Bridgett

“God, if you are out there, why won’t you help us?”, Bridgett whispered.

She and her sister slept together on a palette on the floor. The wind whipped through cracks in the wall. She tried to ignore the cold but it was already more than she could bear. Her sister was shivering as she slept fitfully.

Bridgett’s body hurt from from the hours on her feet and not enough to eat, and, now, the cold wind. She pulled the this blanket up to her chin and wrapped up tightly. As she watched Marion, her heart broke, again, as her little sister tossed and turned in her sleep.

When sleep took her, Bridgett found herself in a grassy field. And in the distance, she saw an old farmhouse. Home. Bridgette heard her Momma calling, “Birdie, Marion, lunch!”. Bridgette grabbed Marion’s hand and they ran, laughing, to Momma.

Bridgette woke feeling warm. Momma. She missed her so much. But her dreams reminded Bridgett of everything, Momma’s smile, her faith, how well she loved. Tears filled her eyes; two years gone by and still she ached for her Momma. But then, Bridgett realized, her dreams were gifts. Remembering Momma’s love and her faith was giving Bridgette the strength for another day. Maybe, God did hear.

“Wake up Marion! It’s time to go.”

“I don’t want to go Birdie! Do I have to? I’m so tired and my tummy hurts. It’s so empty.”

“Yes, Marion! Yes, we have to go. Now get up and I’ll fix us some warm bread before we leave.”

Bridgett quickly dressed, layering her old cloths to add warmth, and went to the kitchen.

“Good!”, said her stepmother. “I’m glad to see you up on time.”

“Yes, Mother.”, Bridgett said, keeping her eyes down. She pulled out the bread and began to add butter.

“Stop that immediately. We will eat tonight and not before.”

“But Mother, we have no strength to eat at night and we both fell asleep before we could get dinner. Please allow this or we may not work well and they will let us go.” Bridgett spoke quietly. There was never an excuse for children to be emotional according to her stepmother.

Karen Craddock Joyce showed her anger, slamming the frying pan against the table. Then said, “Very well! I have to continually deal with your irresponsible actions but I will not tolerate you getting let go. Your father won’t give you the discipline you deserve but I promise you, Miss Priss, I will. I promised Fredrick Ginn that you would be worth your hire! It is my name at risk. So get 2 pieces of bread but no butter and we will not waste wood to warm them. Take that bread and git!”

As she got the bread, a baby cried. Her step mother rushed to the sitting room to pick up Hazel, Bridgett and Marion’s baby sister.

“Thank you God that she likes the baby.” Bridgett whispered under her breath as she hurried to get Marion.

“Are you ready?”, Bridgett asked

“Yes, if we must!”

“We must!”, and they closed the door.

(My great grandmother Bridgette Joyce Stephenson, lived. She faced so many challenges and tragedies but also walked with God. I can’t know all the details of her life, but I am imagining the details based on what I do know and my research. Follow my Bridgett blogs to be encouraged by this wonderful woman’s life!)