Free The Blueprint by Jeannette Barron

your age, so about twenty years ago."  She looked away as she remembered.  "Her mother was a hateful woman.  She marched Beth right up to the office and not caring who overheard, she said, ‘I need you take this girl.  She’s ugly, skinny, and disgusting just like her dreadful father.  I don’t want her and nobody else does either.  Take her, so I’ll never have to be reminded of that awful man and what he did to me again.’  I was shocked by this woman’s contempt for her own and was about ready to let her know just exactly what I thought of her when I stopped myself.  Because in reality, what could I do?  My guess was that this wasn't the first time poor Beth had heard such poison exit her own mother's mouth.  Maybe she would be better off with us?  Beth's mother handed over signed legal documents giving the girl’s guardianship over to the state.  And that was the last time Beth saw or heard from her mother.”  Mrs. Jones pushed her glasses up her nose and added with a shrug, “I always wondered if it was harder on children whose parents willingly gave them up.”  A concerned glance washed over me.
    “My husband, Thomas, was the director back then, and I helped out in the office like I do now.   My kids were mostly grown so I spent time here while they were at school, and then left early to get dinner on the table.   Each child placed at the home, we treated like our very own. "  She smiled.  "Once the children were here for a while, many of them called us Momma and Papa Jones.  We had boys and girls in those days and things could get pretty wild around here.”  Her mind seemed to wander for a bit as she recalled happy memories. “We tried our best to balance discipline with fun.   But mostly, we wanted to mend all those little broken hearts each child carried with him.  My Thomas, he had a big heart.  He loved his work and loved these children.”  Again her thoughts seemed to drift, but this time they weren’t paired with a smile. “I lost him five years ago.  That’s when Ms. Sweaney took over the job as director.”
    “ There I go again.” Mrs. Jones shook her head and patted my knee. “Sometimes, I get to thinking and remembering, my tongue starts wagging, and before I know it I’ve said too much.   My daughter says I do it because I’m getting old, and she might be right.”  Mrs. Jones laughed then like the idea her of being old was new.
    I couldn’t help but give her a small smile in return to be polite.  
    “So where was I?   Let me think.”  For the first time since asking me about Dani, she seemed to recognize her audience again.  “Today is my last day of work.  I’m going to live with my daughter in Kansas City.  She wanted me to move in with her after Thomas died, but I wanted to stay and help the next director run this place.  Ms. Sweaney won’t let me take care of you girls. She won’t let me give you even a little bit of the love you deserve.”  She took my hand between her warm ones and squeezed.  “I don’t want to leave you, but I can’t be a party to her cruelty anymore.”
    “Lily, I want you to listen close, okay?  What happened to Beth, I mean Ms. Sweaney, was terrible.  No parent should ever treat her child that way or say such hateful things about them.   She never forgave her mother, but even worse, she believed every awful thing she said about her.  She has carried her anger and hurt around with her her whole life.  Out in the world, she felt out of place, because she was without a family of her own.  So she came back here where she thought at least she was on level ground with everyone.  Returning was the worst thing she could have done for herself.  Every day she is reminded of what her mother did to her.  And she takes her anger out on all of you, especially those girls with sisters.  As I understand it, she had a sister that her mother kept.”
    “I’m going to write letters to every state congressman and