"I'm going to miss you, Miss Izzy," five-year-old Timmy grabbed onto Isolde Pettibone and hung on for dear life.
"Timothy James Anderson," Izzy softly scolded. "I told you that I will come to visit you once in awhile."
"It's not the same, though."
"I know, Timmy. I won't be here every day like I have been the past month, but I will come," she promised the little boy.
Timmy only nodded and kept his hold on Izzy.
A month ago Izzy had received word that Carmody's preacher, James Anderson's wife, Abigail, had fallen and broken her leg. James had needed somebody to come and take care of his wife and five-year-old son while he was at work during the day. Izzy's father, Clive, and stepmother, Muriel, urged her to take this job feeling that she needed to get out of the house and away from thinking about Felix King. Izzy had hesitated and only took the job to please her parents. She didn't regret it, though. Timmy was the most adorable, tow-headed, little boy she'd ever met and thoroughly enjoyed taking care of him and his mother the past month.
"Come, Iz," Muriel Pettibone called over to her stepdaughter. "We best be going. Your father is expecting us home soon. It's going to be getting dark anyway, and you know how your father doesn't like us out after dark."
"Coming Muriel." She turned towards James.
"Thank you, Isolde. We appreciate your help more than you could know."
"Yes, we are very grateful for what you have done for us,” Abigail added.
"Nowhere near as grateful as what you've done for me," Izzy told them. Tears were in all of their eyes by that time. "Especially you," she gave Timmy a quick smile and kiss on the cheek.
Timmy smiled back and waved at Izzy as she and Muriel left the Anderson home.
* * * * * * * * * *
"Izzy? You will come back to work at the store now, won't you?" Muriel asked her stepdaughter as they left Carmody.
"I suppose," she said quietly.
"What's wrong, dear?"
"Nothing," Izzy lied.
"I know you better than that. Something is wrong," Muriel paused a moment. "You're going to miss Timmy, aren't you?"
Izzy was looking away from Muriel, as Muriel drove down the road. It was obvious though by the sniffles coming from that direction that Izzy was still crying. Izzy managed a smile though, "Yeah," she said softly. "I'll miss him."
"He did you a lot of good this past month. He kept your mind off Felix for a little while." Muriel quickly glanced over toward Izzy. "You're not going to go back to hibernating in the house are you?"
Izzy turned toward Muriel. "I don't know. I just can't believe Felix is dead."
"Izzy…"
"No, Muriel. We haven't seen any evidence that he IS dead."
"We haven't seen any evidence that he ISN'T, Iz."
Izzy turned back away from Muriel. "No!"
"Izzy. He's gone. You can't keep your hopes up."
"But Gus…"
"I know Gus is alive. I know everyone thought he was dead; but Izzy, that was Gus, not Felix. Just because it happened once, doesn’t mean it's going to happen again."
"I know," she said softly, "I know." She knew that deep down she needed to get on with her life.
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