Acquiring Trouble

won't let you stay. He'll destroy you like he has me. But," her mother pushed her back and looked into her eyes, "we don't have to say goodbye forever. Your father is always working on his sermons from three to five every Saturday. Call me then. Let me know where you are and how you're doing. I can't belie ve my baby got into Georgetown!"
    Her mother reached for her again and crushed her to her chest. Morgan felt the tears that she had buried release. Her mother soothed her as she felt wave after wave of tears pour out of her.
    "Here, honey. I want to give you something." Her mother hurried away into the laundry room and returned a couple seconds later. In her hand was a silver necklace with a black onyx horse with a long tail and proud head.
    "What's this?" Morgan asked as her mother laid the necklace in her hand.
    "Your true father gave it to me. He loved Morgan horses. This was a replica of his horse. That's how you got your name —t o remind me of your father every time I heard my husband say your name. I'm sure that was wrong of me, but it's what got me through the years. I couldn't show you affection, but I felt it. Please, please say you'll forgive me." Her mother's frail hands grabbed hers with more strength than Morgan thought was possible. She felt something else placed in her hand and her mother squeezed. 
    "Of course I do. Is it bad to say that I’m relieved? So many things make sense now."
    "I’ m so sorry I didn't tell you earlier. I should’ve l eft all those years ago, but I’ m not as strong as you are. You better go before he comes home. Here, take this." She removed her hand and Morgan looked down at the large wad of cash.
    "Mom? Where'd this come from?"
    "Every week my husband gives me money for household things. I took a fourth of it and put it aside to save. I want you to have it. I want you to do all the things I ever dreamed of. Education, travel, independence —y ou have all the makings of a strong woman and I know you’ll succeed because you’ve never backed down . P romise me you never will ."
    "I will, Mom. I’ll never let anyone put me down. "
    Morgan kissed her mother and picked up her bags. With one last look over her shoulder s he walked out of her house. As the darkness fell she stashed her bags in the large rose bushes next to Miss Lily's house and headed to the graduation party. She told her Mom she'd never back down and the first step was to tell Miles how she felt before catc hing the bus to Washington DC.
     
    *      *      *
     
    Morgan dried her tears and put the car in gear. It was time to go visit her mother again. She drove to the cemetery in Keeneston with a heavy heart. She had called her mother every Saturday at 3:30 for the next eight years . They had a relationship that was closer than any mother and child could have, and all in secret.
    Then one Saturday she had called and Pam had picked up the phone. Morgan recognized the voice, but Pam had not. When she asked for Mrs. Hamilton , Pam tearfully told her she had passed away in her sleep last Saturday afternoon. Apparently after their last talk she had gone to take a nap and never woke up. The funeral was to be the next day after a service i n her honor.
    Morgan had driven home, hidden in the back of the church and let the anger harden her even more. Her "father" hadn’t shed a tear. He was a peacock preening under the attention. When the service moved to the cemetery she had followed far behind. She had stepped into the old cemetery and hidden behind a huge m aple tree . Only after everyone had left did she go to her mother's grave and grieve. She laid red roses against the headstone and , with her hands , dug in the fresh dirt as she sat on her knees. She took off her necklace and placed it in the hole before covering it again.
    "Now you two may enjoy peace and happiness, together," she whispered to her mother.
    As she stood over her mother's grave now , she looked at the spot where she buried that necklace and knew that her mother was happy. Never back down. Well, she sure as hell wasn't going t o do that now, even for the only man she'd ever loved.

 
Chapter Eight
     
    Kenna handed the last gift to Katelyn as Paige readied herself to take notes. Katelyn ripped into the large heavy gift and everyone oohed and aahed at the appropriate time.
    "Thank you for the frying pan, Miss Violet . Gosh knows Marshall doesn't have too many of these lying around."
    "Well, dear, they're good for keeping him in