Signed, Anna Maria

Chapter 5

Church seemed to drag on forever today. Mama was able to stay awake today thankfully. Ever since Friday she was dressing up whenever she went out in public. She had been distracted for two days. Like she was in some entirely other world. Today, she was even more lost in her head. Gazing out the window, impatiently waiting. Whatever this new behavior was, I knew this had something to do with whatever she did Friday.

Church ended slowly and Mama was one of the first people out of her seat. "Wait for me outside." Her words ran together as she darted off to a remote part of the steeple. I sneakily waited around the corner. Just far enough so I could spy on her.

A man approached her. I did not recognize him, though. It crowded after church and often hard to point out individuals. The man was tall and had dark chestnut hair. He spoke softly and sweetly to Mama who blushed and smiled sweetly the whole time. I tried to make out what they were saying, but it was difficult over all the Hubble hub.

"I hope you did not spend too much." Mama giggled.

"Ha! Quite contraire! Cost me an arm and a leg!" The Man joked. His low voice was deep and masculine. Mama tilted her head with a slight, but playful smile.

"You seem the kind of man to do that."

"And you seem the kind of woman to say that!" They both broke out in small burst of laughter. They both kept bantering and smiling. All seemingly harmless!

A new, startling possibility came to me. What if Mama was courting someone? I dismissed the thought admittedly. No! It couldn't be. Mama was a spinster. I had never seen her talk romantically to a man in my life! Mama was not a romantic woman. Even if she was courting someone, she would be discreet about it. And no way in hell she would be talking to him in broad daylight.

I eventually had no choice but to wait on the steps of the church for Mama to finish talking to the man. I tried to not jump to conclusions too quickly. After all, you know what they say about assuming. It makes an ass out of you and me.

A rich young girl and her Mother were arguing on the steps.

"I told you Lilith! No more boys!" The Mother complained

"I love him Mama!" The girl protested, clutching a leather book to her chest. "Can't you just except I'm not a little girl anymore? I want sex! I want danger! Why can't you let me go?!"

"For god sakes Lilith! You're sixteen!" The Mother shouted.

"I said not to call me Lilith! I'm Sara now! SARA! You hear me!?" She girl yelled.

"THAT'S IT!" The Mother pulled the girl by her golden hair. The girl screamed and pulled. In her painful pursuit, she dropped the book in her hands as she tried to push away. "YOU BITCH!" The girl swore. She escaped her Mother's grasp and made off running down the street. "LILLITH!" The Mother cried as she sped down the street after her daughter.

The leather back book that the girl had been carrying had dropped on the steps of the Church.

"Hey!" I called down the street. At first, I thought to try to catch up to them and return the book. But, I stopped myself. I figured by the time I caught up to them they would already be half way down King's and impossible to find. I looked down at the book, it was many pages long with crinkled paper and full to the pages in writing. I looked around, no one was paying attention. I tucked the notebook under my arm for safe keeping. I thought that I would return the book to the girl if I ever saw her again. I'm sure that a girl with such a life as her's would want to document it.

Mama came down the steps of the Church, looking longingly back at the door.

"Enjoyed the sermon, Mama?" I asked condescendingly. As almost a shrug, she gave a slight sneer. "Yes, very much so."