Turned away by her uncles, Jeannette breaks down on a train; her ailing mother finds the strength to comfort her.
At that very moment, on the train carrying her back to a merciless reality, Jeannette felt more alone than ever. Every tear that rolled down her face was a release, but also a cruel reminder of everything she had to face. And yet, despite the pain, despite feeling overwhelmed, a small voice deep inside her urged her to keep going, not to give up. She knew that, for now, she had to be at once the daughter, the sister and the pillar of this fragile family.
And as she sobbed softly, my mother, with a slow and tender gesture, wrapped her thin arms around her. She held her close, as if to absorb a little of that pain, a little of the suffering that showed in every fibre of her being. In a soft but confident murmur, she whispered in her ear: “Everything will be all right, my daughter. Don't worry. I'm sure we'll find a solution. The Lord will provide.” Those words, simple yet so comforting, had a special resonance. For Jeannette, it was like a light in the darkness. She realised that, despite everything they were going through, our mother had not lost her faith. And perhaps, in those darkest moments, it was this faith that allowed them to keep moving forward, even when the path seemed completely blocked.
The story continues in the book.