Journals of the Secret Keeper by Jennifer L Ray

that
now."
"That's another reason why we're here,"
Olivia spoke softly from the feet of her
grandmother. "We came because of the journals.
They need to be read by the entire family.
Money
is perishable and land is easily accessible, but
knowledge about your past and where you came
from is priceless."
Willetta felt the feeble hands of a thousand
grandmama's tightening around her neck and she
fought to breathe normally. She knew now why she
hated secrets so badly.
CHAPTER 17
Volume 14, pg.1 (February 1911):
"She got a
letter from her sister. She tried to burn it, but I
saved it from the fire. That child is her sister's
child. Po Mable think her baby dead, when
she here in Mississippi with us. Etta stole her
own sister's child. I'm gone wait on her to
make it right. I pray to God she will."
#
Martha was glad to see her cousin Octavia.
She wasn't too happy about her having "found the
Lord," but refrained from saying so. They sat
around in the living room passing old memories
around and filling in where they had left off many
years ago.
"How did you get here so quickly, Martha,"
Octavia asked.
"I was already here. I came to visit Aunt
Olivia. She didn't tell you I was out there," Martha
asked.
Andrik and Willetta listened in disbelief.
Could it be that one of the great aunts was still
alive? Olivia sat quietly on the couch and her face
gave nothing away.
"Me and momma don't talk. We haven't
talked in years. When I found the Lord, I had to
give her up. Matthew ten! The Lord came not to
send peace, but a sword. Daughter against mother.
Momma couldn't let go of that money. She and
Amos almost drove me crazy. I had to let both of
them go. Amen," Aunt Octavia said.
Martha rolled her eyes and shook her head,
"Now Octavia you ought to be shame of yourself.
Aunt Olivia don't care no more about that money
than my momma cared about this land. She just
knew that ole Amos was after the money instead of
you."
"Shh," Aunt Octavia hissed. "Get thee
behind me, Satan. Matthew sixteen." She raised a
hand to the sky and waved it.
"Octavia if you don't stop, I'm gone pull out
my whiskey and get drunk enough to not be able to
see or hear you. I'm warning you. I can't stand too
much more," Martha said.
Willetta's whole body shook and tears filled
the corners of her eyes as she tried to control her
laughter. Olivia's lips were pressed tightly together
and were thin slits. Willetta knew that she too was
struggling not to laugh. Andrik was staring straight
ahead. His hands were balled into fists on either
side of his thighs. He refused to look at her and
Willetta knew he too was trying not to laugh.
"For the drunkard and the glutton will come
to poverty. Proverbs twenty-three. Martha, have
you a farthing? I know you don't, if you still
drinking," Aunt Octavia said loudly.
"Well, I think we should all go to town to
see the body and get the arrangements made,"
Andrik interrupted. He stood abruptly and stepped
in front of Willetta, who had lost all control.
"That's a good idea, baby," Aunt Octavia
said. "Olivia help me out of this couch. It sure is
low. Too low for an old woman like me to be
sitting on."
Willetta didn't know much about the Bible,
but she knew that Jesus taught forgiveness. Aunt
Octavia had to be all of seventy and Aunt Olivia
must be in her nineties. It was unthinkable that
Aunt Octavia was holding a grudge against her
ninety-something-year-old mama. She must be a
pious old woman with no forgiveness and somehow
that put her right in the same category with Martha.
Both Martha and Octavia were bad women. One
was worldly and amoral and the other was a
hypocrite. She was afraid to find out what Mama
Jean had been.
#
"She look like she smiling," Martha said.
"Genesis twenty-five verse eight! Then
Abraham gave up the ghost and died in a good old
age, an old man, full of years. Amen." Aunt
Octavia said.
"Did you commit the whole Bible to
memory, Octavia or have just lost your mind,"
Martha said irritably.
"Please be patient with