A Sister's Place

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Ms. Moody had left for the day.  She is seventy-four years old and a retired school teacher.  She has volunteered at My Sister’s Place for ten years and is a former board member.  She met Irene when she came to Ms. Moody’s church to do a presentation.  Two weeks later, Ms. Moody called Irene to inquire about attending the next training session.  She stated that her preference was to work with the adults.  She had retired from teaching and wanted a rest from dealing with children.  She preferred answering the phone, filing and occasionally encouraging staff and residents.

Grace stood in the door and watched Ms. Moody get into her Lincoln Town Car and drive out of the double wide driveway into the busy evening traffic.  That car was a beautiful machine that she kept running smoothly.  At a glance, you would notice the shiny navy color and sports rim tire covers.  You would never imagine that car was ten years old and had over 200,000 miles on the odometer.  Ms. Moody’s husband had worked for a Lincoln dealer as supervisor in the service department.   Every four years he would get his wife a new car, but that Lincoln was his pride and joy.  When he died three years ago, she drove the Town Car for the first time.  She was heading the shelter board fundraising drive for the first phase of building a new shelter.  After driving the Lincoln, she went home, had her son sell her current car on e-bay and donated the $4,500 toward buying the land.

Grace watched her drive away, then closed and locked the door just as the phone rang on the director’s desk.

“I have not been able to reach Irene on her cell phone and I hate to trouble you again, but I have to leave for a meeting soon,” said the man on the other end, in a voice that combined professional and dreamy.

Grace smiled at the business-like tone of Attorney Jeffrey Evans.  She knew he needed his morning fix of talking to her mother and just hearing her voice. It was now late afternoon.  He generally had a morning check-in conversation with her and often found an official reason to call her back again if he was not in court.  Grace knew Jeffrey was her mother’s high school sweetheart and now seemed very interested in renewing the relationship.  He did all kinds of projects and made major efforts to get her attention, but Irene seems resistant to his best efforts.  She is nice enough, but probably remembers her grandmother’s saying about fools rushing in. Grace found his courtship efforts charming and he seemed like a very good catch. She wanted her mother happy in a solid relationship again.

“Attorney Evans, Irene is on a hospital response call.  Her cell phone is turned off in the hospital.  It has been a while, but the last time I spoke to her she was planning to leave there in about an hour.  We are expecting her shortly.  I will let her know that you are trying to reach her.”

“Okay, I just wanted to check to see if she is doing better after her accident.  Did she seem alright today?”

“Yes, she said there was no pain before she left,” Grace said, hoping her smile was not reflected in her voice.  Man, does he have it bad.

Grace hung up the phone and a few minutes later Irene’s van pulled into the driveway.  Irene escorts Elizabeth Reynolds in the back door to avoid shelter and street traffic.  Grace is trained not to stare, but it hurts to look at this woman’s face.  The swelling and bruises will be with her for a while. Automatically, Beth looks at the floor because of her embarrassment.  Grace gives her a hug then invites her into the office. Rita is busy, so Grace has to do the intake with Beth. She has arrived without clothing so Rita will give her a packet of personal care items Together they will go to the clothing storage area and find her clothing and shoes. While Grace is doing the intake, Irene meets with a resident while the school bus returns 7 children to the shelter.  So goes the day.