"Hello, Carol," welcomed Lizzie Jane as she opened the door to her visitor. "I was afraid that you all had forgotten me now that you and Sam are opening the new restaurant here in Carter's Bend."
"Nope, we didn't forget you. I am here for two reasons -- first is to offer you a partnership with us in the restaurant. Second is about your upcoming wedding to Jake'.
"Sam and I were wondering -- would you mind having a double wedding? I know this is short notice for such a request since the wedding is a week off, but this is what Sam and I want."
"You mean..?" began a startled Lizzie Jane.
"Yep, it won't be long until I will be Mrs. Sam Henderson," replied Carol.
"Oh, that is so wonderful. I would be pleased to have our marriages together -- that is, if it is okay with Jake and I think I will be. As far as part owner of the restaurant -- well, I don't know."
"Please, Lizzie Jane. Your school teacher has made arrangement with the Board of Education to teach you privately through the 12th grade in preparation for college and it will help pay your way through college," pleaded Carol.
"Well, that is true, but -- Well, what the heck. Shoot, I accept."
"Since you are underage, you don't think there will be any problem in getting Jed to sign a contract on your behalf, do you?"
"There had better not be. He is the one signing for me to get married," answered a smiling Lizzie Jane.
"Great. I will go and tell Sam the news."
"Won't you stay for some iced tea?" asked Lizzie Jane. "I have just made a gallon."
Iced tea was the major drink in Alabama in the summer. Southerners never drank a cup of hot tea; that is, country Alabamians.
"No, thanks. Gotta run," said Carol.
Lizzie Jane went into her bedroom and fell across the bed. 'How about that?' she thought to herself. 'Me and my adopted sister getting married together'.
Lizzie Jane had never thought of getting married before at least 25 year of age, even if she married then. Now, at the tender age of 17, she was on her way to being a wife with hopes of going to college next year.
She had been thinking of Howard College in Birmingham (the name was later changed to Samford University). It was a Baptist school and she had considered being a missionary. She wondered how difficult it would be to serve on the mission field with a husband who only completed the 8th grade.
She had also thought of being a teacher. Most of the teachers across Alabama had gone to Jacksonville State Teachers College (later known as Jacksonville State College and becoming Jacksonville State University in 1967).
Lizzie Jane had helped Sally teach school at the little one-room schoolhouse and was highly regarded as a excellent teacher. She loved children, especially those attending school for the first time and had learned how to make learning fun for them.
The future never looked so bright as it did that morning as she began to think about the future -- and, of course, the past. She had lived an exciting life and had learned tremendously about life, self-esteem, and how to protect oneself.
"Lizzie Jane," called Aunt Maudie. "You have another visitor. One you have never seen."
"Oh, I wonder who that could be", Lizzie Jane said aloud. She quickly ran downstairs. There was an elderly woman sitting in a chair, smiling. She looked to be in her upper 80's. Lizzie Jane had no idea who she was.
"Lizzie Jane, meet my mother -- your grandmother -- Ruth Ann Fortson."
Her grandmother? Seems like she had heard that name somewhere before, but could not place when or where. Seems like it was something that Sally had taught in school. Oh yes, Lizzie Jane remembered. Sally mentioned that we had a person in Alabama that used to be famous.
Lizzie Jane stood there shocked! Was this her grandmother? Ruth Ann Fortson? The woman who met a professional gunslinger in the west and outdrew him? The woman, who could drawn her gun faster than any man except Wild Bill Hickok? The woman who whipped a strong indian brave single-handed to rescue some children? This was her grandmother?
"Hello dear," said the lady as she reached out her hand. "I have heard much about you from Maudie and you are a very brave young lady."
"But -- but -- but, not as brave as you," said Lizzie Jane.
Ruth Ann smiled. "Now don't you believe everything you hear about me. Most of those things are exaggerated. I am just an ordinary happy married woman. In fact, your grandfather will be here before the wedding."
"My school teacher told me so much about you, but there is nothing written in books. I thought you might have been a legend," said Lizzie Jane.
"No, after I left the west, it seems that my exploits was considered fables and that suited me just fine. You know -- kind of like Pecos Bill. I may have fought an indian brave, but I never killed a T-Rex."
"Oh, Aunt Maudie has been talking to you," said Lizzie Jane, giving that 'you-ought-not-have-done-that' look at Aunt Maudie. Aunt Maudie just grinned.
"I brought you a present," said Ruth Ann, handing Lizzie Jane a large package.
Opening it up, she found a wedding dress. "Oh, this is so nice, but I was going to get married in a regular dress. These are too expensive."
"Oh, pa-shaw. There isn't anything too good for my granddaughter. I just wish your mother was here to see what a fine young lady you turned out to be. We have done very well on our farm over in Blountsville. We have three chicken houses and some fine cattle."
With tears in her eyes, Lizzie Jane rushed over to Ruth Ann and hugged her neck. "Grandmaw, thank you so much. I never knew you, but I think I will love you to pieces."
"Hope so," stated Ruth Ann.
"Aunt Maudie, Sam and Carol wants me to be partners with them in their restaurant. Think Uncle Jed will sign the papers for me?"
"I am sure he will. He signed for you to get married, didn't he? And he let Sam talk him into one of the best pieces of our property for the restaurant. So, I am sure that he would not refuse his favorite adopted daughter partnership in a business that he furnished the property for," said Aunt Maudie.
"May I use the pickup?" asked Lizzie Jane. "I need to run to the store for just a minute."
"Sure, you know where the keys are."
Lizzie Jane cranked the old GMC and drove down the road. It had a straight stick in the floor. She was so happy. Not only was she getting married, but the most famous person in her family history was going to be there.
She wondered if there were any more family members that she had never seen who will come to the wedding. However, she was not prepared for a bigger surprise to come.
--To be Continued
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If anyone wants to know more about Lizzie Jane's grandmother, go to
http://www.fictioneer.org/content/prairies-children-chapter-1
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This will probably be a slow story in developing, but at the right time, some of you will understand why.
-smile from the author-
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© 2008 by Starla Anne Lowry
under the pen name of Billie Sue
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All characters are fictitious and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, are coincidental, except occassional references to famous historical persons.
This is a short chapter, but if you want to see a longer version, go to "Escape from Gorilla Island, Chapter 2" at Fictioneer.org. This is where two stories eventually collide with each other.)
For the full story, read "Return to Gorilla Island" and "Escape from Gorilla Island" on www.fictioneer.org
This particular chapter is explained more fully in
http://www.fictioneer.org/content/escape-gorilla-island-chap...
"Jake, could I borrow your car?" pleaded Lizzie Jane. "I gotta go somewhere right away."
"Of course. I taught you to drive and you have your license. Where you going?" responded Jake.
"I got a letter from Shirley and Christie and they just called Dr. Brown's office from a bus stop. Lucky I was here where he could find me. They are coming up from Miami on a bus and I have to pick them up in Ft. Payne since the bus doesn't come this far."
"Drive carefully. Wish I could go, but gotta work. My dad has got to get his hay in before the storm comes." said Jake.
"Okay. You know I will. I need to hurry because the bus will be there before me if I don't. Will you see that Uncle Jed gets his pickup back?"
"Good as done," answered Jake.
Although excited as a hog going after slop, Lizzie Jane tried to drive within the 60 mph speed limit, although she exceeding it a few times.
Arriving at the bus station, she learned that the bus was expected within the hour. 'Just made it', she thought to herself.
When the bus whirled into it's parking place, Lizzie Jane strained trying to see Shirley and Christie. It had been just over seven years since they had said their goodbyes after their experience traveling through time in the Bermuda Triangle.
As Shirley exited the bus with Christie immediately following, Lizzie Jane recognized them immediately. She ran to hug their necks when she saw six children tagging close behind them as if they were all together. 'Wonder whose children these belong to?' she thought to herself.
Looking at the children, Lizzie Jane asked Shirley, "Do all these belong to you?"
"No, but they wanted to come anyway," answered Shirley.
Lizzie Jane began to hug their necks when her eyes fell on a small gorilla. He made her think of George and a moment of sadness filled her heart. "I used to have a playmate just like him", she said. "What is his name?"
"You ought to know. You named him. This is George."
"No, it can't be. Impossible. Where is his mother?"
A very young girl who appeared to be about ten years old spoke up, "She was killed. The savages attacked and they killed her. All she was trying to do was protect us. They killed my momma, too, so I knew I had to protect the children. George lead us to a boat and we went through a fog and here we are."
Lizzie Jane was really confused. Who was this little girl and why was she speaking with a strange accent? "Who are you?"
LInda spoke again, but with a trembling voice, "I don't want you to be angry, but I am your great, great, great grandaughter and these other children belonged to the other people who were killed by the savages. We were playing with George when it happened."
Shirley spoke and said, "I know your next question. How did they get to the island? The answer is, a time machine. They read something you had written, so they went back to comfort George since you had promised him that you would try to return."
Shocked at the statement, Lizzie Jane said, "I just gotta sit down." She opened the back door of the automobile so she could have a seat.
Could this be possible? Her great, great, great granddaughter -- here and now -- claiming that her mother was killed by savages, evidently on the same island where Lizzie Jane had spent a full year.
After sitting there a moment considering everything, she finally said to Linda, "Come here. If you want, you can be the first member of my new family after I marry Jake and, of course, George can be a member, too."
"How about these other children? I promised them that I would take care of them?" asked Linda.
Lizzie Jane thought for a moment and said, "Well, I guess I will start married life with a new family. I will tell Jake before I say 'I do' and if he doesn't like it, there just will not be a marriage."
Lizzie Jane held out her arms to the other children. "Come on, you are all welcome." The children ran into her open arms.
George just stood there, seemingly confused. Lizzie Jane walked over to him and said something in gorilla language. Whatever she said to him caused George to jump up and down in excitment.
Needless to say, the automobile was full. The smaller children sat in the laps of the older ones, including George, as they headed to Carter's bend.
Lizzie Jane was thrilled and thinking about the shock Uncle Jed and Aunt Maudie would experience -- and how about Jake? He might just pass out.
--To be Continued
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© 2008 by Starla Anne Lowry
under the pen name of Billie Sue
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All characters are fictitious and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, are coincidental, except occassional references to famous historical persons.
If you haven't already done so, to get the full story leading up to this chapter, please click on the following and follow the chapters as will be shown at the close of each installment:
http://fictioneer.org/content/return-gorilla-island-chapter-1
Arriving back at Uncle Jed's house, Lizzie Jane opened the front door and called, "Aunt Maudie!"
Maudie came running, thinking something was terribly wrong. As she saw all the children piling out of the car, she exclaimed, "My sakes, what is going on?"
Lizzie Jane said, "Let's go into the kitchen and I will tell you something you won't believe."
Aunt Maudie said, "I think I am about ready to believe anything."
"First, let me introduce my two friends who spent the year with me on the prehistoric island -- Shirley and Christie (the two young ladies bowed) and the rest -- well, they are from the prehistoric island, also. The most amazing part is this young lady here (Lizzie Jane put her arm around Linda). This is my great, great, great granddaughter who got trapped on the island and escaped the same way I did -- and these other children escaped the same way."
Aunt Maudie eyes grew larger and larger, causing Lizzie Jane to giggle. She soon gained her composure and continued, "We think all their parents were killed by the savages."
In the corner stood George, the small gorilla, looking like he was disappointed about being ignored, but Lizzie Jane walked over and took him by the hand, "This is George -- my little playmate and his mother was killed, too."
"What are we going to do with this group?" asked Aunt Maudie.
"Well, I am getting married and within a year, I will be 18 and I am going to adopt them all," said Lizzie Jane with a big grin.
"What do you think Jake gonna say about all this?"
"Well, he better say okay or the wedding is off."
"You would swap Jake for these children?"
"Yes. Linda is my great, great, great granddaughter and she rescued and accepted the responsibility of taking care of the other children. I think I can honor that by taking all of them, too. Besides, we have a common bond. We have all lost our mothers and we are all have traveled through time."
"Well, I always thought you were an unusual child, so I should not be surprised at something like this," replied Aunt Maudie.
Ruth Ann, Lizzie Jane's grandmother, overheard the conversation and asked what it all about. The entire situation was explained, beginning with Lizzie Jane's adventures on the prehistoric island.
"I dunno," wondered Ruth Ann. "With my adventures -- most of it being rumors -- and Lizzie Jane's and Linda's adventures, I must say that we have the most unusual family the world has ever seen. We have all rescued somebody when it looked like all hope was lost. All I gotta say is that Linda had better marry someone whose name begins with 'J'. Lizzie Jane is marrying Jake and my husband, Josh, is expected here tomorrow."
Needless to say, Jake was shocked when everything was explained to him. "You mean, we are going to have a ready-made family at the start?"
"fraid so," said Lizzie Jane. "Of course, if you wanna back out..."
"Oh no you don't. You ain't a-gettting rid of me that easy," replied Jake. "I have put up with so much to get you. I am a-gonna claim you and nothing is going to stand in my way. If I have to take a ball team to getcha..."
"I love you, too" said Lizzie Jane as she cut off Jake's comment and threw her arms around his neck. "Thanks for taking my new family."
The wedding wasn't anything lavish, but just a simple little ceremony with the young couple, Lizzie Jane's two girl friends, Doc Brown, her schoolteacher, Uncle Jed and Aunt Maudie, Grandmother Ruth Ann, and her great, great, great granddaughter Linda -- with five children in the background.
Getting married at the same time, making the occasion a double wedding, was Sam and Carol -- the two friends of Lizzie Jane that helped her through her amnesia.
So, thus began a new chapter in the life of Lizzie Jane and her soon-to-be-adopted daughter, also her great, great, great granddaughter -- Linda.
One cannot help but wonder what lies ahead for Lizzie Jane -- and Linda. We will just have to wait and see.
What happened to George, the little gorilla? Well, he was part of the family, too, spending most of his time in the forest on Uncle Jed's farm with his new playmates -- Linda, the other children-- and sometimes Lizzie Jane.
-- More adventures to come soon
© 2008 by Starla Anne Lowry
All characters and places are fictitious and any resemblance to places or persons, living or dead, are coincidental.