out the
complete truth was now a burning fire within her. It
was stronger than her desire for Thompson Estates
or any material thing. She just wanted the truth and
she knew she would find it in the journals.
"Did you get everything you need," Andrik
asked. His eyes briefly scanned the small plastic
bag she held in her hand.
"Oh, yes. I brought practically everything I
own with me. So, I don't need any toiletries or
anything. Let's go," Willetta said. She was anxious
to get back to Martha and find out all she could
about her family.
Andrik's feet dragged. He was thoroughly
depressed. Everything was obscure now. The only
thing he knew for a certainty was that Anita
Thomas had been his mother. He also knew that
Stanley Thomas had never loved him and probably
resented his very existence. Something had gone
very wrong in Stanley and his mother's life. He had
always known they had never loved each other.
They had separate bedrooms from as far back as he
could remember. Why were they even together?
Had his whole life been a lie?
Andrik jumped when he felt Willetta's hand
slide over his as he pushed the basket of supplies.
Her hand was warm and soft. The warmth of it
seemed to spread up his arm. He gently squeezed
her hand and kept walking through the parking lot.
He could not look into her deep dark eyes. The
sympathy he was sure to see there would undo him.
She and he shared the same plight for sure, but she
was the strong one. She seemed anxious to get the
truth and put it behind her. He only felt a morbid
fear teetering steadily into sheer terror.
CHAPTER 12
Volume 11, pg.1 (June 1910):
"Etta
ain't never satisfied with nothing. Willetta has
filled my heart, but not her momma's. She
want another baby. She done asked that fast
gal over the bridge for her baby when its born.
She say a twelve-year-old ain't got no business
with a baby."
#
"I am never going to be your enemy,
Andrik. As far as I'm concerned, we are both
victims. We're smart enough to work this out,"
Willetta said as soon as they got settled back into
the car.
Andrik didn't say anything. He just nodded.
They were both victims. He realized the truth in
that. It was odd how earlier in the day he had held
the upper hand. The past was his, the family was
his, and the house was his. Now it seemed that it all
belonged to Willetta. He wasn't sure exactly where
that left him and he had no idea how he could
refrain from hating the person who walked away
with his heritage, even if it was Willetta.
"Willetta, how do we know we can believe
Martha Thompson," he asked desperately.
"We have to listen to her first. We will let
her talk, Andrik. You'll know if she's lying. But we
have to listen and be kind to her or else we may lose
our one chance to know the truth. Don't forget you
have to find out who your real father is. She has to
know," Willetta said.
"She's so old. She'll probably die like Mama
Jean did before we can find out anything," he
mumbled.
"Are you always so negative? Please stop it.
I don't like it and it makes you look bad," she spit
out.
Andrik straightened his shoulders and sat
up. He really had slipped back into his dark days of
brooding. One shocker had shattered his new
image. Professor Chaston would be disappointed to
see him now.
"Positive thinking gets positive results," he
whispered.
"What did you say," Willetta asked.
"I said positive thinking gets positive results.
You're right, Willetta. I need to get a better attitude
about this situation. I'm sorry. So, where do we
begin," he asked.
"First of all, Martha is coming to live in the
house with us. She can't stay in Mama Jean's shack,
because I refuse to stay there with her. So, she
comes with us," Willetta said firmly.
Andrik frowned distastefully at the idea. He
had no wish to be under the same roof with Martha
Thompson. But under the circumstances, he might
be the guest instead of the host. So, he nodded in
agreement.
"Secondly," Willetta continued, "Mama Jean
suggested before she died that you and I should
complete truth was now a burning fire within her. It
was stronger than her desire for Thompson Estates
or any material thing. She just wanted the truth and
she knew she would find it in the journals.
"Did you get everything you need," Andrik
asked. His eyes briefly scanned the small plastic
bag she held in her hand.
"Oh, yes. I brought practically everything I
own with me. So, I don't need any toiletries or
anything. Let's go," Willetta said. She was anxious
to get back to Martha and find out all she could
about her family.
Andrik's feet dragged. He was thoroughly
depressed. Everything was obscure now. The only
thing he knew for a certainty was that Anita
Thomas had been his mother. He also knew that
Stanley Thomas had never loved him and probably
resented his very existence. Something had gone
very wrong in Stanley and his mother's life. He had
always known they had never loved each other.
They had separate bedrooms from as far back as he
could remember. Why were they even together?
Had his whole life been a lie?
Andrik jumped when he felt Willetta's hand
slide over his as he pushed the basket of supplies.
Her hand was warm and soft. The warmth of it
seemed to spread up his arm. He gently squeezed
her hand and kept walking through the parking lot.
He could not look into her deep dark eyes. The
sympathy he was sure to see there would undo him.
She and he shared the same plight for sure, but she
was the strong one. She seemed anxious to get the
truth and put it behind her. He only felt a morbid
fear teetering steadily into sheer terror.
CHAPTER 12
Volume 11, pg.1 (June 1910):
"Etta
ain't never satisfied with nothing. Willetta has
filled my heart, but not her momma's. She
want another baby. She done asked that fast
gal over the bridge for her baby when its born.
She say a twelve-year-old ain't got no business
with a baby."
#
"I am never going to be your enemy,
Andrik. As far as I'm concerned, we are both
victims. We're smart enough to work this out,"
Willetta said as soon as they got settled back into
the car.
Andrik didn't say anything. He just nodded.
They were both victims. He realized the truth in
that. It was odd how earlier in the day he had held
the upper hand. The past was his, the family was
his, and the house was his. Now it seemed that it all
belonged to Willetta. He wasn't sure exactly where
that left him and he had no idea how he could
refrain from hating the person who walked away
with his heritage, even if it was Willetta.
"Willetta, how do we know we can believe
Martha Thompson," he asked desperately.
"We have to listen to her first. We will let
her talk, Andrik. You'll know if she's lying. But we
have to listen and be kind to her or else we may lose
our one chance to know the truth. Don't forget you
have to find out who your real father is. She has to
know," Willetta said.
"She's so old. She'll probably die like Mama
Jean did before we can find out anything," he
mumbled.
"Are you always so negative? Please stop it.
I don't like it and it makes you look bad," she spit
out.
Andrik straightened his shoulders and sat
up. He really had slipped back into his dark days of
brooding. One shocker had shattered his new
image. Professor Chaston would be disappointed to
see him now.
"Positive thinking gets positive results," he
whispered.
"What did you say," Willetta asked.
"I said positive thinking gets positive results.
You're right, Willetta. I need to get a better attitude
about this situation. I'm sorry. So, where do we
begin," he asked.
"First of all, Martha is coming to live in the
house with us. She can't stay in Mama Jean's shack,
because I refuse to stay there with her. So, she
comes with us," Willetta said firmly.
Andrik frowned distastefully at the idea. He
had no wish to be under the same roof with Martha
Thompson. But under the circumstances, he might
be the guest instead of the host. So, he nodded in
agreement.
"Secondly," Willetta continued, "Mama Jean
suggested before she died that you and I should
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