Mary #21

If anyone does Saturday Centus you might somewhat remember this story started as a centus.  In  June of 2010, I wrote a few chapters on Mary and then stopped.  I had so much to write about her, writing weekly for centus wasn't enough.  I then wrote and wrote until I had over 30,000 words so far.  In writing it though as I got further and further my original premise somehow got blown out of the water, ha, ha. I stopped writing her story in March of 2011.   I still haven't quite figured out how I'm going to work this out but I thought I would put out what I have so far.   Please remember this is a really rough draft and when I wrote it, I had no chapters.  Before I decided to put this on the blog I had to go back and figure out where I could make them.  I would suggest this is a terrible way of doing it lol.  The first chapter started on March 23rd, 2012.

 

21

The next morning, Mary got up and looked out the window.  It was bright and sunny.  

"Lulu, let's go downstairs and I'll feed you.  I think I'm going to make some toast and coffee and have it outside this morning" and they both went to the kitchen.

She fed Lulu and made her breakfast.  They went to the porch and she sat on the rocker.  While she was drinking her coffee and eating her toast, she noticed Johnny's car pull into the driveway.  He pulled up to the porch and said "Don't you look like a lady of leisure sitting on the rocker in your bathrobe" and he laughed. 

She laughed too.  "What are you doing here" Mary asked.  

"I was on my way to work and thought I'd stop by to see if you needed anything.  I could pick it up on my way home from work.” 

"Other than some more wine and coffee, I still have a lot of food left.” 

"Okay, I'll bring it after work.  I'm not going to stay long because Sandy will have dinner waiting for me.  Have you been keeping yourself busy?" 

"Yeah, I have the dining room packed up.  Johnny, did you ever hear Ma or Pa mention someone named Sherry?”

"No, should I have?" 

"Probably not" she said.

"Okay, I'll see you later when I get off work.” 

"See you then" and off Johnny went.

Mary went inside, went upstairs and got dressed.  

"Lulu, let's walk around the property a little bit.  It seems to have dried out quite a bit from all the rain.”  

She brought a pair of boots with her and put them on and they went outside through the back door.  As she walked through the field, in her mind's eye she remembered the corn stalks taller than her.  She also remembered the field with sunflowers.  Her Pa would plant hundreds of them and sell them to florists all over the county.  When she got to the very back, she looked at the house.  She remembered when she was little the fields with the crops seemed so much further from the house and seemed to go on forever. 

She decided to go in the woods behind the field where she, her brothers and their friends would play.  As she walked back further and further into the woods, she remembered them playing hide and seek.  She picked some wildflowers like she did when she was little.  She came to the little creek and sat on the big rock by the side of it where she used to sit and dream.  She closed her eyes and could almost see herself as a little girl taking off her shoes and walking in the creek, splashing and laughing.  Then she imagined another little girl that looked just like her and she smiled. 

"Oh Lulu, how fun it would have been to grow up with Sherry" and Lulu jumped on the rock to be close to her. 

After about an hour, she got up and started heading back.  She noticed the tree that she had carved a heart and MJ in the center.  She rubbed it with her fingers.  

"I remember when I did this Lulu; I was probably about 15 or 16 years old.  No matter what happened, I always wanted to have a piece of me left on the property.”

She got to the field and started walking back.  Instead of going in the house, she went to the barn to look around.  There was all her Pa's farm equipment.  In the back, he had a woodworking shop so she went to look in there.  It was pretty dirty, with sawdust all over the place.  There was a desk her Pa had been working on.  It looked like it was done all except for the sanding and staining.  Mary thought she could finish it and she grabbed some sandpaper and started working on it.  She spent all afternoon sanding.  When she was done, she wiped it all down.  Then she noticed some stain her Pa had on the shelf and she opened it up and started staining it.  Mary thought this would be a nice desk for her computer in her apartment.  She would have to mention it to Jimmy and Johnny that she wanted it.  When she was done, she went to the house.

Johnny should be here soon and she thought about what she would have for supper and then remembered the leftover Chinese food.  She pulled it out of the fridge, put it on a plate and put it in the microwave.  While she was eating, Johnny came to the back door and could see Mary sitting at the table and walked in.  He noticed right away the take out containers and said "Did you go out for Chinese?”

"No, a guest brought it.” 

"A guest? I thought you didn't want anyone to know you were here, who was it?” 

"Well, no one mentioned Eli would be coming by to cut the grass and I met him.  Last night he brought some Chinese food so I'm eating the leftovers.” 

"Oh yeah, I forgot about him” and he laughed. “Is there something I should know about you two?”

"Don't be funny wise guy" and Mary laughed too. 

"Here's your wine and some coffee.  Remember when you asked me if I knew a Sherry?  I was thinking about it and I remembered hearing the name when I was little one time.  Ma and Pa were arguing something fierce and when I went into the room Ma mentioned the name and when they saw me, they hushed up.  Who is she?”

Mary took a deep breath.  "Brother, have I got something to tell you.  I know you can't stay but sit down for one minute.” 

Johnny sat at the table. 

"When I was cleaning Ma and Pa's room, I found three diaries with each of our names and pictures on them. I found the keys and when I read mine, I found out I was a twin but the other baby was stillborn.” 

"Huh?” 

Mary went and got her diary and showed Johnny the picture and let him read what their Ma had written. 

"I'm speechless.  How could I not remember this?” 

"You were only two years old, so I doubt you probably would have known anything about it.  Do you think Jimmy knew?"  

"I don't know but I really think all these years if he did, he would have at least told me.  I'm in shock." and Mary believed him. 

"That's kind of why I let Eli come over last night.  You know he had a child that died at birth; I thought maybe I could get some insight into why I was never told.” 

"And did you" he asked.

"Let's just say, I feel better after having talked to him about it a little.” 

"It's going to take me some time to grasp the idea that I had another sister, whoa." 

"Yeah, it takes some getting used to.  I'll be right back.”  She came back with Johnny’s diary and the key.  "Here's your book she said.” 

"I'm almost afraid to open it.  You don't suppose I was a twin too.” 

Mary laughed, "I don't think so Johnny but you never know.” 

"I'll take it home.  I have off tomorrow and Sandy has to work.  I think I want to read this when I'm alone.  I'll call you tomorrow after I'm done and let you know what it says" and his cell phone started ringing.  "Hello, Sandy.  Yeah I'm on my way.  I stopped and picked us up a bottle of wine.  I'll be there in just a little bit.  See you soon.” 

"I'm happy things are working out for you and Sandy.”

"Me too, but I have to go.  She doesn't know you’re here and if I'm going to keep my secret about you I better high tail it home.”  He got up and went out the back door. 

Mary yelled "I'll talk to you tomorrow.  Good luck with your diary.” 

 

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