Searching for Anna by Jenifer Carll-Tong (motivational books for students TXT) 📖

The first leg of the trip was exhausting. All the jerking and constant stopping gave Phoebe a headache but didn't seem to bother Reverend Albright in the least. More than once Phoebe had to elbow her father because his snoring had become so loud that others were beginning to stare.

When they finally stopped for lunch, Phoebe was elated to stretch her muscles. Most of the passengers funneled into the dining establishment in the station, but from Phoebe's experience, those restaurants were overpriced and the food under-seasoned. Besides, Mrs. Albright had been so afraid they would go hungry that she had packed a basket full of enough food for the entire passenger car, and Phoebe was sure there would be some of her favorites in there.

Several outside tables were set up for passengers to use, but by the time Phoebe and her father stepped off the train, they were all taken. One table, on the very end, had only one gentleman seated at it. Reverend Albright approached him.

"Excuse me, my boy, but would you mind if my daughter and I shared your table with you?"

The young man looked up, and Phoebe saw that he was indeed that – a young man. He couldn't have been a day over fifteen. He smiled and Phoebe recognized him from the Grand Trunk Station.

"Yes sir, I'd be happy to share." He looked at Phoebe and blushed.

"You're from Lansing, too," she said as she sat across from the boy. "I saw you saying goodbye to your mother."

He pulled at his collar. "Yeah, my ma made quite a scene. It was embarrassing."

"I thought it was sweet," Phoebe said, remembering the older woman's loud crying. "It just shows how much she cares."

Phoebe opened their basket. Just as she thought… plenty of all her favorites: roast beef sandwiches, cold fried chicken, berries from Mrs. Albright's garden, a jar of her pickles, apple turnovers and nut tarts.

"I wonder where I can find a water pump?" Phoebe wondered out loud.

"Let me get it for ya, ma'am," said their lunch companion, grabbing the cups Phoebe held and running off.

Phoebe smiled after the boy. She turned to her father, who was frowning at the table.

"I'm feeling mighty over-blessed right about now," he said, motioning to the young man's lunch.

Phoebe's eyes followed her father's. An unwrapped piece of brown paper lay on the table, its only contents: three hard boiled eggs and two apples.

Phoebe shrugged. "Well, I guess we know why mother packed so much food – God knew who we were going to sit with all along."

Her father's face softened and looked at her doubtfully. "If he'll accept it. You don't want to bruise his pride."

The young man returned with the cups full of cold water.

"Thank you so much," Phoebe said. "Oh dear, we don't even know your name."

"It's Wendell. Wendell Jackson, ma'am."

"Well, Wendell Jackson, I am Phoebe Albright, and this is my father, Reverend James Albright."

"Pleased to meet ya both."

"Wendell, we appreciate you sharing your table," Phoebe said. "But I have another favor. You see, my mother packed far too much food, and there isn't any way we could possibly eat it all. Would you be a dear and help us eat this lunch?"

"Oh, I couldn't, ma'am. I couldn't eat your lunch."

Despite his youth, Wendell Jackson donned a manful pride far beyond his age. His shoulders, not quite the width they would reach some day, straightened and lifted, as if accustomed to bearing a weight the world could not see. His eyes spoke another story, though, one that although silent to Phoebe, tugged at something deep inside of her. That hidden story, and the gaunt appearance of the boy caused Phoebe to stand her ground. Pride, no matter how noble, would not fill a growing boy's stomach.

"But it will just go to waste. You don't want that, do you?"

His shoulders lightened a little and he laughed. "No, ma'am. Of course, I don't want that."

"Then, that's settled." Phoebe smiled and began dividing the food.

"But I…" Wendell sputtered, looking back and forth between his lunch partners, seemingly at a loss. "I didn't say –"

"So, Wendell, where ya headed?" Reverend Albright asked, ending the conversation.

Still appearing a little stunned, Wendell picked up the sandwich Phoebe placed before him. "The Upper Peninsula, sir, to a town called Iron Falls."

"Hey, you don't say! That's where Miss Albright here is headed as well."

The young man's face lit up. "Really? That's great!" He began to blush again. "I mean, well – " he stammered a bit. "Well, you must be meetin' your husband up there?"

"No, Wendell. I'm not married."

He looked confused. "Then why ya headin' up there? Most girls wouldn't be caught dead going to the U.P."

Phoebe suppressed a laugh. "I'm the new pastor of Iron Falls."

His brow furrowed as he looked at her. "Are you teasin' me?"

"No, I promise you I am very serious."

He thought for another moment, nodded his head, and smiled.

"Well, I think that's great. My Ma would have made a great preacher, you know. She's always lecturing to me from the Bible. You excited?"