Foxy gave him a warm smile. “I walked a long time alone, and once Jinx became a part of my life, I thought I was fine.” She turned to me. “But you, child, wouldn’t accept that. Since the day we arrived, you’ve walked by my side out here on the farm, in town, it didn’t matter where. Thank you.” She drew me in for a long embrace before turning to the congregation. “Who’s witnessing next?”

Rattled by what was going on, I did a double take when Miss Wise stood from her pew and took Foxy’s place beside me. She wore a short-sleeved blouse. As far as I knew, it was the first time she’d done that in public.

Chin lifted and shoulders back, Miss Wise told of her horrific imprisonment in Auschwitz. Her accent thickened when she shared about losing all of her family at the hands of Hitler. I’d heard her harrowing testimony before, but shivers stung my skin and nausea hit my stomach as if it were the first time. As she talked about losing her sister, Irene, I reached for her hand, and she willingly let me hold it even though it meant making the faded numbers on her arm more visible.

“I still remember the day I moved to Magnolia. Dave and Edith Foster showed up at my door to welcome me. The woman was round with child, but she and her husband helped unpack boxes all day until it was time for school to let out.” Miss Wise cleared her throat and shook her head. “I’d not seen love lived out in a very long time, but that man . . . he loved his wife. He wore it as good as he does a denim shirt, as Edith would have said. Witnessing their love made me want to stop hating.”

The mood was somber, sniffles filtered around the room, and I was surprised again when I realized some of the sniffles were my own. My eyes had grown damp and my nose was turned on like a leaky faucet.