I went to the Spring Gathering with Aunt Wisdom today, but now I wish I would have stayed home with Momma, Daddy and Abby. (Oh yeah, Daddy finally came home, but he was so liquored up, Momma made him sleep in the chicken coop.)
Anyway, I was desperate to get out of the house and away from all the drama so when Aunt Wisdom drove up and asked me if I wanted to go to The Gathering with her, I jumped at the chance.
All anybody could talk about was “who knocked up Abundance Kerns?” They all looked at me with pity in their eyes and I wanted to go home immediately, but Aunt Wisdom wouldn’t leave and she wouldn’t let me slink off into a corner neither.
She said, “You haven’t done anything wrong, sweetheart. Hold your head up.” I tried, but it was darn near impossible with everyone whispering behind my back. Especially when Hunter Feenie and Honest Hawthorne straight up asked me if it was true. I told them both to go to Hades. I should have told them to go to hell, but that wouldn’t be ladylike.
Momma and Daddy told me that I’m gonna have to work extra hard to protect my reputation if I don’t want folks to assume I’m just like Abby. The funny thing is, I sort of admire Abby. I don't want to get pregnant afore I get married or nothing or have a bad reputation, but Abby ain’t letting nobody get her down.
She wanted to come to the gathering with me and Aunt Wisdom, but Momma and Daddy wouldn’t let her. It woulda still been embarrassing for me, but Abby would have held her head up all day and all night. She wouldn’t let those old busybodies keep her from having a good time. I’ll bet she would have danced too. If anyone would have had the gumption to ask her.
