Beneath the Weeping Willows

Chapter Four

The next morning, I went to Newnan with my mom. When we were in our little Audi, I asked my mother, "So how was your date with Tom?"

She shrugged. "It was okay. It was good to see him again. I really enjoyed it."

I nodded. I was glad she had a good time. "Hey Mom, can you tell me a little bit about the history of our house?"

"Oh, sure. Um, well, it was built by Charles Destin back in the late nineteen-twenties. He had a son, I forget his son's name, but Charles built the house, expecting him to have a bigger family. He had a farm, and then he lost it a few years later when the Great Depression hit. He sold the house to his brother, who was a pretty rich guy back in those days. He had a daughter, and they both had wives, but they couldn't really decide who should have the house."

"What was the girl's name?" I asked, interrupting.

"Um, Melinda, I think. It may have been Elizabeth. I'm not sure."

I nodded. "Ah, okay."

"Why?"

I shrugged. "I don't know."

"I think the little boy's name started with a P, but then again I could be wrong, if you were wondering."

I stared into space, thinking. I'm not sure what of, though. My mind wandered aimlessly as it tried to think of something to think about.

"Melanie, are you listening?"

"Oh, yeah. Just thinking."

"About what?"

"Well, I was just kind of wondering what it would have been like back in those days... With the farming and the house then, and the Great Depression. Like how it all started."

"Well, see, the Great Depression started when many people couldn't pay off credit..." my mother went on about the Great Depression, which I knew all about, because when she home schooled me in elementary school, she taught me a bunch of stuff. I just wanted her to talk to get my mind off the obvious.

Our day in Newnan was like every other shopping day, except for one thing haunting me... Why had Todd's story been so coincidental? Why had his story been so similar to the one my mother had told?

I decided to take my mind off of that right now. There was no need in worrying myself over something as stupid as that. Todd was just a simple boy who knew the history of the house. He may be telling the stories of the past, instead of the present. He did tell me why he didn't live in the house. He was probably one of the great-grandchildren of Charles Destin, and since Charles's brother got the house, maybe Charles's descendants didn't get it. Maybe that was all.

I didn't let myself get worked up over it. Besides, I shouldn't really be thinking about Todd. I really shouldn't.

I read the third book to the series, but I didn't really read fast enough finish it. It was a bit longer than the others- 400 pages long. It would take me until tomorrow morning to finish. I got to page 347 before I set it down for the night.

I showered, and then went to bed. Firstly, though, I went downstairs to get a glass of water from the kitchen.

My boots were right next to the door where I had set them when I first came in the day before, all shiny and cleaned up. There wasn't a spot of mud.

Had my mother cleaned them? Did she do my dirty work for me? Mom, I thought to myself. You didn't have to do this for me.

I got my water and headed back up to bed.