no!” She pulled back enough to see Annie’s face. “That ain’t it at all. It’s just…”
“Just what?”
Annie sat waiting for an answer.
“It’s a mixture of many things,” she said finally. “I’ve felt a bit alone since Daddy died, but I guess it’s mostly the fact that you’ve been so kind. It’s nice to have someone around who tries to understand me. Female companionship has been scarce.” She wished she’d bit her tongue long before she’d finished.
“Bobbie, do you know that you’re an answer to my prayers? I’ve been praying every day for more female friends in my life, and in you rode, near my age and sweet to boot.” Annie squeezed her hand. “God may have sent you just to shut me up, but I’m thankful all the same. Not only have you found a place in my children’s hearts, but you’ve wrangled your way into mine as well.”
Tears trailed down Annie’s smooth skin, marred only by a freckle here and there.
“Thank you, Annie.” They both mopped up the tears and laughed.
“Now back to my original question. Would you accept one of the dresses?”
“I don’t know, Annie. That sounds like an awful lot of work. I’d hate to be a bother.”
“It’s not a bother. It’ll only take me a few hours to have one ready for you.”
“Are you sure?”
“Definitely. Come on, Bobbie. Just one dress.”
She sighed. “All right.”
“Great!” Annie embraced her again, then jumped up and spun around, her hands clasped in front of her. “I’m thrilled.”
Bobbie laughed. “I can tell.”
Annie smiled and shook her finger. “You’re as bad as Jace with your teasing.” With a shake of her head she strode to the door. “Good night, Bobbie.”
“Annie?”
Annie turned, her hand resting on the doorknob.
Bobbie fought the lump in her throat. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Good night.”
“Good night, Annie.”
Annie’s kindness reminded Bobbie of Ginny Bennett, whose husband worked for Mr. Simms. Ginny hadn’t always been kind. Not by a long shot. Only months ago, she was known for her brash behavior and coarse way of talking. Her husband matched her in actions and speech. She could be found sitting in a rocker wasting away the day, not caring about a thing in the world, least of all her appearance or the manner in which she spoke to others.
Mrs. Simms must have seen something special in Ginny. She spent time with her, teaching her to cook and clean and sometimes invited her over for a cup of coffee so they could chat. Soon, Ginnybegan joining Mr. and Mrs. Simms Sunday mornings on their way to church. A slow change took place in Ginny. She started combing her hair and washed more than once in a month’s time. Her speaking became quiet and refined. Her face glowed with happiness, and her actions were kindness itself. If anyone asked her about the changes, she wasted no time giving the credit to her newfound faith in Jesus Christ.
The transformation caught Bobbie’s attention and led to curiosity about God. Roy and Maggie Simms tried on many occasions to get her to attend their church. She always balked at the idea, and they finally quit asking. At the time, she didn’t feel a need to include God in her life. Truth be told, she blamed Him for taking her mother away. She couldn’t think of one good thing He had done for her, but the change in Ginny couldn’t be ignored. The peace that seemed to fill her appealed to Bobbie, and thoughts of attending church with Ginny and the Simmses came with frequency…until her father died.
Bobbie undressed down to her long underwear and hung her denims and cotton shirt over the bedrail. She moved to the small mirror on the bureau and unwound her braid. What she’d give for a nice cotton nightgown. She hadn’t owned one since she was 10. If she wanted to continue saving money and fulfill her dream of owning a ranch, she wouldn’t have one for quite some time.
She picked up her brush and ran it down her long hair. Now,
“Just what?”
Annie sat waiting for an answer.
“It’s a mixture of many things,” she said finally. “I’ve felt a bit alone since Daddy died, but I guess it’s mostly the fact that you’ve been so kind. It’s nice to have someone around who tries to understand me. Female companionship has been scarce.” She wished she’d bit her tongue long before she’d finished.
“Bobbie, do you know that you’re an answer to my prayers? I’ve been praying every day for more female friends in my life, and in you rode, near my age and sweet to boot.” Annie squeezed her hand. “God may have sent you just to shut me up, but I’m thankful all the same. Not only have you found a place in my children’s hearts, but you’ve wrangled your way into mine as well.”
Tears trailed down Annie’s smooth skin, marred only by a freckle here and there.
“Thank you, Annie.” They both mopped up the tears and laughed.
“Now back to my original question. Would you accept one of the dresses?”
“I don’t know, Annie. That sounds like an awful lot of work. I’d hate to be a bother.”
“It’s not a bother. It’ll only take me a few hours to have one ready for you.”
“Are you sure?”
“Definitely. Come on, Bobbie. Just one dress.”
She sighed. “All right.”
“Great!” Annie embraced her again, then jumped up and spun around, her hands clasped in front of her. “I’m thrilled.”
Bobbie laughed. “I can tell.”
Annie smiled and shook her finger. “You’re as bad as Jace with your teasing.” With a shake of her head she strode to the door. “Good night, Bobbie.”
“Annie?”
Annie turned, her hand resting on the doorknob.
Bobbie fought the lump in her throat. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Good night.”
“Good night, Annie.”
Annie’s kindness reminded Bobbie of Ginny Bennett, whose husband worked for Mr. Simms. Ginny hadn’t always been kind. Not by a long shot. Only months ago, she was known for her brash behavior and coarse way of talking. Her husband matched her in actions and speech. She could be found sitting in a rocker wasting away the day, not caring about a thing in the world, least of all her appearance or the manner in which she spoke to others.
Mrs. Simms must have seen something special in Ginny. She spent time with her, teaching her to cook and clean and sometimes invited her over for a cup of coffee so they could chat. Soon, Ginnybegan joining Mr. and Mrs. Simms Sunday mornings on their way to church. A slow change took place in Ginny. She started combing her hair and washed more than once in a month’s time. Her speaking became quiet and refined. Her face glowed with happiness, and her actions were kindness itself. If anyone asked her about the changes, she wasted no time giving the credit to her newfound faith in Jesus Christ.
The transformation caught Bobbie’s attention and led to curiosity about God. Roy and Maggie Simms tried on many occasions to get her to attend their church. She always balked at the idea, and they finally quit asking. At the time, she didn’t feel a need to include God in her life. Truth be told, she blamed Him for taking her mother away. She couldn’t think of one good thing He had done for her, but the change in Ginny couldn’t be ignored. The peace that seemed to fill her appealed to Bobbie, and thoughts of attending church with Ginny and the Simmses came with frequency…until her father died.
Bobbie undressed down to her long underwear and hung her denims and cotton shirt over the bedrail. She moved to the small mirror on the bureau and unwound her braid. What she’d give for a nice cotton nightgown. She hadn’t owned one since she was 10. If she wanted to continue saving money and fulfill her dream of owning a ranch, she wouldn’t have one for quite some time.
She picked up her brush and ran it down her long hair. Now,
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