The Richest Heart

Chapter 12

"Emiline, look what I brought!" Dorothy's face was beaming with excitement. She had waited and waited for lunchtime to come just so she could show her friends the wonderful thing she had.

"What is it Dotty?" Emma asked curiously. She was sitting all alone for once. Susan was still in the schoolhouse talking with one of the other girls. Now, Dorothy sat down beside her, almost giddy with joy.

"I brought something to share," she said, unfolding the brown paper which was wrapped around her lunch.

"Oh . . . did you?" Emiline's heart filled with reluctance, but a feeling of friendly love made it fade. She didn't want to share with Dorothy, but she couldn't say no.

I don't want to be rude, she told herself. Besides, she means so well. I'll have to do it . . . just this once. I guess cold turnips won't hurt me. She bit her lip and struggled past her feeling of disgust. Dotty's hand was already rummaging around in her lunch pail. To Emiline's surprise, the little girl pulled out something green and lovely. It was a handful of fresh pea pods.

"Aren't they beautiful?" Dorothy cried.

"Dorothy!" Emma gasped. "Where did you get them?" She cupped her hands eagerly and let her friend drop the crisp pods into them.

Dotty giggled. "From my garden," she answered. "I picked them fresh this morning!" Her eyes glittered as she spoke. It was the closest thing to pride Emma had ever seen on the girl's face. "I planted them all by myself," she added shyly. "And that's not all! I have lots of things growing in my garden, Emma! There are pumpkin plants and green beans and Mrs. Winston gave me a whole barrel of old potatoes to plant! We're going to have the biggest garden you've ever seen!"

Dorothy's joy lit Emiline's heart with a glow of delight. It was good to see Dotty looking so happy. As Emma listened to her friend going on and on about her plants, she started breaking the pods open and eating the sweet peas one by one.

"Papa said the garden was all mine this year," Dorothy said.

"Hasn't he helped you plant it?" Emiline asked. She always helped her father and mother with the garden, but they did most of the planning and work.

"Well, he has a little bit. But . . ." A tone of sadness softened her voice, "he can't do very much. His back still hurts when he bends down. I think that's why the garden is mine."

Emma's eyes dropped down to the ground as she remembered Ed Perkins's lame back. He was still trying to recover from an injury, but as time drew on, everyone doubted that he would regain his strength.

"I'm sorry," Emiline said.

Dorothy smiled sweetly. "That's alright. I like planting! And I know Jesus is taking care of Papa's back. Do you like to garden, Emma?"

Emiline was taken back by the question. Dorothy's sparkly eyes stared straight into hers, waiting for an answer. "Well," she began, "it's . . . fine."

"Would you come and see mine?" Dotty begged. She blushed as the question escaped her lips. "I mean . . . you don't have to . . . but I'd like you to."

Emma laughed at the girl's humility. "I'd love to, Dotty," she said with a friendly smile.

"Oh good!" the little girl cried. Her arms squeezed Emiline gratefully. After that, she couldn't wait for school to be over. But she kept telling herself not to get too excited and tried very hard to do her lessons well.