Fritzi did live, they were in danger of losing her. They always said that “Once you’ve been to Milwaukee, you’re never the same.”
THE LETTERS
P OINT C LEAR , A LABAMA
I N THE PAST WEEK , S OOKIE HAD GONE THROUGH ALL THE FOOD SHE had stashed away in case of an emergency. She hadn’t stepped out of the house. But now even she couldn’t face another frozen shrimp. She really had to do a little grocery shopping. So she waited until noon, when she knew Lenore was safely at the Red Hat Society ladies luncheon. After she finished her shopping, she thought of something else she needed to do while she was out, so she whipped around the corner and parked in the back of the bank.
She went in and opened up their security box and removed the two letters she had written almost three years ago and reread them.
Dear Family,
If anything should happen to me as far as my mental health, I am saying good-bye to you now while I am still of sound mind. I want you to know that you are the very best thing that ever happened to me and that you have always been my constant joy and pride. I don’t know what I ever did to deserve such awonderful husband and children. Take good care of each other, and try and remember me when I was well.
I will love you forever,
Mother
Then, she opened up the one to Earle.
To My Darling Earle,
Promise me if something should happen, please feel free to divorce me and remarry. I want you to be happy, and you need someone to take care of you. Sweetheart, thank you for all the wonderful years we did have. When I’m gone, take care of Mother as best you can, and let Dee Dee help you. She is devoted to Lenore and will be happy to take over the paperwork.
Always,
Your loving wife,
Sookie
P.S. Pleasant Hill has recently raised their prices, so I have checked around for places a little less expensive. Try Brice’s Institution in Tuscaloosa first. I think they may take Blue Cross.
P.P.S. Marvaleen told me on the QT that she thinks you are very handsome. Just a thought …
When Sookie reread the last letter, she was so glad Earle had not seen it. Marvaleen? What had she been thinking? Marvaleen was far too new age for Earle. Marvaleen wore thong underwear—not that there was anything wrong with that, but it would be a little too much for Earle. Sookie knew she really was the perfect wife for Earle. He had always said so, and now she could clearly see he was right. She knew exactly how he liked his corn bread: thin and crispy. He wouldn’t be happy with anyone else but her. She tore both letters up and threw them away.
Sookie realized that starting today, she was going to have to reset her thinking. For years, she had lived with the fear of the Simmons gene, but now that was a worry she didn’t have anymore. Of course, she didn’t know about the Jurdabralinski genes, but she was fairly certain nobody could be crazier than the Simmonses.
As Sookie drove home from the bank, she suddenly remembered it was Monday and ducked down in her seat and hid as she drove past the cemetery. Her mother’s car was there, but thank heavens, she hadn’t spotted Sookie’s car. That was another thing Lenore had put her through. It was so irritating to think that she had gone to all that hassle and trouble to move her great-grandfather there, and now it turns out she wasn’t even related to him. The man was a complete stranger!
She felt like such a fool. Lenore had made her do all that stuff, knowing full well she wasn’t a Simmons. Honestly!
And it wouldn’t be so bad if the woman had ever once said thank you or even appreciated it. Lenore didn’t even seem to have a clue or notice what all she had put her through.
Last year, after the mayor’s lawsuit, when she was driving her mother home from the courthouse, Sookie had asked, “Mother, do you have any idea how hard it is to be your daughter?”
Lenore had looked at her completely puzzled. “Why, what an odd question. Hard? In what way, hard? I think I
THE LETTERS
P OINT C LEAR , A LABAMA
I N THE PAST WEEK , S OOKIE HAD GONE THROUGH ALL THE FOOD SHE had stashed away in case of an emergency. She hadn’t stepped out of the house. But now even she couldn’t face another frozen shrimp. She really had to do a little grocery shopping. So she waited until noon, when she knew Lenore was safely at the Red Hat Society ladies luncheon. After she finished her shopping, she thought of something else she needed to do while she was out, so she whipped around the corner and parked in the back of the bank.
She went in and opened up their security box and removed the two letters she had written almost three years ago and reread them.
Dear Family,
If anything should happen to me as far as my mental health, I am saying good-bye to you now while I am still of sound mind. I want you to know that you are the very best thing that ever happened to me and that you have always been my constant joy and pride. I don’t know what I ever did to deserve such awonderful husband and children. Take good care of each other, and try and remember me when I was well.
I will love you forever,
Mother
Then, she opened up the one to Earle.
To My Darling Earle,
Promise me if something should happen, please feel free to divorce me and remarry. I want you to be happy, and you need someone to take care of you. Sweetheart, thank you for all the wonderful years we did have. When I’m gone, take care of Mother as best you can, and let Dee Dee help you. She is devoted to Lenore and will be happy to take over the paperwork.
Always,
Your loving wife,
Sookie
P.S. Pleasant Hill has recently raised their prices, so I have checked around for places a little less expensive. Try Brice’s Institution in Tuscaloosa first. I think they may take Blue Cross.
P.P.S. Marvaleen told me on the QT that she thinks you are very handsome. Just a thought …
When Sookie reread the last letter, she was so glad Earle had not seen it. Marvaleen? What had she been thinking? Marvaleen was far too new age for Earle. Marvaleen wore thong underwear—not that there was anything wrong with that, but it would be a little too much for Earle. Sookie knew she really was the perfect wife for Earle. He had always said so, and now she could clearly see he was right. She knew exactly how he liked his corn bread: thin and crispy. He wouldn’t be happy with anyone else but her. She tore both letters up and threw them away.
Sookie realized that starting today, she was going to have to reset her thinking. For years, she had lived with the fear of the Simmons gene, but now that was a worry she didn’t have anymore. Of course, she didn’t know about the Jurdabralinski genes, but she was fairly certain nobody could be crazier than the Simmonses.
As Sookie drove home from the bank, she suddenly remembered it was Monday and ducked down in her seat and hid as she drove past the cemetery. Her mother’s car was there, but thank heavens, she hadn’t spotted Sookie’s car. That was another thing Lenore had put her through. It was so irritating to think that she had gone to all that hassle and trouble to move her great-grandfather there, and now it turns out she wasn’t even related to him. The man was a complete stranger!
She felt like such a fool. Lenore had made her do all that stuff, knowing full well she wasn’t a Simmons. Honestly!
And it wouldn’t be so bad if the woman had ever once said thank you or even appreciated it. Lenore didn’t even seem to have a clue or notice what all she had put her through.
Last year, after the mayor’s lawsuit, when she was driving her mother home from the courthouse, Sookie had asked, “Mother, do you have any idea how hard it is to be your daughter?”
Lenore had looked at her completely puzzled. “Why, what an odd question. Hard? In what way, hard? I think I
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