A Searching Heart by Janette Oke Read Free Book Online Page B

“Are there any more of those muffins left?” she went on, hoping to distract her sister.
    â€œIn the pantry,” sniffled Francine.
    â€œGet a couple.”
    Francine went off to the pantry just as their parents came in the kitchen, fully dressed and anxious to be on their way.
    â€œYou’ll watch out for Francine,” Belinda was saying in a low voice as she drew on her light coat.
    Virginia nodded. Her mother knew that she would, but Virginia guessed she had to say the words anyway.
    â€œI expect to be back soon,” said her father. “I’d be useless and in the way there.”
    Virginia nodded again.
    â€œLet us know . . .” began Virginia. Those words were not necessary, either, but she had to speak them.
    Francine emerged from the pantry carrying a muffin in each hand. At the sight of her parents, she burst into tears again, and her mother gave her a quick hug. “Tell Clara—we’re praying,” Francine sobbed out to the backs of her departing mother and father. “We love her. She was a . . . a wonderful sister. I really—”
    â€œStop it,” cut in Virginia. “You’re talking like . . . like she’s dying or something.”
    â€œWell . . .” blubbered Francine.
    â€œShe’s only having a baby. Hundreds—thousands of women have babies every year.”
    â€œAnd some of them . . .” began Francine, but Virginia refused to let her say it.
    â€œGet the butter,” she ordered more loudly than necessary. “I’ll put the milk on.”
    Francine blew her nose and moved to the pantry once more.
    â€œThis is going to be a long, long night,” Virginia said again under her breath. She felt like weeping, too.
    â€”——
    News came long before Rodney’s eleven-o’clock train pulled in at the local station the next morning. Clara had a baby boy. Mother and baby both seemed to be resting comfortably. The doctors in charge felt no reason to be concerned about the new arrival, and Clara seemed to have weathered the birthing much better than they had dared to hope. The good news traveled fast. Belinda insisted on taking it out to the farm herself to inform the great-grandparents.
    Virginia breathed a sigh of relief. God had seen them through another crisis. And if the news hadn’t been so good, she told herself, God would have seen them through that, too.
    Rodney’s train was met with extra enthusiasm as he was greeted with the news that he was now an uncle. Virginia shared his emotions as his cap soared high into the air and he gave a whoop of delight.
    â€œHave they named him yet?” was his first question.
    â€œHe’s Anthony Clark,” Francine announced before Virginia had time to answer.
    â€œAnthony Clark. That’s nice. Real nice.”
    â€œAnd Clara says that he is not to be called Tony,” added Francine importantly.
    â€œAnd how does she plan to stop that?” laughed Rodney.
    â€œShe says she will pummel the first one who calls him that,” spoke up Danny.
    â€œAnd the others?”
    Danny shrugged. “I suppose she will pummel all of them.”
    Rodney laughed again, then gathered his suitcases, passing some to Virginia and Danny to carry. A small parcel was handed to Francine as her allotment.
    â€œDon’t drop that,” he admonished her. “I’ve been nursing it all the way home. There’s something for Mama and that new baby in there.”
    â€œHow did you know what to buy?” asked Francine, attempting to get a peek into the parcel.
    â€œFor Mama?”
    â€œNo, silly. For the baby.”
    â€œWhat do you mean? Babies aren’t too particular, so I’ve been told.”
    â€œBut you didn’t know if it was a boy or a girl.”
    â€œSo? I bought a toy and a couple of bibs. I don’t expect him to complain.”
    They all joined in Francine’s laugh.
    â€œNow, let’s get out of here