Stories for Girls

By Shirley Hassen

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• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris AU
• Release date: Jun 2, 2010
• ISBN: 9781477164792

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Copyright © 2010 by Shirley Hassen.

ISBN:        Softcover        978-1-4500-9671-3

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

To order additional copies of this book, contact:

Xlibris Corporation

1-800-618-969

www.xlibris.com.au

[e-mail]

500185

Contents

Just One Step

The Birthday Gift

A Family Holiday

The Letter

When The Cassette Stopped Playing

The Beach ‘Sunday School

Sheila

My Sisters’ Conspiracy

Dedication

To the teenager girls who like reading books. Keep reading.

The Author

Shirley Hassen

Other books by the author

Hearts’ Bondage Revealed

One Only

Justice Prevails

JUST ONE STEP

The eighteen-year-old Virginia was only half registering the soft music drifting from below the landing of the wide, winding stairwell. It was her deep concentrating on the thirteen steps below that had her also not hearing the happy whispers below in the spacious ballroom of the O’Hara’s massive Mansion.

Other than the music and the silence in the mansion, one could not be blamed for thinking there being nobody but Virginia and her parents in the vast house.

Gripping the beautiful rosewood stained banister Virginia stood uncertain at the top of the wide winding staircase as she contemplated the many steps. She was thinking of how many times as a toddler she had crawled fearful up and down the thirteen steps. When becoming a teenager, and to her mother’s constant, Virginia! Please walk like a young lady and not a young roughean! Virginia had continued to run precariously up and down the stairs. How could she get her mother to understand that running upstairs delighted her young fancy. Bringing her mind back to the present, Virginia’s concentrating of the stairwell was beginning to fill her with a real fear. The past six months of her hospitalization had now caused her much fear of the wide steps. It was this fear inside her that was the reason for her unawareness of the whispering below. Mesmerized by her situation, Virginia nervously looked again towards the far-off bottom step. As though the thirteen steps were a threat to her, Virginia subconsciously kept studying them. Still gripping the banister, she quickly but cautiously looked imploringly back at her mother.

Seeing her mother’s assuring smile, Virginia again stared down at the bottom step then at her father waiting patiently for her.

For the third time, Virginia inwardly counted the thirteen steps. Heck! I had never worried before, so why now? Nevertheless, in her thoughts, she knew why, and for the umpteenth time was telling herself that thirteen of anything was an unlucky number. Suddenly turning again to her beautifully groomed mother, Virginia, with a saddened sigh, exclaimed. I cannot do it, Mother!

Gently touching Virginia’s slightly shaking shoulders and with soft encouraging words, her mother spoke assuring, Yes you can Ginny. So do please try my darling.

So persuasive were her mother’s words, that they gave Ginny a slight feeling of bravado. Compelling herself to take the first step, her bravado only lasted several seconds. Virginia’s voice became a whisper as she said, Mother, I am frightened. What if I should fall? Looking at her mother, Virginia gave a low sob as she implored, I cannot do it, Mother. I just . . . can’t.

Ginny’s mother pointed to the smartly dressed and grinning man at the bottom of the stairs, then chided, Your Father is waiting, Ginny. He is waiting for his young lady.

As though through a tunnel, Ginny heard her father’s blurred, happy coaxing to her . . . but even her father’s flippant calling of, Come, my Ginny! Daddy is waiting! had not quieted her taught nerves. She was hesitant to move forward. Standing rigid, she pleaded, I can’t Mother! . . . I really can’t.

Virginia knew how her father had gone to great lengths to make this evening a special one for her. Dressed in their evening clothes, she guessed her father’s party would be very special . . . and just for her. It was her eighteenth birthday . . . and her homecoming from her months confined in the hospital.

Looking imploring towards her father, Virginia called softly, Oh Daddy! I cannot do it.

Slowly and deliberately walking up the two bottom steps her father encouraged, Yes you can Ginny and I am waiting to have the first waltz with my Princess.

Her father’s gazing up at her, Virginia guessed his gaze to be his worry and pride for her.

Her father was aware that his studying of his daughter was one of worry. He hoped Virginia could not see how worried he really was. To control his concerning thoughts, he studied the vision of his daughter. His pride for his beautiful Ginny was not of conceit but of honesty to himself. At this moment as Virginia stood framed in the light from the high window, tears of love brimmed in his eyes. He took in the vision of his lovely, tall slim and dark-haired girl. His