A Time to Love

by Al Lacy

  Blake prayed first, then Linda. When they were finished, they lifted tear-stained faces and looked deeply into one another’s eyes, seeing and feeling the peace only God can give.

  One morning about a week later, Linda kissed Blake and sent him off to work as usual. She cleaned up the kitchen from breakfast and washed the kitchen windows inside and out. This was housecleaning day.

  True to February weather in northern California, the temperature stayed cool, but the sun shone through the sparkling windows Linda had just washed.

  A white apron covered her blue cotton dress, and she wore a flowered kerchief over her sun-streaked auburn hair. She had just finished mopping the kitchen floor when she thought she heard a knock at the front door.

  As she stepped into the hall, the rather timid knock was repeated.

  Linda whipped the kerchief from her head and glanced in the hall mirror, patting down some stray locks. As she hurried toward the door, she smoothed the front of her apron. She pressed a smile on her lips for the unknown visitor and swung open the door.

  Her smile immediately drained away. She closed her eyes and opened them again to see if she were imagining the person standing before her. Finally, she said in a shaky voice, “H-Hello, Janet.”

  Linda’s older sister dipped her head, not quite meeting Linda’s gaze, and said in a low tone, “Hello, Linda. I … I’m sure you’re surprised to see me. If you don’t want to talk to me, I completely understand. Just say so, and I’ll turn around and go back where I came from.”

  Linda stared in disbelief. This was absolutely the last person she ever expected to find standing on her doorstep.

  Janet was quite obviously expecting a baby, though she was dressed in her usual cheap way. Her eyes were painted up like a saloon girl’s, and her face was excessively powdered and rouged.

  As the shock began to wear off, Linda stepped back and made a gesture for her sister to enter, then guided her into the parlor and said, “Have a seat here on the sofa.”

  Linda picked up a straight-backed wooden chair and placed it in front of the sofa, then sat down on the edge. She immediately jumped back up and said, “Can I get you something?”

  “I could use some water.”

  “Be right back.”

  Only a minute had passed when Linda returned with a glass of water and placed it in her sister’s trembling hand. Her mind was in a whirl, and she prayed for strength and wisdom as Janet slowly drank the contents of the glass.

  Linda could see that Janet was quite pale beneath the rouge and powder.

  “Thank you,” Janet said, setting the glass on the small table next to the sofa.

  “Of course,” Linda replied. “Now, why don’t you tell me why you’re here.”

  Tears welled up in Janet’s eyes and spilled over, making black streams down her cheeks. As she swiped at them with the back of her hand, Linda reached in her dress pocket and drew out a clean hankie, handing it to her.

  Janet wept for a few seconds, then wiped her cheeks, smearing the black eye makeup even more. “Linda … I … well, it was wrong of me to take my own happiness at your expense. I’m sorry for all the hurt and heartache I’ve caused you. I’ve left Lewis. Living with him was a horrible nightmare.”

  At this point, she broke down and sobbed heavily, mopping tears with the wet hankie.

  Linda let her cry but didn’t try to comfort her.

  “My marriage to Lewis was doomed from the start,” Janet said, sniffing. “And that’s because of what we did to you. I’m glad it wasn’t you who got him, Linda. He’s a beast … a terrible, inhuman beast! He beat me up time after time when he came home drunk and … and … abused me mentally, too. Oh, it was awful! He made my life a horrible nightmare, I tell you!”

  “I’m sorry for that, Janet,” Linda said quietly, still maintaining her distance.

  Janet’s hands trembled and her head jerked nervously as she said, “Please, little sister, can you find it in your heart to forgive me?”

  Partly because she was so happy and content with Blake, and because she knew what Scripture said about forgiveness, Linda slowly nodded her head and said, “I forgive you.”

  When Janet broke into loud sobs, Linda rose from her chair and put her arms around her, holding her until she stopped weeping.

  As Linda returned to the straight-backed chair, she said, “When is your baby due?”

  “In about three months. The end of May.”

  “So you’ve left Lewis for good?”

  “Yes.”

  “No chance you’ll go back and try to make your marriage work?”

  “No chance. Like I said, our marriage was doomed from the beginning.”

  Linda’s lovely brow puckered. “So what brought you here?”

  “I know Mom and Dad came here to see you.

  “Yes?”

  “I visited them back in August. I was pregnant then but didn’t know it.”

  “I see.”

  “They told me you lived in Stockton and were married to a very successful banker named Blake Barrett.”

  Linda nodded.

  “I’m terribly afraid of Lewis, Linda. He once told me if I ever left him he would hunt me down and kill me. I’m carrying this baby, but it wouldn’t make any difference. He’d kill us both if he found me. I know Mom and Dad would never tell Lewis where you live, so I felt I’d be safe if I came here to Stockton.”

  “Do Mom and Daddy know you’re here?”

  “No. I thought it best not to tell them.”

  “So they don’t know you’re pregnant?”

  “No. They’ve had enough to burden them. I don’t want to put any more on them. I … I was just so terrified of Lewis that I took what money was in the house and got on the first train west from New York. In Cheyenne City, Wyoming, I got on a train that was going to Sacramento, then took a stagecoach from Sacramento to Stockton. The stage driver was kind enough to drive me right to the Western Hotel. I took a room there and had my luggage brought in. The man at the desk told me where your house was.”

  “And you walked out here from town?”

  “Yes. Walking is good for expectant mothers, you know. By the way, are you expecting yet?”

  “No … not yet.” Linda would not divulge her problem to her sister. At least, not at the moment. “But being in your sixth month, you shouldn’t have walked that far.”

  “I’m fine. The most important thing is that I’m safe from Lewis. And if I can find a place to live in Stockton, I’ll be close to you.”

  “Do you have enough money to stay till you have the baby?”

  Janet shrugged. “I think so.”

  “Well, are you hungry?”

  “A little.”

  “It’ll be lunchtime in an hour or so. We’ll just hurry it up a bit.”

  Janet stood up when Linda did.

  Linda looked at her tenderly and said, “You can just sit here and rest while I make lunch.”

  Janet made a little pout with her lips. “Couldn’t I sit in the kitchen so we can talk while you fix lunch?”

  Linda smiled and wrapped her arms around her sister, saying, “It is good to see you again, Janet.”

  “You too, honey,” Janet said, hugging her tight.

  As they moved together down the hall, Linda said, “Does anybody know you’ve come here to Stockton?”

  “No one.”

  “Then you’re in no danger from Lewis.”

  “No. And I’m so thankful to be away from that cruel monster!”

  When the sisters had finished lunch, Linda rose from her chair and said, “While I clean up and do the dishes, I want you to lie down and take a nap.

  She had noticed that Janet looked weary, and Linda needed some time alone to think. This unexpected visit had been quite an upset.

  “I’ll help you,” Janet said.

  “No, you won’t. I’ve traveled some myself,” Linda said evenly. “I know how tiring it is, and it has to be worse when you’re six months pregnant.
Come with me; I’ll take you upstairs.”

  Linda led her sister to a cozy guest room and said, “Take your shoes off. I’ll be right back.”

  She returned carrying a pitcher of warm water and a towel. She poured the water in a basin on a small table by the window and said, “Here, Janet. Come freshen up, then you can lie down and take a nap. Come on downstairs when you feel like it.”

  Linda left her sister at the washbasin and went back to the kitchen to clean up the remains of lunch. Then she sat down at the kitchen table with a cup of hot tea.

  Her nerves felt a little jangled. She bowed her head and sought guidance from the Lord Jesus.

  Linda had prayed for Janet’s salvation for years and had talked to her many times, trying to bring her to the Lord. Now would be a perfect time to witness to her again if Janet stayed with them. She’d need a place to stay till after the baby was born, and she’d be much more comfortable in the Barrett home than in a hotel … and they certainly had room for her. After the baby’s birth, she would probably want to find a place of her own.

  Linda thought of Blake. Knowing his tender and generous heart, she knew he would agree. They couldn’t turn Janet away, even if she was Linda’s rebellious sister.

  That evening when Blake came in the back door, he stopped short at the sight of the cheap-looking woman sitting at the kitchen table. Janet had made up her face again and once more looked as if she belonged in a saloon.

  The aroma of hot food filled the air as Janet stood up and said, “Blake, I’m your sister-in-law, Janet Carter.”

  Stunned, Blake had not yet found his voice.

  “Linda’s upstairs,” Janet said. “She’ll be down shortly.”

  “Shortly is now,” came Linda’s voice. She made a beeline for her husband and said, “Hello, darling. I see you’ve met my sister.” With that, she planted a kiss on his cheek.

  Linda’s presence loosened his tongue, and he finally said, “We’ve met.”

  Blake found it hard to warm up to this woman who had treated Linda so ruthlessly, but he relaxed some when Linda explained why Janet had come there.

  When Linda saw that Blake’s tension had eased, she brought up Janet’s need for a place to stay until the baby was born, explaining that Janet had taken a room at the Western Hotel. She went on to say that she’d offered to let Janet stay with them.

  Although he was dubious at the news, Blake didn’t show it. He would abide by Linda’s decision. He was about to say so when a nervous Janet said, “Blake, if you’d rather I didn’t stay here, I—”

  “Of course I want you to stay,” he said, forcing a smile. “You’re Linda’s sister, and you’re in need of help.”

  “It will only be till I have the baby,” Janet said. “I’ll get a job just as soon as I can after the baby is born, and I’ll get my own place. And I won’t expect Linda to look after the baby while I work, either. I’ll find someone to do that.”

  Blake felt better. “That’s fine, Janet. Welcome to our home.”

  “Thank you,” Janet said humbly. “You’ll never know how much this means to me.”

  “It’s our pleasure to help you,” Blake assured her. “Right after supper, I’ll drive into town and get your luggage from the hotel.”

  That night, Linda walked Janet to the guest room and said, “I’m so thankful Lewis didn’t hurt you seriously, Janet. He never seemed like the type to brutalize a female.”

  “Well, you can’t always tell a book by its cover, they say.”

  Linda kissed her sister’s cheek and told her good night.

  When the bedroom door closed, Janet chuckled to herself and sat down at the dresser to brush her hair. She wiped off her makeup and chuckled some more.

  Later, she doused the lantern and climbed into the comfortable bed. Lying there in the dark, she said aloud, “Linda, ol’ girl, you always were a sucker for a sob story! Lewis, kill me? That milquetoast wouldn’t swat a fly! Drunk? Hah! I couldn’t get him to drink enough at one time, even at one of my parties, to get drunk on!

  “And beat me? The little sap wouldn’t dare! I’d have had one of my bartender friends beat him to a pulp!”

  She interlaced her fingers and put her hands behind her head as she relived the developments in her marriage.

  Lewis’s conscience had eaten at him for months because of what he’d done to Linda. Janet recalled the day when Lewis came home and told her everything was changing in his life. It was in early August, before she knew she was pregnant.

  Lewis had gone to a Bible-believing pastor in Manhattan for help. As the preacher dealt with him about his overwhelming sense of guilt, he had told Lewis that all would be forgiven by the Lord if he would repent and open his heart to Jesus for salvation.

  It was then that Lewis told him of making a profession of faith in Christ as a teenager, but he hadn’t meant business with God. There had been no repentance of sin. The pastor then led him to the Lord.

  As Lewis told Janet the story, he began quoting Scripture, saying they were going to get into church and start serving the Lord.

  Lewis’s words made Janet fly into a rage. She cursed him and said she wasn’t going to live with a Bible-spouting fanatic. She’d had enough of that stuff before leaving her parents’ house to live on her own. And what’s more, she wasn’t going to change her lifestyle. She liked the night spots and all that went with them.

  Lewis was disappointed in her attitude and asked her to think it over.

  She played along until the next day. When he was at work, she packed her belongings and hired a carriage to take her to the railroad station. Just before she got on the train, Lewis showed up. He’d gone home, worried that something like this might happen, and a neighbor told him Janet had left in a carriage.

  They had a hot argument in front of the crowd at the depot, and Janet had threatened to call the railroad authorities if Lewis didn’t leave her alone. He had walked away quietly.

  When she arrived in Boston, Janet moved in with Sally Mansfield, an old girlfriend. While living there, Janet decided to visit her parents. She lied to them, telling them that she and Lewis were having marital trouble but were still together. She even asked about Linda.

  It was then her parents told her they were going to California to see Linda, and gave her the details on who Linda had married and where she was living.

  Janet chuckled to herself. Her gullible parents had believed that she cared for Linda. Hah! She was just curious, that’s all. She couldn’t care less about her religious fanatic of a sister, but asking about her had made Janet look good in her parents’ eyes.

  When Sally caught Janet making a play for her steady beau, she threw her out. Janet had no place to go, so she decided to look up her rich sister in Stockton, California.

  Janet was sure that when Linda heard the sob story, she would let her move in with them. Hey, free food and lodging! Who could beat that?

  Janet dreaded the church stuff she would have to put up with, living in a Christian household. But she would put on a good show for free food and lodging. She couldn’t wait to get back to her wild life.

  21

  IN THE WEEKS THAT FOLLOWED, Blake and Linda used their Saturdays to drive from town to town in a twenty-mile radius and put their names on doctors’ lists as potential adoptive parents. They didn’t let on to Janet what they were doing for fear she would feel self-conscious.

  Even though Linda was glad to help her sister, it was a strain to have her as a “guest” in their home. She tried to focus on the coming baby and busied herself making a layette and sewing many loving stitches into each tiny garment she made.

  There were tender moments when tears she couldn’t contain dropped on the pieces she was sewing. Linda prayed for patience while she and Blake waited for an adoptive baby to become available, but sometimes the waiting felt unbearable.

  Janet hated the Christian atmosphere of the Barrett home, barely tolerating prayer before each meal. It took every ounce of control to endure the
church services on Sundays.

  When approached by both Linda and Blake about her salvation, Janet insisted that she was saved as a child, but told her sister and brother-in-law that salvation just didn’t affect her as it did them. They saw through her explanation but couldn’t get anywhere with her.

  The Barretts took Janet to Dr. Martin and put her under his care for the rest of her pregnancy. They quickly learned that Janet was quite short of funds, and paid the doctor for her.

  Wednesday, May 28,1880, was a bright, sunny day in northern California. Janet was crankier than usual all day, and it was getting on Linda’s nerves.

  All day long, Janet had a nagging backache, and no matter where she sat or lay, she was unable to find a comfortable position. She was kneading her fists in the small of her back when Linda paused at the open door to her bedroom.

  Moving into the room, Linda said, “The back pains getting worse, isn’t it?”

  “Yes,” Janet said through clenched teeth.

  “Could I rub it for you?”

  “Sure.”

  While Linda rubbed the aching spot, she said, “I think your baby’s going to put in an appearance shortly.”

  “I hope so,” said Janet. “I can’t stand much more of this.”

  Linda smiled. “It’ll be worth it all when you hold the little darling in your arms.”

  Janet said nothing.

  When Blake came home that evening, Linda told him Janet would deliver soon. She’d made a good dinner of beef stew and biscuits, and when it was ready, Blake went up to Janet’s room and walked her down the stairs so she could eat.

  Janet ate very little, and after a few minutes she ran her gaze to both Barretts and said, “I’ll have to ask you to excuse me. I just can’t eat any more. I’m going back up to my room.”

  She plodded slowly and laboriously up the stairs, assisted by Blake, and made straight for her bed. When Blake was gone, she let her eyes roam the room.

  Because of what Linda and Blake had done, all was ready for the baby. They had purchased a beautiful cradle, which sat nearby, and all the clothes and blankets so lovingly sewn by Linda were laundered and waiting in neat stacks in dresser drawers.