This is it!

So my long lost husband is coming back tonight. It has been a LONG two weeks and we are going to be so happy to have him back (although Oliver says he's going to be "mean to him" 'cuz he's been missing him so much). It did give me some time to finish my book, though. Yep... this is the last chapter. I almost decided not to post it since it is in the VERY rough stages, but I really need your help. It was hard to write and I really just need to move on to other aspects of the project. So, as always... please give lots of feedback. Just a word about the format. I have read a lot of "American Girl" books and noticed a couple of things from them. First, the books seem to end abruptly. Partly, I think, to keep the reader's attention (8-10 year olds don't always have long attention spans- so they skip some of the details) and also to give an opening for a sequel. Also, every character must have a doll. Here it is..

Chapter 6

The Doll

Martha’s life had changed so much since she met the missionaries. Several weeks after their blessing, her hand had completely healed. If she had any doubts about the truth of the message of the American missionaries, it completely faded after that miracle. She, her mother, and brother were soon baptized.

Their life afterward was a whirlwind of activity. Life was so hard in England and there were rumors of people losing their jobs at the factory because of joining the church. More than once, Martha and her family had been criticized by people standing outside of the homes of members when they went to worship together on Sundays. Martha and her family had decided they wanted to move to America to live with other people who believed as they did. Martha secretly hoped that she would even be able to meet the prophet Joseph Smith.

Gathering money for the trip was difficult since her family often had barely enough to eat. They begin to sell some of her father’s things to raise the money. The hardest thing to part with was his gold watch. It had been part of the family for generations and Martha couldn’t remember ever seeing her father without it. Her mother comforted her by saying that she was sure that her father was looking down from heaven, so happy that he could give them something that would help them to get to America.

The day finally arrived to leave on the ship. All of the saints gathered to watch them off. They said a prayer, and Brother Kimball spoke about the wonders of the new gospel of Jesus Christ. Afterwards, everyone hurried to hug and load all of the boxes onto a small boat that would carry them to the larger ship.

“Martha, Martha wait!” Savannah breathlessly ran towards Martha. “I have something for you.” Savannah quickly handed her something wrapped in a cloth. As she unwrapped it, Martha could see that it was Savannah’s cloth doll.

“So you won’t forget me,” Savannah said with tears running down her face. “We will come to America, I just know we will.”

Savannah’s father had not joined the church and did not want to move to America. This would be so hard for the two girls. They had become close friends after the accident at the mill. Martha realized, after being baptized, that she and Savannah were more alike than different. Between work in the mill and worship services, they saw each other every day.

“I’ve never had a doll,” said Martha. “I will never forget you, and I just know we will see you in America.”

“Martha, it is time,” her mother called. Martha turned to look one last time at the place she had always called home, then looked toward the ship and her new life in America.