It is questionable whether Aunt Lottie was really mean or just a harried woman with a houseful near to bursting when she had to take responsibility for Neeley. It couldn’t have been an easy time for her, Uncle Jep or the grieving child. Having Uncle Jep take Neeley’s side against her, hardened Aunt Lottie further. She often hissed at her, “I’ll tend to you later!”
Neeley’s attempts to avoid Aunt Lottie were hopeless since she had to work along side her while enduring jabs about “yore sorry mama.” While living with Ma,she never gave Cassie a lot of thought, but now the oppressive shadow of Aunt Lottie’s contempt for her mother was a heavy burden for a young child. It was very confusing to mourn Ma knowing she had a mother “out there somewhere.” Why didn’t she live with her mother? Uncle Jep changed the subject when she asked him.
Cassie took Neeley for a few weeks or months when she had a stable home. She’d remarried and had two boys, so Neeley did get to spend some time with her mother and two young brothers. These times meant the world to Neeley since her attention-hungry little brothers adored her. On her arrival, her mother showered her with love and affection before eventually succumbing to a mood swing and becoming neglectful of herself and the children. Eventually, there would be a violent fight with her husband and the children would be dispatched to various relatives with a domestic split. Neeley always landed back at Uncle Jep’s, the odd child out once again.
Neeley was becoming a young Amazon, over six feet tall and powerfully built. With the hard life she faced, she’d need her strength to be able to hold her own. Neeley never spent enough time in school to be a good student. At the age of sixteen, she realized she was pregnant. No knight in shining armor showed up to marry her. Soon after her baby was born, she married Eddie Malone, a twenty-six-year-old divorced man who was a friend of Uncle Jep. Love was never mentioned, but there was the promise of a home. She hadn’t had a home since she was nine.
How sad for Neeley. It makes me wonder why children have to suffer like that. Now I want to know how her life turns out, I hope it’s for the better.
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She has some good times.
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What interesting family members you keep dredging up 🙂
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I have a huge family, more than forty first cousins on my father’s side.
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Oh my Lord !!! No wonder you never run out of stories 🙂
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Plenty of story fodder!
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The story is coming along nicely, Linda. 🙂 — Suzanne
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Thank you.
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Mysteriouser and mysteriouser.
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Eddie, hopefully he is going to do right by Neely and her babe… However, something tells me there is something better on the horizon
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This is about a family member, so I know how this one ends.
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Poor Neeley. How did you come to be with child? Her aunt must have loved that.
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That was never revealed. This story is a typical family story. The fact that her first child was illegitimate was a huge secret. This is a family story.
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Wow. I see. ❤ ❤ ❤
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I am sure her aunt was infuriated and gratified at the same time.
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Ouch. At least she was gone now, you mean. Tsk. Tsk.
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Oh dear, I think thins are going to get a whole lot tougher for Neeley now.
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That doesn’t even start it.
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Wow so sad! I like this new story
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Thanks. I’ve thought about it a lot.
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I am enjoying it Linda
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Thank you.
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