Amy & Isabelle Page #6

So I dropped out of college and

I moved down to Shirley Falls.

I thought, maybe I could

find a husband here.

But...

I bought a wedding band

at the Five & Ten.

And when anyone asked,

I said I was a widow.

When you're in the middle

of a lie like that...

Growing up I thought that I'd get

married and have a nice family.

It's still so strange that it

hasn't happened that way.

Jake died right before

I moved to Shirley Falls.

He had a stroke.

But I never thought of Evelyn.

I never thought of her.

I should really go up.

You've been alone all this time.

Come here.

I did not think that

night of Avery Clark.

I thought about

my friends downstairs.

These women had heard

my story of a life falsely lived...

of other lives hurt

by my actions.

And wept wlth me.

And then, wlth tender kindness,

they had kissed me goodnight.

I'm right here.

Right here.

We destroyed your living room.

Might as well make pancakes

and wreck the kitchen.

Wreck it, it doesn't matter.

Here you go.

How's Amy?

How's she doing?

She's slept.

She'll be down in a minute.

You take it one day at a time.

My cousin used to say the way to eat

an elephant is one bite at a time.

I like that.

One bite at a time.

Amy Goodrow. You come down and

let a fat old woman give you a hug.

Come on. Do it for me.

A new feeling was taking hold.

A mild flavor of freedom.

A realization that I wouldn't

be making my bed that day.

Nor would Amy and

I be going to church.

I would have to rearrange my life.

I knew that now.

Wlthout Avery Clark at lts core.

In fact, I would be

taking some time off.

I was wrong not to tell

you this a long time ago.

I'm related to people out there.

Carrots, potatoes, beef.

Cube, no more than one inch.

- I don't like big chunks.

- What spices do you use though?

Salt and pepper. Never anything,

but salt and pepper.

You heard, they found

that missing Anne Kay girl...

in the trunk of some car

by a couple of teenagers?

I wish, they find the guy

who did it and arrest him.

Hang him up by his toenails.

Hang in there, Dot.

You'll look better.

Time helps.

Time always helps.

Way to eat an elephant, huh?

I have some indigestion

with this one, I can tell you.

I'm sure you do.

Let's call Isabelle.

See what she's doing.

Soon Amy would be

starting school again.

And we were different.

Do you think,

Evelyn told them about me?

Honey, I don't know. I was a child

the last time I saw that woman.

- What's the daughter's name, Callie?

- Yes. Short for Catherine, I believe.

Callie Cunningham.

That's so cute.

After we dry your hair, let 's

put just a touch of make-up on.

Go ahead.

It was amazing. After years of

holding on tight to the shame...

how Ilttle I cared

if other people knew.

I felt exposed to be sure,

yet cleaner.

Okay, Mom, I'm done.

I rewrote the letter

many times that night.

"Dear Evelyn, may I apologize for

again intruding into your life?"

After that, there was

nothing to do, but walt.

One more season passing.

One more summer gone.

Nothing was forever. Nothing.

Evelyn's been in a hospital, which

is why she didn't answer right away.

She hopes, I didn't feel snubbed.

Her three children were told

a few years ago of the baby.

Your sister wants to meet you.

"Catherine just got married and

she's moved back East near you.

- I think a few hours away."

- They don't call her Callie anymore?

"The family's coming back

the last Saturday of the month...

for the baptism of

Catherine's new baby.

I know it's short notice, but would

you like to bring Amy down...

for one of those

days for a visit?"

It might be boring. I mean,

relatives are usually boring.

I think, my mother is afraid

that they won't like her.

But she's let me go to the party

at Karen's. Are you going?

I doubt it.

I'll probably just hang out.

The party'll suck.

- You ready?

- One second.

- Do I look all right?

- I love you in that.

My job now is to release

Amy to the world.

To deliver my daughter

into the lap of her family.

Relatives who are hers, not mine.

I would always

remember this drive...

as the end of Amy's

solitary childhood...

and of those endless days

of that hot summer.

It was my heart's call

in the clear autumn air:

Amy.

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