The Summer of Jody
PrologueBartley – I'm sorry that it's been so long since I wrote to either you or Doralice. So many things have happened in that period of time that it would take a volume for me to explain everything to you.
Beckham and I did get married, and soon after that I made a wonderful discovery – we were going to have a child! Nothing went the way it was supposed to, and before I knew what had happened, there was no more baby. It almost destroyed us.
We still haven't recovered completely, and I think some time apart would do us a world of good. If it is acceptable to you and your lovely wife, I would like to come down and visit the two of you for the summer. Beckham might be able to join us at the very end of the season.
Please, I beg you, don't hold anything against me until you hear the whole story. I've missed your wise counsel and your brotherly love, and think that some time spent in Texas would do me a world of good. Please wire me and let me know if my visiting is agreeable to you and I will leave almost immediately. Bartley, I am literally begging you; I need your help.
Your loving sister,
Jody Maverick Dooley
Doralice and me had received the letter from my sister almost two weeks ago, and nothing had been the same since. Jody was on her way to Little Bend; that's all we were sure of. Working days and being home at night was a new experience for me, and it was taking some getting used to. Doralice, who'd had an easy pregnancy with the twins, was having just the opposite with baby number three. And summer was just beginning.
