Glimmers of Change by Ginny Dye Page A

more than cold biscuits for breakfast,” she said brusquely. Her eyes were swollen from a night of crying, but her face was a mask of determination.
    “We’re used to cold biscuits,” Janie replied, not knowing what else to say. She wished she knew how to dissolve Opal’s pain but also knew nothing but time could do that.
    “Not when I’m living here,” Opal retorted, a spark of life flaring in her eyes before she turned back to the kitchen. “Get yourself some coffee, Janie. You look like you need it.”
    Janie wordlessly obeyed, sighing when the first hot swallow began to warm her insides and bring them to life. She sat down at the table, pointing at the coffee pot when her housemates joined her. All of them stared at Opal’s stiff back but said nothing when Janie just shook her head and pointed at their seats. She had told them all the night before how Eddie had lost his wife, Opal’s cousin, in an explosion in Richmond. It was simply impossible to comprehend that another explosion had ripped more family away from them.
    Minutes later, Opal placed full plates in front of them. “Don’t be thinking you got to come up with something to say,” she said. “There ain’t nothing.” She laid a hand on Janie’s shoulder. “Just eat.”
    Janie blinked back tears as she stared down at the bacon, eggs, and hot biscuits on her plate.
    “Ain’t breakfast without grits,” Opal said, trying to cover the hoarseness in her voice. “I know this is a houseful of mostly Yankees, but,” she glared at Janie, “I thought one southern girl would be enough to have grits.”
    Janie fought to respond naturally, knowing Opal needed her to. “I’ll fix that on the way home,” she promised.
     

     
    Janie could feel the tension in the house as soon as she opened the door. Amber and Carl were curled up on the sofa with books, but she could tell they weren’t reading a word. Their swollen eyes told her how they had spent the morning.
    Once again, delicious smells wafted from the kitchen. She walked in and plunked down her bag. “Grits as ordered.”
    Opal turned from where she was flipping chicken. There was a platter of warm sweet potatoes on the counter, and the steam was still rising from the biscuits said she had just pulled out of the oven. “Thank you,” she said gruffly, placing her hands on her ample hips as she stared at Janie. “We got something to tell you,” she said bluntly.
    Janie nodded and sat down at the table just as Eddie walked in. His tall, lean body was stooped with pain, his shoulders sagging under the weight of his loss.
    “You tell her?” Eddie said.
    “Nope. I was waiting for you.”
    Eddie settled down at the table. “We went to the restaurant while you be in class,” he began.
    Janie waited quietly, knowing how hard it was for him to talk.
    Eddie swallowed as his hands began to shake. Opal moved from the stove to stand beside him. Her presence gave him the courage to continue. “We found our children,” he managed.
    Janie’s eyes burned as she listened, wishing once again that there was something to say that would alleviate some of their pain. She reached forward and took one of his rough hands. It was so little, but she knew he simply needed to know she cared.
    “We ain’t been here long enough to have a church yet. One of the men who helped us talked with his minister yesterday. They sent a wagon to carry them back to the church…” Eddie’s voice caught. He took a deep breath. A long silence fell on the kitchen before he gazed up at Opal with pleading eyes.
    “They’s gonna bury them,” Opal said huskily. “All of them,” she added. “Sadie be just like one of our children. She and Sadie Lou hardly been apart an hour since we’ve been here.”
    Janie smiled slightly, knowing how close the two teenage girls had been. They had both dreamed of being teachers. Her smile faded as pain twisted her face. She closed her eyes briefly, the flash of the explosion searing her mind