The Immortelles by Gilbert Morris

Author:Gilbert Morris
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: ebook, book
Publisher: Thomas Nelson Inc.
Published: 2010-03-31T04:00:00+00:00

PART THREE

• 1834–1835 •

Jeff

Chapter thirteen

A yellow beam of sunlight shone from the window as Charissa stirred the saucepan. She turned toward it, noting the dust motes dancing, and the sight pleased her. No one could count those tiny things—but if Papa is right, God knows every one of them.

“It’s April the first—April Fool’s Day, the Americans call it.” Olga Shultz had entered, and, coming over to stand beside Charissa, she bent and sniffed the food simmering. “That smells gute,” she commented, “but it should be. I haf been teaching you for two years now how to cook!”

Charissa smiled. When she had first come to live with her father two years earlier, she wasn’t sure she liked the older woman. Olga had a stern manner, and several months had passed before Charissa learned that she was a kindly, generous woman. Now the two were friends.

“The doctor seems happier these days. I think part of it is your doing.” Olga always referred to the older Whitman as “the doctor.” “And that is gute! You know that man lives for you, I tink. Your coming here vas like a medicine to him.”

“It was for me, too, Olga. I’d never known anything like contentment before I came here.” Charissa chewed her lip thoughtfully and shook her head. “Papa isn’t doing as well as I’d like. I’m afraid for him.”

“You just haf to trust the gute Lord, Charissa.”

At that moment, Jeff entered the kitchen and smiled at the two women. “You’re fixing me something good to eat, I trust.” He wore his work suit, and his face was rosy from the razor.

“No, this is for Papa.”

“Are you going to be able to come in and help later on? I need you at the hospital.”

“Yes. I’ll be there as usual.”

Jeff put his arm around Charissa and squeezed her. “You’ve become a fine nurse, but a better sister.”

Olga Shultz, standing off to one side, watched the scene with careful scrutiny. She saw that Jeff was careless as always, quick to give Charissa a hug or a pat—but she saw the look in Charissa’s eyes, and the thought came to her as it had often. She cares more for Jeff than he knows. He knows nothing about vimmen!

“You know, it’s a good thing to have a baby sister.” He touched her cheek. Then he headed for the door, saying, “I’ll see you later at the hospital.”

Olga watched as Charissa stared after Jeff, then heard her mutter between clenched teeth, “I am not your sister!” Then Charissa shook her head. Picking up a bowl, she poured it full of broth and put it on a tray along with a napkin and silverware. “I’ll take this in to Papa.”

When Charissa entered her father’s room, she found him still in bed. His eyes brightened and he said, “I’m lazy this morning.”

“You don’t have to get up. I brought breakfast to you. Here, I’ve come to see that you eat all of this.” She put the tray down so that he could reach it easily and then waited until he said grace, which he always did.

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