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Back The Land Beneath Us Save as PDF
Chapters (62)
  1. Cover
  2. Endorsements
  3. Books by Sarah Sundin
  4. Title Page
  5. Copyright Page
  6. Presidential Radio Broadcast
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. 9
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. 21
  28. 22
  29. 23
  30. 24
  31. 25
  32. 26
  33. 27
  34. 28
  35. 29
  36. 30
  37. 31
  38. 32
  39. 33
  40. 34
  41. 35
  42. 36
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. 39
  46. 40
  47. 41
  48. 42
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. 45
  52. 46
  53. 47
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. Epilogue
  58. Acknowledgments
  59. Discussion Questions
  60. About the Author
  61. Back Ads
  62. Back Cover

His breath caught. His throat felt rough, his nose stuffy, and his eyes burned.

He didn’t want to leave her, but he had no choice.

Clay bent his head over the letter, his heart splayed out on paper. Lord, I’ve lost my desire to die. So please strengthen my resolve.

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33

TULLAHOMA
SATURDAY, MAY 20, 1944

Wheels rattled on the pavement as Leah pushed Helen in the baby carriage, Mrs. Paxton pulled the Bellamy children’s wagon, and Rita Sue pushed a wheelbarrow.

Leah paused and adjusted her new summer hat to keep the morning sun out of her eyes. “Thank you again for helping the children’s home with the scrap drive.”

“It’s a pleasure,” Rita Sue said. “I know y’all need adults to help with the little ones—as well as wagons and wheelbarrows.”

Mama steered the wagon around a pothole. “Besides, I can’t wait for everyone to see these kids as assets, as giving, not taking.”

“Today they are taking,” Leah said. “Taking scrap.”

The ladies laughed.

“Lupe, have you told her yet?” Rita Sue asked.

“Told me what?”

Mama changed hands on the wagon handle. “Now I can tell you about yesterday’s errand—I spent the day at the library.”

“The library? I thought you were shopping.”

“I didn’t want to raise false hope.” Mama turned onto Jackson Street. “Mrs. Sheridan is quite the research librarian. We now have a list of addresses of all the orphanages in the Chicago area.”

Leah stopped, and her mouth hung open.

Rita Sue smiled and motioned her forward with her chin. “Move along.”

Mama wore a smug expression. “I was planning on returning to Kerrville at the end of May, but I’ll stay an extra week. You and I are taking the train to Chicago—the Dixie Flagler.”

Leah’s head whirled. “But that’s—I couldn’t—how?—the baby.”

“It’s all set. We’re staying with my cousin’s daughter in Chicago. She has two little ones, so we’ll have supplies and can wash diapers. And I can watch Helen while you search.”

“But that’s so expensive.”

Mama flapped her hand. “Will insisted, and Clay’s been nagging me to make you go. These Paxton men are generous to a fault. That’s mighty handy sometimes.” She winked at Leah.

All the pictures she’d seen of the city scrolled through her mind, but the picture she couldn’t see was the one she longed for most dearly—Callie and Polly.

Mama puckered one corner of her mouth. “You aren’t used to receiving gifts, are you?”

“Yes, I am.” Leah frowned into the borrowed baby carriage. “I’ve received charity all my life.”

“Ah, mija. It’s not the same. This is a gift of love.”

Leah blinked over grainy eyes. Biblical love from Clay. Familial love from Mama Paxton. “So when do we leave?”

Mama grinned. “Sunday, June 4. Helen will be seven weeks old.”