At the Feet of Angels

1

Jenny’s head bobbed as the car lurched to a stop in the supermarket parking lot. Her mother jerked the keys out and laid a hand on Jenny’s arm. Play with your dolls, and don’t stand up in the seat! I won’t be long, she said as she bumped open the sagging door with her shoulder. Keep the doors locked and honk the horn if anybody comes up! She slammed the door and tugged on it to make sure it was locked, then scurried out across the lot.

Jenny stretched her chin as high in the air as she could, trying to see out. It sure was hard to do without standing in the seat. She watched her mommy disappear into the store and then saw a car drive up right in front of her. A man got out and started toward her car. She frowned, straining to figure him out, as she peered up over the dash. Soon she could tell that the man was grinning.

Hey, Jenny, what’s happening? shouted the man, cheerfully. It was the voice of Uncle Jay. He was wearing hair on his bald head and a funny-looking mustache.

Hi, Unca Jay. You look funny.

Thought I’d dress up, shorty. What do you think? Do you like it?

Uh huh.

Hey, want to go with me to Larry’s for a big ol’ ice cream while your mommy gets the groceries? he asked, as he crouched down to peek through the window.

No. I can’t. I got to keep in the car and not stand on the seat…and honk if anybody comes up.

Oh, he said. Then he danced around beside the car like a clown, as he often did when he was having fun with his little niece. Jenny laughed out and slapped her legs. He dipped his chin down to look through the window. He was grinning big, and his eyes were bright and happy and kind of silly-looking. I know what you mean, he said. Tell you what, then, little bit, come on with me, and we’ll just go right in the store and get mommy’s permission.

Okay, Unca Jay. Okay, okay, sang Jenny, scrambling around to unlock the door. She loved Uncle Jay and liked to be with him because he always played funny and happy, and because he laughed a lot.

There we go, said the uncle, reaching for Jenny’s hand as they started away. Jenny bounced along, looking up proudly at her uncle, leaving it to him to lead the way, knowing he wouldn’t let her stumble over anything. She liked him better without that hair on his head. Suddenly he stopped and dropped her hand. He yanked some keys out of his pocket. Then she saw that they were at his car, and before she could speak, he had the door open and was pushing against her back for her to climb in. Step up there, sweetheart, and we’ll be on our way!

Wait, Unca Jay, she said, puzzled. I got to ask Mommy for us. He shoved harder. Remember, Unca Jay? Like you said?

He thrust his hands under her armpits and lifted her over against the far door as he followed her into the front seat of the car. She don’t care, he said. She don’t care, darling. I already asked her, and your mommy said, ‘Why of course, Jay, you two go on and do that. Get that ice cream.’

Mommy did? asked Jenny.

Sure she did, little shorty. She said you’d been a good girl and ought to have your favorite treat.

Oh. She thought for a second. I got spanked, though, this mornin’…for breakin’ a vase.

Uncle Jay gunned the car out of the parking lot so fast Jenny caught her breath. Out on the street, he sped past cars as though he was flying an airplane.

You sure goin’ fast, Unca Jay, said Jenny.

Oh, ah…your mommy wants us to hurry. She made me promise she wouldn’t have to be waiting for us when we get back.

Oh, said Jenny, feeling serious. She thought about that as they raced on.

In a minute Uncle Jay glanced toward her and smiled, but the instant his head settled forward again, it whipped back around, and he stared, frowning,into her eyes.Hey,shorty! Cheer up! We’ll soon have our treat. He nudged her with his elbow, making her rock sideways. Okay, baby?

Jenny nodded and grinned a little. She felt strange in her throat. Why? There was no sense to that. She was about to have her favorite treat, and her mommy was glad for her.

Inside Larry’s Uncle Jay held Jenny in his arms so she could see into the tubs of ice cream. He was having chocolate almond. What kind do you want, sweetheart?

Grape.

You want grape ice cream?

Uh huh.

Uncle Jay chuckled. The counter boy winked at her uncle and kept smiling. They don’t make grape ice cream, said Uncle Jay.

Don’t they have it awready made…grape? said Jenny.

No. You’re thinking about Popsickles. You get that in a grocery store, not here. Hurry up, now, child!

Sherbut, said Jenny, still feeling uneasy.

The counter boy was grinning broadly and shaking his head. They don’t make that either, not in grape, said her uncle. You want some fruit sherbet?

No, Unca Jay. I don’t want any. Le’s go!

Not without your ice cream. Come on now, we got to hurry back. Let’s have some ice cream. How about chocolate?

No. Strawberry. And a ice cream for my mommy, too.

Oh, nah, shorty; your mommy don’t want any.

Uh huhhh. She really likes ice cream. Good as me.

It’ll melt. We’ll get her some another time.

No, no, Unca Jay; we’ll hurry back. It won’t melt. Please le’s get Mommy a ice cream.

Uncle Jay just frowned and didn’t say anything. She felt his arms tighten on her, and his breathing got fast in his chest. No, I said!

They hurried back to the car, eating their ice-cream cones on the way. Jenny’s uncle gunned the car away from Larry’s. He drove many blocks and then turned back another direction. Soon they came to a strange street that had no sidewalks and only three or four houses. He parked behind a big car.

Jenny quit eating her ice cream and kneeled on the seat, straining to see out. Where are we at?

He didn’t answer. He stopped the motor, opened his door, and reached for Jenny. Come on out for a minute, sweetheart. There’s a lady who wants to meet you.

I don’t feel like I want to get out, Unca Jay. We got to go, anyway.

At that, her uncle shook his head sternly and snatched her out of the car, pitching his ice cream into a bush. He set her feet down hard on the road. Then he grinned as though he didn’t mean to get rough.

Jenny’s ice cream had melted and run all over her hand, making it sticky. She stared at it, and suddenly her throat was feeling full again, like before, but tighter this time.

A lady got out of the car they had parked behind. The big man who was with her stayed behind the steering wheel. Hi, everybody, said the woman as she strolled toward them, waving to Uncle Jay and smiling down at Jenny.

Jenny, this is Mrs. Dale, Mrs. Adalea Dale, said Jenny’s uncle. She’s a nice lady. And you are going to like her.

The Dale lady beamed and reached her arms out toward Jenny as she hunkered down before her. Jenny backed away and wrapped an arm around her uncle’s leg. The cone of ice cream was beginning to quiver a little in her other hand. She looked all around them. It was still and quiet and dreary. Okay, I’m ready to go now, said Jenny.

Uncle Jay and the lady didn’t say anything. They just stood where they were, gaping at her.

Jenny started gulping her ice cream, trying hard not to choke. She swallowed it in big scoops, as much of it as she could, as fast as she could, until her stomach was knotting and her mouth and tongue were freezing. It hurt so much she wanted to scream out. As soon as she gulped the last bite, she swallowed hard and cleared her aching throat. I’m through, I’m through, she stammered. Le’s go.

For a few moments nobody did anything. Finally Uncle Jay started trying to pull his leg free of Jenny’s desperate grip. The woman scooted closer. Jenny looked from one to the other. She locked both arms as tight as she could around her uncle’s leg. Okay, everybody, we goin’ back to the car, she pleaded.

You go with the nice lady, Jenny, ordered Uncle Jay.

No, Mommy’ll be mad. We got to go. I got to get back to the car.

Uncle Jay kept twisting and trying to pull away. Jenny hung on and stretched her head back on her shoulders, looking straight up the side of him. He was like a tower, and way up there in the air, his face looked like a mask. Teetering and straining, she watched him suck in a deep, swelling breath, then blow it up into the sky. At once he snapped his head back straight and stared right at the lady. He looked worried. Try not to hurt this little girl, he murmured. There’s no other kid like her in all of Orlando…or maybe anywhere else.

Don’t worry, sir, said the lady, softly. We’re all going to get along just fine.

Well, I have to get out of here, grumbled Uncle Jay. Got to slip this car back into the lot before somebody misses it. Where’s the envelope, Mrs. Dale?

Here, she said, fishing an envelope from her purse. Jay snatched it from her and looked inside of it, working his lips as he studied whatever was there. Okay, that’s it. Come on, Jenny go with Mrs. Dale, like I said!

No, no Unca Jay, screamed Jenny. I got to go with you. She clung to his leg as he tried to walk. Then she felt the lady’s arms come around her waist and start to pull her back. She held tight and tried to kick, and it felt as though she was going to stretch in two. Don’t! …Help! …Mommy! Unca Jay!

Just then, the uncle heaved hard at his leg, and Jenny’s weary hands lost their grip, sliding away as he pulled free.

Uncle Jay ran to his car while Jenny kicked at the lady and wrestled to get away. When Jay’s car spun around and headed out, the woman let go.

Jenny dropped to her knees and doubled over, holding her head with both hands, crying until her gut rolled. She heard her uncle’s car screech away, and slung her head at the stink of burning rubber. She raised up, still on her knees, and reached her arms as far out toward the disappearing car as she could. No, Unca Jay. No! No!—Take me!—Please take me!

2

It was pitch dark. Jenny lay sobbing in the back seat, huddled against the door as far from the Dale lady as she could get. The big car sailed quietly and smoothly down the highway. It didn’t rattle anywhere, and she couldn’t feel any bumps at all. Every now and then a car whizzed by from the other way. Nobody passed them.

Come on, Jenny darling, don’t be afraid, said Adalea Dale.

That was the hundredth time she’d whimpered that, and it made Jenny hurt all the more. She was afraid, and more than that, she was sick. Every time the strange woman said come on, darling, Jenny curled up tighter and burrowed harder against the seat.

Are you hungry, Jenny? asked the lady, trying to sound sweet.

Jenny shook her head, then buried it again in her arms.

The woman started sliding across the plush seat, inching over a little at a time. Jenny twisted around and aimed her feet and arms at her to hold her away. The woman took her legs and started pulling her over, and Jenny fought. There was nothing for her to grab on to, but finally she kicked free, and the woman shook her head and dropped her hands back in her lap. In a minute she worked her way back over toward Jenny’s side. But I want you to come sit close beside me so I can show you that I’m going to be kind to you and good to you.

Jenny sniffled and wiped under her eyes. You can’t, she cried, shaking her head vigorously. You can’t!

You don’t think I can be good to you?

No.

Why not, darling. I haven’t hurt you or tried to spank you or anything. I didn’t even fight back when you kicked at me and scratched the blood from my arm when we were getting in the car.

Jenny looked at her. She couldn’t say anything. She couldn’t think anything.

You know, Jenny, my arms are stinging, and my side aches where you stomped on it. The woman looked down and started stroking her fingers with one hand as though they were tired from working. But still, I just let you do it. So, see, I’m going to be good to you.

No you not, said Jenny.

Why not, darling? Why do you say that?

Cause you make me keep away from my mommy, …and I don’t wanna be here.

They rode along in silence for a few minutes. Jenny sniffled and pouted, and Adalea Dale sat with her eyes closed, her head bowed in both hands. Finally she broke the silence. Jenny, dear, there are some things I just have to tell you. They are good things, and, ah, things you’ll be glad to hear.

I don’t want to, said Jenny, half interested but still scared.

Oh, you will, sweetheart. You’ll see. So don’t you want to ease over here closer to me while I tell you?

Unh uh.

All right then, you can stay over there if you want. Why don’t you sit up some and lean back against the seat. Okay?

Jenny pushed up a little, and the woman edged over toward the middle of the seat. She was a short lady, like Jenny’s mommy, but she had a skinny face and a narrow mouth. Her black hair was pretty and curly on top and fit in close to her neck in the back so that her ears showed. She seemed not to want her teeth to show when she talked, even when she smiled—that thin little smile. She would pucker her lips and mumble through them like a baby every time she tried to coax Jenny to do anything.

A husky squawk rose from the front seat as the driver cleared his throat. Sure am glad to see you two making up back there, he said, looking into his rearview mirror. His voice was deep, and his thick shoulders bounced as he chuckled.

Well, we’re glad you haven’t been bothering us, Mr. driver man, said the Dale lady, giggling and slapping the back of his seat. Aren’t you, Jenny?

Jenny nodded and felt a slight smile tug at one corner of her mouth.

Anyway, sweetheart, said the lady, getting serious, we will soon get something to eat. Then you and I will sleep on this soft back seat while Mr. Big Shot up there drives us.

Jenny listened intently, numbed, staring vaguely into space.

And tomorrow… said the woman, her voice lilting unnaturally, tomorrow, we are going to go to my house and bathe and dress up, and then we are going to town and buy you the prettiest dress you ever say in your life. She paused as though she was waiting for Jenny to say something.

But Jenny didn’t say anything. She kept looking at the lady, spellbound, twisting her hair above her ear where her mommy said she was going to get bald if she didn’t quit. That had never made sense to Jenny, though, because her hair was long and hung almost to her waist; so she had plenty to spare.

Well, what do you think about that? the lady asked.

Uh huh, said Jenny. Somehow that was all she could manage. She wanted to hear what the lady was going to tell, but she was getting sicker and sicker at her stomach, and her head was dizzy.

Now, after we do all that, you are going to meet the most wonderful, kindest mommy and daddy in all the whole world. The woman paused. Okay, Jenny?

Why?

Well, they are going to be your new mommy and daddy, and you all are going to have the most fun that you could ever want.

No, no! cried out Jenny. She sat up straight, twisting around in her seat, and slapped her short little arms through the air toward the lady. I don’t want to.

Listen, darling, listen, said the lady, it’ll be super, everything you want. Believe me, it will, my sweet. And you must act like you are happy about it when you meet them, and not cry anymore or anything.

Jenny was fanning the air with both arms in rhythm with every word Adalea Dale uttered. No, no…I don’t need them.

Shisshh, now, Jenny. There-there, now. Come on, sweetie. You are going to have a sweet new life with Sheila and Bryan.

Jenny started crying. She dropped her forehead down on both fists and wailed. They’s no Sheelan Brine. She started trembling, and the sickly feeling in her stomach was getting worse. She tried to talk and couldn’t. She withdrew to her door again and hunched up there, her mouth clamped tight, cooping the sound of her wailing. Then she became frightened by her own tears, as they streamed down her face and tried to soak through her pinched lips. At once her mouth burst open, and she pitched her head back over her shoulders and cried aloud into the speeding car.

After a while, still shaking and fighting inside, Jenny was abruptly aware of the woman’s hands resting on her shoulders. She didn’t resist. At that moment she could fight no longer. Suddenly the sickness roiled throughout her body. She choked back, but it was coming on. Then, in one painful heave, she threw up into her own lap. The woman jumped sideways. It kept coming in agonizing heaves, burning her throat, and she couldn’t stop. She drooped forward, heaving and choking and gulping for breath, too exhausted to straighten up. Her long hair fell over her shoulder and started soaking in the stinking sickness.

The Dale lady held Jenny’s head and wiped her mouth with a dry, rough rag. Clyde, we’re going to have to stop at a station, she said.

Sorry, Adalea, it’s not in the plan, croaked the big man.

Clyde, when this stench hits your nose up there, you’ll stop. So start looking for a place right now!

Jenny was sitting up, now, straining and holding her sides.

Jenny, said the lady, do you need to potty?

I awready did.

Whew! I see what you mean, she said, all of a sudden.

The stink was terrible, and Jenny just kept getting sicker.

You win, said Clyde.

Jenny lay collapsed on the edge of the seat, racking for breath, one arm dangling over the side. Soon they pulled into a service station, and Adalea took Jenny to the rest room while Clyde gassed up the car.

When they got back to the car, Jenny’s stomach was empty, and it didn’t rumble any more. She wanted only to be quiet and get well. Later, after she rested and got well, she could try to find her mommy, somehow. Somehow. She didn’t resist when the Dale lady gently turned her lengthwise in the seat and started humming a lullaby song.

They were traveling rapidly down the straight highway, but it felt as though they were barely moving. The heavy car seemed to drift through the night, like a black cloud in the sky…way away from anywhere…away from Mommy, from Uncle Jay, from the supermarket.

***

Jenny let Adalea Dale hold onto her hand as they stepped out of the toddler shop. She lagged behind a little, looking down at her shiny, white shoes with the silver buckles. They were brand new, but not as comfortable as the pink tennies with the Velcro fasteners that she’d been wearing and not as pretty as the purple Jellys she left back home.

Do you like your new outfit, Jenny? asked Mrs. Dale.

Jenny nodded without looking up. The dress was like children wear to church. It was pink and white. Its sleeves billowed out around her arm and cuffed tightly just above her elbow. A single pink bow was tied to the top of each cuff next to the fancy, white lace. Jenny ran her hand back and forth over the pretty part above the waist of her dress where rows and rows of pink, satin ribbons weaved in and out of the white silk cloth.

Here, Jenny, don’t do that! ordered Mrs. Dale. You’ll get your new dress dirty before Sheila and Bryan get to see you. She smiled quickly when Jenny looked up, puckering to cry. I’m glad you like it, darling, she said, pulling at Jenny’s arm.

Ouch! Jenny leaned close to Adalea’s leg, holding her shoulder with her free hand, and started crying softly.

Darling, darling, what is it? Mrs. Dale stooped over to hold Jenny’s face.

Jenny tried to stop crying, and still she wouldn’t look up.

Did I hurt you, sweetheart?

Jenny nodded and folded her arms together.

Do your arms hurt?

Yes, they do. Both my arms…and my legs, too. They all sore, and hurt me, Mrs. Dale. Can you do somethin’?

Oh, baby, I’m sorry. I’m afraid you had a pretty hard day yesterday, and a rough night last night. You fought so hard with those little arms and legs. But I’m sorry. I won’t pull on you anymore.

Uh huh. Can you tell my mommy I’m hurt?

I’ll tell you what, Jenny. I’ll tell your new mommy. She’ll know just what to do.

No, no. I don’t want her. I wanna tell my own mommy, …tell her I’m hurtin’.

Jenny, don’t say that. Your own mommy is sick and can’t take care of you anymore. Like I explained to you this morning, she wants you to have Sheila and Bryan because they can do everything for you. So, you can make your own mommy happy by being good and by having Sheila as your mommy.

How will my mommy know?

Know what, darling?

Know to be happy.

Jenny, come on! Okay? Come on with me! Adalea Dale turned from Jenny and started walking on. Jenny caught up to her, and they walked, side by side, in silence. Soon they went into a tall building and rode an elevator up to a high floor. They started down a hallway, and Adalea stopped and faced Jenny.

Darling, we’re going in an office, and you’ll meet my husband in there. He has helped make it so you and the Holdershaws…Sheila and Bryan…can all get together.

Jenny stood still, her head tilted back, looking up at the serious woman.

The office was almost as big as a house. It had wooden walls and a thick, ugly carpet. It was filled with rows of bookshelves, stacked full, and there was a wide, heavy-looking wooden desk in front of a wall that was almost all-window.

A bossy-looking man bounced out of a high-back chair behind the desk and hurried toward Jenny. This must be Jennifer Marie, he said, smiling broadly and clapping his hands together. His voice was weak and grating as though he had grit in his throat.

Jenny drew back close to Adalea Dale and tried to take cover in her full-flowing dress.

It’s okay, said Adalea. This is my husband, Roger Dale. He’s going to help.

Roger Dale dropped to his knees in front of Jenny and reached out his arms to take her hands. She just let them lay limp in his thin grasp. Finally he let go. You are such a pretty and sweet-looking girl…and, oh, such a pretty dress.

Jenny rubbed the front of her dress again. She said nothing.

The man stood up and walked to the side of Mrs. Dale and spoke at her ear. Sheila, of course, is no problem, but the husband, Bryan, insists they meet the kid before we close the deal. Have you fully prepared the child?

Oh, I think so, Roger, said Adalea. But they ought to know that she hasn’t had anything to eat in 24 hours. I thought surely she’d be hungry this morning, but she wouldn’t touch breakfast.

Well, all right, said Roger Dale, let’s get this show on the road. He skipped over behind his desk and pushed a button on a box by his phone.He didn’t sit down. Send in the Holdershaws,he