Jennie Rue: The Thomas Sisters, #4

By Kathryn Spurgeon

A short story. 1930s. Jennie Rue, stable and God-fearing, agrees to nurse the sickly wife of an older man with two children. When he becomes a widow and wants to marry her, is it for love or convenience?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Memory House Publishing, LLC
• Release date: Mar 1, 2019
• ISBN: 9781946887016

Kathryn Spurgeon

Kathryn Spurgeon, a graduate of the University of Oklahoma, is a Christian historical novelist. An award winning author, she has published hundreds of devotionals, poems, articles and short stories. She and her husband have six children and twelve grandchildren. They help international college students and make their home in Edmond, Oklahoma. Visit her website at www.kathrynspurgeon.com

Book preview

Jennie Rue Thomas Newberry

Born March 12, 1892

Chapter 1

October 1931

Some people say I’m energetic and a natural-born caretaker. That’s like saying the grass is green or the sky is blue. It’s just who I am.

I first learned to serve others by helping my baby sister, Annie. Till didn’t like me calling her Annie because it reminded her of her own baby Annie who died, but I’d used that name for my sister since she was born.

When we were children, a serious outbreak of diphtheria hit the United States. Even many children who had been given the miracle serum perished. Any time a child got sick, fear griped our family like the earth was about to split open. I remember my mother’s frantic tears when Annie’s fever soared. She was four years old. I, Jennifer Rue Thomas, was only seven.

Annie lost some of her hair and some of her hearing in one ear. She almost died.

But she didn’t. I liked to think she survived because I stood by her bed wiping her forehead with a wet washcloth and feeding her chicken broth. My poor mother couldn’t drag me away. I nursed Annie as if my own baby doll had fallen ill. Talking to her like I knew all about the moon and the stars and the way people ought to be nice to one another. I remember Mama telling me to hush up. I guess I rambled on more than anyone else in the family and she didn’t want to hear me every minute of every day.

From the time I saved my Annie, I wanted to be a nurse and help people when I grew up.

Annie grew up as a sickly girl, but I never minded taking care of her. Sometimes I think she pretended to be ill just so I could show off my skills, but I didn’t mind. Taking care of people came easily. I didn’t realize my natural abilities would be tested before autumn was behind us.

***

My sisters, Till, Ann, and Susie, dropped by to visit Bob and me on Saturday afternoon. In our late thirties and early forties, we crept up to middle age and still acted like five silly girls when we got together. My oldest sister, Mary Bobbie or Bob, had been staying with me and was leaving on Monday to return to her home in Texas, so we planned to spend as much time together through the weekend as we could. The menfolk agreed to keep an eye on our boys. This might be one of the last times we five sisters chatted together until Bob’s next visit and who knew when that would be.

We commenced to chat about non-important issues and skirt around the hard ones.

I brought some stitching to do. Till put her sewing kit on the floor. Got so much work that I can’t let a minute go by without a needle in my hand. Sitting down in our cozy living room, Till took out handiwork while we chattered like magpies, babbling, which normally happened the moment we got together.

Ann also spread her goods around her large baby belly and retrieved her sewing box stuffed with scissors, thimbles, different colors of thread and buttons, and probably an old zipper or two. The two sisters, Till and Ann, were the seamstresses in the family. Every family needed at least one female who liked to sew and mend and darn. They also liked to hook rugs and patch faded overalls, something I’d never had a hankering to do.

I’m glad you moved back to Hollis, Susie. I pushed my spectacles up on my nose and looked at Susie, who seemed more content and sure of herself now. You can’t be such a hermit with the family any more. You do seem calmer latterly, but then none of us really know what you’re thinking after that fiasco at the school board meeting. By the way, how’s Elmer and the boys?

Susie didn’t answer.

While she was the quietest of the bunch, I clearly talked the most, unable to keep thoughts in my head where they belonged. We almost got your house put together, except for a few minor things. I can help more if you need it. Did Bob get the books set up?

She did, at that, Susie nodded yes.

Susie’s been waiting for you, Bob. Till pulled out a pin cushion and shuffled around in her sewing box before she held up a thimble. She likes everything in place, you know, so she was eager for you to come and put the finishing touches on her house. Ouch! Till put her finger in her mouth. Stuck myself.

I can’t get started sewing. Ann squinted as she held the needle and thread up to her face. Jennie, can you see to thread this needle for me?

I put on my glasses and threaded the needle for Ann. The pink thread spinning off the wooden spool matched the dress material she was making for her future