Josephine by Beverly Jenkins Read Free Book Online

Ypsilanti to have dinner with one of the Dragon Lady’s friends.”
    “Trudy, why are you flirting with Dred when you have Bert?”
    “I’m not flirting. I’m just being nice.” Trudy then asked, “Wouldn’t it be something if he remembered me long after he left here? You know how in the novels the soldier always remembers the young woman he met during the war and spends the rest of his life pining for her? Just imagine, I could be the last thing Dred thinks back upon right before he dies.”
    “Trudy!” Jo had heard Trudy spout some ridiculous notions over their lifetime, but this one had to be the worst.
    “Don’t you think that’s romantic?”
    Jo threw up her hands. “No. You’re supposed to be thinking about Bert and only Bert.”
    Trudy’s chin rose and she sniffed, “Well, I think it’s very romantic. Just because you’ve decided to put business before matters of the heart doesn’t mean I have to, too.”
    Jo snapped her mouth shut. She wanted to shake Trudy from now until Christmas Day, but knew it wouldn’t do to have a fight here, nor would it matter. Trudy had always been stubborn and rarely took advice that didn’t suit her purpose. Jo supposed some folks would describe Jo in those same terms, but she wasn’t silly enough to think she would be the last thing George would think about on his deathbed. Lord, it was a good thing she loved Trudy.
    Jo and Trudy spent the first part of the day’s visit writing letters for the men who could not do it for themselves. Some were hampered by injuries to their arms or shoulders, but others were hampered by their inability to read or write. One man wanted a letter written to his mother in Ohio, so she would know he’d been injured. Now that he was recovering he would be unable to visit her as he’d planned because he’d been ordered to rejoin his unit in three days’ time. Jo found the news sad but knew his mother would be happy to hear from him in spite of the spoiled plans. Having received no word from the men in her own family, Jo thought the soldier’s mother a lucky woman indeed.
    After all the letters were written, Jo rejoined her mother, who was seated on a bench stitching up the torn shoulder of a Union jacket. “Mama, would it be all right if I spent a few minutes talking with George?” He was over at a table playing chess with the Reverend Harmony. Jo had been keeping a discreet eye on his location since her arrival.
    Cecilia looked up from her needle. “I don’t see why not, but do me a favor first, if you would. My scissors must have fallen out of my sewing basket on the trip over. Would you go out to the wagon and see if you see them anywhere?”
    “Sure. I’ll be right back.”
    Jo hurried out to the wagon, and after a short search found the scissors beneath the wagon seat. After hopping back down to the ground her intent was to head back to her mother, but Jo stood there a moment to enjoy the silence and the gentle June breeze. She looked out over the fields toward the horizon and drank in the green, lush countryside. Michigan was so lovely in the spring, Jo could never imagine living anywhere else.
    She was just about to head back when the sight of a rented hack pulling up to the front of the house made her stop. The driver, a short, gnarly old man, hurried around to open the door. Out stepped a light-skinned man on crutches. One leg was heavily bandaged from his knee to his toes, so she assumed him to be another veteran coming to stay with Mrs. Oswald. He hopped around a bit to get himself steadied, then said something to the driver. Jo watched the driver firmly drop a valise at the feet of the crutch-bearing man. The men spoke for a moment. Their voices rose. She was too far away to hear the entire argument, but it seemed the man on the crutches wanted the driver to carry the bag to the door, but the tight-jawed driver climbed back into his rig and drove away. The man didn’t appear able to pick up the valise and handle the