down. I’ve got chocolate chip cookies and milk waiting for you.”
As they held hands and bounded down the stairs, Tori
said, “I think Grammy’s right. Our spirits are linked – whatever that means.”
“I think so, too – and I’m glad.”
“This Saturday we’ll go to the farm and you can meet
your new grandma and grandpa. I call my grandpa, Poppy – he’s nice, too.”
Anna’s Note
September 3, 1963
Lord have mercy on anyone who
tries to come between Tori and Jill. Not even death will part them. They’re
kindred spirits and have been through many lifetimes together. Though I know
Jill will be part of the danger Tori will one day have to face, I pray I can
find a way to save my precious granddaughter.
Anna West-Morgan
Chapter Four
One Saturday morning Poppy led Tori and Jill out to
the barnyard, picked them up, and set them on Henry’s back. Tori held the reins
while Jill wrapped her arms around her waist.
Poppy slapped Henry gently on the rump. “Take them to
the pond and then bring them back here.”
Henry immediately started toward the pond, and even
though Tori tried to get him to take them into the woods, he circled the pond
and took them straight back to the barn, just as Poppy had told him to do.
Although it was frustrating for Tori and Jill, it was somewhat amazing at the
same time.
When they arrived back in the barnyard, Poppy gave
Henry a sugar cube, and when the horse lifted his top lip, exposing his huge
teeth, and whinnied, Tori and Jill roared with laughter.
Poppy said, “That’s just Henry’s way of saying thank
you.”
“I don’t know about that, Poppy,” Tori replied. “It
sounds to me like he’s laughing.”
“You could be right. Sometimes I think he is trying to
talk to me, too. He’s my old buddy.” Poppy rubbed Henry’s neck. Henry shook his
head up and down as if he were agreeing.
The weekends were special. Most Saturday’s, Tori and
Jill spent the night with Grammy and Poppy. Grammy always cooked a big Sunday
dinner and Tori’s parents came to eat and visit. Sometimes Jill’s parents, Rose
and Cliff Moss came, too. Grammy gladly claimed Jill as a granddaughter – and
Jill was thrilled when Grammy fulfilled her wish for dolls and hand-sewn
dresses.
* * * *
May 23 rd , was the day for six-grade
graduation. Tori ran up the driveway and rushed through the side door, knowing
her mother was going to yell at her for being late and tell her to shake a leg
and get ready. Graduation was no big deal to Tori, but it seemed to be
important for her parents and grandparents.
Her mother was standing in the kitchen, staring out
the window above the sink when Tori came inside. She eased up next to her and
drew in a deep breath. “Umm, I love the smell of roses, Momma.”
“They are beautiful, aren’t they?” she said, putting
her arm around Tori’s shoulders. “I’m so glad Poppy built that trellis so they’d
grow up around the window.”
They stood in silence for a few minutes, and then her
mother looked down at Tori. “My, my. Tonight you
graduate from sixth grade. And in three weeks you’ll be twelve years old. Where
does time go? It seems like yesterday–”
Tori rolled her eyes and finished the sentence. “It
seems like only yesterday that I was born – blah, blah, blah.”
“Well, you just wait, Miss Smarty Pants. Someday
you’ll be a mother and you’ll know how it feels – and I was going to say it
seems like only yesterday you started first grade, so there!” Then she swatted
Tori’s rear end playfully and said, “You better get upstairs and start getting
ready.”
As Tori started up the stairs, her mother called after
her, “And stay out of our bedroom!”
Tori mumbled, “Yes, yes. I’ve known not to go into
your bedroom since I was old enough to understand English! Good grief, I don’t
give a hoot about your bedroom, Momma!”
Tori ran upstairs, taking the steps two at a time.
Momma always
As they held hands and bounded down the stairs, Tori
said, “I think Grammy’s right. Our spirits are linked – whatever that means.”
“I think so, too – and I’m glad.”
“This Saturday we’ll go to the farm and you can meet
your new grandma and grandpa. I call my grandpa, Poppy – he’s nice, too.”
Anna’s Note
September 3, 1963
Lord have mercy on anyone who
tries to come between Tori and Jill. Not even death will part them. They’re
kindred spirits and have been through many lifetimes together. Though I know
Jill will be part of the danger Tori will one day have to face, I pray I can
find a way to save my precious granddaughter.
Anna West-Morgan
Chapter Four
One Saturday morning Poppy led Tori and Jill out to
the barnyard, picked them up, and set them on Henry’s back. Tori held the reins
while Jill wrapped her arms around her waist.
Poppy slapped Henry gently on the rump. “Take them to
the pond and then bring them back here.”
Henry immediately started toward the pond, and even
though Tori tried to get him to take them into the woods, he circled the pond
and took them straight back to the barn, just as Poppy had told him to do.
Although it was frustrating for Tori and Jill, it was somewhat amazing at the
same time.
When they arrived back in the barnyard, Poppy gave
Henry a sugar cube, and when the horse lifted his top lip, exposing his huge
teeth, and whinnied, Tori and Jill roared with laughter.
Poppy said, “That’s just Henry’s way of saying thank
you.”
“I don’t know about that, Poppy,” Tori replied. “It
sounds to me like he’s laughing.”
“You could be right. Sometimes I think he is trying to
talk to me, too. He’s my old buddy.” Poppy rubbed Henry’s neck. Henry shook his
head up and down as if he were agreeing.
The weekends were special. Most Saturday’s, Tori and
Jill spent the night with Grammy and Poppy. Grammy always cooked a big Sunday
dinner and Tori’s parents came to eat and visit. Sometimes Jill’s parents, Rose
and Cliff Moss came, too. Grammy gladly claimed Jill as a granddaughter – and
Jill was thrilled when Grammy fulfilled her wish for dolls and hand-sewn
dresses.
* * * *
May 23 rd , was the day for six-grade
graduation. Tori ran up the driveway and rushed through the side door, knowing
her mother was going to yell at her for being late and tell her to shake a leg
and get ready. Graduation was no big deal to Tori, but it seemed to be
important for her parents and grandparents.
Her mother was standing in the kitchen, staring out
the window above the sink when Tori came inside. She eased up next to her and
drew in a deep breath. “Umm, I love the smell of roses, Momma.”
“They are beautiful, aren’t they?” she said, putting
her arm around Tori’s shoulders. “I’m so glad Poppy built that trellis so they’d
grow up around the window.”
They stood in silence for a few minutes, and then her
mother looked down at Tori. “My, my. Tonight you
graduate from sixth grade. And in three weeks you’ll be twelve years old. Where
does time go? It seems like yesterday–”
Tori rolled her eyes and finished the sentence. “It
seems like only yesterday that I was born – blah, blah, blah.”
“Well, you just wait, Miss Smarty Pants. Someday
you’ll be a mother and you’ll know how it feels – and I was going to say it
seems like only yesterday you started first grade, so there!” Then she swatted
Tori’s rear end playfully and said, “You better get upstairs and start getting
ready.”
As Tori started up the stairs, her mother called after
her, “And stay out of our bedroom!”
Tori mumbled, “Yes, yes. I’ve known not to go into
your bedroom since I was old enough to understand English! Good grief, I don’t
give a hoot about your bedroom, Momma!”
Tori ran upstairs, taking the steps two at a time.
Momma always
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