Cruel Harvest by Fran Elizabeth Grubb Page A

brother. It had been so long already, I could handle a few more months. But God had other plans!
    I called Danny right away. At the start of our conversation, my nephew mentioned that he and his dad worked together laying commercial tile. Casually, he told me where they were working that week.
    â€œWe’ll be at Mary Black Memorial Hospital in Spartanburg all this week. That’s where we’ll be in the morning.”
    Wow! I was unable to speak. There was a long silence on the line. Danny thought I’d hung up.
    â€œAre you there, Aunt Frances?”
    Being called Aunt Frances jarred me back to reality.
    â€œYes, I am still here. You’re not going to believe this—I can hardly believe it myself—but I am scheduled to visit Mary Black Hospital tomorrow. I am praying for a woman who is having surgery in the morning.”
    â€œWhat floor are you going to be on?” he asked.
    â€œFourth.”
    Danny whispered as if he was in awe. “We are working on the fourth floor tomorrow morning.”
    That’s when I knew for certain this meeting was going to happen much sooner than Jimmy thought. My face burst into a smile of pure delight. I knew that this meeting was meant to happen. God wasn’t going to let some chewed-up false teeth keep me away from my brother.

Chapter 9

A New Life
    When I arrived the next morning at Mary Black Hospital, I did not hesitate. I walked through the beams of sunshine crossing the lobby and right to the front desk.
    â€œExcuse me, can you please tell me where the workers might be?” I asked.
    â€œWorkers?” The receptionist raised her eyebrow.
    â€œThe men laying tile.”
    â€œOh,” she said. “They are on the fourth floor. Take the elevator down the hall.”
    â€œThank you.”
    Wayne had already found the elevators. He waved me over, and I jumped on the first carriage with excitement. I could hardly contain myself the short ride up. When the door opened, I saw long strips of plastic hanging across both sides of the hallway. Most of the rooms near the elevator looked empty. The normal sounds of the hospital were muffled; an eerie but not unpleasant silence hung in the air. Even considering all the protective covering, dust floated in the air, flashing as it passed in and out of the light. A sign sat in front of the closest flap of plastic reading Construction: Do Not Enter.
    I glanced once at Wayne, who shrugged. I pushed through the plastic.
    â€œJimmy!” I called out. “Jimmy!”
    Wayne turned his head and tried to pretend he didn’t know me. I kept yelling my brother’s name anyway. I was sure it would be hard to recognize him after nearly forty years, so the only way I knew to find him was to make so much noise that he would have to come out. Either security would usher me out of the building, or my brother would appear to rescue me.
    I walked down the hall, my head swiveling left and right. Several men poked their heads out to see what the commotion was about. When they saw me, they used their thumbs to point out that Jimmy was farther up the hallway. Then they ducked back in for cover, as though they thought I was crazy. Nobody wanted anything to do with a lady yelling up and down the hallways of a hospital.
    I could not help myself. I felt deep inside that I was meant to see my brother that day. I kept shouting, and workers kept ducking back in for cover until finally I reached another area blocked off by plastic. Just as Jimmy’s name left my lips, the plastic parted and a man walked out into the light. He was tall, about six feet two inches, with a thickly muscled frame and a strong handsome face. The shock of thick black hair atop his head was dappled by gray at the temples. Right away, I saw my mother in his face.
    â€œI’m Jimmy,” he said in a quiet, deep voice.
    â€œI’m Frances!” I blurted out, the emotions inside of me erupting like lava. I ran the few feet