The Untold Secrets of Hatville

her. “You have to . . .” She couldn’t get the words out. “You shouldn’t do this to

people. You, my dear sister, are now and has always been an intimidator.

You hurt people when you are on your best behavior. Why won’t

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Emma J. Oliver

you allow yourself to love anyone or vice versa? Then, worst of all,

you accuse the one man that would change Heaven and Hades if it

were possible to please you, of sleeping with another woman.”

A sigh escaped as Jana emptied her thoughts. She looked at Joyce.

“God forbid anyone should suffer the misfortune of seeing your

bad side.”

A cold silence came between them. Jana made her way to the

kitchen sink. she quenched her thirst with a small glass of tap water

then apologized to Joyce, “I’m sorry that was way out of line.”

Joyce lowered her head in sorrow then mumbled, “Am I that bad?”

Jana walked over to her and looked her in the eyes. She felt a

sense of responsibility. “This time it’s different,” she thought to

herself. “This time I’m in control; I’m the big sister now. Even if it

is only for a minute, my opinion really counts this time.”

Jana eased out a sigh then answered, careful not to crush Joyce’s

feelings.

“Maybe just a tad.” She pinched together her fingers to symbolize

her remarks.

“Then Mart was right,” Joyce muttered. “I am a rotten, spoiled

brat that can care less about the value of a human life. Just maybe he

hit the nail on the head when he said that misery follows me or how

well he put it when he said that it’s the base of my makeup that I put

on every morning, and that…”

Jana interrupted her, “I don’t think he meant it quite that

way Joyce.”

The Untold Secrets of Hatville