A Fairer Tomorrow by Kathleen Knowles

Author:Kathleen Knowles [Knowles, Kathleen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781635558753
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Published: 2021-12-01T22:17:37+00:00

Chapter Eleven

March 1946

Maddie crossed her arms and listened to Wilma Grace’s flood of words. After a short time, it became a meaningless drone. The gist of it was Maddie was going to hell, and she’d be lucky if Thom let her stay with them, and she had half a mind to tell Maddie’s mama herself, but she’d leave that to Thom or to Maddie, if she had the gumption to come clean with her mama, and she better do that if she knew what was good for her. And so forth.

“I knew that Gerry was trouble when I saw her.”

“We met her at Mona’s, I might remind you, Wilma Grace. While we were hearing Gladys Bentley. You picked the place, so you can’t say you didn’t understand what was what and who was what. You knew very well what kind of place it was. And Gerry helped us out that night, and she didn’t have to do that, but she did.”

Wilma Grace tossed her head. “Well, I didn’t know what kind of place it was, and no one cares what women like Gladys Bentley do in their spare time. It’s different for normal, God-fearing folks like you, Maddie Weeks. And you know it. Wait until I tell your brother, and I have a good mind to write your mama. We’ll see what she has to say about your shenanigans. I cannot believe you’re doing what you’re doing, and furthermore—”

Maddie had heard enough. “I have to get to sleep, if you don’t mind, Wilma Grace. I have to be at work in about five hours. If you have more to say, it’ll have to wait ’til tomorrow.”

Wilma Grace looked like she was about to explode, she was so mad, but, with a snap of her jaw, she at least stopped talking. Maddie could go into her room, close the door, get some quiet—and relive the time she’d spent with Gerry up to the point when old Wilma Grace waltzed in and interrupted them.

Maddie dozed a bit, but the sound of the alarm clock jolted her awake all too soon. It was going to be another long night at work. But behind her shock about Wilma Grace’s sudden appearance, she was actually calm. Her brother wasn’t about to kick her out of her home because he wasn’t like that. Wilma Grace would fuss and fume and threaten, but it was all noise. Maddie refused to allow herself to be upset. Her life was her own, and now her life had Gerry in it, and she wouldn’t let anything disrupt that. They’d have their challenges and troubles, but so be it. That was another thing her mama had drilled into her. Life was a vale of tears, just like the Bible said, but she, Maddie, was still able to choose for herself, and she could find happiness if she worked on it. And Marguerite had said if she wanted something, she had to put her mind to it, work on it, and not stop until she got what she wanted.

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