The Book Glasses

Chapter 3

Closing the theatre doors behind her, Sam was energised with a new sense of excitement that the professor’s gift had given her. The idea of studying at this level had never occurred to her before, but with the book glasses in her possession, this path was open to her.

Later, she joined Tom for lunch at the museum’s café. He remained silent as she told him of her desire to study at university. After they had both finished their lunch, he told her to go home. His sympathetic look made Sam feel that he was confusing her sudden desire for university with the ongoing reaction to the trauma she’d experienced over Mr Harman’s murder.

Sam didn’t argue and, upon arriving in her apartment, immediately started to read the textbook the professor had given her. Although the book was not her cup of tea, she quickly finished it and still loved the idea of university. After changing out of her work clothes, she’d decided to go and visit Sue at the refuge when she heard a knock at her front door.

“Are you alright, sweetheart? It’s Sister Sue!”

“Hi, Sister, yes I’m fine, thank you. Please come in.”

“Where have you been? We’ve all missed you. The girls are asking me daily about you. We’ve all been worried sick.” Sister Sue took the single seat at the kitchen table.

“I have so much to tell you. I was just getting ready to come and see you,” Sam said as she retrieved some orange juice from the refrigerator.

“You wouldn’t lie to a sister, and an old one at that, would you?” she said.

“It’s true, no joke,” Sam said as she filled two glasses with orange juice and then set out an assortment of pastries on a plate.

“Hang on a minute, what is going on, young lady? Orange juice and pastries? Let me look at this fridge.” She walked over to open it. “You have food in here, Sam. How on earth did you fit all of that in this tiny little thing?”

“That’s why I was coming to see you. I wanted to tell you that I have my own money and I don’t need to take any more food or anything else from the refuge.” Sam then opened the pantry door to show Sue that it was also well-stocked.

“So, you finally listened to me. That’s terrific, Sam.” Sue sat back down, her eyes shining.

The two women spent the afternoon eating, drinking, and enjoying each other’s company with Sister Sue sitting on the only chair while Sam sat on an old footstool. Sam loved her company as Sue was like a mother to her.

Then she saw Sue’s eyes fall on the professor’s textbook and switch to the other books she’d borrowed from the library. A frown appeared on her face and Sam remembered that the sister knew that she couldn’t read.

“What are all these books doing here?” she said.

“They are my books,” Sam mumbled through a mouthful of food.

“Really? But you told me you can’t read because of your dyslexia.”

“I know, but now I can. I was going to tell you. It’s great, isn’t it? Aren’t you happy for me?” She hoped the sister wouldn’t ask too many difficult questions.

Fortunately, she directed the conversation back to her work at the museum. Then she told Sam she needed to get back to the refuge and get ready for dinner. They both stood and Sam opened the door.

“So, I guess we won’t see you much at the refuge. The girls are going to miss you,” Sue said on her way out the door.

“Not much, but I will drop in from time to time. I won’t forget you, Sister Sue.” Sam winked before filling her mouth with another pastry.

Sue closed the door behind her before bursting into tears. Over the last five years, she had known this was going to happen one day. In the early years, she’d dared it to happen, even wished for it with all her heart. Now she cursed the day she had longed for it.

Her faith in God had given her the strength to continue life’s journey and she believed her prayers had been answered five years before, when Sam had come into her life. It had been a joyous day. Sam had been helpless, vulnerable and in need of care.

The first time she’d seen Sam walk into her office at the refuge to enquire about volunteering, Sue had immediately felt a connection with her. As a rule, eighteen-year-old girls who looked the way she did, did not spend much time volunteering.

Once she’d realised who Sam was, she hadn’t been able to believe it. Sam, of all people, had come to her! Sam had given her a new direction, washing away her despair. She had replaced the emptiness with purpose.

Sue pondered what Sam had said about being able to read. It didn’t make sense that one minute she couldn’t read and the next she could. But then, she had kept her secret from the girl, one that could have altered the course of her life, so it wasn’t like she could judge. What was she going to do without Sam’s regular visits to the refuge? It was devastating to imagine life without her.

All the way back to the refuge Sue dragged her feet, trying to think of other ways she could continue to see Sam because she couldn’t accept a life without her.

“Mummy, Mummy, wake up!”

“Mummy, Mummy, wake up!”It was Sam’s voice, but Sue couldn’t open her eyes. What had happened?

It was Sam’s voice, but Sue couldn’t open her eyes. What had happened?That’s right. She’d found Joyce on the floor next to her bed, the half-empty bottle of sleeping pills beside her. It had been an impulsive decision, borne out of grief, to snatch up the bottle and swallow the rest. Consumed with grief at the loss of her husband, like Joyce was, she hadn’t thought of her daughter.

That’s right. She’d found Joyce on the floor next to her bed, the half-empty bottle of sleeping pills beside her. It had been an impulsive decision, borne out of grief, to snatch up the bottle and swallow the rest. Consumed with grief at the loss of her husband, like Joyce was, she hadn’t thought of her daughter.She heard her in-laws’ voices, then someone she didn’t know. Then there was nothing until she woke up.

She heard her in-laws’ voices, then someone she didn’t know. Then there was nothing until she woke up.Mary, her mother-in-law, was sitting beside her. “I’m so glad to see your eyes open.”

Mary, her mother-in-law, was sitting beside her. “I’m so glad to see your eyes open.”But it hurt to open them. “Where am I?”

But it hurt to open them. “Where am I?”“The hospital. Joyce is here too. They got to you in time to save both of you. But why did you do it?”

“The hospital. Joyce is here too. They got to you in time to save both of you. But why did you do it?”She sighed. “I couldn’t stand it anymore. The house is too empty.” Waking up a little more, she looked around the room. “Samantha! Where is she?”

She sighed. “I couldn’t stand it anymore. The house is too empty.” Waking up a little more, she looked around the room. “Samantha! Where is she?”Mary put out a hand to calm her. “Hush. She’s staying with us.”

Mary put out a hand to calm her. “Hush. She’s staying with us.”But that only brought more guilt. Why hadn’t she thought about what this would mean for her daughter? “How much longer am I going to be here?”

But that only brought more guilt. Why hadn’t she thought about what this would mean for her daughter? “How much longer am I going to be here?”“I don’t know. Maybe a couple of days.”

“I don’t know. Maybe a couple of days.”“Can you bring Sam in to see me?”

“Can you bring Sam in to see me?”But Mary’s face was grave. “I’m sorry, but they don’t think that’s a good idea right now.”

But Mary’s face was grave. “I’m sorry, but they don’t think that’s a good idea right now.”They didn’t think it was a good idea for her to see her daughter? “Who?”

They didn’t think it was a good idea for her to see her daughter? “Who?”“The Department of Human Services. They think she should be in our care for now.”

“The Department of Human Services. They think she should be in our care for now.”Sue sat straight up in bed, the room spinning. “For how long?”

Sue sat straight up in bed, the room spinning. “For how long?”She didn’t trust her mother-in-law’s smile. “Why don’t you get better and then we’ll see?”

She didn’t trust her mother-in-law’s smile. “Why don’t you get better and then we’ll see?”