Welcome back to Yankee Burrow Storytime. Last week we met John and Sarah when they received a letter from their bank. It was the type of letter no-one wants to see, but too many families today have received, they are losing their home. Join us as we watch this family make a new life.
(oh, and in case you didn't know, this is a fictional story.)
Chapter 2 - Packing up the memories
"Mommy, where are we going to live?" My youngest child, my little girl, still my little baby, so full of fear and uncertainty, asks me this question while helping me to put our family pictures into boxes. I don't know how to respond. I can't respond because I don't know where we will be at this time next month. I get up from the floor where I am surrounded by boxes, sorting and packing up my broken hopes and dreams. I grab my little girl up in my arms, move to my favorite spot, and plop down on the window seat and just hold her as she softly cries. Janie is only 5, she should be playing and laughing, but instead my sensitive little girl is frightened so I just sit and hold her, because that's all I can do.
I hear John come in the back door, followed by our son Jacob. They are laughing and joking, talking about Jacob's baseball game. How can they joke and laugh today? I feel a rush of anger spring up in me, the heat rushing to my face as I try to push down the feelings.
"Sarah, where are you? You should have been there, Jacob was amazing. Yankees, here we come." John enters the room, and stops when he sees me, and sees the boxes all over the room. "What are you doing? I told you to stop packing. We are not moving. This is our house and they cannot take it away, not without a fight." John's yelling causes Janie to cry even harder. And I say nothing. Again. John storms from the room, and I hear him go to his study. I hear the bottles clink as he prepares a drink. During all this I'm watching Jacob, watching the smile leave his face, his shoulders slump as he turns and leaves the room. At only 12 years old, Jacob is losing his childhood too quickly. I tell Janie to go and find her sister, then I go into the study only to find John throwing back his drink. I cringe when I hear the glass shatter after John throws it against the wall. And my heart breaks even more when I see him start to cry. Finally. I walk to him, and softly touch his arm. He turns to me, holds me tight, and apologizes. For his anger. For losing his job. For not taking care of his family. And we both cry. But this time, we cry together.
Come back and join me next week to see what's next for John and Sarah. And you can click on the links below the pictures to visit these great items available at HandmadeArtists.com
Be blessed,
Debbi
3 comments:
Thanks for linking up to my “Themed Blog & Shop Hop!”
Angie
godsgrowinggarden.com
Wow! way to make me cry :( This struggle is all too real for so many people. I don't think it helps that my husband's name is Jon. Anyways, nice short story.
I am so thankful that we have always had a secure life. I have a friend who has been struggling lately and I get so worried about her. It's easy to forget that it wouldn't take much to put most of us at risk -- a job loss or other catastrophe.
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