that she preferred Ellen Forbes’s adventures to
I Love Lucy
and
Gunsmoke
. She would sit up in bed, alone in the dormitory, and read until lights out. No one bothered her.
One evening in mid-September she was alone reading when Fergussen came in. “Shouldn’t you be packing?” he asked.
She closed her book, using her thumb to keep her place. “Why?”
“They haven’t told you?”
“Told me what?”
“You’ve been adopted. You’re being picked up after breakfast.”
She just sat there on the edge of the bed, staring at Fergussen’s broad white T-shirt.
***
“Jolene,” she said. “I can’t find my book.”
“What book?” Jolene said sleepily. It was just before lights out.
“
Modern Chess Openings
, with a red cover. I keep it in my nightstand.”
Jolene shook her head. “Beats the shit out of me.”
Beth hadn’t looked at the book for weeks, but she clearly remembered putting it at the bottom of the second drawer. She had a brown nylon valise beside her on the bed; it was packed with her three dresses and four sets of underwear, her toothbrush, comb, a bar of Dial soap, two barrettes and some plain cotton handkerchiefs. Her nightstand was now completely empty. She had looked in the library for her book, but it wasn’t there. There was nowhere else to look. She had not played a game of chess in three years except in her mind, but
Modern Chess Openings
was the only thing she owned that she cared about.
She squinted at Jolene. “You didn’t see it, did you?”
Jolene looked angry for a moment. “Watch who you go accusing,” she said. “I got no use for a book like that.” Then her voice softened. “I hear you’re leaving.”
“That’s right.”
Jolene laughed. “What’s the matter? Don’t want to go?”
“I don’t know.”
Jolene slipped under the bedsheet and pulled it up over her shoulders. “Just say ‘Yes, sir’ and ‘Yes, ma’am’ and you’ll do all right. Tell ’em you’re grateful to have a Christian home like theirs and maybe they’ll give you a TV in your room.”
There was something odd about the way Jolene was talking.
“Jolene,” Beth said, “I’m sorry.”
“Sorry about what?”
“I’m sorry you didn’t get adopted.”
Jolene snorted. “Shit,” she said, “I make out fine right here.” She rolled over away from Beth and curled up in bed. Beth started to reach out toward her, but just then Miss Furth stepped in the doorway and said, “Lights out, girls!” Beth went back to her bed, for the last time.
The next day Mrs. Deardorff went with them out to the parking lot and stood by the car while Mr. Wheatley got into the driver’s seat and Mrs. Wheatley and Beth got into the back. “Be a good girl, Elizabeth,” Mrs. Deardorff said.
Beth nodded and as she did so saw that someone was standing behind Mrs. Deardorff on the porch of the Administration Building. It was Mr. Shaibel. He had his hands stuffed in his coverall pockets and was looking toward the car. She wanted to get out and go over to him, but Mrs. Deardorff was in the way, so she leaned back in her seat. Mrs. Wheatley began talking, and Mr. Wheatley started the car.
As they pulled out, Beth twisted around in her seat and waved out the back window at him, but he made no response. She could not tell for sure if he had seen her or not.
***
“You should have seen their faces,” Mrs. Wheatley said. She was wearing the same blue cardigan, but this time she had a faded gray dress under it, and her nylons were rolled down to her ankles. “They looked in all my closets and even inspected the refrigerator. I could see immediately that they were impressed with my provisions. Have some more of the tuna casserole. I certainly enjoy watching a young child eat.”
Beth put a little more on her plate. The problem was that it was too salty, but she hadn’t said anything about that. It was her first meal at the Wheatleys’. Mr. Wheatley had already left for Denver on business and would
I Love Lucy
and
Gunsmoke
. She would sit up in bed, alone in the dormitory, and read until lights out. No one bothered her.
One evening in mid-September she was alone reading when Fergussen came in. “Shouldn’t you be packing?” he asked.
She closed her book, using her thumb to keep her place. “Why?”
“They haven’t told you?”
“Told me what?”
“You’ve been adopted. You’re being picked up after breakfast.”
She just sat there on the edge of the bed, staring at Fergussen’s broad white T-shirt.
***
“Jolene,” she said. “I can’t find my book.”
“What book?” Jolene said sleepily. It was just before lights out.
“
Modern Chess Openings
, with a red cover. I keep it in my nightstand.”
Jolene shook her head. “Beats the shit out of me.”
Beth hadn’t looked at the book for weeks, but she clearly remembered putting it at the bottom of the second drawer. She had a brown nylon valise beside her on the bed; it was packed with her three dresses and four sets of underwear, her toothbrush, comb, a bar of Dial soap, two barrettes and some plain cotton handkerchiefs. Her nightstand was now completely empty. She had looked in the library for her book, but it wasn’t there. There was nowhere else to look. She had not played a game of chess in three years except in her mind, but
Modern Chess Openings
was the only thing she owned that she cared about.
She squinted at Jolene. “You didn’t see it, did you?”
Jolene looked angry for a moment. “Watch who you go accusing,” she said. “I got no use for a book like that.” Then her voice softened. “I hear you’re leaving.”
“That’s right.”
Jolene laughed. “What’s the matter? Don’t want to go?”
“I don’t know.”
Jolene slipped under the bedsheet and pulled it up over her shoulders. “Just say ‘Yes, sir’ and ‘Yes, ma’am’ and you’ll do all right. Tell ’em you’re grateful to have a Christian home like theirs and maybe they’ll give you a TV in your room.”
There was something odd about the way Jolene was talking.
“Jolene,” Beth said, “I’m sorry.”
“Sorry about what?”
“I’m sorry you didn’t get adopted.”
Jolene snorted. “Shit,” she said, “I make out fine right here.” She rolled over away from Beth and curled up in bed. Beth started to reach out toward her, but just then Miss Furth stepped in the doorway and said, “Lights out, girls!” Beth went back to her bed, for the last time.
The next day Mrs. Deardorff went with them out to the parking lot and stood by the car while Mr. Wheatley got into the driver’s seat and Mrs. Wheatley and Beth got into the back. “Be a good girl, Elizabeth,” Mrs. Deardorff said.
Beth nodded and as she did so saw that someone was standing behind Mrs. Deardorff on the porch of the Administration Building. It was Mr. Shaibel. He had his hands stuffed in his coverall pockets and was looking toward the car. She wanted to get out and go over to him, but Mrs. Deardorff was in the way, so she leaned back in her seat. Mrs. Wheatley began talking, and Mr. Wheatley started the car.
As they pulled out, Beth twisted around in her seat and waved out the back window at him, but he made no response. She could not tell for sure if he had seen her or not.
***
“You should have seen their faces,” Mrs. Wheatley said. She was wearing the same blue cardigan, but this time she had a faded gray dress under it, and her nylons were rolled down to her ankles. “They looked in all my closets and even inspected the refrigerator. I could see immediately that they were impressed with my provisions. Have some more of the tuna casserole. I certainly enjoy watching a young child eat.”
Beth put a little more on her plate. The problem was that it was too salty, but she hadn’t said anything about that. It was her first meal at the Wheatleys’. Mr. Wheatley had already left for Denver on business and would
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