Part One, Chapter 10
The Widow
...
Though Captain Hamilton was not granted a hero's death upon the field of glory, he was none the less a hero, dying of pneumonia.
...
Courtney put on her black mourning hat with a veil and looked herself over in the mirror, not at all liking how she looked. She took the hat of and put on a bright fuscia and blue one and smiled. The door to Courtney's room opened and Leshawna was standing in the doorway. She was shocked when she saw Courtney with the hat on her head.
"Miss Courtney!" Leshawna gasped.
Courtney turned her head to look at Leshawna for a moment before looking back into the mirror.
"Well, I don't care," said Courtney. "I'm too young to be a widow."
"Miss Courtney," Leshawna said reproachfully.
"Why, I just go around scaring people in that thing," said Courtney gesturing to her mourning hat.
"You ain't supposed to be around people," said Leshawna. "You's in mounrin'."
"For what?" said Courtney. "I don't feel anything.
Courtney walked to her bed sat on it.
Why should I have to pretend and pretend..." Courtney said before she started crying.
Bridgette ran into the room.
"What is it?" Bridgette asked. She looked at Courtney. "Oh, baby."
She walked over to Courtney's bed and hugging her crying daughter.
"What is it, dear?" Bridgette asked.
"My life is over," Courtney sobbed. "Nothing will ever happen to me anymore. Oh, Mother. I know you'll think I'm horrible, but I just can't bear going around in black. It's bad enough not being able to go to any parties, but looking this way too."
Bridgette smiled and held Courtney closer.
"I don't think you're at all horrible," said Bridgette. "It's only natural to look young and be young when you are young. Oh, baby. How would you like to go visiting somewhere? Savannah perhaps?"
"What would I do in Savannah?" Courtney asked.
"Well, Atlanta then," suggested Bridgette. "There's lots going on there. And you could stay with Zoey and her Aunt Dawn."
"Zoey," Courtney said. "Yes. Yes, I could, couldn't I?"
Leshawna was watching and shaking her head.
"Oh, Mother, you're sweet to me, sweeter than anybody in the world," said Courtney.
"You'd like it, really?" Bridgette asked.
Courtney nodded vigorously.
"All right then," said Bridgette kindly. "Now stop your crying and smile."
Courtney did as her mother said.
"You can take Katie with you," Bridgette continued.
Bridgette got off of the bed.
"Start packing Miss Courney's things, Leshawna," Bridgette continued. "I'll go write the necessary letters."
"Atlanta!" Courtney said excitedly, a forgotten tear running down her cheek.
"Savannah would be better for you," said Leshawna. "You'd just get in trouble in Atlanta."
"What trouble are you talking about?" Courtney asked somewhat coldly.
"You know what trouble I's talkin' about," said Leshawna. "I's talking about Mist' Mike Wilkes. He'll be coming to Atlana when he gets his leave and you're sitting there waitin' like a spider. He belongs to Miss Zoey-"
"You go pack my things like Mother said," Courtney snapped.