Growing Up Sassafras: Where is My Daddy

By Denise Harvey

Wisdom and love from grandparents. This is a different kind
of family story! It is one that most never hear of in public, but
so many families experience in private. Often we read and hear
the testimonies about the determination of a strong mother or
grandmother that guided her family along, through the pain and
sor

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trilogy Christian Publishing
• Release date: May 21, 2019
• ISBN: 9781640881662

Book preview

Chapter One

I miss you Daddy!

Sassafras is the sweetest little girl anyone would ever want to know. Sassay, as her family refers to her, lives with her mother, Savana, and her grandmother, Mildred. She hasn’t seen her father, Daniel, since Savana stopped allowing visitation time. Her parents were never married, and her mother decided that if her father didn’t want to be with her, he couldn’t see his daughter either. Daniel loves Sassay and misses her with all his heart!

One breezy Friday afternoon, Savana picked Sassay up from her year-round school. Sassay skipped into the house as she always did, humming quietly to herself. Savana stopped at the mailbox to grab the mail. Walking toward the house she slightly looked at the letters in her hand. One of them was for Sassay. Man, she said to herself, that woman is determined to not let Sassay forget who she is.

Sassay, you’ve got mail! Sassay giggled as she skipped back to her mother with a huge smile on her face.

Mildred was sitting out in the back sunroom enjoying the day when she heard her daughter and granddaughter entering the house. Oh my sweet Sassay is home, she thought to herself.

I bet my mail is from my Grand-mommy, Sassay said, letting out a scream of delight as she reached for the letter. I knew it was from her! Grand-mommy sent me another one, and I sure hope it has food for my piggy in it.

Once in the house, Sassay immediately opened a beautiful card with a big sunshine on it and two crisp five-dollar bills slid out from the middle of the card. Look mommy, I got more money for my piggy! Can you help me read the card? No, wait, I think I can do it myself. Sassay sat down on the floor, opened the card and began to read. She slowly tried to pronounce the words, but Savana looked over Sassay’s shoulder and began to read the card instead.

"As the sun shines and the moon lights the path below, my heart is smiling because you are in it. Keeping you close to my heart always, love Grand-mommy and Popsi."

As Savana stopped reading, she heard her daughter’s voice, "Mommy, I love my Grand-mommy and Popsi! When I will see them again? I’m starting to forget what they look like. I don’t know if I remember my daddy either. I miss him so much Mommy! Why can’t I see my Daddy?

Savana’s thoughts began racing concerning the questions that always seemed to follow about Sassay wanting to see her father and her father’s parents. Oh how she wished they would all go away and stay out of her and Sassay’s life. Savana started turning back listening to what her daughter was saying.

I want to see my daddy! Tears welled up in Sassay’s big beautiful gray eyes and cascaded over her cheeks as she ran out of the room in tears. Savana felt the heat of anger rush to her cheeks and clenched her fists over seeing how shaken up her daughter was. Ugh! See, this gets on my nerves! she screamed and directed her comments to her own mother, who walked in quietly from the sun room. "If his mother didn’t send these stupid cards every month, I wouldn’t have to keep dealing with Sassay’s crying and pouting."

Mildred shook her head. "My dear, I don’t know how long you are going to