizzie Jane wrote in her journal, Carol left to wait on a customer that just came in. It wasn't long until both girls were busy as patrons started arriving for their evening meal, many travelers passing through the area.
"Hello, Bright Eyes," smiled a young gentleman as Lizzie Jane came up to his table. "Where have you been all my life?"
"Oh, just hiding in the woods, swinging from tree to tree," answered Lizzie Jane. Suddenly she thought, 'Now, why did I say that?'
"Well honey, you can swing my way any time," said the young man. "By the way, my name is Philip. Everybody knows me, so I am not a stranger, so hows about you and me get acquainted?"
"Maybe some day", smiled Lizzie Jane. She did not want to be rude to a customer.
"Well, tomorrow is someday and I know you are not busy all day, so how about a walk in the park?" replied Philip.
A walk in the park? Lizzie Jane thought, 'Now, that is a new one. We are out in the country now', so she asked, "What park?"
"Oh, there is one up the road where kids play. Has swings, sheds and everything. We could make a picnic of it," answered Philip.
"Well maybe, some day," replied Lizzie Jane. "I am having a few problems right now."
"Well," stated Philip, "I assure you -- a picnic is just the thing to get rid of problems."
"Well, I appreciate the offer, but not right now. May I take your order?"
Well, I would like to have -- ah, you haven't told me your name."
"Lizzie Jane! Now, may I have your order?" Lizzie Jane was getting a little angry.
Philip noticed that, so in a nice manner, he answered, "A good juicy hamburger and a glass of milk with a nice, cute Lizzie Jane to boot."
"Not now -- please," replied Lizzie Jane.
"Okay -- not now -- but I will be back. You will find me very charming," replied Richard.
'Yeah', thought Lizzie Jane. 'Carol can wait on you next time.'
But aloud, Lizzie Jane said, "Thank you sir. One of our famous delicious juicy hamburgers coming up."
During the meal, Philip kept eyeing Lizzie Jane until she became very embarrassed. Philip saw her red face and smiled.
Philip paid his bill and started out the door, turned around and said (loud enough for all to hear), "See ya later, Bright Eyes."
'Not if I can help it', thought Lizzie Jane as she began to clear his table. Her eyes fell on the tip. It was a fifty dollar bill. Philip must have been serious about wanting to walk with her in the park -- and furthermore, he must be rich.
When it came time to share the tips between the two waitresses, Carol smiled when she saw the fifty dollar bill. "That is a special tip from a special man so you need to keep it" said Carol.
"I don't think he is so special. His name is Philip," answered Lizzie Jane
"Philip York? Why he is wealthy and the girls swoon over him. He must be looking toward you as a trophy girlfriend," said Carol.
"A trophy girlfriend?" asked Lizzie Jane. "What's that?"
"You must be playing hard to get..."
"I am not playing. I am not interested," interrupted Lizzie Jane.
"Well, he thinks you are and he wants to win you over to him so he can have his way with you and, afterwards, dispose of you like an old rag," explained Carol.
"Well, I can assure you -- I have no interest in him and do not intend to have any," insisted Lizzie Jane. "And that is final!"
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(To be continued)
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Copyrighted 2008 by Starla Anne Lowry
under the pen name of Billie Sue
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She wasn't sure what she should do until she heard his remark, "Good night, sister. We don't leave witnesses." Immediately Lizzie Jane knew that the gunman intended to kill the waitress.
Young Love, Chapter 5
At 2 o'clock every afternoon, Carol finished her day. Each girl worked an eight hour shift. During the breakfast, lunch, and supper periods, Sam was on hand to do most of the cooking. He took off during the slack hours and left everything to the waitress. That is why Lizzie Jane was so welcome. It was time for some extra help.
Mandy came to work at 2 o'clock and, since Lizzie Jane had nothing to do, she helped her until after supper. It was not a rush like lunch since the evening was a leisure time for most couples. A few single men, tired of eating sandwiches or their own cooking, appeared from time to time. During the night, there were only a few truck drivers stopping, mostly for coffee and pie and to fuel their trucks at the service station across the road.
By 10 pm, most patrons had departed and Lizzie Jane made preparations for bed in the little room next to Sam's office. She worked late because there was nothing for her to do in the outside world. Besides, she was not a regular employee -- just helping out for her room and board.
Lizzie Jane looked around the small accommodations. There wasn't much -- a single bed, a small dresser with a mirror. There was a door leading to Sam's office that Lizzie Jane was allowed to lock for privacy. To bathe, she had to go into the women's public rest room, fill a wash pan with water, go back to the room and take a "sponge" bath. She followed this procedure each late each night before retiring.
At least it was a place to stay -- to rest and sleep for a little while. Sam surprised her by bringing in a radio and television. Although there were only two television stations in Birmingham, she enjoyed the items.
Sam lived next to the restaurant, so he went home around 9 o'clock. Since Sam went home nightly, he employed a male to do a little work around the establishment. The main purpose of hiring a man was to serve as a companion to Mandy so she would not be alone.
A window placed in Lizzie Jane's sleeping quarters allowed a person to view the restaurant, but a curtain had been placed over it for privacy. Sometimes, she pulled the curtain back and watched the night shift as they went about their duties until she drifted off to sleep.
Lizzie Jane decided to bed down for the night when two men entered the restaurant with hand guns. She was not sleepy and did not feel like watching television, so she had the curtains open slightly looking at the cashier's section of the restaurant. She had a good view of an attempted robbery.
Feeling that she needed to do something, she quietly opened the door to Sam's office, located his archery set and opened the office door just enough to aim an arrow toward one of the gunmen. She wasn't sure what she should do until she heard his remark, "Good night, sister. We don't leave witnesses." Immediately Lizzie Jane knew that the gunman intended to kill the waitress.
Without a second thought, she let an arrow fly toward the hand holding the revolver and, upon a perfect strike, the man jerked his hand in pain and the shot missed the waitress at least three feet. The next arrow went toward his accomplice, hitting him in the upper leg, causing him to fall backward. Quickly she shot the gunman at the cash register again, this time in the shoulder, to further disable him.
Lizzie Jane stepped out from behind the door, with another arrow aimed at the men, screaming for them to stop or the next arrow would be to the heart. She instructed the waitress to pick up the dropped gun, but to not walk in front of the gunmen. She knew that they could use that opportunity to grab the waitress and foul up the entire procedure.
Her male companion picked up the other gun and held the men at bay while Lizzie Jane telephoned the sheriff. Realizing that their lives have been saved, the waitress sighed relief and sat down, nervously shaking as fear began to take control. The next call was to Sam, quickly explaining that an attempted robbery had taken place. Sam arrived in just a matter of minutes.
After the police had taken the suspects and the matter was explained to Sam, his reply to Lizzie Jane was, "What kind of girl are you?"
Lizzie Jane sat down and began to cry. "I don't know. Some of the things I seem to remember, I have been trying to dismiss as dreams. I don't know who I am -- where I am from -- and why certain events are being brought to my remembrance -- things that cannot be possible. There were a certain group of people who claimed to be my family and I did not recognize any of them -- not even the one who claim to be my boyfriend."
"Where are those people now? That might give us a clue," inquired Sam.
"I don't know. I was so confused that I escaped and don't know where I escaped from. All I know to do is begin a new life." Lizzie Jane began to cry. "I am so confused."
By this time, Carol had shown up. She gave Lizzie Jane a big hug. "You don't want to know your past, do you?"
"Not really," replied Lizzie Jane. "I am afraid I have done something wrong -- or maybe been considered crazy. That could have been why all those people were around me claiming to be my family. I just want a fresh start."
Carol looked at Sam. He nodded.
"Okay, hon," answered Carol. "You have a job now and making good money, so we are going to find you a place to live instead of staying in that little room, although our people were lucky that you were there tonight. I am carrying you home with me. I don't think you could sleep good here now."
"That's right," agreed Sam. "After what has happened, I am closing the restaurant temporarily. I don't think my employees would feel like working anyway. We may stay closed for a couple of days until we get our wits back. We can have the sheriff place a notice on the door that a crime as been committed and that will help our customers to understand."
"Let's go," said Carol. "And tomorrow we will go shopping and maybe a trip to the beauty salon. That always makes a girl feel better."
Lizzie Jane smiled. She had never been to a beauty parlor before.
*********************************
They had called it pampering. Perhaps it was for those used to it, but the perm and waxing seemed more like torture to Lizzie Jane. She did not mind the manicure and nail polish, but everything else...
Well, maybe it was because she was a country girl -- or maybe she had forgotten what a trip to the beauty parlor meant.
She enjoyed the shopping. With all the pretty dresses, it was difficult to make a decision with the amount of money she had -- but she did -- and came out with three of the prettiest dresses that she had ever seen. Also, she added two skirts and blouses plus two slips and six pair of nylon panties. She needed them and could have used a lot more if her money had held out because when she had originally arrived at the restaurant, all the clothes she had was what she was wearing.
One thing about it -- she did feel better -- and felt pretty. She did not ever remember feeling pretty.
Carol and Lizzie Jane were walking back to Sam's car (which he so graciously loaned to the young ladies) when Carol made a suggestion that she had been considering most of the day, "Lizzie Jane, why don't you share my home? It is a three bedroom house which my grandfather had left me before he passed away and I would feel a whole lot safer with you there."
"I don't know," replied Lizzie Jane. "Are you sure?"
"Yes -- I often go home at night, scared to be by myself. You could have a bedroom all by yourself -- and with a bathroom."
Lizzie Jane thought just a minute, then answered, "Okay, I will give it a try."
"Great!" smiled Carol.
"What's so great?" a male voice spoke up. The girls turned and saw that Philip had walked up behind them. "Oh, I know what is great -- Lizzie Jane is. In fact, she is wonderful."
"Oh, it's you," replied Lizzie Jane.
"How about that walk in the park? A beautiful day for it."
"Not right now."
"When?"
"Probably never!"
"Oh, you just broke my heart," whimpered Philip.
"I am not interested in dating you or any other man right now," replied Lizzie Jane.
"I am not talking about a date -- just walking. A lot of people walk together in the park."
"No!" exclaimed Lizzie Jane as she got in the car on the passenger side. Carol crawled under the steering wheel, started the car and repeated what Lizzie Jane had said --"No! She is not interested!" She drove off, leaving Philip standing there with a determined grin on his face.
Carol drove back to Sam's residence to tell him about the decision of Lizzie Jane and her sharing Carol's house.
"Did you intend to give Lizzie Jane the TV and radio as gifts?" Carol asked Sam.
"I sure did. They were extra things I did not need and I will see that she gets an antenna, too."
"Well, we are going home now, so hop in so you can bring your car back home."
"No hurry. Just keep it a few days and drive it to work. I plan to open back up Monday morning. Mandy has already told me that she cannot come back because of what happened, so I need some more help. If you know of anyone, let me know."
"Okay," agreed Carol and Lizzie Jane nodded agreement, too.
As Carol drove toward 'home', Lizzie Jane began to think -- a place she could call 'home'. It sounded so wonderful to be able to go 'home'. Yep, sharing a house would make it more of a home, fulfilling the deep desire of both girls of sharing something.
Carol's mind was on the same subject. It was lonesome to live alone and would be much more fun to share-- even if it was with another girl.
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To be continued
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Copyright 2008 by Starla Anne Lowry
under the pen name of Billie Sue Pilgrim
"Well, this is what I call home," stated Carol ... Lizzie Jane fell in love with it right away. "It is your home, too -- for you and Philip." teased Carol.
"Don't even mention that rich, stuck-up brat," Lizzie Jane answered sharply.
"Oh, now -- a brat is a naughty little boy," smiled Carol.
"That is exactly what he is!"
Young Love, Chapter 6
"Well, this is what I call home," stated Carol. It wasn't a huge house, but very neat in appearance with what appeared to be a fresh coat of white paint.
The living room was light blue, supplied with french provincial furniture and matching carpet. Lizzie Jane fell in love with it right away.
"It is your home, too -- for you and Philip." teased Carol.
"Don't even mention that rich, stuck-up brat," Lizzie Jane answered sharply.
"Oh, now -- a brat is a naughty little boy," smiled Carol.
"That is exactly what he is!"
"Let's look at your bedroom."
Lizzie Jane's bedroom was girlie -- real girlie with wallpaper of light red roses on stems with green leaves, a large canopy bed, antique-style furniture and a large closet. There was a personal bathroom with a large antique-style bathtub and vanities.
"Here is the den," proudly announced Carol as she displayed a room with very comfortable furniture. Yesterday's newspaper was scattered on the floor with a few other items -- not trashy, but evidently not the best kept room in the house. "This is the one where we will stay most of the time and mess up."
The kitchen was small, but nice and clean. Everything easy to reach with only a few steps from any one spot in the cooking area. There was a small table beyond the bar, just right for a few people to sit for private meals. A larger area was provided for special meals and guests .
"Wow!" exclaimed Lizzie Jane. "All this is yours?"
"Like I said, my grandfather left it to me in his will. I could not afford anything like this. I have a hard enough time keeping it reasonably clean," stated Carol.
"Well, I am here now, so we can divide the chores," replied Lizzie Jane.
"Mmm -- I never thought about that. We can, can't we?"
"Yep."
"I'll put some coffee on and we will relax a little. We did not purchase much, but took a lot of time at the beauty parlor and shopping," Carol stated.
Sitting at the kitchen table with coffee cups in hand, Carol explained, "This is a very nice neighborhood. There are a few married couples, but we also have our share of single girls, so a lot of boys come around. I don't know if you are ready or not, but you should think about going out, mixing with people, and meet some of the guys. You are young, good looking and I do know some cute fellows"
"Maybe I should -- meet some guys, I mean -- not anything serious, you know. That might help to keep Philip off my back. I am not ready to get serious with anyone -- especially Philip. I don't know what my reputation was before, but I want to start getting a good one. I know I believe in God and believe that I am a Christian. My mother keeps coming to me in dreams and I know she is in Heaven and I want to see her again someday."
Tears began to fill the eye of Lizzie Jane. Carol laid her hand on top of Lizzie Jane's and said, "I know it hurts. To lose your mother as young as you are."
"Yes, I don't remember much about her, but there is a warm place in my heart that causes me to think that we had a wonderful relationship. Just last night, my mother came to me and told me that everything was going to be all right. What is happening to me will make me stronger to meet problems that lie ahead. She reminded me that she had promised to be with me always and would never leave me. My mind was opened to times I was protected by divine intervention. I used to be a scared little girl, but knowing mother is there all the time and, if I were to die, I would go to be with her. That prevents me from being afraid of the future and I am not afraid of dying."
Lizzie Jane began to cry that much more, but now she had someone to cry with her -- Carol was there. In Lizzie Jane's subconscious mind, she had been a lonely girl. Even though she was sure she had friends and maybe a family, she somehow knew that she never had a sister to share her deepest feelings and now Carol was becoming the sister she never had.
With tear-filled eyes, Lizzie Jane looked up to Carol. "I love you and I want you to be my sister."
That melted Carol's heart. "Sure I will. I never had a sister, either." They embraced and two hearts bonded together that day -- the best of friends -- two sisters to share things.
************************************
Carol woke to the smell of bacon and eggs and coffee. There was other smell, too, which she could not identify. Putting on her robe, she made her usual trip to her bathroom and then padded to the kitchen.
She found Lizzie Jane, finishing up breakfast. "Good morning, sleepy head. I thought the smell of a good breakfast would open your eyes."
Carol rubbed her eyes. "Ordinarily I would just have a bowl of corn flakes or something quick like that."
"Well, I just thought it was the thing to do. I have eggs, bacon, and biscuits. I could not find any grits, so we will have to skip that this morning. Also, I was going to fry the eggs, but I did not know your preference, so I scrambled them. I always fix my eggs well-done I also ate my meat well-done because I think that would kill any bad germs."
Ah, biscuits -- That was the smell that Carol could not identify. The meal was delicious and the biscuits were the best she had ever put in her mouth. "We are going to have to tell Sam about your cooking. Betcha he would be glad to have someone to cook besides himself."
Carol reached for the last biscuit, broke it and gave half to Lizzie Jane. "I could eat a dozen more of these things," she said.
"Well, I will bake a extra dozen next time," replied Lizzie Jane.
"You mean that we ate a dozen biscuits?"
"Well, not exactly -- I ate three and a half and you devoured eight and a half," smiled Lizzie Jane.
"Well, you shouldn't be such a good cook."
"I can't help it. I love to eat."
Ding dong went the doorbell.
"I'll get it," said Carol, getting up to answer the door.
"Hey there." There were two smiling faces of a couple of girls from the neighborhood. "Thought you would be at work. Anything wrong?'
"Well, we had an attempted robbery a couple of nights ago, so Sam has closed the restaurant until Monday to give everybody a breather."
"Good," said one of the girls. Emma is having a party tonight and we are going. We thought if you were free, we might get you a date and go with us."
"Make that two dates and I will be there."
"Now, what are you going to do with two guys? One should be enough."
Carol laughed. "I have a new room-mate and we have adopted each other as sisters."
"Cool."
"Her name is Elizabeth. We call her Lizzie Jane." stated Carol. She turned toward Lizzie Jane, who was still in the kitchen and had started washing the dishes, "Hey, come here a minute and meet your neighbors."
Wiping her hands, Lizzie Jane came to the door to say hello.
"These girls have invited us to Emma's house for a party and going to get dates for us. How about it?" inquired Carol.
Lizzie Jane smiled, "I don't know -- about a blind date, that is. I might get stuck with a bald, fat grandfather."
"Aw, come on, it'll be fun," Carol begged.
"We will get you one of the best looking men in town. You will be pleased, I am sure," answered one of the girls.
"Well, okay," replied Lizzie Jane.
"Promise not to back out?"
"I promise."
"Okay, see ya at the party," one of the girls said as they left.
A mischievous grin appeared on Lizzie Jane's face. "Wonder if Philip will be there. I hope he is, so I can show him that he is not the only man on the earth. He thinks he is so smart. Why, I wouldn't date Philip for a million dollars."
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"Who should we get for Elizabeth?" asked one of the girls as they walked down the street.
"I think I know just the one. I don't think he has got a date yet and he will be perfect for her -- good looking, well educated -- in fact, he is going to be a doctor."
"Oh yeah -- I know who you are talking about. He will be perfect for a pretty girl like Elizabeth.
"Think she will like him?"
"Of course, he is the most popular guy around. Anyway, it would be very impolite to refuse a blind date."
"Yes, it would. I believe Elizabeth to be a very nice and polite young lady. Besides, she promised."
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To be continued
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Copyright 2008 by Starla Anne Lowry
under the pen name of Billie Sue Pilgrim=
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"Hon, the fact that you are so anxious may indicate that have never been on a real date. You may have been out with friends and may have received a kiss from a boy that you cared for very much, but dating a strange man that you don't know is a new and exciting experience. You have got to date and play the field if you ever expect to get married and have a happy home life."
Young Love, Chapter 7
Lizzie Jane was having a problem making up her mind. She stood in one spot looking in her closet, trying to decide which new dress she wanted to wear to the party.
Not having anything but the clothes on her back when she arrived at Sam's restaurant, she had purchased three new dresses with the help of Carol, so she did not have much of a choice. However, like the average girl, making a choice between three dresses seemed like a huge decision. She had to look right for her date -- whoever he may be.
Lizzie Jane was very happy since Sam had given her a regular job and Carol offered to share her home with her. Also, she was not as lonely after unofficially being adopted as Carol's sister. That simple act caused her to feel wanted and loved, In addition, she had been invited to her first party and a blind date had been promised.
She tried to remember -- had she ever been on a date before? What was that in the back of her name about Sam and the name being connected to a restaurant? Had she been there on a date?
Finally, she decided on the red dress. When trying it on at the store, Carol had said, "Red is your color." Knowing very little about selecting store-bought clothes, Lizzie Jane did not know that girls had certain colors that made them look better.
One the things she did remember was that she had been taught to make all her clothes, mostly from flour sacks or material purchased at the general store. She had also learned to visualize the style she wanted without using Simplicity patterns. Although Lizzie Jane was unaware of it, she could have started a business designing and selling women's fashions.
Little by little memories were returning. The worse part about her amnesia were that she was still having problems remembering people and names. She wondered about what kind of person she had been.
Oh well, hopefully she did not have a criminal record, having been an assassin or something like that. What caused her to think of that was her abilities to save a couple of lives.
Settling on the dress, she turned her thoughts to her blind date. The neighborhood girls had promised to find one of the most popular, handsome men in the area for her. Lizzie Jane hoped that he would find her pleasant and attractive.
Carol appeared at the door. "How is my new sister today?"
"I am so happy. I can't wait for tonight. How do you think this dress will look?" replied Lizzie Jane.
"It looks great. Just what I would have suggested."
"I am so nervous. I don't remember ever being on a date. What am I supposed to do -- how am I supposed to act?" questioned Lizzie Jane.
"Girls act differently. It would help if you remembered how old you are. We selected sixteen because you look like you could be sixteen. You could be older or younger."
"How does a sixteen year old act?"
"Like all other women -- except more more 'girlish'. The man likes to think he is in charge. We have our ways of getting what we want and that is by being sweet and appearing to be completely dependent on the guy. If you are smarter than your man, don't show it. If he wants to kiss, do it -- but do not go any further. You are still a minor -- or I think you are."
"So you think I am sixteen?"
"Honey, you have the looks of a sixteen year old and the mind of someone a lot more mature. Just act natural. It will all come to you, Just keep in mind your body sometimes wants to go further than you should, so keep your guard up," smiled Carol. "If you care for a guy, it is easy to give in to your feminine desires."
"A more mature mind?" question Lizzie Jane.
"Yes, I have noticed you at the restaurant. You present yourself as being somewhere in the twenties, but you look younger. Just remember-- do not let a man take advantage of you. With a pretty girl, a man only has one thing in mind."
"What's that?"
Carol smiled. "You will learn."
"I am sorry to be so stupid when it come to men," confessed Lizzie Jane.
"Hon, the fact that you are so anxious may indicate that have never been on a real date. You may have been out with friends and may have received a kiss from a boy that you cared for very much, but dating a strange man that you don't know is a new and exciting experience. You have got to date and play the field if you ever expect to get married and have a happy home life."
"Suppose I don't like this guy that I am with tonight?"
"Just be nice and, if he asks for another date -- just turn him down gently. Don't be rude and be the sweet girl that you are. For tonight, act like he is the only man in the world. Do not ruin his night and yours. Just keep in mind that, if he wants a kiss, you don't have to give it to him. He could be a tobacco chewing jerk, but I don't think our neighborhood girls would select a jerk for you. Whatever your decision, let him off easy."
"Will you help me get ready?" requested Lizzie Jane.
"Certainly. Sit down and I will fix your hair and help with your makeup."
Carol ran her fingers through Lizzie Jane's hair. "Looks like we are going to have to make a trip to the beauty shop before another date comes along. Your hair is a mess - split ends and everything." Grabbing a pair of scissors and a brush, she continued, "But, for now, I will do what I can."
Lizzie Jane received a shampoo, followed by a very feminine hair style, using a curling iron. Next came the makeup and, by the time Carol was finished, Lizzie Jane indeed looked like a girl in her mid-20s.
Completing the magic touch, Carol donated some pantyhose and a pearl necklace with matching clip-on earrings. "Ouch, those hurt," complained Lizzie Jane.
"Well, those ears have got to be pierced," answered Carol. "More and more girls are getting that done. Clip-on earrings will be out of style in a few years."
Carol also donated some lacy panties, a nylon slip and a size B bra that she had worn in her younger days and had not thrown away. The dress and a pair of red shoes with medium heels finished the look and Lizzie Jane saw herself in the mirror. She looked fabulous. The shoes that was borrowed from Carol was a little small, but okay.
Carol had to hurry to get ready. The time for their dates to arrive was drawing nearer. She wore a blue dress with matching shoes, but did not look as good as Lizzie Jane. "Well," she thought. "Some girls have it and some don't." No need to hurry too much. She always had a habit of being late.
Finally, after much anticipation, there was knock at the door. Lizzie Jane was still in her bedroom, so Carol answered it. Two men and the neighborhood girls were standing there.
"Carol, this is Jerry. He is your date," said one of the girls. "The other one is..."
"I know," Carol said cutting off the girl's sentence. "He is Elizabeth's date. I will go get her. "
Carol entered Lizzie Jane's bedroom and said, "Our dates are here. Remember your promise to accept whoever the girls came up with."
"Oh, he isn't good looking?" questioned a seemingly disappointed Lizzie Jane.
"Oh, he is very handsome, but before you meet him, there is one thing you need to know."
"Oh, what could it possible be?"
"Well, the girls did not know that that there was one guy that you did not like and had no desire to date," stated Carol. She paused a moment and continued, "So, the bad news is that your date is Philip."
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--To be continued
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Copyright by Starla Anne Lowry
under the pen name of Billie Sue Pilgrim
Philip placed a couple of fingers to her lips and whispered, "Shh." Putting one bent finger under her chin, he raised her head and looked at her straight in the eyes. Their lips moved toward each other and, as they touched, Lizzie Jane became limp as the sweetness of the kiss canceled out everything around them and, once again, she was flooded with warmness and complete surrender. At that moment, she would have given into anything Philip wanted.
Chapter 8
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Lizzie Jane stood there speechless. So, her much anticipated blind date was with Philip, the man she had despised and had never considered a likely prospect for a date.
Was this a trick Phillip managed to play on her or was it fate? She did not know, but she had promised to be nice to whoever it was, so the only thing to do was to be polite and follow through with her obligation.
Holding her head up proudly, she made her way to the living room. When Philip saw Lizzie Jane, he appeared to be shocked, but regained his composure quickly and smiled.
"Well, when they said I had a date with Elizabeth, I knew that she had to be beautiful, but, my dear, you are more lovely than I had expected. The name I heard when people referred to you was Lizzie Jane. If I may say so, I am very pleasantly surprised."
Lizzie Jane held out her hand as she thought a proper lady should and Philip kissed it as a proper gentleman. Lizzie Jane did not know why she did that, but it just seem to be the right thing at the time. Maybe it was because she was seeing herself as a lady by following through with her commitment.
Philip took her by the arm and the couple slowly walked toward the car, a white four door Cadillac with all the extras. Phillip opened the front door for Lizzie Jane. He took his place on the driver's side. Before starting the engine, he looked toward Lizzie Jane and stated, "Aren't you afraid the door might come open and you could fall out?"
Taking the hint, Lizzie Jane slid closer to Philip, turned her head toward him and smiled. She had promised to be nice and was determined to be as polite as she could be. After all, wasn't this going to be the first and last date with this rich playboy?
Carol's date, Jerry, drove up in a black 1953 Ford Sedan. Carol was pleased to see him so prompt, not wanting Lizzie Jane to arrive at the party too far ahead. She did not trust Philip with a young, innocent girl. With Jerry and Carol following close behind, Philip drove very slow, much below the speed limit.
"Emma always has a great party," mentioned Philip, beginning the conversation. "I think you will enjoy yourself."
Lizzie Jane sat speechless, not knowing what to say. Finally, she stammered, "I --I haven't been to many parties. I hope I know how to act."
Philip smiled. "I am sure that a beautiful lady like you will do all right. Besides, I will be there and try to make you feel at ease." With that statement, Philip put his arm around Lizzie Jane, driving with one hand.
Lizzie Jane felt strange, especially when Philip pulled her closer to him. It wasn't a bad feeling. Instead, Lizzie Jane felt snug and a warmness began to develop throughout her body, something she did not expect and was not prepared for. All she ever had for Philip was contempt and did not desire to become one of his trophy girlfriends. However, such thoughts had departed out the back door of her heart and now she found herself becoming captivated by this man's charm.
Emma's house was not far, so Philip wheeled the car into a parking spot in just a few minutes. The couple sat still for awhile savoring the magic moments. At least, it was "magic" for Lizzie Jane, but she had no idea how Philip felt. Was it a natural thing for him to steal a girl's heart and claim his prize without romantic desires? Was she the one in a million? Or did all the girls he date feel the same way?
Her mind was trying to tell her one thing and her heart something else. Why did things have to get so complicated? Why did fate pick him for her blind date? Did Cupid's arrow only hit one heart at a time and had to shoot twice to really bring a couple together? Suppose he missed the second time?
Finally, Lizzie Jane asked, "Don't you think we ought go in?" She thought that would be the right thing to say, but she could have stayed cuddled up to Philip all night.
Philip placed couple of fingers to her lips and whispered, "Shh." Putting one bent finger under her chin, he raised her head and looked at her straight in the eyes. Their lips moved toward each other and, as they touched, Lizzie Jane became limp as the sweetness of the kiss canceled out everything around them and, once again, she was flooded with warmness and complete surrender. At that moment, she would have given into anything Philip wanted.
After a long, lingering kiss, the couple pulled apart and faced each other. Philip spoke first, "Elizabeth, I thought I fell in love with you when I first saw you. Now, there isn't any doubt. Do you think you could love me?"
Lizzie Jane was at a loss for words. Regaining her composure, she began to be thankful that they had not gone any further. She remembered the words of Carol: "Just remember-- do not let a man take advantage of you. With a pretty girl, a man only has one thing in mind."
"I think we should go in," stated Lizzie Jane, shaking her head a little, trying to make some common sense out of all this.
"Please answer my question," pleaded Philip.
"I - I don't know. All this is so sudden. I hadn't planned --"
"Don't plan anything. Just listen to your heart. You can let me know later. At least you did not say 'No' ". Philip smiled.
The party appeared to be a complete success. Philip, well known to everyone and expressing his lively nature, introduced 'Elizabeth' to everyone. Many of the girls jealously smiled, thinking what a lucky girl Lizzie Jane must be while other girls fumed inside thinking how Philip had dropped them like a hot potato. Philip was just a rich playboy in their book and just had another fish on his line.
On the other hand, Lizzie Jane walked in a daze, confused over everything. She tried her best to be a lady, answering when someone spoke to her, polite, and very courteous in her demeanor.
Did she love Philip or was it just a passing delusion brought on my the unexpected events of the moment. Was there such a thing as 'love at first sight'? If so, why did it not affect Lizzie Jane?
The party began to break up early and the guests began to leave, agreeing that they had a wonderful time. As Philip and Lizzie Jane walked to his car, Phillip glanced at his watch and remarked, "Seems a shame to waste a night like this." He thought a moment and continued, "We have only been out for a few hours. I know a nice little restaurant where we can go and talk."
Lizzie Jane wasn't sure that she wanted to go anywhere else with Philip, but she also felt that she owed him a nice date and the hour was early in the evening.
"Okay," she replied with a smile.
Philip was correct about their destination being a nice place. When they arrived, Lizzie Jane noticed immediately that it was a small, peaceful establishment -- but a little more higher class than which she had been accustomed.
As the couple entered, a man, apparently the owner, recognized Philip and with a smile welcomed him with "Good evening, Mr. York. May I find you and the young lady a table?"
"Yes, thank you -- a quiet little place where the lady and I can talk and not be disturbed," replied Philip.
"Of course, Mr. York. I have just the table."
Philip and Lizzie Jane was led to a table in a private area. At least, there were no other customers. Beautiful white linen decorated the table that supported two large candles. In just a few moments, soft music began to fill the room from an unseen source. A waiter soon appeared fully dressed in a blue uniform with a linen towel over his arm.
"May I take your order?"
How about two nice juicy steaks?" suggested Philip. Looking at Lizzie Jane, he asked, "How do you like your steaks?"
"Well done -- no red meat showing."
"I will have mine medium rare and, the salad -- make it Italian dressing -- that is, it that is okay with the young lady."
Lizzie Jane nodded her approval. She had never eaten a salad with Italian dressing.
"And the usual wine, sir?" asked the waiter.
Philip looked at Lizzie Jane. She looked to be in her early twenties, so he answered, "Yes, please?"
After the waiter left, Philip asked, "You are over twenty-one aren't you?"
Lizzie Jane replied, "Really, I don't know. Carol thinks I am about sixteen, but even she admits that I may be quite a bit older."
Philip smiled. "Well, you can drink just one glass to be on the safe side."
Lizzie Jane smiled back. She was being treated as an adult and she enjoyed it.
"Well, let's get acquainted if you don't mind," began Philip. "I am a pre-med student, planning on being a physician some day -- not sure which field I will go into. My family has plenty of money, so I don't have to worry about that. I just need to concentrate on my studies and be the best doctor in these parts."
"I am sure you will," encouraged Lizzie Jane.
"I have met a lot of girls and brought them to this same restaurant, but I have never felt anything toward any of them as I do you. Elizabeth, you have stolen my heart. Some day I am going to marry you and we will have a houseful of kids. I will make you very happy and you shall not want for anything. I would give you the moon if someone would sell it. Now. tell me a little something about yourself."
"Well," Lizzie Jane answered. "That isn't much to tell. You see, I lost my memory and I don't remember anything until I met a truck driver who brought me to Sam's Place. So, you know about as much about me as I do about myself. Little things keep coming to my mind, but nothing about people.'
"Things like what?" asked Philip.
"Well, things like getting lost in the woods and making friends with a little deer -- spending a lot of times in the woods and learning how to climb trees and shoot a bow and arrow. I also remember that, whenever I got into some kind of trouble, my mother would always come to me in a dream and tell me that she was with me and would always be there for me. I think I am a Christian and that is why God lets my mother visit me."
"Then -- your mother is deceased?" asked Philip.
"Yes -- or I think she is. There is something in my mind about some relatives, but I don't know who they are. I have a vague memory of breaking out of some kind of home and after that is when the truck driver found me -- on the side of the road -- lost and feeling helpless."
"Could it have been some kind of home for homeless girls -- or someone that was taking care of you?" asked Philip.
"I don't know," replied Lizzie Jane. "But, I am happy now. Carol has taken me into her home and adopted me as her sister."
"And here I come along and want to adopt you as my wife," laughed Philip. "But, I guess I approached you at the wrong time. I thought you hated me."
"I didn't want anything to do with you. I never realized that you are the sweet person that you are."
"Elizabeth, I know this is sudden, but like I said, I fell in love with you at first sight. Regardless of your past, will you marry me?"
"Oh, Phillip. Surely you know it is too soon to answer that. Suppose I have a husband that I don't remember?"
"Well, if you have one, you don't love him or you would not have forgotten." He smiled.
"Philip, I think I may love you, but I am not sure. I am not sure of anything right now. Please give me some more time. Please!"
"Okay," replied Philip. "Well, you can't blame a guy for trying. I wanted to be the first to propose, just in case someone else popped up. I want you all to myself. I am very selfish and have no desire to share you."
The waiter arrived with the salads and, as the couples continued to chat, delivered the main dishes a few minutes later.
"Here's our steaks -- lets's eat," suggested Philip. "My, they look good."
**************************************************************
As Philip delivered Lizzie Jane to the door of Carol's home, one last kiss seemed to be in order. When their lips met the second time, Lizzie Jane felt like she was in Heaven and could hear the angels singing. Her whole body quivered and suddenly she became weak and her knees buckled under her. Philip caught her, held her for a minute, and asked, "Are you okay?"
"I think so. I am not sure."
With that, Philip took her up in his arms, carried her into the house, and laid her on the couch.
"I am okay now," replied Lizzie Jane. "I think it was due to all the excitment."
"..and a sign that you are in love with the greatest guy on earth -- me! I think you just discovered the kiss of love," said Philip.
Philip sat on the floor beside her, took her hand into his and gently rubbed it. Lizzie Jane felt so secure that she closed her eyes and was soon asleep. Philip, believing everything was okay, kissed her on the forehead and tiptoed out.
He met Carol on the way out and explained what happened. Carol smiled and said, "I will make sure that she is all right. She is a very sweet and innocent girl. Please don't hurt her. If you don't mean what you say, get out of her life. She couldn't take it."
"Carol," replied Philip. "Please understand that what I say is true. I love that girl with all my heart and I will never do anything to hurt her -- now or ever."
Philip got into his car and drove off. Carol stood there for awhile, pondering what was said and about Lizzie Jane. She looked toward the starry sky and prayed to a higher power that everything will work out to the good.
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--To be continued
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Copyright 2008 by Starla Anne Lowry
Under the pen name of Billie Sue Pilgrim
The last part of this chapter is very religious, but I felt that it was necessary for the continuation of the story. Reference is made to a previous 'stand alone' story, but used only for explanation purposes. I do not intend for my stories to teach any certain kind of religious doctrine, although this chapter may seem to do that. The purpose is to supply hints about Lizzie Jane's future and what kind of husband she can expect, whoever he may be.
Chapter 9
Lizzie Jane woke with the sun streaming through the window. For a moment, she did not know where she was, but suddenly realized that she was in her own bed. She looked at her body and realized that she was clothed with a lacy nightgown. She sat up with a start. As she remembered the night before, she had gone to sleep on the couch with Philip rubbing her hand. Did he ---?
After her morning trip to the bathroom, she covered herself with a robe and padded toward the kitchen. The smell of bacon and eggs filled the air. Carol almost had breakfast cooked -- again. That was beginning to be a habit -- for Lizzie Jane to arrive for breakfast just as Carol was finishing up the cooking.
"What's wrong?" asked Carol as she noticed Lizzie Jane sitting at the table with a worried frown on her face.
"When Philip brought me home, I went to sleep on the couch and woke up in my bed with my nightgown on."
"Oh, that?" laughed Carol. "I put you to bed."
"You carried me to bed?"
"No, silly. I am not strong enough for that. You walked and I just led you. When you got seated on the bed, dressing you wasn't too hard. You were just too sleepy to know what was going on."
"Good. That is a relief. I just didn't want Philip to have his way with me."
"Why? Did he try something last night?"
"Well -- no. He was a perfect gentleman. We did kiss, though." Lizzie Jane smiled. "Oh yes, he did ask me to marry him."
"You didn't accept did you? He didn't get you drunk or something and caused you to talk out of your head?"
"No, of course not. Marriage is very serious." Lizzie Jane paused for a moment and asked, "How old do you really think I might be?"
"Truthfully, I am pushing it a little to say you might be 16. I did that because of the work laws. Sam could not let you work as much as he needs to if you were any younger. I would say that you could be around fifteen -- or maybe not that old. It is when you are dressed up and wearing makeup that you look much older.
"Wonder how old Philip is."
"He is just out of high school with plans to go to college, so he must be eighteen or nineteen -- or maybe twenty."
"Okay -- When is Sam going to open up the restaurant again?
"Monday morning at 5 o'clock. We will need to be there a little after four to get things ready for the breakfast customers. I am expecting a few because Sam has a sign on the door."
"Carol, do you go to church?" asked Lizzie Jane. "For some reason, I want to go to church Sunday."
"Not really. If you really want to go, I will go with you. The only church I ever attended was independent because that is where my folks went."
Lizzie Jane smiled, "I don't care what kind of church it is -- I want to go."
"Okay."
_________________________________________________________
The church service was pleasant. Lizzie Jane had been expecting the minister to be louder and a few more 'amens', although she did not know why. When the altar call was given, she felt a need to go forward.
The pastor took her by the hand when she arrived at the front and asked, "What is your need, my dear?"
"I have lost my memory. I don't know who I am and ---" She did not finish the sentence. Her heart seemed to burst and a flood of tears filled her eyes, running down her face. Without another word, she fell to the altar and poured out her heart to God. The pastor motioned to some ladies near the front and they surrounded her, offering prayers and whatever comfort they could provide.
The service closed with Lizzie Jane still on her knees, weeping and praying. Nothing the pastor said could get her up. The loving arms of the women who remained with Lizzie Jane covered her with concern. Suddenly she stopped praying and slid to the floor.
"She has passed out!" proclaimed one of the women.
Lizzie Jane's mother had come to her again in a dream. "I know you don't remember much about the other times I have come to you, but I want you to know God has heard your prayer. All that has happened to you has been for a purpose. He is preparing you for a life far greater than you can imagine. You may not understand it now, but you will later. Your memory will be opened for a little while so that you may undertand what I am saying."
Lizzie Jane's memory began returning about a little girl named Joyce. She was a little crippled girl who was dying in the hospital, but was afraid to die. In her childish way and not knowing what to do, Lizzie Jane had given as much help as she could in the girl's dying moments.
Lizzie Jane's memory began returning about a little girl named Joyce. She was a little crippled girl who was dying in the hospital, but was afraid to die. In her childish way and not knowing what to do, Lizzie Jane, also a patient in the hospital, had given as much help as she could in the girl's dying moments.
Seeming in some type of vision, Lizzie Jane began to see herself as a third person reviewing those events that happened around four years ago. In the ‘vision’ she saw the little girl in a wheelchair and heard her words again:
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
(The Vision) “They say I have a disease and am about to die. I am scared. I don’t want to die.”
Lizzie Jane, moved with compassion, stated, “There is a beautiful world that you will go to after dying. My mother is there and she talks to me often and tells me of that wonderful place.”
“I have been naughty. How do I know God will accept me?’ cried Joyce.
“God will forgive you for everything — every mean thing you have done or thought,” answered Lizzie Jane.
“Oh, if I could only be sure,” replied Joyce.
Lizzie Jane prayed silently, “Please, God — give me the words to say to Joyce. I don’t want to see her die in doubt. Please let me help her and know she will be in Heaven.”
Lizzie Jane turned to Joyce and said, “My momma was poor — never had much in this world, but she used to tell me about God causing a little baby to be born to a beautiful lady named Mary. This little baby was God’s little boy. I don’t understand it, either, but some mean men killed him and that somehow that caused people to get forgiveness for their sins and go to Heaven when they die. I don’t know how, but I do know that you look to Jesus. Do you want me to pray with you?”
“Oh yes,” answered Joyce. “I don’t know how to pray.”
“Well, I don’t either. I just talk to God. Anyway, let’s pray,” answered Lizzie Jane.
“God, I know you are there. My mommy has told me you were. Joyce is just a little girl and she doesn’t know how to reach you. She is scared to die. Would you look at her heart and show her how she can go to Jesus?”
A simple prayer, but Lizzie Jane was still a child, even though her body had decided to enter womanhood. Her mother has been busy working, trying to supply everyday needs, so Lizzie Jane had not attended church until she went to live with her aunt and uncle, but had been taught by her mother in an attempt to raise her as a proper child.
Little did Lizzie Jane know — death was a lot nearer than expected.
That night, Joyce was dying and the doctors knew it. She asked for Lizzie Jane. The doctors and nurses refused, but because of her insistence and the fact that she was at death’s door, they decided to grant the request.
As Lizzie Jane was wheeled into the room, Joyce pleaded, “I am dying. I know it and I am still scared. Please help me.”
“Joyce, all I know is to look to Jesus. I don’t know how, but God will make a way.”
Almost instantly, Joyce looked up as if she was staring into space at something.
“Oh, I do see a beautiful place. I see the roads. They are shiny. I can see beautiful flowers and they are making beautiful music. There are children there and a man with a beard is with them. They are so happy and he is hugging them.’
“Oh, Lizzie Jane, he is turning toward me, holding his arms out. I see kindness and love in his face. I cannot tell you how I know — I just know. What do I do?”
Lizzie Jane, with tears in her eyes, said, “That is Jesus. He is asking you to come to him. I told you God had a way for you to do that. Joyce, go toward him with your arms out. He is asking you to come. Please, Joyce. Go to him —now!”
“Oh, Lizzie Jane. I want to, but how?” Joyce closed her eyes and her body quivered and was still.
Lizzie Jane prayed, “God, did she make it? Did she go to Jesus?”
To the astonishment of everyone in the room, Lizzie Jane looked in the direction Joyce had been facing.
“I see Joyce. She is not in a wheelchair. She is walking — no, she is running–she is running into the arms of Jesus. I see him lifting her up in his arms and hugging her. He is reaching toward a tree and got what looks like a pear — and gives it to her.’
“Oh, it is such a beautiful place. Jesus is standing by a river and the water is so clear, I can see the fish. The children are laughing and playing. I can see Joyce. Her face is shining and she is so happy. The flowers are singing, just like she said, and they are so pretty. I am so happy, too. Joyce ran to the arms of Jesus, just like momma always told me to do’.
“Listen — Jesus is speaking to me.”
A strong, yet soft and sweet voice spoke from the vision:
“Children can come unto me freely for such is the Kingdom of Heaven. I have given her fruit of the Tree of Life and she will live forever in the glory of the Father. She will never suffer fear anymore and she will never be in a wheelchair again. I heard your prayer and opened my arms to Joyce and she ran into them. You did well, my dear, in showing her in your own way how to come unto me.’
May you be blessed, Lizzie Jane. You are to become a spokesperson for me. That is your mission in life. By your everyday life, you will be a witness to me and the glory I have prepared for you and others you will reach” (End of Vision)
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
As Lizzie Jane began to regain consciousness, she could hear her deceased mother talking to her: "Don't be confused about love. Just let everything develop. In the life that God has prepared for you, he is also preparing a husband. In time, you will discover who he is."
As she slowly came to her senses, Lizzie Jane began to hear voices.
"She is coming to."
"Wonder what she saw."
"Maybe it was just a blessed event."
Slowly, Lizzie Jane opened her eyes. There were beautiful women all around her -- from 85 years old to one little girl ten years old. She noticed they were all smiling.
"Is everything okay?" asked one of the women.
"Yes, everything is wonderful," replied Lizzie Jane.
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To be continued
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Copyight by Starla Anne Lowry
Under the pen name of Billie Sue Pilgrim
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"How about it, Bright Eyes -- you ready to marry me?" asked Philip.
"No," answered Lizzie Jane. "That is why I wanted to talk with you. I don't think neither of us are ready for marriage. You will go off to some college, find some lady friend that you will fall in love with and the next thing you know, she will hook you."
Chapter 10
Carol woke to the smell of fried eggs and bacon, which was the opposite of the past few days. (Lizzie Jane was the one who had been waking up to the smell of breakfast.) She glanced at the clock. It was 3:30 am. Her alarm did not go off or if it did, she was sleeping too soundly to hear it. She remembered it was Monday and the girls had to meet Sam at the restaurant shortly after 4 am to get ready for an anticipated breakfast rush.
She quickly showered and trotted toward the kitchen. Lizzie Jane was pulling the biscuits out of the oven, singing a Ernest Tubb song, "(Remember me), I am the one who loves you", that was a hit in 1950. It did not occur to her how she was remembering the words. It was just a song she liked.
Carol started setting the table. "Still thinking about love? About Philip?"
"No, I am not thinking about Philip. He turned out to be nice and I will probably date him again if he asks, but I don't think he is the one," replied Lizzie Jane. "There is a special husband for me and I don't believe it to be Philip."
Carol looked puzzled. They had not discussed church and what had happened. Carol had seen many Christians 'slain by the Spirit' and thought that is what happened to Lizzie Jane. Lizzie Jane had gone into more of a 'dream like' state so her mother could talk to her and an important part of her memory could be restored.
"I fixed some grits, too," proudly announced Lizzie Jane. "That and the sawmill gravy completes a good ole country breakfast."
"We could have eaten at the restaurant."
"I wanted to show you I can fix breakfast, too." Lizzie Jane smiled.
"Good breakfast," said Carol upon finishing. "And the coffee is great -- what did you do to it?"
"Just made it stronger. You were making it too weak. Good thing Sam made it for the restaurant. With your coffee, he would have lost customers," answered Lizzie Jane.
Carol picked up a dish cloth and threw at her. Both girls, giggling, worked together to quickly clean up the table and wash the few dishes.
The girls arrived at the restaurant around 4:35 am. Sam was already there, getting things ready. Customers started arriving just before 5 am. Some said, "It is about time you opened up. Ain't had a decent meal for days."
"Home cooked meals," bragged Sam. "The best in the State of Alabama. Even Big Jim Folsom ate here when he could." (Big Jim Folsom had been the governor that went bare foot in the state capitol as a tribute to being a good ole country boy.)
Everybody seemed happy to be together again. The attempted robbery was not mentioned. It seemed that no one wanted to bring up any bad thoughts. Also, Lizzie Jane seemed to be happier in the eyes of Sam and Carol, who knew her better than the customers.
"Has some of your memory come back?" asked Sam, searching for a reason for such a change in the girl.
"Just one clear thing that will help me in the future -- nothing to help me figure out who I am," replied Lizzie Jane. "Most everything else has been fuzzy." It was clear that she did not want to talk about it, so the matter was dropped.
Finally, late one afternoon, Philip arrived. The restaurant was empty, so after taking his order, Lizzie Jane sat at the table with him.
"How about it, Bright Eyes -- you ready to marry me?" asked Philip.
"No," answered Lizzie Jane. "That is why I wanted to talk with you. I don't think neither of us are ready for marriage. You will go off to some college, find some lady friend that you will fall in love with and the next thing you know, she will hook you."
"Elizabeth, I will never forget you."
"I am sure you won't. You will always remember me as your first love and I will remember you the same way -- although I don't know if you are my first love or not. Let's just be friends and -- well -- do things together while you are here. Nothing to keep us from having warm hearts toward each other." Lizzie Jane smiled in her cute feminine manner.
Philip stared at her for a moment. "You sound like a person more mature than you are."
"You don't know how old I am," laughed Lizzie Jane. "I may be 106 for all you know."
"Well," replied Philip. "How about a kiss -- uh -- as friends?"
"Okay, if Sam is not looking."
"That old goat? Let him look. He might learn something."
The couple exchanged a light kiss -- nothing like the kisses just a few nights ago. Philip decided that Lizzie Jane might be right -- and Lizzie Jane knew she was.
Lizzie Jane would not be easy to turn loose, but maybe it was a only physical attraction. Perhaps Philip thought he was so much in love with her because she was so good looking. He thought she was the cutest girl he had ever seen. The one thing he knew -- the first break from college, he was coming back to see if it was just infatuation.
When word got around that Lizzie Jane had dated Philip and had turned him down as one of his "regulars", other young gentlemen began to indicate their interest. Lizzie Jane began to be more friendly, believing that God had the perfect match for her somewhere and it was up to her to be open enough to find her future husband.
However, it wasn't long until the young men found out that they had to behave themselves on a date and Lizzie Jane soon got the reputation of being a nice girl. Although she did not realize it, losing her memory was a blessing. Before, Lizzie Jane had been shy, did not date and only had one romantic experience -- with Jake.
Lizzie Jane had never thought of herself as being worthy of dating boys, even though her Mother had told her years before, "Your future indicates romance, a husband, and children of your own." Of course, that particular time had long been forgotten, but the prophecy was still true because it had been sent by God. Even though she did not remember the event, Lizzie Jane knew that her destiny as a wife and mother had already been established. It had not been revealed exactly what lay ahead, but she knew her God and her mother would be there with her.
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Chapter 11
It was a chilly morning when the girls arrived and found the door of the restaurant locked. Spring was in the air and the girls were looking forward to Easter. They chatted awhile around about the weather and how it is usually cool at that time of year when Carol mentioned, "Must be something wrong. Sam is still not here. Maybe we should go and see about him."
After knocking on Sam's door, they heard a faint voice, "Come in. It's not locked."
The girls entered to see a very sick Sam. "Must be the flu," he said. "Never been so sick in my life."
"Been to the doctor?" asked Carol.
"Called Doctor Joe Adams. He said he would come by on the way to his office. I guess you girls might as well go home -- unless, you want to try today without me. I won't be there to cook the plate lunches, but you can make sandwiches or something."
"Listen!" Carol exclaimed. "First, we are women. You are not the only cook in the world and, for your information, Lizzie Jane here is one of the best cooks in the South."
"Oh,' replied Lizzie Jane. "I only know how to cook the way Aunt --- ah, Aunt --". (A name was trying to enter her mind.) She stood there confused with her mind seemingly in a whirl, trying to bring a name to remembrance. "Aunt -- Aunt --- Aunt Maudie. That's it! Aunt Maudie! I can only cook the way Aunt Maudie showed me."
Carol stood there with her mouth open. Sam was surprised, too, but neither said anything for a moment.
Finally, Carol got out a few words, "Well, I am sure that Aunt Maudie taught you well."
"Well, you girls try it today -- okay?" stated Sam. "The key is hanging by the side of the door over there."
The girls went back to the restaurant. Carol didn't know what to say about the rememberance of the name, Aunt Maudie, but she seemed a little pleased that part of Lizzie Jane's memory had returned.
"Let's see now, how about creamed (mashed) potatoes, english peas and I think Sam has some okry (okra) cut up in the freezer, so fried okry? For meat, we could have baked steak. For bread, I would like to make some cornbread and biscuits. People could have a choice. Also, the biscuits will go good for breakfast with thickening gravy (sawmill gravy) to eat with their eggs and sausage -- or bacon. Also, let's see -- Sam also makes grits, too."
"Sounds good to me," said Carol. "Go for it."
It wasn't long until Lizzie Jane had everything ready to cook for breakfast with piping hot biscuits fresh out of the oven and turned her attention to lunch. She also made the coffee so it would be strong enough. Carol still made coffee too weak.
As customers came in, they had compliments on the breakfast. Carol said, "Wait until dinner (lunch)." Many said they would be back.
And come back -- they did. They weren't used to real southern style, home cooking like Lizzie Jane had prepared. Many customers, laughingly, said they were going to fire Sam. Many said they were going to come back for supper -- and they did -- some carrying the food home with them. Lizzie Jane had to repeat her whole cooking process so supper could be served. Usually, the meals lasted until they ran out -- but that would not work this time.
Lizzie Jane could not understand what all the excitement was about. All she did was cook vegetables with some meat, just like Sam. However, Sam did not know how to season and prepare the simple vegetables like Lizzie Jane.
When the girls carried the receipts to Sam that night, he was amazed. It was almost twice the normal amount.
The next day, Sam was still sick. Lizzie Jane decided on turnip greens, creamed corn, and macaroni and cheese with beef stew as the meat addition.The restaurant stayed full most of the day and into the night. The receipts to Sam was four times the usual amount.
Sam wanted to know, "What's going on?"
"It is Lizzie Jane's cooking. The customers love it," answered Carol.
"Well, I guess we have a new cook."
"Oh no, you don't! I need her to help me. I worked my pants off today. I'll tell you what --- she can teach YOU how to cook."
"Oh well, I don't guess an old salty like me is never too old to learn new tricks."
"Only thing," Carol added. "I don't believe you can take the pressure. She needs to teach another cook, too."
So, it was that the "Just Like Home" Restaurant became known all across the country and people came from miles around for good old southern-style "real" home cooking.
The restaurant's fame also reached Carter's Bend, so Doc Brown thought he would stop by on one of his trips to check it out.
---To be continued
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The names of people and places in these chapter (Chapter 10 and 11) are fictitious, except Ernest Tubb and Big Jim Folsom, who are famous persons in their own right, and any resemblance to any other actual person or place are coincidental. In previous chapters, names of actual places have been used so this statement is to prevent confusion.
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Copyright 2008 by Starla Anne Lowry
Under the pen name of Billie Sue Pilgrim
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Patiently, Doc Brown waited. It was a long minute. Finally, he saw a young lady come from the kitchen toward his table. He looked at her closely. Could it be...? It was! He did not know whether to shout or dance. What could he say?
The chef was Lizzie Jane!
Chapter 12
Doc Brown looked at his watch. He did not like leaving Carter's Bend because an emergency could arise, but he felt this trip had been necessary. He had missed the last few medical conferences and it was important for him to keep up with any new information that could help his patients. Well, at least this conference was over. It had been held in Chattanooga and he had to go back through a small portion of Georgia to get back to Alabama.
He had heard so much about the meals at the "Just Like Home" Restaurant that he just had to stop there on the way home. The restaurant was not too far off his route, somewhere near Rising Fawn, Georgia.
Doc Brown did not mind going out of his way. This was mountainous country and he loved the mountains. Lookout Mountain, in Tennessee, was a tourist attraction from which it was claimed that a person could see seven states on a clear day. After leaving the Golden Corral Restaurant in Georgia, he would go up Sand Mountain and enter Alabama.
Three states in just a few hours. He could make it quicker, but he wanted to stop at the famous restaurant. He did not have any problem finding his destination.
He doubted that any restaurant could come up to Aunt Maudie's cooking. He was pleasantly surprised, after entering the crowded establishment, at the huge crowd of happy people enjoying a good meal. He was even more surprised to find that the food was just as good as Aunt Maudie's. He must see the chef and give his congratulations on such a fine meal.
"Oh, I will see if she can turn loose long enough to see you," smiled Carol after learning of Doc Brown's intentions. "You might have to wait just a minute."
Patiently, Doc Brown waited. It was a long minute. Finally, he saw a young lady come from the kitchen toward his table. He looked at her closely. Could it be...? It was! He did not know whether to shout or dance. What could he say?
The chef was Lizzie Jane! He wondered if her memory had improved much.
Now, he knew why the meal was as good as Aunt Maudie's. She had been Lizzie Jane's cooking instructor.
Doc Brown was a very wise old man, so he knew he had to be careful. Before she had been frightened and ran away after Doc Brown and Lizzie Jane's only family came into the room. He did not want her to run away this time.
Lizzie Jane introduced herself, "Hello, I am Elizabeth. I understand you wanted to see me."
'Elizabeth,' thought Doc Brown to himself. 'That was Lizzie Jane's name. Maybe she knows who she is'.
"Well Elizabeth, I want to compliment you on your cooking."
"Thank you, kind sir," replied Lizzie Jane. "I am happy you liked it. My aunt taught me how to cook. She was the best cook in the country."
"Well, not many thirteen year old girls can cook -- much less as delicious as this was. By the way, what was your aunt's name, if you don't mind me asking."
Lizzie Jane stood there a moment. She did not know her age. How did this man know she was thirteen years old? Was he guessing? And why did he ask for her aunt's name?
She wondered if he was from the orphan's home that she escaped from? She didn't remember where she came from, but she was convinced that it must have been an orphan's home -- or someplace more terrible!
Trying to think of a way to throw this gentleman off the track, she replied, "Thirteen? Whatever gave you that idea? I am sixteen years old. My aunt died some time ago, so I would rather not discuss her."
Doc Brown quickly realized that Lizzie Jane was trying to get him off the subject , so he apologized. "I am sorry. I did not mean any harm. You were such a great cook, I had to meet you and tell you so."
Lizzie Jane replied, "Well, thank you sir. Now I must get back to the kitchen. Come back soon. Okay??"
Although fake, Lizzie Jane gave him a cute little smile, a little curtsy and walked back to the kitchen. She didn't trust him -- a stranger asking such personal questions. By the way he said she was thirteen years old, it seemed that he must have known her before. Whatever she had run from, maybe she had not ran far enough.
Carol came back to the table and placed the courtesy bill face down. Doc Brown said, "I would like to thank the owner, too. Is he around here?"
"No, he is at home -- in bed sick -- with the flu."
Not knowing what else to do, Doc Brown said,"Thank you". He walked with her to the cashier's stand, paid his bill and handed Carol a good tip.
"Here is another tip for the good cook," he said with a smile. "I haven't had such a good meal since I ate at a friend's house the other day. Her name is Maudie and a great cook, too. If I didn't know better, I would think that Maudie taught Elizabeth how to cook."
He mentioned Maudie's name on purpose, hoping that it would get to Lizzie Jane and ring a bell. He didn't notice that Carol looked up at him in a peculiar way when he mentioned Maudie.
"We are pleased you visited us. Where are you from?" asked Carol.
"A little place called Carter's Bend."
This seemed like a good time for Doc Brown to drop another bombshell.
"Maudie lost her desire to cook since her niece disappeared. I feel so sorry for her."
What happened," asked Carol. "Did her niece die or something?"
"No, she just lost her memory and could not recognize her family. So, she just ran away."
Carol became curious. "What was the niece's name?"
"Oh, we called her Lizzie Jane." Doc Brown was hoping that Carol would connect Elizabeth and Lizzie together.
Carol thought fast. "Ah -- we sent out thank-you cards to our out-of-town customers, so if you don't mind giving me your address..."
"Sure, I don't mind," smiled Doc Brown as he picked up his bill and wrote on the back. Evidently his sly way of getting out information was working.
Carol stood there a minute thinking -- 'The girl who ran away was known as Lizzie Jane and she had an Aunt Maudie. Maybe our Lizzie Jane is remembering things and doesn't realize it. She had adopted the name, Lizzie Jane, herself to use around here. Somehow that must had been impressed on her mind -- and she remembered having an Aunt Maudie who taught her how to cook. Now, here comes this man and says that our food was as good as Maudie's.'
Carol did not know what she should do. One thing was to discuss it with Sam. She would do that tonight. First, she would make up some excuse to see Sam and leave Lizzie Jane at home alone. But, would that work? The girls went almost everywhere together. They were like inseparable twins. Well, she would think of something.
Carol watched Lizzie Jane. She seemed very nervous at times, but still managed to serve up tantalizing dishes. Old and new customers kept coming in all afternoon and into the night. Finally, it came time to close and Carol put up the "Closed" sign and the girls waited patiently for the last customers to leave. Both were exhausted. It was clear that Sam was going to have to hire some extra help -- a lot of extra help.
On the drive home, Lizzie Jane spoke first. "Remember that man who asked to see me?"
Carol nodded her head.
"Well, I have just about decided that he was checking around, trying to find me and get me back into that ole orphan's home. I love you and Sam, Carol, but I may have to leave. I can't let them find me."
'Oh, no', thought Carol. Lizzie Jane may not be from an orphan's home. Surely her Aunt Maudie is still alive, so she may have a real home. She had to think of something -- but what?
"Oh, Lizzie Jane," she said with tears coming in her eyes. "You can't leave. We are sisters. Remember? I love you and Sam loves you, too."
"But, I have to. That man will report back to the home and they will come and get me. I just know they will."
"Let me talk to Sam first. He may know what to do." Carol thought it was best not to keep her meeting with Sam a secret. If Lizzie Jane had thought that Sam might think of a solution, she might stay awhile longer. A few more days, at least. "Please let me talk to Sam first."
Lizzie Jane just stared out the car window. Should she wait and risk getting caught? Or should she leave without telling anyone where she was going? What if Sam had a logical answer. Men are known to be logical.
"Please answer me," Carol cried.
Lizzie Jane did not know how to answer. She did not know what to say. Did she need to go on the run again? Maybe she was only 13 years old. She really loved Sam and Carol, but she did not want to go to an orphan's home.
What should she do??
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To Be Continued
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Copyright 2008 by Starla Anne Lowry
Under the pen name of Billie Sue Pilgrim
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"Just Like Home" Restaurant is ficticious and not intended to protray an actual place at or near the location indicated. I had used another name originally, but discovered that there was a chain of restaurants with the name I had chosen, so the restaurant name has been changed from the original.
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Lizzie Jane slowly walked to toward the house. Aunt Maudie was standing on the porch with loving tears in her eyes. "Lizzie Jane, don't you know me? I am your Aunt Maudie."
Chapter 13
Carol did not think it best to leave Lizzie Jane alone in her state of mind, so both girls arrived at Sam's home, bringing the receipts of the day and also to discuss the visit of Doc Brown. Sam listened carefully as Lizzie Jane told of her suspicions and Carol recounted her conversation with the gentleman.
Upon finishing, the girls waited for Sam to think the matter over and give his response.
"Well, from what you two girls have said, this man knows Lizzie Jane. Carol, you wrote down where he is from, so it would not be too difficult to pay this place a visit. So, here is what I think we ought to do. We will drive up there and check all this out. I will carry my camper trailer for Lizzie Jane to hide in while Carol and I do some snooping. That way, if there is any danger to Lizzie Jane, she will be out of sight. Lizzie Jane needs to get this settled once for all."
"But, who will operate the restaurant?" asked Carol.
"We will put up a sign that it is closed due to an emergency and will reopen shortly," said Sam. "That would not be a lie. This is an emergency. In fact, I think we ought to visit Carter's Bend tomorrow. I will get my map out tonight and find the location and we can leave early tomorrow morning -- say about 3:30 -- the same time you start working at the restaurant getting ready for the day's rush. Go back and put the Emergency sign up tonight so we will be ready to go."
Carol and Sam looked at Lizzie Jane. From the look on her face, they realized that she was not crazy about the plan, but reluctantly she finally said "Well --- Okay."
"Okay, 3:30 in the morning, it is," said Sam.
At the appointed time the next morning, the girls were at Sam's residence, ready to go. Sam had hooked his camper trailer to his pickup and had the cab warm and toasty.
"Thought you girls might be cold," smiled Sam. "Also, I have some egg sandwiches and coffee and more food back in the trailer."
The girls had eaten a quick breakfast, but they welcomed the coffee. With all three in the cab of the truck, Sam started down the road.
"It is a good piece to Carter's Bend. Girl, you traveled a long way," Sam mentioned to Lizzie Jane.
"Well, I remember traveling in the woods before -- day and night. Last time I remember thinking I might freeze because it was so cold, but when I woke up, there was a deer next to me, keeping me warm."
"A deer?" Carol and Sam spoke together.
"Yes, you see I may friends with a little deer years ago and when he got big and saw me cold, he remembered me." Lizzie Jane smiled. "And he had his family with him, too."
The road was rough and unpaved, but Sam maneuvered very well. Just before they entered Carter's Bend, Sam stopped the truck and told Lizzie Jane that it would be best for her to get in the camper trailer. There was a gas heater back there if she got cold and some quilts to wrap up in.
Arriving in Carter's Bend, Sam found a good place to park. Carol and he got out of the truck and walked around the very small village. Walking into the general store, Sam asked, "Where is the orphanage around here?"
"Ain't got no orphanage," replied the store clerk.
"Well, some time ago, we got a letter from a girl name Lizzie Jane. We thought she was an orphan, so we came by to see if we could adopt her," lied Sam. It wasn't the first time Sam had told a lie to get to the truth.
"Lizzie Jane -- now there was a girl here by that name, but she disappeared a short time back. Her mother was dead, but her Uncle Jed and Aunt Maudie took her in. They are good folks and I don't think she could have asked for any better."
"Well, okay -- we had heard her mother had passed, but didn't know about her aunt and uncle. Where does Uncle Jed live?"
The store keeper gave instructions, a little complicated, but Same was a smart man and he believed he could follow them. Bidding the store keeper a good day, Carol and Sam went back to the truck.
"Well, one good thing," said Sam. "We know she is not from an orphan's home. Now to see what kind of people Maudie and Jed are."
After giving Lizzie Jane the good news that she was not from an orphan's home, Sam told her to stay in the camper while they checked out things further, hiding the fact that they were going to Aunt Maudie's house.
Upon arriving at Jed and Maudie's place, Carol and Sam got out of the truck, walked up on the porch and knocked on the door. Aunt Maudie answered.
Sam decided to come straight to the point. "Madam, we heard that you are worried about your missing niece, so we bring some good news."
"Lizzie Jane! Do you know where she is?"
"Well, yes. But we also know that she is a scared girl. Do you mind telling us why she left?"
"Scared? Why we love that child to pieces. We have been praying for some word about her. I understand that Doc Brown wants to come and talk to us about her. Now, you are here. Please tell me where she is and that she is okay."
"Listen, I know the girl and we love her, too. She is scared and I would like to relieve that fear. Now, please tell me what happened."
"Well, she fell on a concrete floor and somehow lost her memory. When she came to, she did not recognize any of us and, while we were not looking, she ran away. Now, please tell me where she is. I love her and I believe that God sent her to us after her mother died."
Sam preceived that Maudie was caring and loving, so he replied very softly, "She is out there in my camper trailer."
"Oh, let me see her," pleaded Aunt Maudie.
"Okay, but let me talk to her first and let her know that there is nothing to fear."
"Okay, I do want to see my niece! Please help her undertand that."
Sam and Carol walked back to the trailer, opened the door and Lizzie Jane stared at them. "What happened?" she asked.
"I think you ought to talk to the lady who lives here," said Sam. "If you don't want to stay, I am not going to make you. But, please talk to her."
Lizzie Jane slowly walked to toward the house. Aunt Maudie was standing on the porch with loving tears in her eyes. "Lizzie Jane, don't you know me? I am your Aunt Maudie."
Lizzie Jane stopped in the yard. She looked at Aunt Maudie, trying to find something in the far reaches of her mind to help her remember more about her aunt.
"I am your Aunt Maudie. Remember? I taught you how to sew, do housework, farm chores, and cook."
Out of that sentence, there was one thing that stood out in Lizzie Jane's mind -- "I taught you how to...cook."
They stood in their respective spots. Lizzie Jane began to rethink the woman's words, 'Aunt Maudie taught me how to cool. I remember that. That is how I knew how to cook at the restaurant that brought in so many customers'. Over and over, the thought went through her mind, 'she taught me how to cook'.
"Remember how you sat out in the yard and a little deer came to you -- and brought its friend?"
Yes, Lizzie Jane remembered the deer. She had just mentioned the ocassion to Sam and Carol just a few hours ago. It had evidently been the same deer that kept her from freezing by lying close to her the night she ran away. She also remembered the little deer of years ago coming into the yard --- and yes -- it brought a friend. She had patted both on the nose.
"Remember how when you were swept away by the flood waters, you were worried about me and set out to find me when you heard that I lost my mind because I thought you were dead? I loved you. In return, you loved me so much that you just had to find me."
Yes, she remembered the flood waters -- and she began to remember how she worried about Aunt Maudie and in trying to reach her, Lizzie Jane had experienced the greatest adventure of her life, although the details of the adventure were fuzzy and not clear in her mind.
As Lizzie Jane looked on the face of Aunt Maudie, a spark of recognition seemed to come out of nowhere and light up her mind. She studied the face.
Yes, it was coming to her.
This was her Aunt Maudie.
Lizzie Jane began crying a flood of tears and ran toward Aunt Maudie. Aunt Maudie leaped off the porch and they met halfway with outstretched arms, grabbed each other and went around and around, each hugging and kissing the other.
Carol could not hold back her tears. Neither could Sam.
"Oh, I love you, Aunt Maudie," cried Lizzie Jane.
Oh, child -- I love you, too."
"Aunt Maudie, I remember you, but I don't remember anyone else. Do you think I ever will?" asked Lizzie Jane.
"I don't know, child. Come on in the house and I will fix you a snack."
"Oh, I am not hungry," replied Lizzie Jane. She looked around at Sam and Carol. "I love you guys, too."
Turning to Aunt Maudie, Lizzie Jane motioned for Carol to come forward. "This is my new sister. I want to be with her, too. And Sam has been like a daddy to me and I can't leave them. Oh, Aunt Maudie, I cannot leave you either. What do I do?"
"Child, I don't know, but we have a spare room if they want to spend some time with us until we get all this straighten out." Looking toward Sam and Carol, she stated "You are welcome to stay a spell."
Sam walked up to Maudie. "Lizzie Jane seems like part of our family, too. We love her so very much. What Lizzie Jane does is going to be a hard on any of us. Speaking for myself, and I am sure for Carol -- yes, we accept your hospitality. We will stay for a little while. I will sleep in the trailer and let Carol have the spare room.
"No need for that," answered Aunt Maudie. "Lizzie Jane can share her room with her new sister."
"Ma'am. I would feel more at home in the trailer. It has a nice little bed, food, a radio, and a heater, so I will be okay out there."
"Okay, as you wish, but I insist that you eat with us."
"Very well," smile Sam. He was sure he would enjoy Maudie's cooking.
Lizzie Jane replied, "I will pray. My momma will know what to do. She is in Heaven with God. She will come to me in a dream and let me know."
The group smiled. Lizzie Jane was showing her faith in a higher power.
Carol thought to herself, 'How wonderful it must be to have the faith of Lizzie Jane -- sort of a child-like faith.' She had to accept the fact that Lizzie Jane was not 16 years old, but about thirteen as Doc Brown had said -- just barely in her teens -- but a sweet child --- and a loving little sister.
Lizzie Jane had acted more like an adult before, but maybe the reunion with Aunt Maudie brought back something of a childish nature. But, that was okay. No girl should be denied her years of youth. Carol was in her late 30's and remembered how she was pushed into an adult life at 16 -- going to work and taking care of her mother as death from cancer kept pushing closer.
She had gone to work for Sam and had been with him ever since. Sam had watched over her over the years and made sure that she was cared for. He was going to do the same for Lizzie Jane until the possiblity of a family came up. As much as he loved Lizzie Jane as his own daughter, he had thought it best for her to be reconciled to her uncle and aunt if possible.
To leave her here with her family was going to be almost more than Sam could stand and Carol wasn't sure how she could take it, either. Strange how, that in a very short time, a young lady could steal their hearts like Lizzie Jane did. However, Lizzie Jane could steal the heart of almost anybody. She was that sweet and lovable.
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To be Continued
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Copyright 2008 by Starla Anne Lowry
Under the pen name of Billie Sue Pilgrim
This chapter is very descriptive of farm life in the 1950's in Alabama for many farmers. To begin getting her memory back, Lizzie Jane must begin re-living these moments in her mind.
Chapter 14
A couple of hours later, Jed came rushing into the house, followed by Doc Brown.
"I have good news! Doc Brown has located Lizzie Jane!"
Aunt Maudie came into the living room with a smile and said, "Oh, really?"
"Sure have. Doc Brown can tell us exactly where she is!"
"I kinda doubt that because I know where she is."
You could see the shock on Uncle Jed's face and the confusion on Doc Brown. Aunt Maudie just smiled and said, "Come here, hon, and meet Uncle Jed."
Shyly Lizzie Jane appeared in the doorway. She looked at Uncle Jed, trying to place his position in her absent memory bank, wondering if she made a mistake in coming back. She recognized Doc Brown right away. Not knowing what to say, so she just stood there with a smile on her face.
Aunt Maudie looked at Lizzie Jane. "Dear, he is your uncle. He loves you as much as I do. Isn't there something about him that you can recognize?"
Lizzie Jane slowly shook her head, "No".
Uncle Jed spoke. "Remember, I taught you how to milk a cow? When polk salet was ready to pick? And many other things about the farm and about nature?"
Lizzie Jane tried to think of what polk salad was. It slowly came to her mind as tasting similar to spinach -- only a wild spinach. Aunt Maudie had taught her how to cook it mixed with eggs. It was one of the favorite dishes among North Alabama country folk. She remembered Uncle Jed telling her it was poisonous unless it was fixed right and not to try to cook it until Aunt Maudie taught her. Of course, she had been taught that the berries were poisonous, too, until a very young boy had eaten some and not suffered any ill effects.
'Uncle Jed --- Uncle Jed' -- the thought went through her mind. She began to form a mental picture of a man in the field, wearing a straw hat with some plastic on the front of the rim that made her think of sunglasses. She could see the man plowing a field with a mule.
She began to remember him teaching her how to plow in case the need arose -- to pull up on the handles of the turning plow to go deeper in the soil and push down on the handles to go lighter. A farmer had to adjust the position of the handles to keep from making it too hard on the mule and to plow in hard soil as well as soft.
She began to remember hoeing and thinning the small cotton as it began to grow and doing the same with corn. Back in those days, the fields were kept clean because all the picking cotton and pulling corn were accomplished by hand. Lizzie Jane began to smile when she remember a packsaddle falling down the back of Uncle Jed's shirt when he was in the cornfield. He jumped around hollering while jerking his shirt off.
Yes, she was remembering Uncle Jed as these thought began to return. She remembered going to the cotton gin, helping sometimes to push the big "pipe" around that sucked up the cotton from the truck, watching the process until it came out in big bales. The seeds were separated and some farmers sold their seed while others carried it home to plant the next year.
She remembered always getting a huge, oversized pencil, a common gift at Alabama gins. Because of its size, farmers did not have any problem getting it out of the hole in the bib of their overalls. The farmer would weigh the sacks of cotton and jot down the weights in a little book. Cotton pickers were paid by the pound and a few could pick 150 pounds a day.
Lizzie Jane did not pick much cotton because Aunt Maudie kept her busy learning to be a future housewife. The one room school did not have Home Economic classes. That was always left up to the mothers to teach their daughters. But, Lizzie Jane and Aunt Maudie did pick cotton at times.
Uncle Jed was one of the farmers who planted a few watermelons throughout the cotton patch so that, when the cotton pickers came across one, they would burst it on a rock, dig in with their dirty hands and grab a big chunk. Some of the boys were always after the "heart" of the melon and grabbed it before anyone else could. To city folk, eating watermelon with dirty hands may sound awful, but a person has not really tasted a good watermelon until they find one in the middle of the field when they are hot and tired.
She remembered going to the mill to have the corn crushed, some for meal for cooking, such as cornbread, and some was used for feed for the cattle which was mixed with sweet creep and hay. Mules also had their supply of corn.
A few times she went to the market in Birmingham with Uncle Jed where farmers carried their produce to sell. Sometimes they would sit all night as people would stream by, but sometimes representatives from canning companies would purchase the whole load at a discounted price. Farmers welcome that so that could get back home. Other times, vegetables were sold to stores. Of course, the women would do home canning from the vegetables from the garden to use during the cold winters.
All those memories flooding back into Lizzie Jane's mind is what helped her remember Uncle Jed. One by one she was to become acquainted with family and friends and the best place to do that was at church, so there wasn't anything short of being swept away by a tornado that would have kept them from church the next Sunday.
While Lizzie Jane was getting acquainted with her aunt and uncle, Sam and Carol had been getting acquainted with the community. He got acquainted with another Sam, who owned Sam's place, thinking it was a restaurant, but discovered that it was mostly a soda and ice cream shop where the kids hung out. It did serve hamburgers, cheeseburger and hot dogs, but that was about all.
So, Sam Henderson (who had brought Lizzie Jane home) thought it would be a good location for an eating establishment so he began to formulate plans for a country-style restaurant in the area. He discussed it with Carol and both came to the conclusion that it would be profitable and they could be close to Lizzie Jane, the girl they loved so much and could not stand the thoughts of leaving her to go back to Sam's old business.
When Sam and Carol returned to the travel trailer, which Sam had parked a stone's throw from Jed and Maudie's house, they saw Lizzie Jane running toward them. The became concerned, thinking something detrimental could have occurred.
"Carol, Sam!" yelled Lizzie Jane. "I am so glad to see you guys. Aunt Maudie wants me to go to church Sunday so I can get acquainted again with a lot of people. Aunt Maudie and Uncle Jed are the only two I know around here, so would you please go with us so that I can have four people that I know and love?"
Sam had not been to church in awhile, but Carol had been recently with Lizzie Jane, so she agreed. Sam said that he would go, too.
"One other thing," mentioned Lizzie Jane. "They told me that I had a boy friend that I had promised to marry. I think his name is Jake. Aunt Maudie tried to help me remember him, but I can't. What will I do? I am afraid that he will be a complete stranger to me and I don't want to hurt his feelings. From what Aunt Maudie had heard from others, he had proposed to me just before I fell and hit my head. The way I feel now, I don't want to marry anyone."
"Girl, you don't have to marry anyone until you are ready. Remember how Philip tried to claim you?" Carol asked.
"Yes, but he thought I was 16 years old or older and he was only 18."
"That is true. But you thought you were around 16, also, and you still handled him as a woman would have. Don't worry about this 'Jake'. You are not old enough to think about marriage anyway."
"But around here, some girls marry at 14 and most are mothers at 18," replied Lizzie Jane.
"How do you know that?" asked Carol.
"I don't know -- it is just as if I just remembered it."
"See, certain things you remember and certain things you forget. Maybe you were trying to forget this 'Jake' fellow and in the process, you forgot everyone else. When you needed to, you remembered -- like remembering Aunt Maudie when you needed to explain how you knew to cook."
Carol thought of something, paused, then continued, "Let's try a little experiment."
"Okay."
"Now, trying as hard as you can, you do not remember Jake. Now think, did you go to school around here somewhere?"
Lizzie Jane thought for just a moment. "I think I remember a little one room schoolhouse."
"You 'think' you remember a one room schoolhouse? Or do you remember a one room schoolhouse?"
Lizzie Jane did not answer immediately, but eventually replied, "I remember the schoohouse."
"Think of what the teacher looked like."
Thinking very hard, Lizzie Jane could not visualize her. "But, I do remember helping the younger kids learn."
"Okay, that is important to you -- that you were of help. You seem to remember facts and later you remember people. Now, about this 'Jake' fellow. You don't remember him proposing to you, do you?"
"No, I don't," replied Lizzie Jane.
"Okay," answered Carol. "You don't remember the fact that he proposed, so naturally you don't remember accepting, do you?"
"No."
"Well, it seems to me that marriage wasn't important to you and, if you did accept, do you suppose that you were trying to forget that and forgot everything connected with your life at that time?"
"Well, I ---"
"Just think. You don't remember anything about Aunt Maudie around that time, do you? All you remembered was a long time before that when Aunt Maudie taught you to cook. Right?"
"Hey, that's right. And I remembed Uncle Jed when he began to talk about how he taught me things about the farm. I still don't remember what happened just before I lost my memory."
Carol was astonished at her own self. It appeared that she had hit the nail right on the head. The questions she asked had just popped up and, at the time, they all seemed to be natural.
"And you don't remember things about Jake --ever?"
"No, I don't."
"Girl, I think you have your answer. When you meet Jake and if nothing comes to memory, do like you did with Philip. Let him off easy and get ready to play the field. Once boys find you are free, you will find a lot of new boy friends. Trust me on that one. Okay? If Jake is the one, time will tell."
Lizzie Jane smiled. She realize that the door was open to romance and it could enter her life anyway that God willed.
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To be Continued
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Copyright by Starla Anne Lowry
under the pen name of Billie Sue Pilgrim
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Lizzie Jane was a little scared, not knowing what to expect -- meeting people that knew her, but she was sure that she would not recognize them. Also, her old boy friend, Jake, would probably be there, too. She prayed that he would be off fishing or something.
Chapter 15
Thinking they would probably have more visitors than they could handle, Jed and Maudie kept the return of Lizzie Jane quiet. It was just a couple of days until Sunday and they had thought that would be the proper time for everyone to learn the good news.
Aunt Maudie, Carol, and Lizzie Jane were planning to prepare a large lunch and invite everyone to Jed and Maudie's home. (Actually, Lizzie Jane just went along with the idea.) Since a large crowd was expected, they were going to start cooking and getting things ready on Saturday.
Meanwhile Sam Henderson spent much of his time searching for a good location for his new restaurant and making plans to sell the other one. Although driven somewhat by his and Carol's love for Lizzie Jane, he realized an enormous financial advantage in placing a business in Carter's Bend. That would give Sam a chance to enjoy monopoly status, simply because there wasn't any other restaurant nearby, only an ice cream parlor (owned by another man named Sam.) Nancy, the woman who had owned Nancy’s Café, moved to take care of her invalid sister.
He looked at available sites, but none seemed sufficient. After much study, he came to the conclusion that the best site was located on the edge of Uncle Jed's property.
Sam needed about two acres to provide ample space for the restaurant with a huge parking area and to build a house with a large yard where he could have a vegetable garden. Also, he thought about trying to employ Uncle Jed and Aunt Maudie as garden keepers to supply his restaurant with fresh produce. He hoped to employ Lizzie Jane as a cook.
However, he did not want Jed to think that his friendship with Lizzie Jane were reasons to give special favors. So, he had to be careful to present the idea to Jed as a business venture and nothing else.
Sam made contact with a real estate agent to sell his old restaurant and home. He needed top dollar because he was going to use the proceeds for his new venture. Sam had always been conservative and managed to save some money, but he could not be considered wealthy. So, everything had to fall into place financially for his plans to work.
The women were busy all afternoon Saturday, purchasing items from the general store to prepare for the lunch (referred to as 'dinner' by country folk). They were planning to invite the church and others in the community.
They decided to make desserts Saturday evening since they could be held overnight and prepare the main course Sunday morning.
Puddings were the first thing -- banana and pineapple. The women decided on cakes -- chocolate, coconut, and strawberry. Although strawberries were out of season, Aunt Maudie came up with the idea of using strawberry flavoring and strawberry jam which, when prepared through the expert hands of the area's best cook, would be delicious. Maudie had some dried apples and canned peach halves, so the suggestion of apple and peach fried pies seemed appealing.
It was three very tired ladies who, after deciding they had enough dessert, literally passed out as soon as they hit the bed. It was very late in the evening and morning would come all too soon. It was true that the weary soul can rest the best.
Sunday morning, the females were at it again, preparing the vegetables and meat before church. That meant getting up very early after only a few hours rest, but Aunt Maudie and Carol were excited, so the early hour wasn't a problem. Lizzie Jane was a little scared, not knowing what to expect -- meeting people that knew her, but she was sure that she would not recognize them. Also, her old boy friend, Jake, would probably be there, too. She prayed that he would be off fishing or something.
Getting ready at the last minute, the girls piled into Jed's old pickup truck -- the girls in the cab with Jed and Sam in the back. Carol tried to drive, but she had always been used to an automatic transmission. The truck jerked every time she let out the clutch and she had to restart the engine often. Finally, it was decided that Sam would drive his truck and Carol would ride with him. Uncle Jed would drive his vehicle with Maudie and Lizzie Jane as passengers.
"Someday you need to learn how to drive," teased Sam as they made their way to church.
"Oh, shut up," laughed Carol.
Needless to say, surprise and smiles were abundant when the congregation saw Lizzie Jane. Aunt Maudie had spoken to the pastor and he made the announcement that Lizzie Jane still had not regained her memory, but everyone was welcomed for dinner at Jed and Maudie's place to get reintroduced.
After the service, there were tears and neck hugs as everyone tried to meet Lizzie Jane again. Aunt Maudie kept trying to hurry Lizzie Jane home where everyone would have opportunity to express their feelings.
On the way home, Lizzie Jane asked, "Was Jake there?"
Uncle Jed answered, "No. Someone said that he took off the weekend to go fishing."
"Well," replied Lizzie Jane. "A prayer answered." She had been afraid of a spectacle when the couple met again.
All the ladies pitched in and helped get the meal ready. Uncle Jed had constructed a long table from used 2 x 4 boards and plywood that he had stored away. He did not have much money to spend. In fact, he was worried about the cost of the food preparation. Aunt Maudie had assured him that all the extra cost came to $18.30, but that was quite a bit of money in the 50's.
However, he was thankful that summer was getting near so that Maudie's canned goods could be replaced from the garden. He wasn't too happy about the women's raid on the smokehouse for meat, particularly since he had caught so many chickens in the yard for that purpose.
Lizzie Jane meal was interrupted continually as visitors mentioned events in their lives to Lizzie Jane, hoping that she could remember. She did not have enough time to consider any because of the constant stream of concerned friends talking to her. A few, like Sally, the school teacher, decided to wait until a more opportune moment. Even with all the confusion, a few things were brought to remembrance, mainly because Lizzie Jane had dreams about them.
As the church ladies began to help clean up, Lizzie Jane was told to sit on the porch since she was the center of attention and was not needed in the kitchen. As the women wandered around trying to help and getting in each other's way, Lizzie Jane finally had a few moments to herself. Sitting in a rocker not too far from the men, she listened to them as they discussed her.
She was startled to hear the name, Jake. She listened closely and discovered that it was not her boyfriend that they were talking about, but an older Jake -- whose house they went to once when she became lost in the woods.
"Yeah," said one of the men. "If it had not been for Big John, she would have been in big trouble. I heard that he shot a panther just as it leaped toward her."
"What do you think about what Big John saw in the woods?" asked another man.
"Oh, you mean the woman he saw in white -- the one who pointed Big John toward Lizzie Jane being in trouble."
"Yeah, she claimed that the woman Big John saw was her mother who had died before Jed brought her here."
"I don't know about that. Do you believe in ghosts?"
As Lizzie Jane listened, she remembered the event. Her mother had always appeared to her in a dream, but John saw her mother in person -- and was warned about the danger just in time to take a shot at the leopard as it jumped.
A ghost? Maybe. Whatever she was, it was just enough to save Lizzie Jane's life. Aterwards, she remembered Big John escorting her out of the woods and riding on his big, broad shoulders across the field to the elder Jake's house.
As she thought about it, that event began a series of thoughts which moved through her mind for an undetermined amount of time, similar to watching a movie on a screen, only faster, and causing her to remember events in proper order.
The string of thoughts finally lead up to the time that the younger Jake had proposed. She remembered being surprised and not knowing how to answer, she had fainted. That must have been when she had hit her head on the concrete floor. In a dazed state, she remembered telling Jake, "Yes, I will marry you." She didn't know why she said that. It just seemed like the thing to say at the time.
She sat there stunned. Her complete memory had returned, from the time Big John had rescued her from the panther until the present -- or as complete as it had normally been. Now, she remembered what Jake looked like. But, did she love him? She did not know. She remembered his sweet kisses and how he had refused to leave the waiting room when she was in the hospital, recovering from a gunshot wound, until she got better.
Why had she accepted his proposal? Because she did not want to hurt his feelings? He had been so good to her, stood by her in troublesome times, and she felt that possibly he really loved her. Maybe the fall had not caused the amnesia, but her brain could have just shut down because she could not handle the thought of marriage -- not now. She did not want to hurt Jake's feelings, so forgetting everything may have been the way out.
As she considered the matter, Lizzie Jane began to realize that whatever she did would affect her future the rest of her life. Would she want to marry someone that she may not love other than as a friend? Suppose she married Jake and "Mr. Right" came along? She believed marriage was for life and she would be miserable as a wife if she found true love in another man.
Lizzie Jane had a lot to think about.
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To Be Continued...
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Copyright by Starla Anne Lowry
Under the pen name of Billie Sue Pilgrim
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"And you look good for your age," said Robert as he turned toward Lizzie Jane, leaned forward, and kissed her on the lips.
Looking into her pretty face, and said, "Was that okay?"
"Well, no," replied Lizzie Jane with a smile. "But I liked it.".
Chapter 16
When the last of the guests left, Lizzie Jane went into the house to help straighten things up, but discovered everything neat and clean. The women from church did a good job. Aunt Maudie smiled and said, "You did not have to help clean up. You were the guest of honor."
"Thank you, but I gotta tell you something, Aunt Maudie. I have most of my memory back!" Lizzie Jane was bubbling over with excitement.
"Oh -- that is great, sweetie. What do you mean 'most' of it"
"Well, I remember being lost in the woods and a man named Big John rescued me and I suppose I remember just about everything after that."
"How about things before that?" asked Aunt Maudie.
"Well, I remember a little deer that I rescued from a kudzu patch --- and that is about it."
"You don't remember your mother and growing up?"
"I remember how my mother looks because I see her often in dreams. I also know that we loved each other very much, but about growing up --- no, I don't remember anything," replied Lizzie Jane. "Do you know anything about it?"
Aunt Maudie thought about it for a moment. Her sister had left Carter's Bend before Lizzie Jane was born and they did not correspond very much -- and what she did know -- well, perhaps it would be better if Lizzie Jane was not told about it.
So, Aunt Maudie stretched the truth a little by stating, "No, honey. I have always known you as a sweet little girl who loves others and they love you."
Well, part of that was true. To her, Lizzie Jane had been a sweet child ever since she came to live with her and Jed.
"Okay," replied Lizzie Jane.
She decided that there may have been some unpleasant memories that she needed to forget, so, as far as she was concerned, life began with Aunt Maudie and Uncle Jed. She wanted to always remember her mother. Even though she had passed away, she was always around to take care of Lizzie Jane.
Lizzie Jane was happy to know that her mother was in Heaven with God and the angels. She loved her mother very much and the memory of her had always been with Lizzie Jane, even when she had amnesia. Since Lizzie Jane's heart was stronger than her mind, she had always missed her mother and wished that she had not died when Lizzie Jane was so young.
Some people had told her that God needed an extra angel in Heaven, but Lizzie Jane believed that people who went to Heaven were not angels, but children of God. Angels were a special creation.
Lizzie Jane smiled at those thoughts and her eyes filled with tears. She could imagine her mother looking down from Heaven, reading her thoughts, and smiling at her lovely child with all the love that a mother could have.
Yes, her mother was smiling. Lizzie Jane was sure of that. Lizzie Jane's mother could see that her precious baby had turned out to be a beautiful young lady and knew the plans God had for her. Sure, Lizzie Jane would have some bumps and problems along the way, but all that was to prepare her to be a stronger person to meet the challenges ahead.
"Okay, It is time for bed," proclaimed Aunt Maudie. "You have missed a lot of school, young lady, and it is time for you to try to catch up."
It did not take Lizzie Jane very long to be sound asleep. Her dreams became filled with marvelous scenes and she experienced a dream-like fairy tale with her as the main character. There were angelic creatures, forest animals and she even saw her little deer friend again. She was queen of the forest and her every desire was granted. Everything was so magnificent that she did not want to wake up -- but wake up she must.
She woke with the sun shining through her upstairs bedroom window. Oh, it was going to be a beautiful day. She could hear the birds chirping their happy tunes, each one with their own distinctive sound. A couple of robins could be seen perched just outside the window, as if they were lovebirds; then flying away as one seem to chase the other. Walking to the window, she observed the squirrels running through the branches as if they were greeting the day with joy, too.
A trip to the outhouse and coming back to wash up in a basin removed the 'sleep' from her eyes. Already she could smell the bacon, sausage, and eggs that Aunt Maudie had sizzling in a frying pan. As Lizzie Jane walked in, her aunt was just reaching into the oven retrieving a pan of biscuits. She sat at her regular place at the table, quickly grabbing a biscuit while it was still hot and smeared it with freshly churned butter after she had pulled it into halves. Having a choice of strawberry jelly or honey, Lizzie Jane chose the honey.
She smiled at Aunt Maudie and the smile was returned. This was the one thing she missed while she was gone. She had not realized it before, but there is no place like home, eating breakfast with her family. She had loved living with Carol, but it was not the same. Uncle Jed and Aunt Maudie loved her like she was their own daughter.
Removing her night clothes and putting on a fresh print dress, Lizzie Jane picked up the small lard bucket by the handle containing her lunch, kissed her aunt good-bye and started toward school. Since she had risen early, she decided to walk to the one room school so she could enjoy nature.
She was the first student at school, but Sally, the school teacher, was already there wiping the blackboard.
"Well hello, Lizzie Jane," when Sally turned and saw her. "I am pleased that you are here first. I wanted to get a chance to talk to you."
"What about? Nothing serious, I hope."
"First, how much do you remember?" questioned Sally.
"Oh, just about everything -- that is from the time that Big John rescued me from that panther," replied Lizzie Jane.
"Good. Then you remember the things you learned at school?" It was more of a question than a statement.
"Oh yes, quite a bit. Were you worried that I would forget?"
"No, silly" smiled Sally. "I have you as an eighth grade student and that is as far as we go in this school. Most of our students are going to be farmers or loggers, so there isn't enough interest to go higher. I was thinking about you. You have great potential and you really need to finish high school, so I have been trying to think of a way for you to get the education you deserve."
"How?" asked Lizzie Jane.
"I don't know. We need to get you to another school, but there is a transportation problem. There are a couple more that I think ought to be allowed a high school education, so I was thinking about writing the Alabama State Board of Education to see if they would let me teach the three of you. I haven't attended college, so I only have a teacher's certificate and they may not think that is good enough."
Lizzie Jane was considering what Sally said. Yes, she would like more education than most of the children of the community desired, but transportation was the immediate problem.
"We have this term for you to complete the eighth grade, so maybe you can help me come up with a solution. Ordinarily you would be in the seventh grade, but I promoted you two grades since you were such a great helper in teaching the younger children. You would make a fine teacher -- or maybe a nurse -- or some other profession. Your mind is too good to waste."
"Yes, I am most happy to help," is all Lizzie Jane could say. She was thinking about talking to Sam about the matter and see if he had any ideas.
Other children began arriving and Sally asked Lizzie Jane, "We have some new children. Would you help them learn the alphabet? and their numerals?"
"Sure." answered Lizzie Jane.
"Good, I will send Robert Nolan over to observe. I think he is interested with working with young boys. After he learns the ropes, he will take the boys and you can have the girls. That way, you each will have two children. A lot easier to teach."
Lizzie Jane suggested that they go outside and sit under a shade tree since it was such a gorgeous day and it would be quieter. Robert watched Lizzie Jane's method and caught on very quickly. The children were divided between the two young instructors and they worked with them until lunch time.
Since the children were very young and this was their first day, they were dismissed to go home, but had to promise that they would practice what they had learned. Before the children left, they enjoyed their peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Lizzie Jane smiled at how thrilled they were about being 'big kids' and going to school.
"You have a pretty smile," mentioned Robert.
"Thank you," was Lizzie Jane's reply.
"I am sure your boy friend thinks so, too."
"Oh, I have a boy friend, but it is not a serious situation on my part."
"Then, you are not asked for?"
"Well -- yes -- he asked for me, but I am not sure what I should do, so I am keeping an open mind."
"You are saying you are free?"
"Yes," replied Lizzie Jane.
That opened the door for Robert. Now, he had to think of a way to get his foot in the door.
The couple opened their lunches while sitting in the shade of the tree. Lizzie Jane had some buttered biscuits, a piece of ham, and a pint jar of milk. The milk had gotten warm, but still okay to drink. Robert brought out a couple of sandwiches and some tea in a pint jar.
"Wanna swap?" asked Robert. "One of your biscuits and part of your ham for one of my cheese and lettuce sandwiches?"
"Well, I like my buttered biscuits -- but, okay."
As they ate, Robert looked at Lizzie Jane and said, "You know, you are pretty."
Lizzie Jane blushed. She had not thought much about being pretty.
"Why so red in the face?"
"I am not red in the face."
"Yes, you are!"
Lizzie Jane thought for a second and replied, "Well, you are good looking, too."
"How about us two good looking people meeting together after school?" asked Robert.
"Where?" inquired Lizzie Jane.
"Well, it will not be dark. How about down by Johnson's Lake? I will buy some cokes and cookies."
Lizzie Jane smiled. "Okay," she said.
Miss Sally was close by and heard the conversation. After school started again, she motioned for the couple to come to her desk.
"You two did such a good job today. Why don't you go home early. Lizzie Jane has had a rough experience and it may help her relax," said Sally with a smile.
The two walked along the dirt road. Although it was not summer yet, there hadn't been rain in a few days and the temperature was warm for a spring day -- a perfect day for a walk to the general store and to sit by Johnson's Lake.
Enjoying the coke and cookies, Lizzie Jane leaned back and looked at the sky. Robert followed suit.
"Have you noticed how the clouds look like certain things?" asked Lizzie Jane, watching the clouds floating through the sky like big wads of cotton.
"Yep -- there is one who looks like old man Doc Brown," replied Robert.
"Doc Brown ain't old. In fact, he is very nice -- and good looking for his age," replied Lizzie Jane, watching the same cloud.
"There you go. You agreed that he is old -- looking good for his age, you said," laughed Robert.
"Guess I did," smile Lizzie Jane.
"And you look good for your age," said Robert as he turned toward Lizzie Jane, leaned forward, and kissed her on the lips.
Looking into her pretty face, and said, "Was that okay?"
"Well, no," replied Lizzie Jane with a smile. "But I liked it."
"I am glad."
"Me, too."
He returned to his original position on his back and began watching the clouds again with his fingers interlocked behind his head. "What are you looking for in a husband?"
"Oh, I don't know. Maybe a hard working man who will be good to me and the kids -- and a Christian."
"How many kids do you want?"
Oh, about a dozen I guess will do for a start," replied Lizzie Jane.
"A dozen?"
"Yeah, for a start."
"Why so many?"
"Well, when I get old and feeble, maybe some of them will take care of me. I would go to their homes and stay awhile and rock their kids -- my grandchildren -- and spoil them."
"I don't think I could support that many," said Robert.
"Well, I didn't say it had to be you."
Jokingly Robert replied, "Well, I object to that."
"I am not ready to get married yet -- just thinking."
"Okay, but don't be surprised if I throw my hat in the ring."
"Just so you will know -- It will be a big ring," smiled Lizzie Jane.
The couple lay there for a couple of hours discussing things of general nature when Lizzie Jane said in her normal sweet voice, "I think it is time to go home."
"Well, it is always hard to leave a princess."
"Me? A princess?"
"Sure -- you would be one in my castle."
"Okay Knight Robert. Just be ready to fight the dragons when they show up."
Reaching Lizzie Jane's home, Robert faced her, took her by the shoulders and said, "One for the road" and kissed her with a longer lasting kiss.
"Sweetie, I want to see you again," Robert stated in his soft manly tone.
"Well, you will. We go to school together."
"You know what I mean."
"Yes, I know," smile Lizzie Jane. "Well, goodnight."
"It ain't night yet!"
"Nope, but close enough. Aunt Maudie will be expecting me."
She gave Robert more peck on the cheek and opened the door. Just before closing, she placed her head against the edge of the door and winked at Robert and said, "You be good now."
"Okay," said Robert. Lizzie Jane was that special girl that every man looks for. He stepped off the porch and walked down the road-- singing. Not only with his mouth, but also with his heart.
As she walked into the house, Aunt Maudie asked, "What kind of day did you have?"
Lizzie Jane smiled and in a dreamy tone, "It has been a wonderful day."
Aunt Maudie smiled. She had seen what happened on the front porch.
"Jake came by today," mentioned Aunt Maudie.
"Jake?"
"Yes, he went by the school this afternoon and you wasn't there, so he came over here. You do remember Jake, don't you?"
"Yes. He was the one who stayed close by when I was in the hospital. I think he loved me so much that he did not want to leave."
"Well, Jake is coming back tonight."
"He is? Well, I guess I had better start cooking. Now, what did he like to eat? Oh yes, I remember that, too. I will get some ham out of the smoke house. He likes mashed potatoes, english peas, creamed corn, and ham."
Aunt Maudie stood there a little stunned. "I wasn't sure how felt about Jake."
"Oh, Aunt Maudie, we are still friends." Lizzie Jane paused, then added -- "I hope."
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To Be Continued...-
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Copyright 2008 by Starla Anne Lowry
Under the pen name of Billie Sue Pilgrim
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"Jake, get Jed's truck and run and get Doc Brown. Maybe he has enough training to talk some sense in that girl. She is threatening to kill herself and I don't think she is kidding. She has never talked that way before."...
...Aunt Maudie could hear Lizzie Jane tearing some cloth. What was she doing? Aunt Maudie tried to knock the door in, but was not strong enough......
Chapter 17
Lizzie Jane scurried around trying to get supper ready for Jake. The vegetables were from the canned goods that Aunt Maudie and she had put up from the preceding summer. The ham had to be washed thoroughly and everything had to be seasoned just right.
Just as she was finishing, there came a knock on the door. Lizzie Jane heard Aunt Maudie say, "Come in Jake. Lizzie Jane is in the kitchen."
Lizzie Jane was setting the table just as Jake walked in. Looking up, she smiled a sweet smile and said, "Hello, Jake."
"So, you do know me?" inquired Jake.
"Yep," replied Lizzie Jane proudly. "I got a lot of my memory back."
"A lot? Then you don't remember everything?"
"No, I thought I remembered everything after the time that Big John rescued me and, after talking to Aunt Maudie today, I realized I didn't."
"How about our engagement?"
"Oh, I remember you asking me to marry you and, out of confusion, I remember saying 'yes'."
"Out of confusion? Then you did not mean it?"
"Jake, that is what I wanted to talk to you about. I believe that your proposal is what caused me to faint and lose my memory. Since then, I have seen the outside world and --- well, girls just don't get married at 14 any more -- well, at least, very few."
Jake stood there shocked to some extent. "But, you know I love you," he said in a pleading tone.
"Jake, I love you, too -- but, for marriage --- well, I just don't know. You are a good friend..."
"A good friend is all I am?" asked Jake, his tone turning cooler.
"Please, Jake, understand -- Here, I have fixed supper for you."
"Supper? You expect me to eat supper when the girl I love has just told me that I am just a friend?"
"No, I didn't mean it like that," cried Lizzie Jane, tears beginning to flow from her eyes. "Oh, I don't know what to say! I had it all planned out that we could have supper together and talk this thing over, but..."
"So you planned to let me down easy. Is that it!?"
Lizzie Jane dropped a dish, breaking as it hit the floor, and ran upstairs. She ran into her room, slammed the door, and fell across the bed, sobbing. Why couldn't Jake understand? Why didn't things work out like she had planned? She felt at the moment that she had never been so heartbroken in her life.
Yes, she loved Jake? Why could she not tell him that straight? Now, he is angry. Jake had never said a cross word to her in his life. Now -- oh, everything was going wrong.
Aunt Maudie came into the kitchen and saw Jake sitting by himself and asked, "Where is Lizzie Jane?"
"I am afraid I upset her. I made a big deal about her referring to us as friends. Mrs. Morton, I love that girl with all my heart. To me, she is more than a friend. She is the love of my life," stated Jake in a mournful tone of voice.
"Jake, she is young and just find out about life. She has been sheltered all her life with a mother who tried to raise Lizzie Jane right after a good-for-nothing man left her mother with a baby to raise. Lizzie Jane does not remember that, but somewhere in her subconscious, it must be there. There are a lot of things stored up in the back of that girl's mind that we would not imagine."
"I am so sorry, Mrs. Morton. I guess I spoke too harsh and she went upstairs crying."
"I will go and look in on her," offered Aunt Maudie.
Aunt Maudie knocked lightly on the door of Lizzie Jane's bedroom. "Can I come in?" she asked.
"Go away. I can't do anything but hurt the ones I love," came the voice from inside. Aunt Maudie could hear in Lizzie Jane's voice that she was crying.
"Come on, open the door. I want to talk to you. Please."
"No!" screamed Lizzie Jane. "I am no good to anybody. I am just going to kill myself!"
"Don't talk that way, child. You know you don't want to do that."
"Yes, I do. You won't see me alive in the morning."
"Please don't say that! Please!" pleaded Aunt Maudie.
Maudie ran downstairs. "Jake, get Jed's truck and run and get Doc Brown. Maybe he has enough training to talk some sense in that girl. She is threatening to kill herself and I don't think she is kidding. She has never talked that way before."
Maudie got the truck keys out of a desk. Jake grabbed them and ran outside. Aunt Maudie could hear the truck start and tires spinning as Jake left the yard.
Meanwhile, she went back upstairs to try to talk some sense into Lizzie Jane's head.
"Come on. Open the door, Lizzie Jane. Right now!" begged Aunt Maudie.
"No, I am getting ready to leave this world," replied Lizzie Jane.
Aunt Maudie begged, "Please open this door. I love you. We all love you. Please, don't do anything to hurt us."
"I have already hurt all of you. I lost my memory and ran away. I hurt Jake tonight. How many more of you am I going to hurt? The best thing is for me to leave this world. You all will get over me in a short time."
Aunt Maudie could hear Lizzie Jane tearing some cloth. What was she doing? Aunt Maudie tried to knock the door in, but was not strong enough. She ran outside to try to find something to burst the door lock.
Doc Brown drove up with Jake right behind him.
"I found him on the road," explained Jake. "When I told him about Lizzie Jane, he came right on ahead of me. Boy, can that man drive -- and I thought I was fast."
"Quick, let's hurry," pleaded Aunt Maudie.
Doc Brown ran up the stairs, which was quite a feat for an old man, with Jake and Aunt Lizzie right behind him. Doc Brown knocked very loudly on the door.
"Lizzie Jane, let us in or we will knock the door down," exclaimed Doc Brown.
There wasn't any sound. Doc Brown called again. Still no sound.
"Come on, Jake, Let's get in there."
Doc Brown and Jake hit the door with their shoulders together and it came open and saw the shock of their life. There was Lizzie Jane with a string of cloth tied around her neck dangling from a light fixture which appeared like it was going to fall.
"Quick, let's get her down," screamed Doc Brown.
Since Lizzie Jane's feet where just off the floor. so it wasn't any problem for Jake to cut the cloth rope above Lizzie Jane's head. Doc Brown carefully placed her on the bed, felt her pulse, and took out his stethoscope to listen to her heart.
"Is she ---?" began Aunt Maudie.
"Yes, Maudie -- I hate to say this -- but Lizzie Jane is dead."
What? Is this to be continued?
Well, yes -- Final Chapter next time-
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Copyright 2008 by Starla Anne Lowry
Under the name of Billie Sue Pilgrim
"Yes, Heaven -- that beautiful place I went to. There was a wall with all kind of precious jewels and something that looked like a pearl was a gate. Buildings inside the wall were sparkling and shining and looked like gold. The street looked like it was gold, too, and shined so much that it seemed as if you could see through it."
Chapter 18
"Lizzie Jane cannot be dead," cried Aunt Maudie.
Doc Brown tried one last thing even though there didn't seem to be any hope. He took his fist and hit one solid blow to Lizzie Jane's chest. Placing the stethoscope on her chest, he reported, "Her heart has started back." He promptly raised her head, took his finger and moved her tongue around, blew in her face causing her to gasp and she started breathing on her own.
"That is called a precordial thump. I read about it in a recent medical journal last week. Although it is supposed to be used in an observed cardiac arrest --- well, it worked. I moved the tongue around to open the airway. We still need to get her to a hospital quickly, though."
Lizzie Jane looked around, her eyes falling first on Jake, after that she saw the good doctor and Aunt Maudie.
"Jake..." she began.
"Shhh - hush dear, you don't need to talk," said Aunt Maudie.
"Yes, I do!" insisted Lizzie Jane. "I have something to say and it is important. I was not meant to die, so I was sent back."
"Sent back?" asked Aunt Maudie.
"Yes --- sent back. And Jake, I love you and I will marry you."
Jake said, "You told me that the last time you were going to a hospital and you lost your memory."
"This time I ain't going to no hospital and I know what I am saying. Please let me tell you something," insisted Lizzie Jane.
Doc Brown spoke, "You need some rest now -- and you need to go to a hospital for a mental evaluation."
"No, I don't. That is what I want to tell you."
"You are going to the hospital," insisted Jake.
"No, I am NOT going to no hospital."
"Yes, you are. I am bigger than you and I will carry you if necessary."
"And I had to rescue you one time! I am tough and I am okay. So there!!"
"Okay kids," said Doc Brown. "Let's put you on the bed and I will let you talk for just a minute and then we will decide what to do with you."
"Okay, while I was dead, I went to a beautiful place..." began Lizzie Jane.
"You wan't dead enough to go anywhere," said Jake.
"Shut up, husband, and let me talk. Time is nothing in Heaven."
"Heaven?" Doc Brown and Aunt Maudie questioned together.
"Yes, Heaven -- that beautiful place I went to. There was a wall with all kind of precious jewels and something that looked like a pearl was a gate. Buildings inside the wall were sparkling and shining and looked like gold. The street looked like it was gold, too, and shined so much that it seemed as if you could see through it."
Tears began to fill her eyes as she continued, "and the first person I saw was that little crippled girl who died when I was in the hospital. She ran up to the gate and hugged my neck and thanked me for telling her to go to Jesus. She had the prettiest smile,'
"and the next person I saw was my momma. She was smiling, too, and hugged my neck. I started to go in and momma said I couldn't. I asked why and she said that it was not time for me to die. Oh, the place was so pretty and I wanted to go in so bad, but momma wouldn't let me. She said our heavenly father had a message for me.
"She pointed toward a bright light which I could not look at because it was so bright. It was God. I wondered how could I talk to God when I could not see him. Then a man walked out of the light. He looked like a normal man, except that he was beautiful. I cannot explain that. He walked toward me and said that I could talk to God by talking to him. That was why he came to earth one time as a man, so that people could know God. He showed me his hands and I saw scars -- big scars and he said, 'This is where I was wounded in the house of my friends'.
"He told me the same thing momma had told me many times -- that I had something to do on earth -- that I would be a good wife to a wonderful husband and have children and that I should carry them to church where they could learn about God. He told me that I have a long life ahead of me and God would use me in a marvelous way -- in such a way that I would not believe right now -- that all things that has happened to me was preparing me for that work.'
"I asked who my husband will be and he said that when I wake up, the man who was prepared to be my husband would be the first person I would see. When I came back, the first person I saw was Jake."
Turning her head to Jake, "So I guess we are destined to be married."
Jake smiled. Lizzie Jane continued, "and I am sorry for what I did. But my attempt at taking my life was for a good reason."
Jake replied, "I am sorry for what I said, too."
Looking at the small group, Lizzie Jane ended with, "so I was sent back. The man with scars in his hands said that Doc Brown would be given the knowledge on what to do to bring me back, but that he would not believe it would work."
"I didn't think it would work," said Doc Brown, "but Maudie was screaming and crying, so I had to try something. You see, you did not have a heart attack. You choked to death."
Aunt Maudie had to say something. "Dear, do you not know who that man was that had the scars in his hands?"
"No, not really. I thought in Heaven, all scars would be done away with," answered Lizzie Jane.
"That man was Jesus. He will keep his scars to show that he died as a sacrifice for us so that we can go to Heaven. The scars is where they nailed his hands to the cross with those big ole nails. When we talk to God, we go through Jesus. The Bible says he is our mediator between us and God. He was a man that others could see and handle, so that we could go to God."
"So, Doc -- I am well, healthy and a good mind. God did it and he did it perfectly." Lizzie Jane turned toward Jake. "Now I know there will never be anyone but you in my life."
"Wonder how many children we will have?" Jake wondered aloud in a joking manner.
"Oh, I guess about a dozen --- for a start."
The End-