Free A Searching Heart by Janette Oke Page B

ever had the recent exchange. “I’ve come to say good-bye. My luggage has already been dropped off at the station. My pa took it over.”
    Virginia had never seen her so excited. “I thought you weren’t leaving until Saturday,” Virginia questioned.
    â€œI talked my pa into letting me go today so I’d have lots of time to look over the campus.”
    â€œYou’ve already visited the campus.”
    Jenny shrugged. “I know, but Pa fell for it. Besides, I do want time to settle in. Sort of watch others arrive. Check out the hangouts, et cetera.”
    Virginia felt emptiness gnawing at her insides. Jenny was off to college and she was not. The reality of her situation hit her fully.
    â€œI’m going to miss you,” she said simply, knowing that she really was.
    â€œI was hoping you’d walk with me to catch my train.”
    Virginia nodded and moved into the living room, removing her apron as she went. “Mama, Jenny is here. She’s leaving for college.”
    Belinda looked up in surprise. “Now? I didn’t think her classes started until next week.”
    â€œShe’s going early.”
    â€œI was planning to have some baking to send. . . .”
    â€œShe needs to catch her train, Mama.”
    Belinda hurried into the kitchen to say good-bye to Jenny and wish her well. Virginia watched as she gave the girl a warm hug and remembered with a lump in her throat how her mother had filled in for Jenny’s mother over the years.
    â€œI’m going to walk with her to the station,” Virginia said to Belinda.
    Virginia watched her mother dab at her cheek, a look of motherly concern shadowing her eyes. She knew that her mother’s prayers would follow Jenny to the distant campus. It made her own heart ache just a little bit.
    Virginia did not stop for a wrap since the late afternoon was warm, with only a slight wind blowing.
    They were not even out the door before Jenny’s excited chatter began. “And Pa said to go ahead and do my own shopping. So I did. Not here, of course. I took the train into the city and, boy, did I shop. You should see all the things I bought. I wanted to show them to you but there wasn’t time. I was so anxious to get them packed when Pa agreed that I could go early—I never thought I’d ever be able to talk him into it—so I had to quickly throw things into the cases before he changed his mind. I might have to take a hotel for a couple of nights. The dormitories aren’t even open yet. But that will be fun. I’ve never stayed in a hotel alone before. Have you?”
    Before Virginia could even shake her head, Jenny was hurrying on. “I sure hope my roommate turns out to be fun. I’d hate to be stuck with some small-town prude who doesn’t even know—”
    â€œLike me?”
    Jenny looked just a bit sheepish, then nodded and kept right on. “We were friends in a small town, Virginia. It worked here. I’m not sure it would work at college. I mean, things are different there. Things are moving. Here, everything is d-e-a-d. Dead!”
    Virginia was shocked that Jenny could discard their years of friendship so casually. And she used the past tense. We were friends. If this is how she feels , Virginia found herself wondering, why in the world did she come get me to walk her to the station?
    But Jenny was still talking. “The skirt is the most gorgeous material. I’m sure if Pa saw it he’d think it on the short side, but skirts are getting shorter now. No more of this covering up the ankles. When I was in the city—wow—I couldn’t believe how far behind we are in fashions.
    â€œThis one shirtwaist I bought. You should see it. It is the most gorgeous shade of green.”
    Virginia wondered if everything Jenny had purchased was gorgeous.
    â€œReally makes my hair look—well—frankly, like burnished copper. Gorgeous! It’s fantastic.