Life Happens- 1941

Chapter 3

After our talk that evening, I felt somewhat better, maybe even relieved.  I felt awful for Donny though.  Sometimes, well most of the time, we don’t understand why things happen the way they do.  We just have to trust that God has His reasons.  That is why I had really begun to appreciate the words “Life Happens”, because it does.   I was also starting to realize that other people needed that comforting thought more than I did.

I knocked on the door and a tall man with dark hair wearing a smug expression opened the door hesitantly.  I thrust out a hand to him.

“Hi Donny!  I’m Charlotte.  Elliot’s already told me so much about you.”  I tried to smile warmly but he just stood there starring at me with his mouth gaping open.  I tried again.

“Well, I just umm, wanted to welcome you to Virginia.  I, erm, made you a casserole.”

I smiled again and held the dish of casserole out to him.  To my surprise, he took it but with shaky hands.

“Thank y-”  He started to say but suddenly he dropped the dish and it crashed to the floor.  I bent down to help him pick up the pieces.  

“Donny, are you alright?  Just let  me help you clean up and then I’ll leave.  Err, maybe you should go lay down.”  I tried to look politely convincing but not too pushy.  He just stood there and looked at me, plainly downright confused.

“Don’t tell me what I need and what I don’t!”  This took me completely off guard.

“Oh, I didn’t mean, I just-”

“Get out!  Get the hell out of my house! Now!”

Turning slightly red, I obeyed.  I was just swinging my purse over my shoulder when a tall, breathtaking woman with curly blonde hair appeared in the doorway.

“Donny, leave this woman alone.  Please go back into the house.”  She looked sternly at him, but I could tell she was tired.  I guessed this must be Emmeline.  

“Emme, go away! This woman, she’s, she’s-” But she cut him off,

“Definitely a heck of a lot more patient than you.” She winked at me and I smiled back.  But Donny was fuming, I could almost see the smoke coming out of his ears.  

“I told her to get the hell out of my house and that’s exactly what she should be doing!”  He pushed Emmeline down and she landed face first on the floor.  I stood up.

“Mr. Jacobs, please.  I didn’t mean to insult you, I only meant to help.  I’m-”  A tiny voice came from the hallway. 

“Daddy, daddy!  I got a boo-boo on my toe!  I stubbed it on my dresser.  Will you kiss it?”  The little girl looked pitifully up at her father,

“Please daddy.  Kiss it.”  Tears were streaming down the child’s face.  All I could do was stand there biting my lip, watching, waiting.  Donny bent down so that he was eye level with his child, paused, then slapped her across the face.

“I don’t give a shit!”  he tromped out the door, into his truck, and sped out of the driveway.  I ran over to Emmeline and helped her up.

“I am so sorry.”  I tried to smile,

“It’s not your fault.  He’s been taking drugs for his depression is all.  Why don’t you come inside?”  She bent down to  the little girl and kissed her on top of her head.

“Come on Josie.  Let’s go in, okay.”  Josie was practically bawling but Emmeline led her by the hand inside, and upstairs to her room for a nap.  When she came back downstairs, I noticed her face was red and a large bruise was starting to form around her eye.