Chapter 22THE GREAT PURPLE DOG
The strong winds in late spring bent the green stalks of the tulips until the colorful blooms almost touched the ground. April’s warmth coaxed the buds on the trees to grow. Life returned to Iowa’s black soil. With the end of the school year nearing, Ivy’s escape from Coffey had almost arrived. She and Jesse had planned to backpack across Europe right after they graduated high school.
Ivy picked up a passport application from Uncle Walter at the post office, but it required a birth certificate. Grandma said she couldn’t remember where Ivy’s birth certificate was, so as soon as school let out that day, Ivy went to the courthouse records office to get a certified copy.
Maggie’s neighbor, Ruth Jackson, still worked as a clerk for the county. She greeted Ivy a
