i placed a call to my husband a few minutes ago,
''uuuh, there is no easy way to tell you this ,
your mother just died.''
''when? last night?'' he asked.
''no, just a few minutes ago,'' i replied.
his mother was over eighty years old.
it was her time, she was ready.
but,
you see,
she always claimed to be his sister.
she had this child [my hysband] out of wedlock,
in a day when it wasn't acceptable,
in a small town where everybody knew and pretended they didn't.
the affair was a town scandel that goes on to this day.
he was a married, prominant man in the canadian service,with children of his own.
she worked at the local legion.
and,
a child was born.
fortunatley for this child,
his grandmother raised him as her own,
she already had twelve kids,
add one more,
a bakers dozen.
my husband loved the woman he called mom.
but,
he grew up with the whispers...........,
in schools,
the churches,
medical offices,
everywhere.
and,
next week there will be more whispers,
because this lady did eventually marry and have five more children,
they think my husband is their uncle,
they don't know [for sure] he is their older brother.
i think some of them,
or at least one of them does know.
my daughters are her grandchildren,
they call her Aunty Betty.
when my girls were old enough we talked about the truth.
my daughters know,
and,
like a good co-dependant, dysfunctional family........,
they have learned to keep the secret.
now,
i have to go tell my girls,
aunty betty has just died.

again............,

                                                  God,
                             grant me the serenty to accept the things i cannot change,
                                               the courage to change the things i can,
                                               and,
                                               the WISOM TO KNOW THE DIFFERENCE.

blessings,
jewely