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The
first time I met him I felt uneasy.
Darin (Mom's brother) had introduced him to Mom. His name was Ed. He was tall and nice looking, light brown
hair and hazel eyes. He drove a yellow
Cadillac. Mom was enthralled.
Ed became
an item. He took us out to eat and tried
to be nice to me but for some reason I did not trust him. Without even trying, there was boldness, like
a wall, rising up inside me when it came to him.
One weekend
Mom, Ed and Bronco went on a trip and left me with Grandma. I kept thinking about living with
Grandma. I didn’t want to live at home
anymore. I also knew that Grandma didn’t have
room for me in her living quarters behind her store.
Darin (Mom's youngest brother)
stopped by to see Grandma. I was watching television and I was laughing. I
heard him say; "It's so good to hear laughter. We need more of that around
here." (I had been afraid of Darin because of his drinking. This night he was sober. ) At that moment, I saw his sadness and
hurt. My heart went out to him. I told him "good bye" when he left. I
did not know the measure of sadness Darin carried, and how he would affect the
family.
When Mom
came after me, Ed came in with her. For
some reason Mom and Grandma began arguing, I knew it had something to do with
Ed.
Although I knew he had tried, he
had not charmed Grandma either.
“Wanda,
if you keep this up you are going to ruin Gloria’s life!”
“Gloria
has already ruined my life” Mom shot
back and walked out the door with Ed and Bronco following. Grandma looked at me, I hesitated one minute
and then I walked out the door behind my mother.
I was
sitting in the back of the yellow Cadillac still reeling from Mom’s words;
“Gloria has already ruined my
life." Mom, in the front passenger seat,
held up her left hand so I could see the new diamond engagement ring she wore.
(Mom
never did apologize for what she had said about me. But, it stuck in my mind
and heart.)
