Chapters (38)
- one
- two
- three
- four
- five
- six
- seven
- eight
- nine
- ten
- eleven
- twelve
- thirteen
- fourteen
- fifteen
- sixteen
- seventeen
- eighteen
- nineteen
- twenty
- twenty-one
- twenty-two
- twenty-three
- twenty-four
- twenty-five
- twenty-six
- twenty-seven
- twenty-eight
- twenty-nine
- thirty
- thirty-one
- thirty-two
- thirty-three
- thirty-four
- thirty-five
- thirty-six
- thirty-seven
- epilogue
Blood, sweat and tears converted to bits and bytes.
Halle wove back and forth through my legs and bleated in Felinese, “I haven’t had Fancy Feast in hours.” I wasn’t moving toward the kitchen, so she bit my foot and hid under the bed. “Fine, cat,” I told her. “I’ll feed you tonight, when you’ll appreciate your server properly.”
I wondered if Violet would be angry that I hadn’t used “Everybody Loved Her” as the title. I took out the letter I’d found taped at the end of the purple journal.
Dear Ronni,
By the time you find this you’ll have discovered a darker side of my life I didn’t discuss, with you or with anyone. I wanted to, on a couple of occasions, but I was afraid you’d have thought less of me for staying with my husband. I didn’t want you to see the woman I saw in the mirror back then. She was weak and it took me years to forgive her. It was a different time, though, and Tolly got away with things no man would these days.
One reason I wanted you to write my story was to show you that a person can survive the most difficult experiences and go on to lead a joyful life. I did, and you will, despite what your mother and others did to you.
I see so much strength and beauty in you, Ronni. I love your humor. I love your spirit. You’re smart and funny and loving. You’re everything I imagine my daughter to be, and I can only hope and pray she grew up with the love and attention every child deserves.
I believe everyone comes into our lives for a reason. You came to show me my life with a daughter, the most precious gift imaginable. I hope you always remember how much I love you.
Violet
P.S.―The envelope taped below has the picture you took of me at the school entrance and one Sam took of Johnny and me in our junior year. We were supposed to look like we were jitterbugging. There’s also a costume jewelry bracelet with little angels I wore in high school, and I hope you’ll wear it and think of me. All my “good” jewelry was sold and the proceeds donated to a women’s shelter in Birmingham.
I’d slid the photos out first. Violet’s pose for me was exactly as it had been all those years before, only with Johnny opposite her and their hands and feet stretched to meet in the middle of the archway. They were laughing. I could practically feel the joy radiating from the image Sam captured of two beautiful people in love and on top of the world.