Southern Greed by Peggy Holloway Read Free Book Online Page B

grandmother understood and didn’t mention me finding a detective again.  I didn’t even think about starting art classes or of anything else but Adam.
    We took several week-end trips together and drove down into Florida and swam in the ocean .  My grandmother was getting better all the time and had started joining us for supper and I loved hearing the stories about my ancestors.
    When she would talk about the wonderful marriage she had with my grandfather, Adam would look across the table at me and smile.  When Adam was at work, I would spend time with the professor and Ronnie or with my grandmother.
    My grandmother loved gardening and was teaching me about flowers.  We puttered around in the garden for hours.
    During all this time, I didn’t think much about the parents I had gro w n up with.  I didn’t think about going to church even though it had been a major part of my life for most of my life.
    Sometimes Susan and I went shopping and she liked me to help her pick out clothes.  The only person who seemed to dislike me was Nurse Rachael.  She acted friendly enough when we were with other people but when no one was watching she looked at me like she hated me.
     
     
     
    CHAPTER 19
    I had a false sense of security and felt like this extreme happiness would last forever and that my grandmother would continue to improve but it was not to be.
    As my grandmother had improved, I had forgotten about finding her a new doctor and she told me she didn’t want any more doctors for awhile.  Time went by so fast with me in a state of such happiness and then the holidays were upon us.
    Mrs. Hildebrandt found my grandmother and me in the garden just before Thanksgiving and asked about what size turkey she should get, were we planning on having any guests for Thanksgiving, and which china and crystal we wanted to use.
    My grandmother threw up her hands, “No guests, fix what you want, use any china you want, paper plates will do.  Kathy an d I don’t have time for all that.  It’s not important.”
    Mrs. Hildebrandt went away in a huff and we giggled like two school girls when she left.
    “You know, Kathy, I used to think things like that were important.  But now that I have you back and have my health back I realize what is important.”
    “Me too, grandma, I have everything I want and I don’t have anyone trying to make me ashamed of having what I have.”
    “Is that what they did to you, Kathy, tried to make you ashamed?”
    When I nodded she went on, “After the holidays we need to go see your mama and find out what happened.  How they ended up with you and why no one could find you.”
    “Can’t we just leave things alone and be happy with the here and now?”
    “We could, we could bury our heads in the sand but let’s see that they have to answer for what they’ve done.  There should be consequences.”
    I nodded, “All right, grandma, after the holidays.”
    Adam was working long hours just before Thanksgiving and I didn’t get to see him much.  He would come home after I was asleep and leave before I got up in the morning.
    Then one day he came home early and started packing saying he had to go out of town on business.  He said he would be going to Memphis and was taking his sister, Susan with him.
    I felt hurt that he didn’t ask me to go with him but he said I should stay with my grandmother and that they would be gone through Thanksgiving.
    “But, Adam you won’t be doing any business on Thanksgiving day .”
    “I know but I have meetings all day the day before and the day after.
    Nurse Rachael had left a few days earlier after telling my grandmother that she wanted to go down to Macon to spend time with her family.  Of course my grandmother gave permission.
    The professor and Ronnie were still there with us.  Eugene had resumed writing my grandmothers memoirs.
    My life was so full, gardening with my grandmother and swimming with the professor and Ronnie.  I had also started sketching