A Family For Jana

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“Thanks.” He reached for the rubber-banded bundle and started to set it on the corner of the desk when he noticed the hand-addressed square envelope with no return address.

He slit it open with the slender ivory knife given to him by his grandfather years before and smiled when he pulled out the enclosed card. He guessed from whom it came before unfolding it. Who else would choose one with that fanciful picture of a train? The message was relatively informal:

Dear Dr. Hawkins,

Michael and I would like to thank you again for your thoughtfulness in choosing and delivering the delightful train-engine container and plants. He has loved trains ever since I first read to him the book Terry Tooter, and he has several picture books featuring them.

I also appreciate your giving so generously of your time and concern in seeing to it that I ate lunch—my dinner, actually.

My son is home again now and seems to be doing well.

And I want to apologize for my almost-yawn in class. Believe me, I have never been bored there; you are an excellent teacher, and I’m grateful for the opportunity of being one of your students.

Sincerely,

Jana Jenson

He smiled and read the card twice before sliding it back into its envelope and opening the top center drawer of his desk. Instead of placing it there, however, he tucked it into his shirt pocket, glanced at the wall clock and started for his classroom. Jana arrived perhaps a minute later with her friend Linda Patterson; although they both greeted him with a good morning, he was annoyed at his response coming out so stupidly imitative!

By the middle of the period he knew he must make an opportunity to speak with her. After all, this was Friday; tonight was his monthly train meeting.

Jana had not exaggerated in writing that she liked his teaching; Dr. Hawkins was enthusiastic about his subject, and she always made notes of material he shared with them from current journals. He’d horrified many when his first test included questions based on this information as well as what was in textbooks, but she’d answered everything correctly; she, too, was fascinated by human embryology.

The fifty minutes passed almost too quickly, and she started forward by herself as Todd and Linda were discussing something with another student. As she passed the front table, Dr. Hawkins asked how Michael was this morning. She paused long enough to say that he seemed almost as good as normal. “Little ones bounce back much faster than a parent does.”

“Although they feel rotten, I guess maybe they don’t worry about it like adults.”

“That does make a huge difference,” she agreed. “And there’s no way to keep him from running and playing hard with the other children—which may be good. As shook-up as I was, I’d undoubtedly be overprotective.”

The other three students had left the classroom but, though out of sight in the hallway, they were talking and laughing nearby. Suddenly, Dr. Hawkins cleared his throat and said, “Look, Jana, our railroad meeting’s tonight. It starts at six with a catered buffet, then there’s a program with slides concerning one of this region’s short line railroads. Perhaps it would be good for you to get away from things for a bit, and I think you’d enjoy it, and the people….”

He’d spoken quietly but more rapidly than usual, and he was obviously ill at ease, which made her hesitate. The situation became more awkward when he added, “I’d like to take you with me.”

I can hardly believe this. “I may be needed at home.”

“Could you call and see if your grandmother or someone could take care of things?” A strained look crossed his face as he amended, “Take care of your son?”

Her books had been held tight against her chest, and she consciously tried to relax a little, pleased to be asked but cautious. “I haven’t dated for a very long time, Dr. Hawkins, and….”

“You needn’t think of this as a date, maybe just—you know, having a change of pace, hearing and seeing things unconnected with sickness or classes or anything.”

I’d have laughed had anyone suggested that this man would ask me out—and that I’d be tempted to go! But I would enjoy doing something different, and I do like what I know of him.

He pulled back the hand that had seemed to start reaching toward her and suggested, “You can phone from my office.”

Two of the students in the hallway had moved on, but Todd was there and took a step in their direction. He had perhaps noted the hand almost touching her arm, so she spoke before he could. “I’m going to use the professor’s phone again, Todd, to check on Michael.”

His questioning look changed to concern. “Is he worse?”

“He seemed good this morning, but I’ll feel better after making sure.”

“I’ll wait for you.”

“Thanks, but you have another class, too. There’s no point in both of us being late.” He did leave, but she saw him glance back before going out of sight.

Jana probably wouldn’t have noticed her drawn-out sigh had she not seen the professor’s smile—and found herself smiling back. She made her call, but the phone wasn’t picked up until the sixth ring. “Hello?”

“Kate? I wasn’t sure you’d be home yet.”

“Just came in the door.” She sounded breathless. “I had to stop for gas.”

“I was wondering how Michael’s doing.”

“He and Mary are playing with blocks here on the kitchen floor, so I’m fairly sure he’s okay. I’ll check with Gram.”

“Could I talk to her for a minute?”

“Sure, hold on.”

And then she heard Gram’s cheerfully reassuring voice. “Michael’s doing great, Jana.”

“Not even wheezing?”

“Oh, a little—like before you left this morning—and there’s an occasional cough. Nothing more than that.”

“Wonderful! I thought he’d be all right, but I had to make sure.”

Gram chuckled. “Good mothers are like that.”

Gram’s approval brought a smile to her lips, but then Jana glanced toward Ray, standing by the window, looking outside, obviously trying to give her the impression of privacy as she made her request. “Professor Hawkins asked if I’d like to go with him to a train meeting this evening—a buffet supper and slide program. I was wondering whether—”

“Of course, dear,” Gram said without waiting for further explanation. “I don’t have a thing planned for the rest of the day, so Michael and I can have fun spending it together.”

“You’re sure? I don’t have to go—”

“But you’d like to?”

“Well, yes. I would.”

“Then by all means do so, Jana. It’s about time you have a life beyond this house, the church and college.”

Gram’s words had sounded like good advice when said this morning, but flocks of butterflies were fluttering in Jana’s stomach by five o’clock. Dr. Hawkins had said she could wear anything, for this group was very informal. She’d finally decided on a flowered cotton skirt and sleeveless blouse, then changed that for a short-sleeved one. And, just before he was to arrive, she decided on jeans instead of the skirt.

He was in the hallway when she ran down the wide, spindle-banistered stairs. “Hi.”

He’d been greeted by Gram, who took a step backward so he could move toward Jana. “You look lovely, as always.”

“Thanks.” That surprised her a little—and she still wasn’t sure about her attire. “Are jeans and a blouse suitable for tonight?”

“You’ll fit right in,” he assured her. “A few women wear skirts or dresses, but most are in jeans or shorts. Something casual.”

Michael had come in and was leaning against Jana’s leg, so she reached down to run her hand along his shoulder and arm. “Michael, this is Dr. Hawkins, the nice man who brought you the train filled with plants.”

The corners of Michael’s lips turned up just a little, though he didn’t remove his thumb from his mouth even when the professor said, “I hope you’re feeling better.”

The child only nodded, but Jana didn’t insist on his politely expressing gratitude; his mother’s leaving with a man was not a usual occurrence, and she could only hope he wouldn’t make a fuss. Her voice was light as she said, “Michael, dear, I’m going with Dr. Hawkins to a special meeting, so you and Gram will get to eat together all by yourself this time.”

He wasn’t ready for that. He reached for her hand and held it tight. “Don’t go, Mama! Eat with us.”

It was Gram who took care of this by taking his other hand. “Let’s go to the kitchen, sweetheart. Maybe you can help me find some of that ham left over from dinner last night, and some cheese. And you can decide whether to have peas or baby carrots for our vegetable.”

He looked less than enthusiastic about any of this until she added, “And there are red grapes for dessert, after we finish the other things.”

He released his mother’s hand and led the way to the kitchen. “I know where the ham is, Gram—in the frigrator’s bottom drawer!”

Gram followed him, her words soft-spoken. “Don’t worry about things here. You two just have a good time!”

Ray saw the uncertainty in Jana’s dark blue eyes when her gaze followed her little boy as he ran into the kitchen. She doesn’t leave Michael much except for school. Ray couldn’t have told how he knew, but he was sure that was true. “Shall we go?” he asked briskly. “They normally begin serving right on time.”