Chapter 390 Entrust to the Miller Family
The golden wheat was swayin' in the breeze, mixin' with the light brown ridges, lookin' all lively.
You could barely make out some figures. There was this woman rockin' a straw hat, bent over, facin' the dirt, grabbin' wheat with one hand and slicin' it with a sickle in the other.
When her left hand was full, she'd drop the wheat on the ground, tie it up with some straw, and stack it aside.
Sweat was drippin' down her delicate brows, disappearin' into the soil.
"You're not feelin' too hot; don't push it. Sit down and chill," said a plain-lookin' woman with a warm smile, helpin' Shirley sit down. She grabbed a kettle, poured some water into a bowl, and handed it over.
Shirley took a couple of gulps and let out a long breath. Her face was pale.
"Mom!" a kid's voice called from not too far away.
A little girl in a white dress came stumblin' over, her hair in pigtails, lookin' all playful and cute. She had a basket with some food inside.
"Luann, watch it; don't rush," Shirley said.
Luann squeezed through the wheat field and got to her. With delicate features and fair skin, she looked different from the others. Her big, dark eyes were full of innocence.
Shirley patted Luann's soft hair. "What'd you bring me today?"
Luann lifted the cloth coverin' the basket and pulled out the food. "Sandwiches and salad!"
Her clear voice was like a sweet spring, easin' Shirley's fatigue. "Thanks, sweetheart."
"Mom, eat up. Grandma said you gotta eat to keep from gettin' hungry."
"Okay." Shirley covered her mouth and started coughin' violently.
Mike's wedding had hit Shirley hard, and she had rushed back overnight, faintin' in the car before reachin' home.
Shirley got seriously sick. It took over half a year to get a little better, but her condition kept goin' downhill.
Luann quickly patted Shirley's chest, her serious little face full of worry. "Mom, don't be scared, you'll get better. Jones got a teacher to teach me medicine! I'm really good now; I can even find veins!"
Shirley's lips were bloodless, but she smiled gently. She looked at Luann, her eyes glistenin' with tears. "Really? Our Luann is the best."
After lunch, Shirley worried about Luann goin' back alone. She picked up Luann with one hand and carried the basket with the other, slowly walkin' home.
Including the time she was pregnant with Luann, they had been livin' here for three years.
"Mom, put me down. I've grown up; I can walk by myself!" Luann said.
Debra had warned that Shirley's health wasn't great and she shouldn't overdo it.
Shirley replied, "But I wanna hold Luann. With you around, I am super happy."
Luann lay on Shirley's shoulder, twirling her hair with her fingers. She blinked. "Then I won't go to Jones. If I go, I can't be with you. I wanna make you happy."
Shirley smiled. "But if you go to Jones, you can learn a ton. Luann, don't be stubborn. Your piano playing is awesome now, and you'll do great things."
Luann pouted and stayed quiet on the way back.
After a twenty-minute walk, they got home.
Shirley was drenched in sweat.
'Is my body really this weak?' she thought.
As soon as they walked in, they saw a man sitting there.
Hearing the noise, the man turned his head warily. Seeing them, he smiled. "Ms. Wright."
He waved to Luann. "Sweetheart, come here."
"Jones." Luann ran over and got scooped up by Jones Miller.
"You've been back for half a month. Aren't you planning to come back with me? You've missed a lot of lessons." Jones gently pinched Luann's nose.
Luann looked at Shirley with bright eyes, full of reluctance.
Shirley understood and smiled gently. "Luann, you gotta work hard, okay?"
The light in Luann's eyes dimmed, her cheeks puffed up, lookin' extra cute.
Shirley looked at them apologetically and headed to the kitchen for water. Luann, worried, jumped down and chased after her.
Debra, who had been sitting quietly, suddenly spoke, "Mr. Miller, is her illness really incurable?"
Jones shook his head. "Shirley's torturing herself. Someone with no will to live can't be cured."
To put it bluntly, it was a mental thing. Shirley always felt Kenneth's death was her fault and couldn't forgive herself. She was constantly blaming herself and wanted to atone.
"How much time does she have left?" Debra's voice was dry, her remaining hand clutching her clothes tightly.
"Less than three years."
Debra's heart sank. That meant Luann, who grew up without a dad, would lose her mom at five.
She said to Jone, "Mr. Miller, two years ago, I found you so Luann would have someone to rely on. Please, Shirley and I can't protect her for long."
Jones nodded. "You helped me years ago, and I will repay you. I'll keep my promise. I'll raise Luann until she's eighteen. Don't worry; I like Luann a lot. She's super smart, and remembers everything she sees."
Debra choked up. "Thank you."
She knew what the mysterious Miller family represented. But at that time, she had no other choice.
At that time, Shirley was unconscious, and Debra was physically disabled. How could she take good care of Luann? So, after careful consideration, Debra took the token and found the Miller family, whom she had helped once years ago.
"Stay here for the night, and take Luann back tomorrow," Debra said.
"Okay."
