It's a Choice: Blog Book- Part 1

Here it is!! Sorry it's a little later than I planned but better late then never right? I hope you enjoy and this was only edited once so please pardon mistakes! God Bless and have a wonderful evening and weekend!!!😊😊😊😊

Prologue:

 1973

   Belinda Lewis felt like the queen of Arcata, California as she approached her house in a purple convertible with Brain Nelson, the heartbeat of all the girls in Arcata high school, and then some.

 Belinda thought she might faint when he had asked her to a soda after school two weeks earlier. Wow! Brian Nelson had asked her to a soda. She had been too excited to even drink her soda. And ever since there she had gone out with Brian, she even missed church once-acting sick. But she didn’t mind missing church if it meant going for a long ride with Brian Nelson.

 She felt such pride as they drove through her neighborhood, several girls had stood on their lawns with jealous gaze, their mouths gaping open.

 Davy Jones’ voice on the radio was silenced when Brian shut his car engine off. He had pulled it to a stop along the sidewalk in front of her two story brown, brick house.

 The warm spring air held a soft breeze causing her long, brown, curly hair to blow gently behind her.

 “It’s been real crazy fun, baby.” Brian’s cool voice spoke to her.

 Belinda’s stomach turned every time he called her “baby”.

 “Sure has, Brian.”

 Brian scooted over and placed his arms around her shoulder. “Okay, so how about tonight, there’s a crazy picture at the drive-in tonight. Let’s go.”

 Belinda knew she could never say no, although she really needed to study for a huge test tomorrow, but still. This was way more important. “Okay. What time?”

 “Let’s say 8:00?”

 “Sure.”

 “Okay, baby, see you then.”

 He stared at her for a long moment and Belinda knew he was going to try and kiss her. She had never been kissed before…she never imagined she would be kissed this way up until Brian had caught her eye.

 Brian’s faced turned into a grin. “Tonight, baby, tonight.”

 She swallowed hard, a grin spreading across her face. “Sure.”

 She got out of the car with her heart beating fast with excitement. She stood on the grass in her yard as Brian sped away; she waved before turning and skipping to her front door. She let out a little sequel as she closed the door.

 “Honey, is that you?” Her mom’s soft voice came from the kitchen.

 “Yes, I’m going to my room to study.” Belinda called back as she skipped up the stairs on cloud nine.

 As she entered the hallway the soft peer of Ed Ames on her sister’s record met her ears. She rolled her eyes. Why did she listen to that stuff?

  For her sister Brenda and her being twins they couldn’t have been farther from being alike. Brenda was quite and so obedient, her parents little pet. While Belinda enjoyed a wild side, or at least she had since Brian noticed her.

 “Hey, Belinda.” Her sister’s sweet voice stopped her in front of her open bedroom door. Her sister lay on her bed with her textbooks opened in front of her.

 “Hey, Brin. I gotta go study.”

 “You wanna do it together?”

 “No, I can’t stand that Ed Ames bit.”

 Brenda sat up on her bed. “You used to like him some?” She frowned in question.

 Belinda rolled her eyes. “Well, I’m tired of living like I’m in another time period. I like things like Davy Jones.”

 Brenda perked up. “Well, so do I. We can listen to that.”

 Belinda shook her head. “I wanna be alone. See you.” She walked off with another roll of her eyes.

 She walked into her own room and kicked off her shoes and turned on her record player, Davy Jones met her ears. She sat on her bed with a long sigh; she stared into space for a few minutes before opening her books. She tried to study but all she could think about was Brian and-

 “Honey, can I talk to you?” Her mom’s voice caused her to look up at her, who was standing in the doorway.

 Aww, man, I bet I know what this is. “Sure, mom.” She said in an irritated voice.

 Her mom walked in Belinda’s room and sat on the edge of her bed, an old brown book in her hand.

 “Honey, I’m worried about you hanging out with this Brian fellow.”

 Belinda rolled her eyes. “Mom, I’m sixteen. I’m old enough to date.”

 “Yes, maybe, but you never planned on dating until you were ready for marriage until this young man caught your eye.”

 Belinda stared at her mom a moment before answering. Yes, that was true-but people changed. “Who says I won’t marry Brian and who says that I’m not ready?”

 Her mom placed her hand over Belinda’s left hand. “Do you really think you are, honey? And if you are why aren’t you doing this the right way? Why aren’t you talking to your dad and I? Why haven’t we even met him?

 Belinda lowered her eyes to her textbooks. “Brian isn’t that type. Besides we don’t have to do it that way.”

  “No, nothing says you have to-nothing but that there is a right way to do things and a wrong way. Honey, I think you settled for things because a handsome-popular boy has caught your eye and you have caught his. But is this even someone you should be with? Do you really know what kind of man he is? He’s asking you do things like skip church.”

 Belinda’s eyes shot up.

 “Yes, Belinda it didn’t take me long to figure it out.” Her mom smiled sorrowfully. “And you don’t hardly ever spend time with your sister anymore. In fact you’ve grown to almost despise her. Your grades are dropping. And all for some boy, who I think is not for you. Brenda says that he plays the game. How do you know he doesn’t have three other-“

 “Mom!” Belinda’s voice rose in defense. “Just stop! I’m seeing Brian and that’s it.” Belinda had no intention of stopping that. Although if she was being honest with herself she would admit she was scared Brian would leave her for someone else. She knew he had a couple of girlfriends before. But someone’s past actions didn’t determine their future actions.

 Her mom sighed heavily. “Okay, honey, I can’t make you. But I want you do know something. So much of our life is determined by our choices. Think about what your doing or-or what you may be planning to do. And think how it’s going to cost you. It’s so very important that we make the right choices. Ones that please God.” She picked up the worn brown book, that she had laid on the bed beside her, with both hands. “This book is a family heirloom. It’s been passed down from generations to generations. It was your great-grandmothers message to us all. I want you to read this. Please promise me you’ll read it?”

 Belinda sighed inwardly. Oh, great! “Sure, mom.” She took the journal-like book. Anything to get my mom off my back. Seriously you’d think dating was a horrible sin or something.

 “Thanks, honey.” Her mom’s smile was bright. “I’ll leave you to study now.”

 As soon as her mom had walked out and closed the door Belinda tossed the book to the side. She certainly didn’t plan on reading some accent old lady scribbling.

 She turned her eyes back to her textbooks but something deep inside her made her look back at the worn book laying a few feet away from her. She didn’t know exactly what compelled her but she reached forward and retrieved the book.

 She opened the thick book, the pages light brown from time. Belinda swallowed hard as her eyes rested on the words….

Chapter one

1865

   Nine year old Lizzie Peterson slapped in another shovel full of dirt into the deep grave right as lighting flashed across the sky, causing her twin sister Lexie to shudder.

 Lizzie didn’t blink as she continued feeling up the dark hole. She had been at this since dawn this morning and she wanted to finish by midnight.

 After a few more minutes of hard work Lizzie finished filling the hole. She patted her shovel over the surface to pack the dirt good. She stepped back with a huff.

 There lay her parents, in graves, side by side. Lizzie thought she may cry again but held it in. She needn’t to be strong for Lexie, after all she was a minute older. Lizzie didn’t know what to do exactly now that papa and momma were gone, except she needed to go over to Mr. Tucker, their closest neighbor. He’d know what to do.

Lizzie rubbed her eyes. She had prayed every night that momma and papa would get better, but….

Lexie walked over to Lizzie’s side. “Lizzie, I miss ‘em.”

 Lizzie put her arm around her little sister. “I know. So do I. But we got to be brave.

 “I don’t know how to be brave.”

 Somehow through her pain Lizzie smiled. “I’ll help you.”

 She turned her little sister away from the graves and they headed back into the small cabin.

 “We’ll stay here for the night, then we’ll go to Mr. Tucker’s ‘cause he’ll know what to do.” Lizzie said as they walked into the dark cabin.

 She closed the door against the dark night; the room was lit by the flashing lightening outside. No need for a lantern to be lit. “Come on. Let’s go to bed.” She took her sister’s hand and led her to their bed in the far right corner.

 They pulled of their shoes, slipped on their worn nightgowns. Lizzie let Lexie slip in bed first and then she crawled onto the thin mattress and slipped under the threadbare sheets.

 Her sister nestled up against her and Lizzie put her arm around her. “Goodnight, Lexie.”

 Lexie sniffed. “Goodnight, Lizzie.”

 “Lexie, it’s okay to cry.”

 Lexie sniffed again. “Okay.” She said then sobs erupted from her tiny frame.

 Lizzie tightened her grip around her sobbing sister and cried with her.

 The night was so scary, it was dark, lightening flashed, thunder cracked so loudly it shook the small cabin. But what was worst was that, save for God, they were alone. So very alone.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 Lizzie opened her tired eyes around the peak of dawn. The storm had calmed and now light rain poured outside the small window by their bed.

 Lizzie hated to awake her sister but the walk to Mr. Tucker’s would take awhile and they had chorus first.

 “Lexie.” She said as she shook her sister’s shoulder gently. “Lexie, we got to get going.”

 Lexie groaned as she stirred. She slowly sat up and rubbed her green eyes. “What’s for breakfast?” She said as Lizzie slipped out of bed.

 “Um, I think there’s a biscuit left.” Lizzie reached for her gray dress. “We’ll split it.”

 Lexie frowned. “We going to milk Rita? And feed the chickens?”

 Lizzie pulled her dress on over her head. “Yes. But let’s hurry.”

 With that knowledge Lexie crawled out of bed and dressed quickly. They walked out into the light rain and hurriedly made their way to the barn to fetch the chicken feed. Lizzie carried the sack and they walked back into the rain. The chickens were all huddled inside the little chicken house. They tossed the feed inside the small house by handfuls.

 “You ‘pose we’ll be back in time to look in on them tonight?”

 Lizzie was slow to answer, she didn’t know what the future held but she did know that they might not be back.

 “I don’t know what’ll happen, Lex.”

 They finished in silence and made short work of milking the cow.

 “What do we do with the milk?” Lexie asked as they walked back unto the cabin.

 “We strain it and take it to Mr. Tucker.” Lizzie said and shuddered against the chill of the rain.

 “Oohhh.”

 They worked together to strain the milk and the job was shortly done.

 “Do we go to Mr. Tucker’s now?” Lexie asked as Lizzie was finished washing the strainer and milk bucket.

 “Yeah.”

 “Okay. I’ll get our bonnets.”

 With their bonnets securely on their heads, they each took a hold of the milk bucket and walked into the rain.

 “It’s a good thing we covered the top, huh, Lizzie?”

 “Sure thing.”

 They continued on but something inside Lizzie, something deep inside her, made her stop and turn back to the cabin.

 “What’cha doing, Lizzie?”

 “I’m not sure, I just have a feeling we’ll never see it again.” Lizzie felt sad at that, very sad.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 The rain was still sprinkling heavily when the two little girls walked up to Mr. Tucker’s small cabin. A large coon hound jumped up at the approaching presence of the two frail frames and begin barking loud enough to wake up all of the country side.

 “What’s that’a hollering about?” Mr. Tucker demanded of his dog as he opened his cabin door. His jaw dropped as she saw the girls walking up to his dwelling.

  “Hello, Mr. Tucker.” Lexie said as they stopped at the bottom of the three steps leading up to his front door.

 “Why, girls-what are you…” His look shown of confusion. “What’cha doin’ here?”

 “Our parents are died. Happened yesterday. But we brought you some milk.” Lexie blurted out bluntly and held up her end of a large milk bucket.

 His eyes widened. “What? How’d it happen?”

 “It was the fever.” Lizzie answered.

 He slowly shook his head, his eyes still wide. “I’m sorry little gals, um.”

 “We figured you know where to take us.” Lizzie stated.

 Mr. Tucker stared at her a moment before speaking. “I-I guess we’ll take you to the sheriff.”

 Lexie gasped, dropped her end of the milk bucket-which caused the other things to slip from Lizzie’s hand and milk splattered all over them-and flung her arms around Lizzie, squeezing her tight.

 “What’s wrong?” Mr. Tucker said in a panic.

 Tears begin to pour down her cheeks.

 Lizzie tugged her slightly. “What’s wrong, Lex?”

 “Sheriffs scare me. I don’t wanna go.”

 Lizzie wrapped her arms around her sister. “There is nothing to be scared of. Nothing.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 Sherriff Sam stared at the two little beings in front of him with his arms folded. Their hair was wet, their clothes old, they smelled like milk, and Lexie’s eyes were wide with fear. But on the other hand, Lizzie seemed to be calmer.

 “‘Tant much for me to do but take ‘em down to the orphanage.”

 Both girls looked at each other and Mr. Tucker, holding his hat with both hands in front of his chest, looked down.

 “I sure hate to see that happen.” Mr. Tucker stated sadly.

 “Yeah, well, ‘tant much else I can do. I can ask around and see if anyone wants them but meanwhile they need to go the orphanage.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 The girls clang to each other as the sheriff confirmed they’d have to go to the orphanage. They had said goodbye to Mr. Tucker and asked him to take care of their animals. They held on to each other as the sheriff drove them in a wagon to the orphanage. They held on tighter when he introduced them to the mean looking Miss Smith. They were so scared as they were assigned a bunk bed in the corner of a large room. They tried not to cry as they sat down at dinner with the twenty other kids. But they cried that night, and the next night, and the next night. After two weeks Lizzie was able not to cry, but Lexie couldn’t quite control the tears.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 “This is all her doing.” Said the large man, Mr. Jackson, who stood in front of Miss Smith’s desk. “I don’t even want a young’n.”

 Mrs. Jackson, who sat in a chair across from Miss Smith, spoke sweetly. “All I’ve had is boys, and I don’t think I’ll be having anymore children. I want a sweet little girl. One who needs a lot of tending to.” Mrs. Jackson smiled knowingly.

 Miss Smith tapped her chin with a pencil in thought. Well, Lexie certainly needed a lot of care. She was always crying and wouldn’t mingle with any of the other children. But then there was her sister Lizzie. “I don’t suppose you want twins?”

 Mrs. Jackson opened her mouth to answer but was interrupted by Mr. Jackson’s loud, “NO.”

 Miss Smith sighed and lowered the pencil to her desk. Well…it was what it was. She had to get Lexie out of her hair before she drove her crazy. Her crying and sadness was constantly getting on her nerves.

 “Wait right here.” She stood and went on the search, in the back yard, for Lexie.

 She found her sitting beside a tree with her sister who was drawing.

 “Come here, Lexie.” She called over the children’s loud playing.

 Lexie looked at her with wide eyes and remained sitting. Lizzie laid aside her pencil, took her sister’s hand, and escorted her over to Miss Smith.

 “Lexie, I want you to come with me. But you had better hug your sister before you leave.” Miss Smith said when the girls reached her.

 Their eyes widened. “Why?” Asked Lizzie.

 “Because there is some nice people who want to adopt your sister. But they don’t want both of you.”

 Tears streamed down Lexie’s face. “I’m not leaving without my sister! I’m not!” Lizzie began to cry as well.

 “Well, sorry, darling, you are. Say goodbye right now.”

 “Please-please Miss-Miss- Smith. We-want to stay together. Please-”

 “No, now huge now, they’ve come all the way from Denver to find you.”

 Lexie squeezed her sister’s hand. “NO! I won’t go! Don’t take me!”

 Lizzie threw her arms around her sister. “PLEASE!” She screamed at Miss Smith who in turn rolled her eyes and called for two bigger boys.

 “Bring Lexie but hold Lizzie back.”

 The girls screamed and kicked as the boys pried them apart, one taking Lexie into the house and the other holding Lizzie back.

 “I love you!” Lizzie called out through sobs as her sister was taken away.

 “I love you, too!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 It had been a whole month since her sweet sister had been tore from her arms. And Lizzie had been crying every night since.

 She wondered where she was. Who she was with. If they treated her good. If she was able to not cry all the time.

  “Lizzie, come here.” Miss Smith’s sharp tone pierced through Lizzie’s deep thought.

 She slowly climbed off her top bunk bed. She followed Miss Smith unto her office, when she entered she saw a man and woman sitting in chairs in front of Miss Smith’s desk.

 “Lizzie,” Miss Smith said as she brought Lizzie around her desk. “This is Mr. and Mrs. Tyson. They are interested in adopting a young girl around your age.”

 Lizzie stared at the couple in front of her; the woman had light brown hair with tan skin and blue eyes. Her hair was pulled into a fancy looking bun and she wore a pretty green dress. The man looked tall; he had black hair and also had tan skin. He clutched his hat in his hand. They looked…nice…real nice….

 Mrs. Tyson looked over at her husband with a soft smile and then she turned to Lizzie. “What’s your name, honey?”

 “Lizzie.

 The woman smiled bigger. “Lizzie…I like that.”

And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

Galatians 6:9 (KJV)