Violet's Kismet

Chapter 26: Healing Mary

Chapter 26

Healing Mary

I attended church with Grandmamma and Paul the following Sunday morning. I was pretty much out cold after Aunt Mel had left; I was tired from all of the festivities. I was wearing a really cool ivory lace open cardigan with a black tee shirt underneath and black leggings with flats. my hair was straight that day since I didn't curl it, with the curling iron, I curled it under with the blow dryer and my round brush. My make-up looked really awesome, lots of black eye-liner, black mascara, and pink eye-shadow, which looked really good with my natural auburn hair. I had on my new cat's eye necklace, but I still couldn't wear the cat's eye bracelet, since it was broken. Amazingly, when I wore the cat's eye necklace, that morning, after I had put it on when I was finished constructing my outfit for church, I felt much more serene inside than I had felt before. 

Was it a coincidence since I had just had a wonderful birthday party, broken a school record in the 1600 meter race and kissed Damian all in less than 48 hours? Or was it due to the necklace, that I had felt so much more peace inside, than I normally did? I wasn’t worrying about the past, I wasn't questioning the future, I was just, going along with the motions of the day, worry free.

I rode with Paul and Grandmamma to church in Paul's silver 2014, Lexus IS, he had just traded in his maroon 2013 Lexus, RX 350 for it. We arrived at Blessed Sacrament Catholic church at 9:45 am. 15 minutes early, since Grandmamma hated to be late for anything. I could see Damian and his family of 8, piling into the church as his parents greeted Amy's parents. Ugh. Grandmamma stopped to talk to Mr. & Mrs. Perdue outside, as Mrs. Perdue had actually been the one to boisterously greet Grandmamma Paul and I as we walked the from the car in the parking lot towards the church. 

“Hello Paul and Maple, top of the Sunday mornin' to ya!”

“Hello Eloise.” Grandmamma said to Mrs. Perdue as that was her first name.

“Hello Ed.” Grandmamma said next. We all stopped to greet one another.

“It looks like rain, huh?” Mrs. Purdue said as she looked up at the gray sky squinting.

“It sure does, Eloise.”

“We should probably grab our umbrellas, just in case it's pourin' cats and dogs when we get out of the service!”

“That's actually a pretty good idea Paul said and the men went back to the cars to grab the umbrellas.

“You're gettin' to be so  big little Violet, I guess yer not so little anymore, now are ya'? Ridin' to school with boys and having wild birthday parties.”

“What do you mean, wild? I hosted Violet's birthday party and it was quite tame, Eloise.”

“I didn't mean nuthin' by it, just sayin' that Violet's a beautiful young girl, growing up and having fun, like teenagers should, do is have fun!”

“Violet's an exceptional child and a blessing to raise.”

“No doubt she is, it's a shame her parents didn't think so.”

“Let’s go Violet, service is about to begin.” Grandmamma said as she grabbed my arm to notion me to move along. Paul had arrived back with the umbrella first. Ed was slower in gait and so Mrs. Perdue stood there waiting for Ed.

“See ya' inside Maple, save me a seat. 

“Remind me to sit us in a full row.” Grandmamma said shaking her head.

“No problem.” I said.

We arrived inside the church, but not before passing Mary Bilkins, the weird anti-social girl with the smelly outdated clothes and the unwashed hair. Her parents were no more normal looking than she was. They all had greasy hair and a very bad odor about them. Everyone stayed away from them.