ESCAPE FROM THE MOUNTAINS (30)

    Hotels in the 40's had one full bed, a small closet, a small sink, dresser, night stand, table and chair, no air conditioning, the toilet was in a small room between two bedrooms with doors that locked on the inside (sinks in bedrooms), bathing room at the end of hall on each floor with tub and shower (A person had to sign for when they wanted to take a shower or bath) (this was the average hotels, not the very expensive ones). One more thing, the heating was a radiator in each room (steam heat?) I think.
    Frank left them at the door after giving Edie a twenty dollar bill. She thanked him. And after weak hugs were passed between the three of them, they said goodbye.
    As soon as the door was closed, Susan said, "Mommy, I don't like him."
   "Well, Susan, he's your grandfather, you're supposed to like him, so try." I hate him, Edie thought to herself. All the years growing up and all the misery he caused my mother and me. I'll never forget how he treated us. Susan was sound asleep while Edie's thoughts went back to her childhood.

ESCAPE FROM THE MOUNTAINS (29)

    They pulled up in front of the hotel. Susan had never seen a hotel. It was nighttime so it was all lit up. 
    "How beautiful. I wan to live here forever," Susan said out loud. 
   Frank told her, "It's too expensive to live here more than a few nights."
   Edie and Susan lived there for a month, at the expense of Edie's dad. He went to Florida for the winter as he did every winter.
   They had to walk around to the back entrance because of the steps out front and go through the kitchen to the lobby. Susan's head was moving all around as she was walking looking at everything. So much to see. Look at all the food in the kitchen! I am hungry, she thought. Oh, look at the lobby. (She heard a man call the room they were standing in.) It was the most beautiful thing she ever saw. They went up to a big desk and talked to some people and then a black man took them to an elevator. Susan was afraid and said she was not going to get in that thing. It took some persuading but finally she got in the elevator. The room was on the tenth floor.

ESCAPE FROM THE MOUNTAINS (28)

"Dad, how about a cup of coffee?"  Edie asked as she lit up a cigarette.  That must have been a shocker for Frank.  He didn't know she smoked.

Frank paid Betty and Edie said she would call her when she got to the hotel. Hugs and good-byes were in order and doubled from Susan because of the doll.

On the way to the hotel, Frank had to remind Edie how foolish she was for leaving the farm.  At least she'd had a home for Susan and herself.  What was she thinking?  What is she going to do now?

"Its going to be hard living on the child-support from Jim of $44.00 a month for Susan. You should have asked for alimony."  Frank lamented.  "You know, he's living with that 'woman' now.  I hear she's got some dough...got it from a nice divorce settlement and has a good job." Frank continued. "What do you have?  I am telling ya. You should have asked for alimony."

"I don't want anything from Jim."  Edie was getting annoyed with Frank and changed the conversation.

"Where is the hotel?  I have to go to the ladies room."

ESCAPE FROM THE MOUNTAINS (27)

   Frank didn't look like what you'd expect; for he was short and mild looking, not the tyrant that Edie made him out to be.
   Edie introduced him to Betty and Susan. This was the first time Susan saw her grandfather since she was a baby. She didn't know him nor did he know her. He shook her hand politely.
   "Yes, this was good old dad. Cold, old dad. Shake hands with his granddaughter. Oh, he has a gift for her. A box of maple candies. How nice. He was in Vermont. I wish we would get this business over with," Edie thought as she smiled her half of a smile when she was bored.
   "Give your grandfather a hug for the candy, Susan."
   "I found a hotel for you and Susan for the next few days until we can find out what we are going to do with you two," Frank said, patting Susan's head firmly while he was looking at Edie with steel cold eyes. He hadn't changed. But Edie had. She was no longer afraid of him.

ESCAPE FROM THE MOUNTAINS (26)

   "Well, how much is the bill?" Betty asked.
   "It's $230.50," Edie answered.
   "Oh my goodness. Well, I have to see how much I have. Do you think your father will give you the money?"
   "I have to ask him first for it. But he will. I'll call him now if I may use your phone."
   Betty entertained Alice and Melvin while Edie was making her call. 
   After about a half hour Edie returned  to the living room where everyone was eating and talking and having a good time. When Edie entered the room, it went so quiet. "Well?" Betty blurted out.
   "Yes, he will be here in about an hour. I'm so sorry to hold you up like this, Melvin and Alice."
   "I can give them the money if they will take a check and then your father can pay me. How about that? Then they can get on their way."
   Melvin and Alice agreed and after thanks and hugs everyone said goodbye and Melvin and Alice were on their way.

ESCAPE FROM THE MOUNTAINS (25)

"Oh, thank you, Mrs Johnson very much!" Susan said as she hugged her and ran over to the dolls.

'Which one? They were all beautiful!" Susan thought as she looked at the dresses and their faces.  She picked one that looked like one she had before the fire.

Edie gulped.

"That doll looks like the one she had that got lost in the fire."

"Do you like that doll?"

Susan held the doll so tight like not to be taken away from her again.  She cried, she was so happy.  It's been a long time since she held such a beautiful doll.  Grandma made a rag-doll for Christmas one year and it was nice but not like the store bought dolls which Santa and Mommy and Daddy gave her.

Seeing Susan so happy and crying made Edie and Betty cry, too.

"Well, go play with her." Betty said. "Your mom and I want to talk."

"Thank you again, Mrs. Johnson." Susan said as she hugged her.  She was like hugging a big teddy bear.  Mommy was skinny.

"What do you want to talk to me about?"

"I need to pay the cab bill, and I'm broke.  May I borrow the money until I can get it from my father?"

ESCAPE FROM THE MOUNTAINS (24)

   A large barrow of a guy came out of the shop following Mrs. Johnson.
   Mrs. Johnson introduced him to Edie and everyone as Harry Wilson. He lived in the cottage behind the shop.
    "Harry, is that wheelchair I outgrew," and Mrs. Johnson laughed, "still in the shed?"
   "Betty, darling, you just have more to hug," Harry chimed in laughing.
   "Let's get Edie in first, then check out the chair, okay? It's cold out here. Everyone want coffee?" Bett smiled at Edie. "I know you do. And Edie, stop calling me Mrs. Johnson."
    "Well, I'm trying to be polite. Now Susan you don't call her Betty. You call her Mrs. Johnson."
    "I know because she's older than me."
    "Your shop is darling, Betty. Don't touch anything, Susan. I need to ask you something, Betty. It's very important. Can we talk somewhere private?"
    "Sure, let's go in my bedroom. Susan, go over to the dolls that are on that table. See them? Pick out one you like and you can have it."