Story Twenty-Three

A week after her husband passed away,

Sammy appeared on the farm, 

desperately thin, filthy, 

and injured with what appeared to be 

several pellet gun wounds on one of his hind legs.

Johanna gently cleaned him, treated the wounds 

and slowly fed him by hand, 

coaxing health back into the sweet dog.

When Nella Mickle, 

from nearby Richmond Grove,

arrived with her nephew to 

reclaim her lost dog, Tanner, 

Johanna responded,

"You just try and take him, 

but I wouldn't advise it."

Frightened by the low, menacing growl,

Nella and her nephew left without the dog.

Johanna and her canine companion 

were rarely separate, 

sharing a mutual fierce loyalty 

just like she had shared with her husband, 

Samuel.

Story Twenty-Two

 Silvio was not alone in feeling relieved 

that his mother-in-law

did not attend the wedding,

claiming a convenient migraine.

He had witnessed the unrelenting criticism

aimed at Gina,

an attempt to undermine her confidence

and keep her single,

in the role of eventual caretaker.

He admired how nothing,

even the frequent maternal cruelty,

could suppress Gina's radiant joy.

His heart expanded when he saw his new wife

preparing plates of food

to be sent home to her mother.

This was the beginning 

of the greatest chapter in his life.