By lynglyng
What happened that summer of 1978 changed the course of my life forever. It is the first day of summer vacation and Mom already has the back of our station wagon loaded down with our luggage. Every year the day after school lets out, Mom packs the car and we drive from our house in Greenville, South Carolina to Rabin, Georgia. That is where my mom's sister, Aunt Laura and Uncle Bob live with their only child, Katie. She and I are only six months apart in age. We are more like sister than cousins. Mom had me and my little brother Kenny get in the back seat. I hated riding on long trips in this car because the air conditioner was broken and it felt like an oven. I had on shorts and my legs kept sticking to the leather seats, that I don't think are leather at all, but plastic. So, I guess it is safe to call them pleather seats. Anyhow, my name is Amanda McKinney we are on our way to my cousin Katie's house to spend the entire summer. My dad is a truck driver and we don't get to see him much at all. He is always on the road traveling. My mom is a stay at home mom. That means that she doesn't drive to a job anywhere, she just stays at home and cleans house and take care of Kenny and me. I guess she gets tired of it just being the three of us and so when school lets out for the summer, she is more than ready to take us to the farm.
I was so hot and Kenny complained for the one hundredth time that he was hot and thirsty. I could see Mom's annoyed look in the rear view mirror from where I sat. I didn't complain because I didn't want to make mom mad. She had a real short fuse and if we said or did the wrong thing she would have one of her spells. Go to hollering and swatting at us. I just kept quiet, but obviously Kenny had not learnt to keep his mouth closed.
Mom said that she had to stop soon and get gas. When she stopped she said that she would get us a Moon Pie and R.C. Cola. It was mine and Kenny's favorite treat. Mom always stopped at this little gas station along the highway. Ever since I could remember stopping there, these same two old men were in front of the store playing checkers. A man in a gray jumpsuit with a matching hat would pump mama's gas and wash her windsheilds, while she ran in to grab a few snacks and drinks for us. Mom got back into the car and said that she probably shouldn't give us anything to drink or eat because we had been so annoying bothering her the whole trip. Kenny started to cry. I knew Mom would start spanking me if he upset her. I told her that I could wait until we got to the farm, if she just wanted to give Kenny a drink that was okay with me.
Mom mocked my voice and said, "That's okay with me. Who do you think you are? You don't make the decisions, I do. You better be glad that I am ready to get to the farm and get out of this hot car with you pesty little brats."
To my releif she passed out the Moon Pies and R.C.Colas. Then she turned on the car and headed toward the highway. It didn't feel like long at all before we reached the little, narrow, dirt road that led to the farm. As we drove along I saw horses and cows, chickens and pigs. It was authentic farm land out here, that was for sure. We came to a long winding driveway that belonged to Aunt Laura and Uncle Bob's farm. Mom pulled the car down the driveway and I could see the two story, white farm house come into view. The house had a wrap around porch, a swing and rocking chairs that had a table between them with a game of checkers on it. Aunt Laura had these huge Boston ferns in hanging baskets between each column on the porch. There was an array of colorful flowers that adorned the walkway . I loved everything about this house. Somehow when we were here it was like nothing was bad in the world, everything was good and we were safe.
I was the first one to hop out of the car, and so lucky me, the first to get a hug from Aunt Laura. Now , don't get me wrong, I loved my Aunt Laura and all that, it's just that when the woman hugged you it was like being put in a death grip. I wiggled my way free of her and it was Kenny's turn next. I halfway felt sorry for him and half thought he deserved what he got. He still had this very Gerber baby look to him with his chubby cheeks and sky blue eyes. Aunt Laura pinched his adorable cheeks and then put him in the death grip. Kenny pulled away from Aunt Laura and made a mad face. Mom looked at him like you better mind your manners mister or you're gonna get a popping. It was amazing to me how just one look from Mom could say so much. I feared her wrath because, I knew she would beat me with anything she could get her hands on, just for nothing it seemed, just to beat me.
That's why I liked being here with Aunt Laura and Uncle Bob. Mom wouldn't beat me in front of them. Aunt Laura and Uncle Bob were Christians and they were super nice to me and Kenny. I guess that is why I felt safe at their house. Also, because Mom expected me to take care of Kenny when she had a sick headache, which she had about three times or more a week. If Kenny got too loud or did something he wasn't suppose to, then she would beat me for it.
After Aunt Laura hugged Kenny she started over to hug our mom, Valerie. The two sisters were just ten months apart in age and had been close all their lives. How they could be so different is beyond my understanding. Just as Mom and Aunt Laura finished hugging , Katie came from behind the house and screamed, "You are finally here. I have been waiting on you forever. Amanda, see if you and Kenny can go swimming at the pond with me."
I asked Mom and she said okay. We didn't have our swimsuits unpacked yet, so they said we could just go in our shorts and shirts we had on. We ran so fast through the woods that we were at the pond in no time at all. We threw off our fip-flops and jumped in the water by swinging on a vine out over the pond and jumping in. We got out over and over to take turns jumping in from the vine. The water felt so refreshing after having been in the hot car for much of the morning.
After we had tired of jumping in the water and swimming, we climbed out to lay in the tall grass along the embankment to dry out. We lay there for a long time not saying a word. Then Katie broke the silence and asked me what did I see in the clouds. She said that she saw a horse jumping over a fence. I said that I spotted an elephant smelling a flower with its trunk, Then, she asked Kenny what he saw and he said that he saw a bear climbing a tree. Just then, a horn sounded and scared the hi bee gi bees out of us.
It was Uncle Bob. He said that he had been at the back of the property mending a fence that was torn down in a storm they had there earlier in the week. "It's getting late you kids need to come on back towards the house before it get's any darker. Why don't the three of you jump in the back of my truck and I'll drive you back." Uncle Bob suggested. So, we climbed in and rode back with him. The air was still warm and the sun was going down making colors of light pink, blue and yellow display in the sky like a tapestry.
I felt that wonderful feeling of just being a kid and everything was good, just as it should be when you are a kid.
When we made it back to the farm house, Aunt Laura and Mom were setting the picnic tables outside and I could smell Aunt Laura's good home cooking piping out in the air from the kitchen. She had made her famous fried chicken and potato salad. Nobody around here could cook like Aunt Laura. That's why she always won blue ribbons in the county fair cook off.
I was eight years old that summer and Kenny was six. We were so excited to be at the farm where life was simpler, slower and enjoyed more. But, this would be the summer that everything changed for us through a course of events that only fate could control.
| Author Notes | This story is part fictional and part non-fiction. I am blessed to have had a Godly Aunt and Uncle in my life. |
By lynglyng
The sound of roosters crowing woke me up the next morning. Katie rolled over and said,"We better go ahead and get dressed. You know they want us to milk the cow and collect the eggs from the chicken coop." Katie said almost as if it pained her to speak the words. We both rolled out of our twin beds and slowly put on our clothes. That is how it is on the farm, everyone has a job to do and we work together.
I hadn't seen that crazy cow, Maizie, since last summer. Seeing her now was not a great excitement to me, either. We entered the barn, carrying a pail to collect the milk. As soon as Maizie saw me she went to mooing real loud and kicking around the barn. I don't know what is wrong with that crazy cow. I had my suspicions that she was demon possessed. The way she always had fits and not to everyone, just to certain people, like me. That cow didn't like me and I knew it and to be perfectly honest, I never cared for Maizie either. She scared me the way she kicked and carried on. Her fits kind of reminded me of my mom's fits.
Katie said, "Maybe it would be best if you go on and collect the eggs from the chicken coop. I can milk Maizie and we'll meet up outside the barn when we are both finished."
"Sounds like a good plan to me. I am happy to get away from that insane cow." The words were no sooner out of my mouth and Maizie went to mooing too loud again,
"I'm outta here!" I said and took off out of the barn door.
Once I was outside the barn door, the chicken coop was in plain sight. walking over to it to collect the eggs, I began to feel a little nervous. Those chickens looked mean as they were protecting their eggs. I didn't blame them if they didn't want me to reach under them and snatch what clearly belonged to them. I reached under the first chicken and prayed, asking God to not let the chicken peck my eyeballs out. To my surprise I retrieved the first egg without any confrontation from the chicken, I went form coop to coop and was able to fill my basket up without any opposition.
I was so proud of my accomplishment that I almost ran into Katie coming out of the barn. Her hair was all ruffled with straw poking out in different places.
"What happened to you?" I said trying to keep from laughing in her face.
"That crazy cow, that's what happened to me. All the cows in this world and we have to have a psycho cow," Katie said like she might start crying she was so mad.
The thing about Katie is that she was a true winner. Everything she did turned out good for her. She was really pretty. Her skin was dark and she already looked like she had a tan with summer just starting. Her hair was golden brown and her eyes were the clearest shade of blue. She was very athletic and not scared to try anything,
I think I was a little bit jealous of her. She seemed to have it all. Great parents who were kind and loving. A farm to live on all year long. She had her own horse, Malibu. Her bedroom was pink and white. She had two canopy twin beds with long white shag carpet. The thing I loved most about her bedroom was the bay window that had a window seat covered with pink and white gingham. Whoever said grass wasn't greener on the other side, never had a cousin like Katie.
I, on the other hand, was long legged, red-headed and freckled-faced. I was shy and timid about trying new things and meeting new people. I never came in first at any contest and I wasn't the least bit graceful.
It was odd that Katie could be so different from me and yet, we were the best of friends.
We took the eggs and milk into the kitchen and got ourselves washed up for breakfast. Mom was already at the table with Kenny and so was Uncle Bob reading his newspaper. Aunt Laura was at the kitchen stove frying bacon and making grits. She had already put scrambled eggs on our plates and poured all of us kids milk to drink. The kitchen smelled so good. I couldn't wait to start eating. When Aunt Laura finally put all the food on the table, we all joined hands while Uncle Bob said the blessing. I prayed that God would make Mom a better person who didn't like to hit anymore.
Then we all dug into our meals that Aunt Laura had prepared. Uncle Bob put the newspaper down and we talked to each other about things that were important and things that weren't. I loved how we came together around the big table in the kitchen and talked to each other. It was different from back home where Mom, Kenny and me just ate in front of the television on trays.
When we finished our breakfast, Katie and I had to wash the dishes. Katie said that she would wash and I could rinse. I don't know what came over Katie, she filled the sink up on her side with soap suds all the way to almost running over. Then she scooped some of the soap suds up and threw them in my face. I scooped some up and threw them back in her face we started have a soap suds war and I grabbed the sprayer and sprayed her with water.
We were having so much fun and making the biggest mess in Aunt Laura's kitchen.
All of a sudden, I felt a hand on my neck. I knew it was Mom. She dragged me out the back door of the kitchen behind the old barn and began to spank me with a hickory switch. Every lash felt like she drew blood. I screamed and cried. She told me she didn't raise me to disrespect my aunt and uncle's house like that. That I had embarrassed her. I fell to the ground weak. She picked me up and I gritted my teeth ready to take the next lashing. But, she didn't hit me again. She told me to get into that kitchen and get it cleaned up.
I was so weak from the lashes that walking was difficult, but it was better not to disobey her. Climbing up the steps to the kitchen, I saw Aunt Laura's face go white. "Amanda, what on earth happened to you my sweet child?"
Before I could answer Mom interrupted and said that I had wanted to pick some blueberries off the fence and got my legs caught in the brier bush.
"Is that what happened, Amanda?" Aunt Laura asked with tenderness in her voice.
"Yes, Ma'am."
"Well, let's get some salve to on those cuts and get you cleaned up." Aunt Laura took me to her bedroom and got the medicine out of her bathroom medicine cabinet. Katie came into the room and said, "Mama,I finished cleaning up the kitchen. What happened to Amanda?"
"She decided to pick some blueberries that aren't even in season yet." Aunt Laura said with a knowing look in her eyes.
I knew Aunt Laura knew that I hadn't been wanting to pick blueberries. She knew that the truth was different from the story Mom told her. She put a light blanket over me and fluffed my pillow, telling me that I needed to rest. She stayed with me stroking my hair until I fell asleep. I heard her whisper, "My sweet Amanda, you are going to be safe here."
By lynglyng
I slept until six o'clock that evening. The smell of Aunt Laura cooking dinner woke me up. When I tried to move my legs, the cuts stung, reminding me of the lashes Mom had put on me. Throwing back the covers and putting my feet on the hardwood floor, I followed the sound of voices roaring from the kitchen. When I entered the kitchen everyone stopped talking. There was an awkward silence. Aunt Laura spoke up saying, "Amanda find your place at the table." While she got up to fix my plate. Mom's stare bore a hole in me. Then, she spoke.
"I got a call from Larry. He said he should be here Thursday to visit with the kids and then take me back to Greenville. When he has another run through Georgia, then he will bring me back." As she shared this news, you could see the delight in her eyes that she would have time to herself without Kenny and me around to irritate her.
"I'll be sure to make a special meal on Thursday to welcome Larry to the farm. It will be good for the two of you to have some alone time together." Aunt Laura said with genuine thoughtfulness in her voice.
" We don't get much time together the way he travels. I am looking forward to being together for a few days." Mom admitted.
Then Aunt Laura told us kids to go outside and play while she did the dishes.
We took off out the back screen door. We played tag, hide and go seek and mother may I. Then, Aunt Laura came outside handing each one of us mason jars with holes punched in the lid. They were to catch fireflies in, she explained to us.
We ran around to the front of the house where Uncle Bob was cranking the handle on the home made ice cream churn. I'll have homemade banana ice cream ready not long from now. We screamed, "yeah." To that good news. Then , we started catching fireflies and putting them in our mason jars. After we had gotten our jars almost full we all three sat on the front porch steps and marveled at the fireflies lights flickering on and off inside the glass. Uncle Bob said , "You kids go inside and get washed up, the ice cream is ready."
So. We let our fireflies go into the night sky. Then we went into the house to wash our hands. When we came back on the porch, Uncle Bob had scooped each one of us a bowl full of his yummy, banana ice cream. Mom was sitting in the swing chattering away with Aunt Laura. It killed me the way she acted so sweet and normal to other people, but in private she was a monster to her own kids. The sound of Uncle Bob picking at his guitar made me forget the bad things that I had been thinking on and feel the normalcy of being at the farm with people who truly loved me.
Aunt Laura said, "Bob, how about playing "Amazing Grace" and letting Amanda sing the words.
"Okay I would love to her Suzy Que sing. It's been since last summer that we heard you sing like an angel." Uncle Bob said in a teasing way, but serious too.
Uncle Bob played the guitar and I sang along with the music. Everyone clapped and clapped when I finished singing, even Mom. But, that was probably part of her putting on airs in front of the adults.
I felt something when I sang a Christian song . It was like chill bumps came over me. I knew somehow that it was the presence of the Holy Spirit, anointing me to sing.
We all sat on the porch until late in the night listening to the crickets chirp and watching the fireflies blinking in the night.
I don't think you could have made a night more perfect and peaceful, if you tried to. I love being here at the farm and I secretly prayed to God that somehow I could stay here and never have to go back to Greenville with Mom again. I knew that was never going to happen, but I still asked anyway.
On Thursday, Katie, Kenny and me walked up the dirt road to visit with the Henderson's. They were an elderly couple who had never had children of their own. In the summertime when we were at the farm, they loved to have us kids come and visit. As we got to their driveway we could see Mr. Henderson working on something at his barn door. When he saw us, he put his tools down and said, "Well, well, well. Look what the cat dragged in." And he gave us this huge grin. I liked him a lot. He had eyes that seemed to smile along with his lips. He was always ready to tell us a story that he had made up. There was just something about him that was warm and kind. "Come on with me and let's surprise Mrs. Henderson. I think she is in the kitchen baking chocolate chip cookies as we speak." He put one finger over his lips as we went in the screen door to the kitchen."Eloise, look who I found wandering up the road?"
She turned around to see us three standing there and her eyes lit up like the fireflies had in the mason jars the night before. She let out a squeal of delight, "My precious darlings. I have been wondering when you would get around to visiting with us. I am so glad you chose today to come. I have just put two cookie sheets full of chocolate chip cookies in the oven. They should be ready in about fifteen minutes. So, tell me what the three of you have been up to. I want to hear all about school and about the first few days of summer." She said with genuine curiosity in her eyes.
I told her all about my year at school. How I was learning to add more than one row of numbers and how I won the spelling bee for the entire second grade. That I didn't like my teacher and I was glad that school was out and we were at the farm.
Katie who always had to compete with everything I said, told that she had a great year and everything had been easy for her and that she loved her teacher.
Mrs. Henderson, who was a retired school teacher, seemed to know that Katie was exaggerating a little. But, she didn't let on like she did, to Katie anyway.
Then, Kenny piped in telling how he was in kindergarten and had learned all his ABC's and123's and he would miss his kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Emily so much next year.
The buzzer went off and Mrs. Henderson got up from the table to get the cookies out of the oven. Then she gave each one of us three cookies each and a full glass of cold milk. It was like a little taste of Heaven on Earth.
When we finished our cookies we went into the living room and sat in the floor at Mr. Henderson's recliner. He made up a real scary ghost story to scare us with. We were so into his story that was getting scarier and scarier by the minute, when ding dong, ding dong, went his grandfather clock. We all thee screamed like a monster had a hold of us.
Mr. and Mrs. Henderson laughed at how jumpy his scary story had made us. When he finished his story it was time for us to head back to the farm. The Henderson's came out onto their front porch waving good-bye to us as far as they could see us go. We found a tin can in the road and began to take turns kicking it down the road. As we kicked it red dirt flew up in the air. We had a huge red cloud of dirt forming in the air. There was a loud sound coming down the narrow road. It was the sound of a transferred truck. Kenny and I both knew that sound, it was our daddy. We both took off sprinting as fast as we could to tell Mom that daddy was coming. I beat Kenny in the front door , running into the Kitchen where Mom sat with Aunt Laura snapping string beans in a bowl. "Amanda, what has come over you? Why are you barging into the house like this?" Mom asked as if she were going to get mad at my behavior.
"Mom, Daddy is coming down the road." I said breathless from running.
Mom jumped up from the table and went to the mirror in the foyer. She patted her hair and licked her lips. Then she smoothed the front of her dress down. She went to the porch and watched Daddy pull the big rig into the long driveway and park near the back pasture. Kenny and me ran to him as he jumped down out of the cab. "Daddy, Daddy" we both cried with excitement.
"My little angels." Daddy said and picked both of us up turning us upside down. We giggled at being carried upside down by our strong father. He put us down when he got a sight of Mom.
She was a very beautiful woman. Daddy, never tired of telling her how beautiful she was. He said, "What a vision of beauty, little lady. You get prettier every time I leave and come back."
Daddy was six feet tall and Mom was five feet four inches short. Daddy always picked Mom up to kiss her. He kissed her and put her back on the ground. Man, are you a sight for sore eyes, Daddy told Mom. She was so sweet and happy when Daddy was home. I wondered if he were home regularly if Mom would stop being so mad and hitting me.
Aunt Laura came out on the front porch and came down the steps to give her brother-in-law a hello hug. "I've made a special dinner for your visit at the farm. It's good to have you here. How long can you stay?" Aunt Laura asked.
"I can't stay longer than tonight, I'm afraid. We'll have to leave about noontime tomorrow for me to get my load delivered on time in Greenville." Daddy said as if he really did regret not having more time to visit on the farm.
I was glad to hear that Mom was going tomorrow. Noon time couldn't come soon enough, although I wished I could have had more time with Daddy. It was bittersweet , I guess.
That night when I went to bed, Daddy came in to tuck me in the covers. He said, "Good night my sweet princess angel. I love you."
"I love you too, Daddy." Then I gave him a real big hug and kiss.
I went right to sleep that night. There was something extra comforting knowing that my Daddy was there at the farm with us.
The next morning went by fast. Noontime was there before we knew it. I went and stood by the big cab while Daddy put Mom's suitcase inside. "Now, you be a good girl, Amanda and take care of your brother." Daddy said almost like an order from the general.
"Yes, sir, Daddy. I will take care of Kenny, I always do." He didn't know how true that statement was.
Mom came out and gave me and Kenny a kiss on the cheek. "You two kids be good for your aunt and uncle. I will be back in about a week." With that Daddy helped her climb up in the cab. They pulled out of the long winding driveway with a cloud of red dirt filling the air again.
I was so glad she was gone. It was like a fresh feeling, a free feeling that life was good and I was just a normal kid.
Katie interrupted my thoughts, "Let's go swimming at the pond." So, we took off racing to see who could get there first.
| Author Notes | Some of the best things in life are free. |
By lynglyng
The next week on the farm was so much fun without Mom's watchful eye on me every second. It was also good because Uncle Bob and Aunt Laura had revival at their church. I loved to go to church with them.
There was a special, clean feeling I got the moment we walked into the little white church. I had chill bumps come over me and I believed it was the Holy Spirit that I felt.
The evangelist got up to speak and he explained the plan of salvation. I got a tugging on my heart that made me feel like I needed to ask Jesus to forgive me of my sins and ask Him to be my Lord and Savior. I tapped on Aunt Laura's arm and she bent over for me to whisper in her ear, "I want to go ask Jesus to come live in my heart. Will you go with me?" She smiled that loving smile and took my hand. We walked down the aisle together to where the preacher was standing at the altar. I told him what I told Aunt Laura. He asked me if I understood what sin is. I explained as best I could in my eight year old way that it was when you did something against Gods' Holy Word. The rules he wants us to follow in His Holy Bible. The preacher led me in the sinners prayer.
On the way home from church, Aunt Laura and Uncle Bob couldn't stop talking about how proud they were of me for making the most important decision I would ever make and that was the decision to follow Christ Jesus as my Lord and Savior. Uncle Bob said, I am going to get out the ice cream churn It's time for another celebration.
Uncle Bob only got out the ice cream churn for very special occasions. Usually when we arrived on the farm he would make ice cream. Then on the Fourth of July and on Labor Day. So, I knew this was extra special to him that he would go to the trouble of making the ice cream.
Katie, Kenny and me ran around in the yard doing cartwheels and playing tag. The air was still very warm even though the sun had been gone down for a few hours now. I went to sit on the porch with Aunt Laura in the swing. She put her arm around me and told me how proud she was that I had accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.
"You are a very special little girl, Amanda. I believe that God has His hand on you. He gave you a very special talent to sing. He means for you to use it for His glory." Aunt Laura was so kind to me. She always made me feel like I could do anything or be anybody that I wanted to be. I wished in my heart that she were my mother instead of the one I had.
"Amanda, wait come inside with me for a minute." Aunt Laura told me. So, I followed her into her bedroom. She opened a drawer in her dresser and pulled out a little wooden box. Opening it she got out a little white new testament. "My mother gave this to me when I got saved. I want you to have it."
I was so excited. I gave her a hug and thanked her. My eyes got all misty. It meant a lot to me that she would think so much of me to give me something she had cherished for so many years. I knew at that moment that I, too would cherish this new testament for years to come.
I went straight to the room I shared with Katie in the summer and put it in my nightstand that I used while visiting. I read that Bible every night before I went to sleep from that night on.
One morning I woke up early and heard Uncle Bob going out the back screen door. "Uncle Bob, wait. Where are you going so early?"
"I go to the pond every morning to pray and ask God to direct my steps throughout the day. I read my Bible and spend time being quiet so I can hear him speak to me."
"Can I come with you?" I asked Uncle Bob.
"Well, I would love to have you come with me, but it is a special time I like to spend alone with God. If you come along you will have to be very quiet. Do you think you can be very quiet?
"Yes, sir. I can be very, very quiet." I promised.
"Well, Okay." Uncle Bob said.
"Wait a few minutes, I need to go upstairs and get my New Testament."
I ran upstairs and got my New Testament and met Uncle Bob outside.
We walked through the woods and to the bench in front of the pond.
Uncle Bob prayed out loud. Then he opened his Bible and began to read silently. I opened mine and began to read. Then he closed his Bible and closed his eyes. After a long while he opened them and said he was ready to head back to the house for breakfast.
When we got back to the house Aunt Laura already had our plates fixed and waiting for us on the table.
Katie and Kenny were still asleep. We said the blessing and began to eat.
Aunt Laura said that she was going to talk to the pastor and see if I could sing one night during revival. "Would you stand up and sing in church, Amanda? God gave you that beautiful voice to use for His glory."
"Yes, ma'am. I will sing in front of people. I want to use my voice for God's glory."
Alright then, I will call him later today and see if they can schedule you one night to sing.
I have to go to town to get some fabric to make you and Katie some new dresses. Why don't you come with me shopping. Katie and Kenny can stay and help your Uncle Bob with chores on the farm today.
"Yes, ma'am. Sounds real good to me." I said with a big smile on my face.
"Well, go upstairs and put on some good clothes. We'll leave after I clean up the kitchen."
I was so happy. It had been one of the best weeks of my life. No walking on eggshells wondering if I was gonna upset Mom and throw her into one of her fits. It was just as it should be when you were a kid. Fun and easy. I dreaded the day she would come back and my happy world would be once again a prison of sorts. But, I wasn't going to let my thoughts of Mom ruin my good shopping day with Aunt Laura.
I put on my best pink shorts and a white t-shirt that had a purple and pink heart in the middle. I brushed my hair into a pony tail and put a pink bow in it. Then, I went back downstairs to wait for Aunt Laura. By then, Katie and Kenny were up and eating breakfast.
"How come Amanda gets to go shopping and I have to stay here?" Katie asked in a whiny tone.
Because, you get to go shopping with me anytime and Amanda only gets to go when she is here in the summer. I will take you and Kenny next time. You Daddy needs you to help with the chores.
"Oh, okay. But, will you get me some of that chocolate that I like from Mr Robinson's store?" Katie begged.
"Yes, I will get you and Kenny some." Aunt Laura promised.
Then, we said good-bye and headed out to the car. Aunt Laura had a long Cadillac. I got in the front seat beside her and she started backing down the long driveway. I think maybe she could have turned around and drove front ways better. But, I was just a kid and what did I know, really.
I remember that day like it was yesterday. We drove into town and she took me to the hair dresser and had my hair cut. Then we went to this little hamburger joint and she got me a cheeseburger and a vanilla milkshake. After we ate we walked across the street to the fabric shop. She let me pick out three fabrics that I liked for my dresses and they didn't have to match Katie. Then, we started back to the farm.
"Amanda, I know that your mama put those switch marks on your legs the other day. I don't plan on letting her do that to you or to Kenny anymore. Your mother has problems. Problems that a little girl your age can't understand. I took you with me to go shopping today because I think you are old enough to understand what I am about to tell you. Your mother has depression and mental problems. That means that she has really bad moods that she cannot control. I think she takes her bad moods out on you a lot. She loves you, she just doesn't know how to let you know and she doesn't know how to vent her bad moods without taking her anger out on others." Aunt Laura stopped, like maybe she had said too much.
"How are you going to stop her from hitting me?" I asked Aunt Laura.
"Your daddy didn't take her back to Greenville. He took her to a mental hospital in Columbia, South Carolina. She will have to see a doctor there and get help for her depression. When they have her medication under control then she can come home again. But, Your daddy wants me and your Uncle Bob to have temporary custody of you and Kenny until we see how well your mother's treatments help.
"Does that mean we get to stay on the farm even when school starts? I asked super excited.
"Well, I am not sure how long all this is going to take. So, let's cross that bridge when we get to it."
"I love you, Aunt Laura."
"I love you my sweet Amanda."
| Author Notes | Sometimes blessings come from trials we go through. |
By lynglyng
Aunt Laura got a call from the pastor's secretary and said that they had scheduled me to sing on Friday night. Aunt Laura told me, "Amanda, you are going to sing on Friday night. I want you to practice until then. Why don't you come into the parlor and I will play the piano and you can practice."
"Okay, Aunt Laura." I practiced for about one hour. Then, I begged her to go play with Katie and Kenny.
"You can go play. I almost have your new dress ready. Do you want to see it?"
"Yes, ma'am."
It was the prettiest dress I had ever seen. It was blue satin with white lace trim. It has puff sleeves and a big bow sash in the back.
"Aunt Laura, thank you for making me the prettiest dress in the world." I said as I hugged her.
"You are more than welcome. I thought you could wear it this Friday night to church." Aunt Laura said like she was thinking about how cute I would look in that dress singing.
"Oh, I can't wait to wear it. Can I take it to my room and hang it up?"
"Yes, dear. Go ahead and do that, then find Katie and the two of you can help me get supper ready."
I ran up the stairs and flew open the bedroom door, almost scarring Katie's socks off.
"Katie, look at my new dress. Isn't it so pretty?" I asked overly excited.
"I guess." is all she said looking up only for a moment and then back down to her book.
"Aunt Laura, said for us to come downstairs and help with supper."
"You mean, Mama. She's my mama, not yours, Amanda." Katie said with a hateful sound in her voice.
" I never said she was my mama." I said back to her and left the room and stomped back downstairs.
Katie followed behind me, shortly. We didn't talk or look at each other all the way through supper.
Uncle Bob said, "It sure is quiet tonight." looking at Aunt Laura across the table.
After what seemed like the longest supper ever ,we went back upstairs to get ready to go to revival.
I loved going to church. This revival was going strong. People were getting saved and the Holy Spirit was moving in a mighty way.
When Katie and I were in our room together she started telling me that she wished I would go home. That she was tired of me getting all the attention.
I didn't know what to say to her. I was hurt and mad. So, I just prayed about it and asked God to change Katie's heart. I prayed about a lot of things. That God would heal my Mom. That He would keep my daddy safe on the road. That He would use my singing for His glory.
That night at church the Evangelist spoke on forgiveness and how we are to love our neighbor. The Holy Spirit moved greatly in that service too. On the way home Katie said, "Amanda, I am sorry that I said that to you earlier today. I am glad you are here at the farm and I don't want you to go home."
"It's okay. I am glad I am here at the farm with you too." I said genuinely.
Then we were home and everything was like before we had our fight.
On Friday night as we walked into the church, I felt a case of butterflies in my stomach. Aunt Laura led me to the front of the church and she put her music sheets on the piano. She was going to play for me.
When it was time for me to sing, I sang as best as I could and in my heart, I said this is for the glory of you My Lord.
The Holy Spirit anointed my voice. I saw people raising their hands and praising God as I sang. After church a hole bunch of people came up to me and shook my hand or patted me on the back commenting on what a pretty voice I had. I thanked everyone that said that to me.
That summer the course of my life changed forever. My mother did not get better, she got worse. They could not find the right medication to help her. We stayed on the farm and lived there from that summer on. The lessons I learned about trusting God and spending time alone in His presence grew me spiritually to have strong roots in my faith. Then college happened. I left the farm and went to Duke University and then took law there. I became a lawyer and moved to Atlanta. There I met my husband, Ethan.
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