Journals of the Secret Keeper by Jennifer L Ray Read Free Book Online

her out
here."
"Well, somebody already did. I refuse to
believe that she walked from anywhere to this
point," Andrik murmured.
The old woman took her time coming out of
the weeds and when she did, she immediately
gripped her walker firmly and hobbled the few feet
to the car. She knocked on Willetta's window
before Andrik could let it down. Her knuckles left
their prints in the dusty window. Andrik held his
tongue and waited.
"Hello there. I sure hope yall some nice
children. Cuz I ain't got no money, but I do needs
myself a ride out to Mama Jean's spot."
Andrik and Willetta sat frozen in their seats.
They didn't know who the old woman was and
neither of them was willing to tell her that Mama
Jean was dead. The old woman moved her walker
to the side and leaned into Willetta's window. Her
eyes squinched together as she peered closely into
Willetta's face and then into Andrik's. Willetta
counted three long hairs growing out of the bottom
of her chin and she had no teeth to speak of, but she
was clean and tidy. No odor came from her person.
Willetta was thankful for that.
"You Anita's son ain't you?" she asked
Andrik.
"Yes ma'am, I am," Andrik said.
"And you look like somebody I know'd real
good in the past too, missy," she said to Willetta. "I
ain't understanding how the two of you came to be
in the same world together and least of all in the
same car together, but if it was to happen, I know
who made it happen. This ain't nothing but the
work of that Mama Jean. Serves me right for letting
her have her way all this time.
Get on out young
man and help me in the car. It's been a long day
and I'm old and tired and can't die until I straighten
out Jean's mess."
CHAPTER 10
Volume 6, pg. 25 (February 1906):
"My
poor Etta still crying over the baby she lost.
Seems she wants babies real bad now.
She
pregnant again and I sure hope this one come
out alright.'"
#
Martha Thomas had lived her whole life for
no one but herself. She liked her alcohol, cigarettes
and men all in that order. Her old body had been
ravaged and wrecked by all three and she had long
ago lost her taste for any of them. They had left her
with a sore gut, chronic cough, and an empty heart.
She rested her tired bones against the leather
seat of Anita's son's car and rested for a minute.
After bending her sore back and creaking knees to
get into the backseat, she was out of breath. She
had questions, but they could wait until she had her
breath back.
Willetta and Andrik remained silent as they
ambled along the dirt road back to Mama Jean's.
Both of them wondered who the old lady in the
backseat was and what her statements about "Jean's
mess" meant. There was something downright
mysterious about the old woman from the way she
had popped up out of nowhere and the fact that she
knew something about both of them, when they
knew very little about each other.
"What's your name, girl," the old woman
asked.
"Willetta Jones," Willetta answered.
There was a loud gasp from the old woman,
as she struggled to scoot to the edge of the plush
leather seat. She grabbed hold of Willetta's head
rest and pulled herself forward. Andrik winced as
he watched from the corner of his eye. Much more
and she would have torn the head rest completely
off the seat.
"Willetta, you say? Now that's a name for
sure. Where you get that name from?" she asked.
Willetta felt the old woman's breath against
her cheek and turned to stare directly into her face.
Her eyes were sharp and clear. They pierced
through Willetta's irises and probed for information.
Willetta knew that somehow her response was
important to this woman.
"I don't know who named me. I'm an
orphan. My momma left me with Mama Jean when
I was nine," Willetta said.
"Well, I know where that name came from.
I just don't know why nobody bothered to tell me
about you.
An old drunk got memories and
feelings too. Might've woke me up sooner, if they
had told me."
Willetta was made even more confused by
the ramblings of the old woman. She had no