Comfort (Bakers Mountain Stories)

World War II is over and Ann Fay Honeycut has new challenges—mostly her relationship with her father, home from the war, and the emotional and physical demands of polio. Now that Daddy has returned from fighting Hitler and Ann Fay is home from the polio hospital, life should get back to normal. But Ann Fay discovers she no longer fits easily into old friendships and Daddy has been traumatized by the war. Her family and social life are both falling apart. Ever responsible, she tries to fix things until she finally admits that she herself needs fixing. She travels to the Georgia Warm Springs Foundation, founded by Franklin D. Roosevelt, where she finds comfort, healing, and even a little romance. Although this invigorating experience does not solve all her problems, it does give Ann Fay a new view of herself. In this Parents Choice Awards Recommended Book, sequel to Blue, Ann Fay makes new friends, reevaluates old relationships, and discovers her unique place in the community.

I used to love how that vine with its purple flowers grew on everything. But that was before I was in charge of Daddy s garden. Before I had to cut it back all by myself because Momma was in a bad way about my brother dying and didn t care two cents about the garden just then. At the time, I was so mad at war and polio that I took all my anger out on that vine. And I hadn t been back to Wisteria Mansion since. But now I didn t know where else to go and cry myself a river. So I crawled in under the vines which had grown thicker than ever. I pulled my crutches in behind me. Then I collapsed in the pine needles and let it all out. All the sadness about losing my good life before the war. My frustration with not being able to cross the room without crutches. And misery about not having anyone who knew what it felt like to be me! ——FROM THE BOOK