This chapter is dedicated to the now late Earl Hamner. Thank you so much, Mr. Hamner, for sharing your life with us. Thank you for this beautiful show. You will not be forgotten.

April 22, 1940

The next day was Monday. Before Aimee went to school, she was showing Mrs. Fordwick the little town she and Elizabeth were making. They colored the buildings with crayons and folded the papers so that they could be set up. It looked like a mini replica of Walton's Mountain.

"See the little sign I have outside for a special on laundry soap?" Aimee asked.

Ike smiled. "I made that. You like it?"

"It's coming along very nicely Aimee." Mrs. Fordwick smiled. "I wish everyone in the class was putting as much time and effort into their project as you and Elizabeth are."

Aimee shrugged her shoulder. "Well Elizabeth has nothing else to do."

"Corabeth is in Charlottesville right now visiting Elizabeth."

"Now, you and your family are related to the Waltons, but I can't remember how that relation goes." Mrs. Fordwick said.

"Corabeth and John are cousins. So John and I are cousins-in-law. Corabeth figured out how everyone is related. I can't keep track of all those relations, so I just call everyone 'cousin.' Except for Zeb and Esther of course."

"How is Esther?" Rosemary asked.

"I guess she's doing okay. They're not sure when she'll be able to come home yet. Gee, I wonder if they would let Elizabeth see Esther. That would make their day for both of them." Ike smiled.

The bell above the door rang, announcing the entrance of a customer. In came the Baldwin sisters.

"Hello Miss Mamie, Miss Emily," the storekeeper greeted the two elderly sisters with a smile.

"Hello." The ladies cheerfully greeted everyone.

At the hospital, John-Boy knocked on the door to Elizabeth's room.

"Come in," Elizabeth called.

"Hi Sweetheart, how are you doing?"

"John-Boy!" Elizabeth extended her arms as her brother came and hugged her.

"I've been thinking about you a lot, Honey. We all miss you back home, more than you know."

Elizabeth smiled and nodded. "I miss everyone too."

John-Boy looked around the room. "Where's Mama?"

"She needed to grab a couple things at the store. You actually just missed her by a couple minutes. She said she'd probably be out for 15 or 20 minutes."

"How are you doing, Honey?" John-Boy asked.

Elizabeth shrugged. "Okay, I guess."

John-Boy's blue eyes met Elizabeth's brown eyes. "I mean, really, how are you doing?"

Elizabeth sighed. "If I tell you John-Boy, I'll cry."

"I know it's easy to be ashamed of crying, but there's really nothing to be embarrassed about. We all do it from time to time." John-Boy gently tried to reassure his sister.

She sniffled. "I'm angry with Ben and Jim Bob. Why were they so irresponsible? Why did they have to go swimming instead of do what Daddy told them to do? Because of them, I may never walk again!"

"Honey, you're gonna walk again,"

"But what if I don't?"

"Elizabeth, Honey, I've talked to both of them and Ben and Jim Bob are just sick about this. In fact, Jim Bob especially has been hurting because of what happened. He tried to run away. He's quieter than normal and is always so sad. He blames himself for what happened. In fact, he doesn't feel worthy to talk to you face-to-face."

This was news to Elizabeth. "You mean he feels really bad?"

"He's miserable. He hates himself right now."

"Oh John-Boy." Elizabeth gasped. Shen then spoke. "Next time you see Jim Bob, tell him that I don't have any harsh feelings towards him and I'd really like to see him."

"You forgive him, Honey? Ben too?"

Elizabeth nodded. "If it had been one of them who got hurt on a log pile I hadn't attended to, I wouldn't want them to hate me because of that one mistake."

John-Boy kissed his sister's cheek. "You really are something, you know that?"

Elizabeth smiled.

Shortly after Olivia got back, John-Boy left. "I'll come by later this week. And I'm hoping to bring someone with me." John-Boy winked at his sister.

"Jenny!" Elizabeth beamed at the thought of her sister-in-law. In fact, as Elizabeth was concerned, there was no 'in-law' at all about Jenny. Ever since John-Boy began dating Jenny when Elizabeth was five years old, Jenny had been just like another sister to Elizabeth.

"Bye Mama." John-Boy kissed his mother's cheek.

"Bye John-Boy. Give those precious grandbabies a kiss for me and tell them that Grandma misses them."

"I sure will." John-Boy smiled.

At the Walton house, Erin was taking clothes from the clothesline when Ben came out.

"Erin,"

"Yeah,"

"I was wondering if I could borrow some money. Two or three dollars until I can find me a job."

"Well I have a little bit. What do you need it for?"

"I was thinking of buying Elizabeth a gift."

"Oh Ben, you don't have to buy her anything. Just go see her. Be with her. Read to her."

"You don't understand."

"All you have to do is be with her, Ben."

Ben shook his head. "You don't understand."

On her walk to school, Aimee stopped by a bush to pick some berries.

As she was reaching up to grab some berries, someone grabbed her hand. Aimee screamed.

"Why are you sneakin' around here?" Barked Ada Corley.

"I'm, I'm sorry. You scared me."

"Your mama put you out spyin' on me?"

"No ma'am. I was just going to school."

"You tell nobody I get my herbs in here. "

Aimee shook her head. "No ma'am."

A sly smile spread across Ada's face. "Your mama is glad enough to buy my medicines, but the minute I tell her how I do my doctoring, she ran me off!"

Aimee stammered. "Could, do you think, could you cure Elizabeth's broken legs?"

"No, not while she's in that hospital, I couldn't. All they think is chemicals, they ain't got time for nature's ways. Book crazy in there! Book crazy, that's what they are!"

"Mary Ellen's a nurse."

"Growing bones need growing things, out of the ground. Green, growing things."

Ada's agitated voice scared Aimee so much that she ran off toward the schoolhouse.

April 23, 1940

At the hospital, Elizabeth lay in bed. Olivia was out getting the laundry, so Elizabeth took advantage of the empty room to cry.

Elizabeth ceased her tears, picked up the scissors, and cut out her buildings to add to her and Aimee's project.

Olivia came in. "When you're finished with that, you're going to have a birds-eye view of where we live."

"You know what it looks like to a bird? Remember that time the airmail pilot landed in the field, and he took you up for a ride?"

Olivia smiled. "That's right."

"I remember that. Him flying around up there and you waving down to us. I could hardly believe it was you."

"I could hardly believe it was me either." Olivia gestured with her thumb and index finger. "Y'all looked about that big."

"I suppose one day Jim Bob wants to fly over the farm."

"He sure enough aims to."

Elizabeth paused. "Mama, why doesn't Jim Bob come to see me?"

"I think he's ashamed." Olivia answered quietly. "He feels responsible for what happened to you."

"That's what John-Boy thought too." Elizabeth replied. "I told John-Boy to tell Jim Bob not to be and to come see me."

"I'm afraid it may take more than that. Your brother's hurt and when he hurts, it's deep, deep down. It may take him a while."

"But still, everyone has come to see me besides him, even Ben too. And Daddy did ask both Ben and Jim Bob to help him that day."

"Jim Bob has to figure things out for himself." Olivia replied.

"Did you see what Ben brought me today?"

Olivia shook her head.

Elizabeth grabbed an envelope and pulled out a dollar bill. "A dollar."

Olivia didn't look impressed in her son's actions.

"I think it was his last one." Elizabeth guessed.

That evening at the Dew Drop, Ben and Jason sat in Jason's truck.

"I kind of hate to ask Thelma for a job." Ben said.

"Why? That's the way I got mine." Jason responded.

"You're a musician, it's different."

"You say you need the money. The only way you're going to get it is by working." Jason was quickly growing tired of his brother's attitude. "If you're gonna be choosey about what you want to do, that's your business. Might as well call the White House and ask to be president!"

Ben too was getting irritated now. "You know, you can really be mean if you put a mind to it."

Jason was sick of Ben's ego. "You make me sore sometimes! You always have to be Mr. Big! Come on."

Jason opened the driver's door and got out.

Ben reluctantly got out as well.

Once inside, Jason spoke to the bar maid.

"Hey Thelma,"

"Oh hi!" she greeted the brothers.

"Hi Thelma," Ben smiled.

Jason stepped aside so that his brother could speak with the bar manager.

"How are you Ben?"

"Just fine." Ben smiled shyly. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Why sure." The barmaid replied kindly. "Hey, how's your sister? I was so sorry to hear about Elizabeth."

"She's doing much better, thank you."

"Oh, I'm so happy to hear that. Now what can I do for you?"

"Well I was wondering if you had a job that was open. Something like, oh maybe a night manager?"

Thelma paused for a moment to think. "Night manager? Well, don't you know I'm the night manager. Of course I'm the day manager too." Thelma chuckled. She thought aloud. "Let's see, what kind of job could we get for you here? How about a clean-up man? We need someone to clean up around here."

Ben looked like he may be interested.

"It pays 50 cents an hour." Thelma added.

Ben thought for a minute. "I'll take it."

"You've got yourself a job then." Thelma smiled. "You can start by cleaning up this mess around here and picking up the cigarette butts over there." Thelma pointed to the bar.

April 24, 1940

"Am I glad to see you!" Olivia kissed her husband.

"What's going on here?" John asked.

"Curt says that she's through with traction."

"That's a good sign, huh?"

"He says the breaks are healing. He wants her to lie flat to bring up the circulation."

John was optimistic. "Things are looking up."

"I hope so."

Mary Ellen came to see her parents. "Hi Daddy!"

"Hi Honey,"

"You can come in now." Mary Ellen ushered them into Elizabeth's room.

"Look at me, Daddy. No ropes." Elizabeth smiled.

"Look at that, they're about to let you go." Smiled John.

"Pretty soon I hope." Elizabeth beamed.

"Must be nice to have your head higher than your feet." Olivia remarked.

"At least I don't have to look at them all the time!"

"This pretty little thing here." John played with Elizabeth right big toe.

"Where?" asked Elizabeth.

"This toe, I'm wiggling it. Can't you feel it?"

Elizabeth shook her head. "No, I can't feel it at all."

"How about this one?" John asked, going to the next toe.

Elizabeth shook her head. "Nothing there either." She paused. "Will I be able to feel my toes again?"

"When the nerves grow together. It's like cutting the electric wires in a house. No lights until the wires are connected." Explained Mary Ellen.

"Curt says the bones are healing good." John tried to keep the atmosphere a positive one.

"Nerves take a lot longer." Mary Ellen cautioned.

"Will I be able to walk again?" Elizabeth asked.

"Of course you will." Olivia answered as if it were the most obvious question in the world. "And run and dance and play."

Mary Ellen looked uncomfortable at her mother's answer.

While Elizabeth showed John the school project she and Aimee had been working on, Mary Ellen and Olivia stepped out into the hallway to talk.

"Mama, I have to tell you. Curt isn't at all sure that Elizabeth is going to walk again."

"Well if he isn't then we have to be. I don't want anyone to say anything about that to that child."

"Well we can't keep her hopes up if she's not going to walk again."

"Mary Ellen, you know how I feel about these things. No offence, but there is a Power far greater than your husband who decides the course of our lives."

Mary Ellen smiled slightly. "Can't argue with that."