she thinking? ”
“ What? ” Aggie hadn ’ t noticed the elderly woman sitting on the bench next to her.
“ Hello. I ’ m sorry; I was talking to myself. ” Aggie opened the manila folder and flipped through the pages.
“ Did you say you were guardian of eight children? ” The woman was pleasant but curious.
“ Yes. My sister died last week. She had my name on the title to the house to avoid probate problems, she had signed and notarized temporary guardianship papers -- the works. Power of attorney for the estate… and I ’ m beneficiary of a very large life insurance policy. What possessed her to give me this responsibility? ” The fact that she was dumping her shock on a stranger didn ’ t even register.
“ Do you have parents that can help you? ”
“ My mother has a serious heart condition. She can ’ t handle stress or excitement for long. There is no way she could help. I expected that Allie would leave the children to her mother-in-law, but I have a letter to read from them that should explain why they didn ’ t. ”
“ Are you ready for this? It ’ s quite a responsibility. What about your plans for your life. ”
She didn ’ t know it yet, but the woman ’ s question would become one she heard repeatedly over the coming months. “ You know what? I prayed years ago that if I was going to make a decision for my life that was wrong for me, that God would radically change my direction. It appears that He has. I think my dreams must have been just that. Dreams. I don ’ t want them if they ’ re not what He wants for me, now do I? ” Aggie realized that her words to th e woman were really just a self- pep talk. She turned to look at her companion, but the woman just smiled, stood, and walked away.
Aggie reached her hotel room and flipped through the papers, while carefully avoiding Doug ’ s letter. Eventually, she gathered her emotions and opened the letter.
November 11
Dearest Naggie Aggie,
Well, I won ’ t be calling you that again this side of Glory, but never fear, if Jesus will let me continue on the other side, I won ’ t callously drop your special name. I know how sorry you would be to lose it.
I know you are wondering why I left you the responsibility of our children, and I want to share the story with you so that you will understand and fight for them like no one else can.
My mother was born on what she would call the “ wrong side of the tracks. ” Her father left the family when she was an infant, and she grew up in an era where the combination of a working mother, bad neighborhood, and no father meant that she was essentially a social outcast. By high school, she vowed never to live alone or in poverty again. Just picture her as a twentieth century Scarlett O ’ Hara.
Upon graduation, she researched businesses, found a position with Delta Advertising, and worked her way to secretary of the most up and coming vice president in the building. I know it sounds like a pathetic B movie, but it ’ s the truth. Before that vice president knew what hit him, they were married. Enter, Douglass Stuart, nephew of Weston Lyman, Rockland ’ s great advertising mogul. He had everything she was looking for. Family connections -- boy that sounds like something from 19th century England -- money, and social status were her ticket to never being hurt, poor or alone again.
My father quickly learned that my mother was determined to control every aspect of their lives in order to accomplish her purposes. Now don ’ t get me wrong, Aggie, Dad and I love Mother. What she does is always because of her love for us, and her fear of the past repeating itself.
Aggie, I cannot allow her to try to raise my children. She would be determined to control the children ’ s lives the same way she ’ s controlled my father and me. Though she puts all her time and energy into controlling the family, she ’ s lazy, Aggie. She doesn ’ t believe she should have to work. Can you imagine how
“ What? ” Aggie hadn ’ t noticed the elderly woman sitting on the bench next to her.
“ Hello. I ’ m sorry; I was talking to myself. ” Aggie opened the manila folder and flipped through the pages.
“ Did you say you were guardian of eight children? ” The woman was pleasant but curious.
“ Yes. My sister died last week. She had my name on the title to the house to avoid probate problems, she had signed and notarized temporary guardianship papers -- the works. Power of attorney for the estate… and I ’ m beneficiary of a very large life insurance policy. What possessed her to give me this responsibility? ” The fact that she was dumping her shock on a stranger didn ’ t even register.
“ Do you have parents that can help you? ”
“ My mother has a serious heart condition. She can ’ t handle stress or excitement for long. There is no way she could help. I expected that Allie would leave the children to her mother-in-law, but I have a letter to read from them that should explain why they didn ’ t. ”
“ Are you ready for this? It ’ s quite a responsibility. What about your plans for your life. ”
She didn ’ t know it yet, but the woman ’ s question would become one she heard repeatedly over the coming months. “ You know what? I prayed years ago that if I was going to make a decision for my life that was wrong for me, that God would radically change my direction. It appears that He has. I think my dreams must have been just that. Dreams. I don ’ t want them if they ’ re not what He wants for me, now do I? ” Aggie realized that her words to th e woman were really just a self- pep talk. She turned to look at her companion, but the woman just smiled, stood, and walked away.
Aggie reached her hotel room and flipped through the papers, while carefully avoiding Doug ’ s letter. Eventually, she gathered her emotions and opened the letter.
November 11
Dearest Naggie Aggie,
Well, I won ’ t be calling you that again this side of Glory, but never fear, if Jesus will let me continue on the other side, I won ’ t callously drop your special name. I know how sorry you would be to lose it.
I know you are wondering why I left you the responsibility of our children, and I want to share the story with you so that you will understand and fight for them like no one else can.
My mother was born on what she would call the “ wrong side of the tracks. ” Her father left the family when she was an infant, and she grew up in an era where the combination of a working mother, bad neighborhood, and no father meant that she was essentially a social outcast. By high school, she vowed never to live alone or in poverty again. Just picture her as a twentieth century Scarlett O ’ Hara.
Upon graduation, she researched businesses, found a position with Delta Advertising, and worked her way to secretary of the most up and coming vice president in the building. I know it sounds like a pathetic B movie, but it ’ s the truth. Before that vice president knew what hit him, they were married. Enter, Douglass Stuart, nephew of Weston Lyman, Rockland ’ s great advertising mogul. He had everything she was looking for. Family connections -- boy that sounds like something from 19th century England -- money, and social status were her ticket to never being hurt, poor or alone again.
My father quickly learned that my mother was determined to control every aspect of their lives in order to accomplish her purposes. Now don ’ t get me wrong, Aggie, Dad and I love Mother. What she does is always because of her love for us, and her fear of the past repeating itself.
Aggie, I cannot allow her to try to raise my children. She would be determined to control the children ’ s lives the same way she ’ s controlled my father and me. Though she puts all her time and energy into controlling the family, she ’ s lazy, Aggie. She doesn ’ t believe she should have to work. Can you imagine how
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