CHAPTER X ANOTHER GRANDMOTHER News of Mr Sessaman's expected return brought a great deal of commotion to the house.
Clara, of course, was more excited than anyone else.
Even though his stay would only be for a few days, she knew her father would spend every extra minute he had with her.
She couldn't wait for him to meet Heidi.
She knew that he would enjoy the girl's ways every bit as much as she did.
The first thing Mr. Sessomon did when he got home was find his Clara.
She and Heidi were in the study.
Father and daughter greeted each other with hugs and kisses.
The two were deeply attached to each other.
Then Mr. Sessomon held out his hand to Heidi.
And This is our little Swiss girl.
Come and shake hands with me.
Heidi gave him her hand and a smile.
Now tell me, are you and Clara good friends with each other, or do you get angry and cry and make up and fight again the next day?
Oh no, Clara is always kind to me, answered Heidi.
And Heidi has never tried to argue, Clara said quickly.
I'm glad to hear it, Mr. Sessemon said as he rose from his chair.
I want my lunch now.
I haven't eaten all day, but I will see you right after.
Perhaps with a few gifts, even.
Mr Sessemon did take quite a liking to Heidi, despite the way Miss Rottenmeier described the last several days.
In fact, he told the woman that he planned to keep Heidi around.
She had a pleasant personality and was a wonderful friend for his Clara.
He also told Miss Rottenmeier to treat the child kindly.
She shouldn't punish her for the silly things that happened when she was around.
If the lady found Heidi too difficult to handle, Mr Sessemon would hire another person to help her out.
In fact, Clara's grandmother would be showing up in a few days for a nice long visit.
He was sure she would be a great help when it came to working with the girls.
Mr. Sessemon was only home for a short time before he had to leave for Paris.
Clara was sad, but filled with excitement about her grandmother's arrival.
She talked about her grandmother so much that soon Heidi also called her grandmama.
This brought an angry look to Miss Rottenmeier's face.
You are not to call her grandmama.
Do you hear me?
You must always call her madame.
Heidi had become so used to the old woman's nasty looks that she just nodded and moved on.
Miss Rottenmeier's scolding no longer upset her.
By the morning of Grandmama's arrival, Heidi was just as excited as Clara.
Both girls screamed and giggled when the carriage pulled in.
Sebastian rolled Clara outside to meet Grandmama.
Meanwhile, Heidi waited to be called down from her bedroom.
She didn't have to wait long before Tanette popped her head in and told her to go to the study.
As she entered the room, Heidi heard a kind voice say, Ah, here comes the child.
Come over here and let me have a look at you.
Heidi walked up to the woman and said in a sweet voice, Good evening, Mrs. Madame.
Well? said the grandmother laughing.
Is that how they talk on the mountain?
No, replied Heidi.
I thought that was your name.
Never mind, sweet child.
When I am with children, I am always Grandmama.
You won't forget that name, will you?
Oh, no, Heidi answered.
And what is your name, Grandmama asked.
I am always called Heidi, but here I must be called Adelheid.
If you have always been called Heidi, then Heidi it shall be, Grandmama said.
This bothered Miss Rottenmeier, who had just walked in the room.
For the rest of the evening, the old woman fussed over the two girls.
The following day, while Clara was taking her afternoon rest, Grandmama spent some time talking to Heidi.
Miss Rottenmeier had told her that Heidi couldn't learn like normal children.
The tutor couldn't even get her to learn her alphabet.
Look at these, the woman said to Heidi.
She handed the girl a small pile of colorful books.
At first, Heidi smiled with delight, but then she opened the second book and let out a cry.
For a moment or two, she just stared at it.
Then the tears began to fall.
At last, she burst into sobs.
Grandmama looked at the picture carefully.
It was a green pasture filled with young animals.
Some were grazing while others nibbled at the shrubs.
In the middle was a shepherd looking at his happy flock.
Don't cry, dear child, she said.
I will read this story to you later.
It really is a very joyful story.
There is no sadness in it at all.
It took some time before Heidi could control her sobs.
Grandmama decided to change their talk to something other than the book's picture.
How are your lessons going, Heidi?
Have you learned a lot?
Oh, no, replied Heidi.
It's impossible for me to learn.
Why? the old woman asked.
Because reading is too hard for me, Heidi answered.
Told you that, Grandmama asked with surprise.
Peter told me and he knows for sure.
He tried and tried and couldn't learn.
Oh, Heidi, you mustn't go by what Peter says.
You have to decide for yourself.
I am certain that you would do well if you tried your best.
Heidi shook her head.
Listen to what I have to say, continued Grandmama.
You have not been able to learn your alphabet because you believed what Peter said.
But now you must believe what I tell you.
You can learn to read in very little time.
And listen to this.
You see the picture with the shepherd and animals.
You shall have that book for your very own just as soon as you are able to read it.
Then you will know the story and see how happy it is.
You would like that, wouldn't you?
Heidi listened eagerly to the grandmother's words.
Oh, if only I could read now!
Won't take you long to learn, Grandmama answered.
We will work together.
A few weeks later, the tutor came to Grandmama with a pleasing report.
It is indeed a wonder, he said.
It is more than I had hoped for.
The young lady has learned to read.
After leaving the tutor, Grandmama went to find Heidi.
Sure enough, the young girl was sitting beside Clara and reading to her.
That same day, Heidi found the large book with the beautiful pictures lying on her lunch plate.
When she looked at Grandmama, the old woman said, Yes, it's yours now.
Mine to keep always.
Even when I go home, Heidi asked, blushing with pleasure.
Yes, of course, it's yours forever, the grandmother said.
Tomorrow we will begin to read.
Heidi's lessons started to go better, but that was only good change in the young girl.
Ever since Miss Rottenmeier had told Heidi that she was being nasty for wanting to leave, Heidi had lost her spirit.
She finally understood that she wouldn't be going home any time soon.
In fact, maybe she would never get to go home.
But to share her sadness with Clara or Grandmama would seem ungrateful, and so the feeling of heaviness on her little heart grew until she could no longer eat.
She lay awake at night for hours.
As soon as she was alone, the picture of the mountain with its sunshine and flowers would rise before her eyes.
When she woke in the morning, she would think she was back at Grandfather's, ready to greet the goats in the morning sun.
Her looks of sadness worried Grandmama.
Tell me, Heidi, the old woman said.
What is the matter?
Are you in trouble?
Heidi was afraid that Grandmama would think poorly of her if she told the truth.
She didn't want the woman to dislike her, so she simply said, I can't tell you.
Then you must speak to God about it.
If you can't tell a person, then tell your problems to God.
Pray to him to help you.
I never say prayers anymore, answered Heidi.
Do not tell me that.
Heidi, why have you stopped?
It's no use.
God doesn't listen.
I have prayed for the same thing every day for weeks, and God has not done what I asked.
The young girl put her head down.
You are wrong, Heidi.
You must not think of him like that.
God is good to all of us.
He knows what we need better than we do.
And just because he thinks it is better not to give you what you want right now doesn't mean he isn't answering you.
You shall have what you ask for, but not until the right time comes.
Will go right now and ask God to forgive me, Heidi said.
Go, child.
He will help you and give you everything that will make you happy again.
Heidi ran out of grandmama's room and into her own.
She sat herself on a stool, folded her hands together and told God about everything that was making her so sad.
She begged him to help her and to let her go home to Grandfather.
She didn't think she could take much more.
She just missed home too much.
