To be rich is not everything, but it certainly helps. – Yiddish Proverbs

Life was much different for Lucille. Her schooling had been sporadic living on the farm. After her father died, she was needed to help around the farm and care for her siblings. Now she had a tutor.

She had a music teacher, too. She had never touched a piano before and soon she was playing songs for guests. She had lessons in which fork to use, what to wear, and how to speak.

What she really loved was painting. She didn’t have lessons in art, but she practiced often and had some skill as an artist. She had free time for the first time in a long time.

Hellen, Lucille had to always refer to her as Hellen and not Grandmother, told everyone that Lucille was her sister’s grandchild that she was kind enough to take in. Hellen was always around, watching and critiquing everything Lucille did.

“Don’t you think you had enough to eat?” Hellen would scold her at mealtime. “You must keep a slim figure. With your upbringing it will be hard enough to secure a good match.”

Lucille, who for the first time in her life had more food than she could possibly eat, would put the spoon down.

One day, Hellen informed Lucille that she had a match for her. Frank was from a respectable family, though he was fourth in line to inherit the family estate.

“You must never tell him about your meager upbringing,” Hellen told her.

Hellen promised to leave them the estate. How else would she be able to get her granddaughter married?

Lucille agreed to meet Frank. He was older than Lucille. She wanted to marry for love, but she didn’t know how to refuse Hellen after everything she had given her. She remembered her mother telling her to live the life she had meant to. Did that mean to accept the match?

If she refused where did that leave her? Back on the farm, hungry, exhausted, with an uncertain future. Besides, she had written to her mother many times and had received not one letter back.

Lucille and Frank had a small wedding. Lucille was not allowed to invite her family since they had to be kept forever a secret.

Lucille became pregnant nearly right away. She was nervous about the upcoming birth and caring for a newborn. She couldn’t talk to Hellen like she could her own mother. She wished her mother was around, but even though she had written her about the marriage and pregnancy, she had heard not a word.

Married life was not quite what she imagined. Her husband treated her like a child. Now she had two people critiquing everything she did.

“Eating again?” Frank would chastise her.

The more weight she gained, the less affection Frank would give her. She began to hide food in her room, in case she got hungry.

Lucille welcomed a son into the world. They named him Francis. Her heart filled with love.

Her happiness was short lived. Hellen passed away. Though she was a difficult woman, Lucille had grown fond of her and was grateful for the opportunity given to her. She would miss her grandmother, but at least she now had her son.