Like Gold Refined (16 page)

“We must hope—must pray—that when she gets too ill to care for Mindy, she’ll send her back to us.”

Virginia sank back against her pillow and stared at the ceiling in the flickering light.
Of course
, she told herself.
Of course. If we cooperate, then surely she will let her come back home. Oh, God … please … please don’t let her make any other plans … just out of spite. Please protect our Mindy. …

Jonathan kissed her on the forehead. “ Try to get some sleep,” he comforted her. “We do have a God, Virginia. He knows all about this.”

And miraculously, she did sleep. But even so, the next morning they both knew they carried an extra burden with them. Jonathan, with grim face and set jaw, went about his daily tasks. And Virginia had to constantly remind herself to lift sagging shoulders and smile for the sake of the children—for the sake of Mindy.

They asked Mindy for time and the child agreed.

“We will celebrate Jamie’s birthday first,” Jonathan had told her. “If—by then—you still feel you are to go to Mama Jenny … we’ll take you.”

Mindy seemed quite satisfied with that arrangement. She appeared withdrawn at times, but Virginia felt she had been getting better sleep. It was Virginia who was suffering the most. She could not imagine their home without Mindy. How would they ever live without her? Mindy began to speak of her going. Virginia thought it might be good for the other children to be prepared, even though it was beyond them to understand it. She and Jonathan talked it over with her.

“I’m going to go live with Mama Jenny,” Mindy informed the little ones the next afternoon as they sat at the table having hot cocoa and biscuits with honey.

“When?” asked Martha.

“After Jamie’s birthday.”

“Can I go, too?” asked Olivia.

“No, you have to stay here. You only have one mama.”

Olivia seemed about to object when Mindy continued. “Mama Jenny is sick, and she needs to learn about Jesus before she dies.”

Virginia had not been sure Mindy was actually aware of Jenny’s critical condition and the likelihood of her death. She again marveled at Mindy’s perception.

“She gonna die?” Olivia looked shocked. The only death she had encountered was the rooster that Jonathan brought in for Virginia to prepare for Sunday dinner.

“She’s very sick,” Mindy responded.

“Who’s gonna chop her head off?”

“Silly,” Martha scolded with schoolgirl wisdom. “You don’t chop
people’s
heads off. They just die.”

“Why?”

Virginia found the conversation beyond her ability to endure. She hurried to the table. “Let’s get going,” she prompted. “As soon as you’ve changed, you can go out to play for a while before supper. Mindy and Martha are to do their outside chores first—then if there’s time you can work on a snowman.”

The diversion worked. School clothes were quickly changed, and four children, dressed for winter, crowded excitedly out the door. Virginia could have used some help setting the table, but she felt that doing it herself was a small price for ending the dismal conversation.

Virginia decided to go all out for this birthday party. The entire family was invited. Mr. Simcoe brought Clark and Marty from the farm. Virginia noted with shock the difficulty with which they had to be helped, one at a time, in from the motor? car. Harry Simcoe came first with Clark, his crutch a slow thump on the boards of the porch. When her grandfather reached the kitchen, he was flushed from the exertion and breathing hard. He couldn’t even say anything for a while. Virginia hurriedly pushed a chair forward, and he lowered himself into it. Mr. Simcoe stood by to see that Clark was firmly settled before he turned to the door again. Virginia let her grandfather catch his breath before speaking to him.

“Welcome. It’s good to see you, Grandpa. It’s kind of nippy out there today.”

He smiled his hello. When he spoke, his words came in catchy little breaths. “Not as spry as I used to be. Thet walkin’ wears me out.”

Virginia swallowed the lump in her throat and turned away to the window. Mr. Simcoe was now ushering in her grandmother.
It would be much simpler if he just picked her up and carried her
, she found herself thinking as she watched the patient progress. Her grandmother’s failing hip seemed to be giving her even more trouble. And she was such a tiny thing. She appeared to be shrinking, making her look like a child parading around in grown-ups’ clothes.

Again Virginia felt her emotions threaten to overwhelm her. But it would not do to greet her grandmother with tears running down her cheeks. It seemed such a short time ago that her grandparents had walked tall and straight. Virginia had innocently assumed during her own growing-up years that it would always be so. She found her heart resisting the changes that her mind now told her were inevitable.

Virginia held the door while Mr. Simcoe eased the small woman into the warmth of the kitchen and placed another chair.

“Mama and Papa should be here momentarily,” she said as she kissed her grandmother’s cheek. “Clara’ll have to wait for Troy to get home from work, but she said he’d leave a bit early today.”

“Is Francine coming?” Marty was running a hand over her Sunday dress, smoothing out the skirt with a thin, blue-veined hand.

“Yes … a little later. Dalton couldn’t get away early. They said to save them some birthday cake.”

Her grandfather chuckled and reached for her grandmoth? er’s hand. “One thing old age has done for us, Ma. We never need worry about work keeping us from fun.”

She laughed gaily. “We don’t worry none ’bout work at all.”

They seemed to think they had a private joke on the rest of the world.

“Where’s your oldest?” asked Clark suddenly.

“She’s upstairs changing into her new dress.”

“A new dress? Did you sew it?” wondered Marty.

“No … Grandma Belinda did.” Virginia did not explain that she and her mother had discussed it and wanted Mindy to have something nice for her trip to the city. “She needed a special dress and I didn’t have the time.”

She heard another car engine. She looked out to see a green Ford pull in beside the other cars in the yard. “Here’s Mr. Woods,” she commented, surprised. “I wasn’t sure he’d come—”

“He busy with something special?”

“No, I … ” Virginia fumbled. She had not meant to express her thoughts aloud. “I just wasn’t sure he’d … ”

She let the sentence drop. Her grandparents did not seem to notice.

It was a lively party. Virginia found herself fully absorbed with caring for her guests. Her hostess duties helped keep the impending separation from dampening the spirit of the occasion, though her eyes rarely left Mindy’s face. She was so proud of her. She was growing into such a fine young lady. She knew Jonathan shared her feelings. The young girl seemed most mature for her age. Settled and confident. One would never have known she had experienced such a troubled beginning. God had been good—to her, to them.

Virginia and Jonathan had told each other that this party was to be a grand celebration. A memory for Mindy to take with her. A memory for them. They would wait until the celebration had settled until they discussed further her plans for the future. So they were totally unprepared when Mindy took matters into her own hands.

After the opening of Jamie’s gifts—with much help from Olivia and Martha—Mindy rose and took a deep breath. “This is my last family birthday party … at least for a while,” she said, and her voice was remarkably controlled. “I have decided to go and live with Mama Jenny. She is very sick … and she wants me.” Virginia felt the shock waves go around the circle, but she dared not look up. She was fighting for her own control. She felt Jonathan reach over and take hold of her hand. She squeezed hard, willing herself to accept his strength.

“I have been praying for Mama Jenny for a long time,” Mindy continued, “and maybe this is God’s way of answering my prayers. She needs to learn about asking to have her sins forgiven. She hasn’t done that yet.”

Virginia could not control the tears then. They ran freely down her cheeks, and no amount of blinking would stop the flow.

“Papa and Mama are going to take me there—maybe on the train if the roads are bad,” she added in a matter-of-fact tone.

There was a stirring. Mr. Woods had risen to his feet and crossed to pull Mindy close. She seemed puzzled by the deep emotion of her grandfather but hugged him back in return. Virginia saw the open tears of the man. No doubt his deep feelings included both daughter and granddaughter.

The entire assembly seemed to be weeping. The young ones looked from one to another, bewilderment in their little faces.

We must stop this
, thought Virginia.
They are much too young to understand. We’ll have them all fearful. …

Jonathan’s voice was a bit unsteady, but he cleared his throat and said, “I guess we all know why this is such an important birthday party. Our daughter Mindy has … has given this much thought … and prayer. As we also have. She … she knows this will not be easy—for any of us—but … ” His voice shook noticeably, and he paused for control. “We are proud of her. She … she is going to … ” He waited another moment. “She has asked to go … and we have agreed. She may leave us, but she will always be here—in our hearts.” He stopped to blow his nose. “Now … I think it’s time for birthday cake.”

The little ones came back to life at the familiar sound of birthday cake. A cheer went up, and soon the adults were wiping away tears and attempting to resurrect smiles. Some still appeared dazed as though they could not understand or believe what they had just heard. Losing their Mindy seemed beyond belief, but if this was what she really wanted, and if Jonathan and Virginia had approved it, they would reluctantly let her go with their blessing.

Jonathan gazed soberly at Virginia. “This decision has to be one of the most difficult and important we’ve ever made,” he said.

Even though the decision to allow Mindy to go had been made, they felt they should have further information regarding the legal implications. The next day Slate said he would be happy to keep an eye on the children, so Jonathan and Virginia went into town for the noon meal with Drew and Belinda.

After the homemade beef stew and corn bread, Jonathan explained what they had been thinking about and why. When he was finished, no one spoke for a time, but Belinda reached across the table for Virginia’s hand. Drew rested his chin on his hand as he stared reflectively out the window.

“From my knowledge of the legal world,” he began, “custody issues are some of the most difficult and complex the court faces. Usually there are no simple solutions, not even a clear ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ in terms of a legal ruling.” Drew stood and began pacing about the room. “As you well know by now,” he continued, “there are no guarantees in a court battle. As an attorney speaking to the facts of this case, I clearly see the rights of the couple who has functioned as the child’s parents for the majority of her life.”

Drew paused and looked at the two for a moment. Virginia was listening intently to every word, every nuance, as she knew Jonathan was doing.

“ Then there are the rights of the mother to whom the child was born. Without documentation to the contrary, she can simply make the case that she has changed her mind and wants her child back.” Drew returned to the table and sat down again. “The rights of the child are a significant third part to a court’s considerations. What is in her best interests—for the present, for the future?”