Cruel Harvest by Fran Elizabeth Grubb

Author:Fran Elizabeth Grubb
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: ebook, book
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Published: 2012-07-04T21:00:00+00:00

“Once a task has first begun,

never leave it till it’s done.

Be the labor great or small.

Do it well or not at all.”

Although I wanted more than anything to get outside, I heard those words, and they stuck with me forever.

The next day I was sent to the dentist. This may sound like a small thing, but I was nearing ten, and it was the first time I’d ever had my teeth looked at. I was frightened when the hygienist walked me back. I had never seen such a place. Everything was so clean and sparkling. I thought it was going to be awful, but he made me feel at ease as he scraped and prodded my teeth. I had my first fillings and left with my mouth feeling wonderful and strange.

Back at Eason House, Mrs. McDonald took the time to teach me how to brush my teeth. At the same time, she showed me how to take care of my hair. I was given my own hairbrush, and I brushed my hair every morning. If I hurt myself playing outside, she cleaned the scrape and gave me a Band-Aid. It was my first of those too.

As the days passed, I became friendlier with my new sisters. Instead of staring at me, they’d ask me about my peculiarities.

“Why does it take you so long to eat?”

Between mouthfuls, I’d explain. “You should eat more too. You might not have any food tomorrow.”

I could tell they didn’t understand, but I could not stop myself. I ate and ate until I felt near bursting. Mrs. McDonald showed nothing but patience. At the same time, she was teaching me what was normal for the other children.

“You don’t want to be late for school, Frances,” she said as I continued eating long past the time everyone else left.

After a while, her urgings worked, and I left a biscuit uneaten. It was hard, but I learned to trust that the food would be there at the next meal. I left the table behind and rushed to meet up with my dorm sisters. We walked together down the long sidewalk leading to school. On the way, we laughed, talked, and exchanged secrets. I barely noticed the fact that I wore new shoes and clean clothes anymore. My hair was washed and my teeth brushed. I was taken care of. I still missed my mother—we had only seen her once since she left us there—but I loved life at Connie Maxwell. I knew I was accepted.

I grew in the safe and loving arms of the Connie Maxwell Children’s Home for about half a year. I loved school as I always did, and I also embraced every part of life at the home. Mrs. McDonald taught me with patience and care. I found a new family in my many sisters, and we were treated as equals.

Each morning my housemates and I walked to the school building a few blocks from Eason House, the home we lived in. We filed into the classroom along with both girls and boys our age.

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