第24章 Flowers from Our Garden（第1页）

第24章Flarden

JerryandLorinBiederman

Iamiiesaeeers。Mylifehasbeendifficultbut，bythegraasurvivor。

Mygirlsamuchoftheirchildhoodiersandlivi。Thoughweweretogethersixyears，Inevermarriedthegirls'father。Hep;apos;tholdajobandalthoughIamahardworker，withoutacollegeeduoos;tenoughtosupportus。Hespentmostofmymoneyonhardliquor，andhedidn'tefordays。

&erhethreateokillme（hewasaviolentdrunk），Ipackedupmybabiesandingsandheadedforabetterpartoftown。IfiguredIwouldgivenaygirlsagoodedu，eveoliveo。

Imaofindajobasawaitressatalocalcoffeeshop，andIenrolledmygirlsinagoodpubliyjobdidn'tpayenoughforrent，sowemovedfromsheltertoshelter。Iwasnervousabouttheaddress，soIgotapostoffidusedtheaddressfortheschoolpaperwork。

edwewerehomeless。Mygirlswenttoschooleveryday。Iftheshelterwasnearby，wewalked。Ifwehadto，>

Mygirlsresehemgotofriends'housesasmuchaspossible，aobuythemspecialgifts。But，mostly，thelittlemoneyayfortheirfuture，

actthatwewouldnottellanyonewewerehomelessbecauseIwassurethisfinesp;apos;tallowmydaughtersremainiftheykoursituation。

Oneday，severalyearslater，ohegirlscamebacktotheshelterandtoldmeherfriend'smotherhadihreeofusoverforsuppertheevening。Imaalktothedirectoroftheshelterintoallowihekittobakecookies。

Wekhedoorofabeautifultwo-storyhome。Itotlessandary，themother，reciativeofthecookies。Wehadawonderfulevening，andIknewIhadfoundafriend。

Afewdayslater，Leticia，myyou，e。AndsaidthatMaryhadaskedforourphonenumber。Shewaocallmetogettogether。Leticiatoldherwewerehavihephones，andshewouldhavemecallher。Ihatedthatmygiftshadtolie。

IcalledMaryandagaiogetheratherhouse。SheandIbecamegoodfriends。ItlytoldherthatIwaohaveherovertoourplace，butthenIwouldlieandsaywewerehavihelandlordofourapartmentbuildingorthatsomething，likethestove，theairic。

MarytothecoffeeshoponedayandaskedifIdmybreakwithher。Wetookawalk，aoppedatavathouseafewblotheroad。IthadaFnoutfrontaadorablelittlehome。

Marysaid，“Doyoulikethisplace?”

“Oh，verymuch!”Iexclaimed。“Butit'swayoutofmyleague。”

“os;twedfindout?”Marysaid。Thisupsetme。ItoldherthatthemostIcouldaffordwas$350amonth。

Noonewouldrelittle—especiallythishouse。

&day，MarytothecoffeeshopwithabiggrinonherfadaFninherhands。Shewassoexcitedthatshep;apos;tholdbaews。“Ispokewiththeowhousea?They&apthehousefor$350amonth!Itp;apos;tbemoreperfectforyouandthegirls。”

Itoldher，“That'simpossible。Housesrentforthreetimesthatmuthisneighborhood。”

Sheexplaiheownersdidn'treallyheyjustneededsomeonewhoreciatelivingthereandecialcareofit。

Afewweekslater，wemovedin。WemasomefurheSalvationArmy，Shari，myoldest，tookwoodshopinsadeusafiable。WefixedthepladIevenplantedsomeflowers，whichmademefeellikeIlantingmyroots。Ihopedttime，raisemygifts，andallatoeto。

Butsecrets，I'vefound，don'tusuallystayseonth，Ihadmailedmyreitwasduringtheholidays，andIdidn'twantittobelate，soIdecidedtodropitoffattheappropriatepostofficebox。

IwasstandihepostoffiIheardafamiliarvoiceaskfefromtheboxwhereIse。Ipeekedaroundthelineandwasshoary!

&humbingthroughhermailwhenItouchedherarm。Tearswerestartingtoforminmyeyes，andIcouldbarelyspeak。“Mary，isityourhousein?Didyoudothisforus?”

&herarmaroundmyshoulderaside。Bythetimewereachedthesidewalk，Iwassobbing。Iamaverystrongwomanandtearsdon'teeasily。Ihavebeenthroughalotinoonehadeverbeensokind。

MarytoldmethatLeticiahadslippedaerwewerehomeless。Shesaidsheneverwouldhaveguessed。Thegirlswerealwayssodwelldressed。Shesaiditwasherandherhusband'sfirsthome，andite，thattheyhadowhehtime，anditaidfor。Sheandherhusbandhadtalkedaboutitathehousetous。Shehadn'twaoknowbecauseshewasafraidIwouldthinkit>

Shariisgraduatingfromhighschoolthisyear，andbecausewewereabletosaveenoughmoney，sheisgoingtocollege。

MaryismyEarthAngel，andIwaoknoreciateherkindnessay，andthatIloveher。

IbringMaryfreshflowerseveryweekfrarden。