Mabe's Burden Read Online Free PDF

got to Little Rock.”
    “ Arkansas? Why
there?”
    “ To be honest, it sounded
like a great place to raise a kid, so I stopped. I got a job
waiting tables at a little diner downtown. I spent a few weeks at
the Salvation Army women’s shelter—”
    “ Oh no, why didn’t you call
me? We could have figured out something to tell Da. He went crazy
after you left. He went straight to Rod’s house, banged on the door
in the middle of the night. He was positive you were
there.”
    “ Oh, my God, no.”
    Mabe nodded. “He was furious, but Rod’s
father helped me calm him down. Of course they hadn’t seen you. His
dad helped me get Da home. It was ugly, I tell you.”
    “ I didn’t tell him about the
baby because I didn’t want to screw up his life. Mine was already
ruined, or so I thought at the time. I knew I’d keep the baby, so
running away seemed like the right idea at the time.”
    A tear trickled out of Mabe’s eye. She
couldn’t imagine what Meg’s life must have been like, how terrified
she must have been being in a different state a world away from
where she’d grown up, alone and pregnant. She reached for her
sister’s hand, squeezed it tight. “You were very brave. I wouldn’t
have had the guts to pull it off. Wasn’t it dangerous living in the
Salvation Army place?”
    She snorted softly. “I was scared, I
have to tell you. Here I was a young, naïve, stupid girl, with pale
skin, blue eyes with raven hair. Let me rephrase, I was terrified.
But…I was very fortunate to meet a woman who owned the diner where
I worked. When she learned my situation, she let me live above the
diner in a little one bedroom apartment.”
    “ Wow, someone was watching
over you, that’s for sure. Did you stay there until Emma was
born?”
    “ I did. The woman’s name was
Marjorie. She talked me into going to college. I graduated with a
teaching certificate and started teaching elementary school. I
found a job at a private school which also had a Pre-K program. We
were able to get a larger apartment near the school so it worked
out great after all.”
    Mabe stared at her sister. This was the
woman who could barely pass a test in high school. Now, she was a
teacher. She was about to praise her and tell her how proud she
was, but the phone rang. She held up a finger and reached for it.
“Hello?”
    “ Mabe? It’s
Mara.”
    “ Oh, my God, I didn’t think
I’d hear from you.”
    “ Thanks a lot. He was my
father, too, you know.”
    “ I-I know. I didn’t mean to
be harsh. I just wasn’t sure I had the right cell number.” Mabe
rolled her eyes at Meg.
    “ Still acting superior?” she
mouthed.
    Mabe nodded. “Where are
you?”
    “ I’m at the airport in New
York. I should arrive in Tallahassee around six tonight. Can you
pick me up?”
    “ Eek, they’re delivering
Da’s body to the funeral home this afternoon. I have an appointment
with the funeral director at five. What’s your flight number? I’ll
see what I can do about having someone pick you up.”
    “ American, flight 878. I’d
appreciate it. I hate to take a taxi so far.”
    “ Meg’s here,” she informed
her sister. “She’s—”
    “ Great, tell her hi. Gotta
run. See you tonight.”
    “ Mara? Hello?” She stared at
the phone. “She hung up on me.”
    Meg smiled sympathetically. “Same old
sister. She always did love to lord it over everyone. Do you want
me to pick her up at the airport?”
    She rejoined Meg at the table. “Would
you mind going to the funeral home with me? I’d really like your
company. I’m not sure I know what I’m doing. I can ask Jake if he’d
pick her up.”
    Meg grabbed her hand. “Of course I
will, sweetie. You just tell me what you need. I’m here now. You
don’t have to do this alone. Should we wait for Mara?”
    “ No, I’ll call Jake. She can
meet us back here.” She punched another button on her phone. “Hey,
how’s the pub?”
    “ Quiet,” he responded. “You
okay?”
    She nodded. “Yeah