Read Gold in the Fire and Light in the Storm Online
Authors: Margaret Daley
Gold in the Fire and Light in the Storm (32 page)
“L
ook, that’s Jane!” Allie pointed toward the stage in the high school auditorium.
Beth’s chest swelled as she watched Jane walk to the superintendent of Sweetwater schools and shake his hand, then take her high school diploma from the principal. The past few years hadn’t been easy for Jane, but she had done it and with a good grade point average. She would be heading to the University of Kentucky in the fall.
Tears clogged Beth’s throat as she thought of Jane telling her that she wanted to be a teacher and help students as Beth had.
Samuel laid his hand on her arm, pulling her attention toward her husband.
“Jane owes you a lot.”
“Samuel, I owe her a lot. She has given me so much.”
“Mama, eat.”
Her sixteen-month-old son wiggled out of Aunt
Mae’s arms and climbed over his father to get to Beth’s lap. She rummaged in her large purse and found a plastic bag of cereal for Garrett. He plunged his chubby fingers inside and stuffed some of the round O’s into his mouth.
Samuel leaned close to her ear and whispered, “Will you be okay when Jane leaves home?”
“No, but I’ll deal with it. Besides, I’m going to be extra busy next year.”
“Have you decided to go back to teaching?”
She shook her head. “No, we’re having another baby.”
Samuel pulled back, his dark eyes round. “We are?”
“Yes, around the middle of January.”
He slipped his arm around her. “Beth Morgan, I love you.”
Dear Reader,
I hope you enjoyed Beth and Samuel’s story in
Light in the Storm
. I am a high school teacher who has worked with students with learning disabilities. It is important to convey to them that they have strengths as well as weaknesses. Sometimes we dwell on our weaknesses and our self-esteem suffers for it. Yes, we need to be aware of what we need to work on, but no one is perfect. Jane needed to learn that in this story, as did Beth and Samuel.
Another aspect of my story was Beth’s battle with breast cancer. With it being one of the common forms of cancer for women, I wanted to stress the importance of early detection. One way is monthly self-examination. There is a Buddy Check program that advocates a woman forming a partnership with a friend or family member; each reminds the other to self-check monthly.
I love hearing from my readers. You can contact me at P.O. Box 2074, Tulsa, OK 74101, or visit my Web site at www.margaretdaley.com.
Best wishes,
ISBN: 978-1-4268-5060-8
GOLD IN THE FIRE AND LIGHT IN THE STORM
GOLD IN THE FIRE
Copyright © 2004 by Margaret Daley
LIGHT IN THE STORM
Copyright © 2005 by Margaret Daley
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the editorial office, Steeple Hill Books, 233 Broadway, New York, NY 10279 U.S.A.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
This edition published by arrangement with Steeple Hill Books.
® and TM are trademarks of Steeple Hill Books, used under license. Trademarks indicated with ® are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the Canadian Trade Marks Office and in other countries.
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