Three Strong Women

Three Strong Women

In my novel, Baggage burdens.three women stand out as being very strong characters. Each has their own set of values and they live by them no matter what challenges rise up. While they aren’t in competition with each other, they are committed to what is important in their lives. After reviewing a brief outline of the struggles that each faced, and how they adapted, who would you predict would be the strongest, the most admirable person––Jill, who is both daughter and mother, Alice, Jill’s mother, or Josey, Jill’s grandmother?   

Teen-age Jill runs away from home from her a violent alcoholic father. The girl’s brief homeless period results in her succeeding as a friend and worker in a bakery before her marriage. Her role as mother of four children is made more difficult by the lack of acceptance from the conservative rural religious community she lives in.    

At times Alice is forced to choose who to support most––her academically successful children or her psychologically troubled drinking husband. Her love for both leads to strained family relationships, but all her commitments remain unwavering.

Josey’s disapproval of Jill’s husband’s drinking results in Josey being accused of being an-old-meddling mother-in-law. Forced to be part of the family from a distance, she struggles to keep in-the-know and be of help when she can. For a normally successful woman, these restrictions tax her for most of her life. 

  

A peek into each of their lives

Ron’s son, Nathan, had asked Daniel why his mother hated everybody. When Joseph, Daniel’s father, approached Ron about that, Ron’s response was, “Well, doesn’t she? Jill refuses to send her daughter to our school, like it’s not good enough for Amber. I figure she hates our way of life. She doesn’t want Amber to be contaminated by our ways.”

 “There’s a logic to what you say, Ron.” Joseph’s surprising statement lowered tension in Thomas’s workshop. “I admit Jill’s actions on the surface sure don’t make her look good.”

“For sure,” seconded Ron confidently.

“On the other hand, maybe Jill loves her daughter so much that she just wants to spend as much time as she can with her. Even if her action may not be the best, it’s hard to fault that kind of motivation. Wouldn’t you agree?” Joseph waited for a response,

Ron grunted, “Yeah.”

“That second line of thinking puts Jill in a positive light, wouldn’t you say? If we are called to love our neighbour as our self and protect their good name as the Bible teaches, which line of logic do you think would be more pleasing to the Lord?”

“Where’s the remote?” bellows Frank after he reaches the coffee table.

Alice had moved it to make room for Jill’s stage.

“Under the coffee table,” she calls back as she carries his slippers. 

Frank doesn’t hear her.

“What’s this junk doing here?” 

“Don’t worry. I’ll put it away.” Alice guesses her husband is referring to Jill’s homework assignment on the coffee table.

“What’s the matter with that girl? Can’t she ever put her own stuff away?” 

Frank bends over the table like a huge bear in a stream looking for fish. He raises his arm high. Then he bats the cardboard structure. Jill’s creation flies across the room and crashes into the far wall, leaving a trail of debris. 

“How am I supposed to find the remote?”

“Frank, that’s Jill’s homework assignment!” She tosses his slippers near the coffee table. “The remote is by your slippers.” Alice hurries to investigate the damage to Jill’s stage. 

Before Alice reaches the stage, she hears a howl of pain. Frank’s toes rammed into the coffee table leg, slowing his pursuit of Alice. He reaches her as she bends down and scoops up the cardboard model. Alice crashes into the wall with Frank falling heavily against her. 

“What do you think you’re doing?” 

“Trying to salvage Jill’s homework. What do you think?” Anger slips out of Alice.

“I’ll tell you what I think. I think you’re doing a poor job of raising that kid.” Frank shoves himself away from the wall, grabs Alice by her arms, and shakes her. “How many times have I told you? Tell her to clean up when she’s finished. How many times?”

Fear replaces Alice’s anger. Half-crying, she answers, “I don’t know.”

“Too many times. That’s how many. Too many times.”

Gripped by fear, Alice looks for a defense. Pain pierces her arms.

Jill settles back into her chair. “I don’t want you to take this the wrong way, because I am grateful that you have come down to see me, but why have you been such a stranger most of my life? I can’t even remember the last time I saw you.”

Mrs. Sommerfeld looks directly at Jill. “I guess that’s as good a place as any to start. Your mom’s still married to Frank, right?” 

Jill nods. 

“That’s why. In the beginning, I had disapproved of your mom’s marriage. Frank partied too much. I thought he wouldn’t make a good husband.” Mrs. Sommerfeld shakes her head as if she were advising her daughter again. 

 “Well, he never forgave me for that. I told your mother that Frank had a drinking problem, that she should convince him to get help. When you were born, I became more insistent. I thought there wouldn’t be enough money for the family and his drinking habit.” 

In a lower voice, she says, “Frank accused me of interfering.” For the briefest moment, Mrs. Sommerfeld’s eyes fall to her purse. “When I talked to your mother on the phone, Frank found out. He was furious. He demanded that all contact between his family and me end.” She pauses. “Completely.” A curled index finger points to Jill. “You’d just started grade one. The last day I saw you is when your mom and I walked you to school.”

“That’s right! I remember now!” confirms Jill, a little surprised at the surfacing memory.

“That’s when she told me about the ultimatum. Frank threatened to leave your mother if he ever found out that I came visiting again. Your mother caved in. I couldn’t even phone you or your sister. Your mother was afraid either of you might let it slip out that we talked. He even became angry when I sent you or Kathy birthday cards or Christmas cards. The following year, they were sent back unopened.” 

Haiku capsule:

Love misunderstood

Flee alcohol-fueled harm

Strength seen in weakness

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