Lily thought of the tantrum Holly had thrown about leaving Austin, too. Lily was about to turn another page when Holly rapped on the edge of her open door.

“Mama, can I invite Rose and Ivy over tomorrow? You met them after church, remember? They’re the twins. Their mama said they could come after dinner and stay until suppertime if it was all right with you. They’re in my grade at school, and I’d like to know someone when I go there on Wednesday.” Holly was using her I’ll-be-nice-to-get-what-I-want voice.

“Sure.” Lily nodded. “Do we need to go get them, or is their mother bringing them to the house? And what are you planning to do all afternoon?”

“Their mama is bringing them, and we’re going to do pedicures and see what hairstyles look best on us. I’ll go call Rose back and tell her it’s okay,” Holly said.

“Hey, wait a minute,” Lily called out. “Why didn’t you ask me sooner? Did you cheat and get your cell phone out of the bag?”

“Nope, and I didn’t ask you sooner because you were busy throwing pictures of you and Daddy in the trash. You looked madder than you did in the bathroom at the library,” she answered. “I didn’t want you to say no, so I waited until you were in a better mood.”

“That may be the smartest thing you’ve done in days,” Lily said. “I’m glad you’re making friends.”

Holly just nodded and raced down the stairs to the kitchen to make the call.

“Maybe next time she’ll remember to say thank you,” Lily said out loud.

“Thanks, Mama,” Holly yelled from the bottom of the stairs.

Lily hugged herself. Just those two words made her day. She went back to the journal and read on:

Times have already changed so much since this damnable war has begun that I dread to see what it will be like when it is over. No matter what side wins, both the north and the south will come out with dead bodies to bury. I shudder to think about how this fighting will tear apart families. I cry myself to sleep at night, but all the tears don’t bring peace. I still worry, and I’m still an outsider in a world where I used to be respected.

A tear left a shiny trail down Lily’s cheek. Reading what Ophelia had written was like long fingers reaching deep into Lily’s soul. How could she feel such overwhelming empathy for a woman she’d never even known existed until she’d opened the journal?

Chapter Five

Chapter Five