of course you did!” her grandmother snapped. “That place is plumb full of boxes. You know that’s where we store everything. Oh, gotta get some more water.”
And out she headed to the well. So much for that!
Holly Jean was still thinking about that mysterious box the next morning as they walked the half-mile down Hickory Hollow to the Morgan Mills church. She tried several more times to talk to Granny Nanny and Aunt Kate about it without success. But someone must know who sent that box and what was in it. Maybe it was something very important Papa Joe should know about!
The morning air was still cool and pleasant. Aunt Kate wore her new outfit again—having touched up the wrinkled spots with an iron. But Holly Jean had changed to the green jumper and white peasant blouse Aunt Bea had given her on her birthday.
As they neared the church, Holly Jean looked to see if any cars were parked out front. Would Miss Linda, Tad and Tammy be there today? What about Mr. Curtiss? What about Max and his family, including Ben Dunn, who had just arrived home yesterday? And what about those dozens of other folks at the party the day before, along with the ones riding in Tom’s truck? People she didn’t even know!
But all she saw out front were a couple of mules, including Pastor Jake’s. He must have taken his father’s old carriage back to his brother Max’s barn.
How disappointed the faithful preacher would be at such a poor turnout! But as Papa Joe used to say…the folks at Morgan Mills loved their church, but figured being there every single Sunday could wait till they were laid to rest in its cemetery.
Sadly, Holly Jean walked up the church steps. It’s not fair, dear Heavenly Father! People should be filling this church to overflowing every week—the way they did at my church back in the city.
No, the Morgan Mills church was certainly not over-flowing. On the other hand—
“Miss Red Hair!” cried two little boys at once. Yea! Tim and Jim!
Their mother smiled and waved. Next came the three Anderson teenagers. Then, Aunt Tillie. Then that elderly Mr. Mitchell she met yesterday, the lady with the baby and little girl Holly Jean hadn’t met, another older woman she didn’t know—and, yes, Max Morgan, with Moon, Miss Daisy and Mr. Ben!
And more came—some walking, some riding mules and horses, some in cars or trucks. Oh, thank You, dear God! They did come! Your House is full, after all! Yea!
Now if only Tad could be here to play the piano for everyone!
And soon he was—late, but there. Miss Linda and Tammy too!
“We had tire trouble,” Tad whispered to Holly Jean. She nodded. With rubber so hard to get during the war, tires usually wore patches upon patches!
What singing began! With Aunt Kate and Miss Daisy to lead them, and Tad to keep them in time and on key, their combined voices soared. Especially since now they all had hymnbooks to sing from, and a newly repaired piano, thanks to donations from the July 4th pie social. Moon accompanied Tad on his comb. Oh, how Holly Jean wished she’d brought her flute! Even Moon’s father, who couldn’t see the hymnbooks, sang right along from memory.
“Hallelujah!” Pastor Jake cried. “Heaven come down and glory done filled my soul!”
Then he preached from Matthew 28:20, about how Jesus—just before He went back up to Heaven after His resurrection—told His disciples to go share His Gospel with the whole world. “And, lo, I am with you always,” Jesus said.
Holly Jean read along silently from the much-used Bible Mama Jean had given her for her eighth birthday.
Just then Moon stood up. “That’s right, Mr. Uncle Jake,” he said. “Lookee how Jesus done been with my pa all the time he’s been gone. And done brought him back too.”
Jim nodded. “Then maybe he’ll bring our pa home from the big war,” he said out loud.
What a wonderful promise! Yes! Jesus would always be with Holly Jean and never, ever would leave her, even though her mother had to. And maybe He’d also make sure Papa Joe came back, just as Moon’s father had! Thank You, Jesus! I never want to leave You either!
After the service, everyone seemed to talk at once—especially about Aunt Kate and Pastor Jake. “When’s the wedding?” Tootsie cried. “Who’s going to lead it, since Pastor Jake can’t marry himself? Are they going to have a party and a big belling? Am I invited?”
Holly Jean laughed. “I don’t know! They just got engaged yesterday. How did the news get around that quick? I don’t even know what a ‘belling’ is!”
Then the others explained that it was customary around there for folks to celebrate a wedding by holding a big party for the newly married couple on their wedding night. There’d be lots of food to eat and lots of cowbells to ring as part of the celebration.
“Oh,” Holly Jean joked. “Then maybe we should bring Granny’s cow along so she can ring her own bell!”
Afterwards, Max Morgan invited his brother and Jake’s new fiancée to ride back up the hill with them for Sunday dinner. “We’uns got a whole lot of catching up to do after all these years, right?” asked Max. “Might as well do it on a full stomach ’stead of an empty one.”
On the way home from church, Granny Nanny and Holly Jean stopped by Uncle Tom’s store to check on their mail and give Uncle Tom a hug. (He usually stayed back at the store during church services, keeping it open in case his neighbors needed food or gasoline.)
Just then Uncle Tom’s phone rang.
Aunt Tillie grabbed it. “Maybe it’s my Willie!” she cried. “Lord, I miss that young’un so much!”
But, no, instead of Cousin Willie calling from somewhere in the South Pacific war zone, it was Aunt Bea.
“Hi, there, Tillie,” she said. “Could you please put Miss Holly Jean on the line? I have someone here who wants to talk with her.”
Holly Jean caught her breath. Who could it be?
Chapter 6
A Fine-Feathered Friend
Rushing over to the big wooden telephone box on the store wall, Holly Jean’s mind was awhirl. Why was Aunt Bea calling? Was Papa Joe okay?
“Hey, Jeannie, girl!”
Shirley Jefferson! Yes! Her very best friend from Cincinnati!
“Hey, yourself, Shirl-girl!” Holly Jean cried. “So glad you remembered my nickname! I don’t get to hear it much around here. What’s up?”
“See, your Aunt Bea came down to the Woolworth’s store for some hand lotion, and Mom and I were already here to get my little brother some socks. Well, we all bumped into each other, and into Roger who was working here. Then we decided to call you. So now we’re all out here on the street corner by the bus stop, trying to cram into the phone booth at the same time. But we’re running out of dimes to put into the phone to pay for this call, so gotta cut it short. But we love you and we’ll see you Friday, okay?”
“Oh, Shirley! I—”
But
