The secrete box

Gloria screamed out, ‘Where is my box’? My mothers beautiful secret box she gave to me is gone!
Standing on hard wood floor in the middle of her living room she stamped her right foot down so hard she was sure her neighbors could hear it and cried in frustration. This box was a family heirloom that had been passed down through 5 generations of women and now she had lost it!

The history of the box was fascinating.
The box itself was small cedar chest with a copper lock to it simple yet elegant in its own way. Gloria’s 5th generation, grandmother Dorothy found the box as a young woman in a park, in a hollow of a tree.

When Dorothy was a young woman she fell in love with a handsome young man who was a bit of a rogue. She was only 16 to his 18 and was naïve to the ways of love. The young man convinced her of his love and plans to marry her. He took her away on a picnic one day by a lovely river and covered her in rose pedals and gave her a glass of wine to drink and strawberries to nibble on.

He told her that because his love for her was so deep he could not wait for their marriage bed to have her and begged her to let him take her right then. The young woman was aghast at his request however because she loved him she complied. The next day she was informed by his family the wedding was off and that she was a trollop!

The poor girl was broken hearted and depressed. Even her parents would not speak to her for some time. This is where the secrete box began. Her parents moved her away and started over in a new town where they told no one of her misdeed and it was a subject never to be spoken about again. This box became a way of keeping secrets.
She would write what she had learned about men on small pieces of paper locking it away in her box for her eyes only.

This box was passed down to each generation of women in the family at age 16.
Each generation would add their own small pieces of paper.
Gloria’s mother gave her the box at age 16 along with its history and a motherly lecture.
She then said “This is now your secrete box even I cannot look in it.” This was one of Gloria’s favorite memories and now her box is lost!
Just then the phone rang the school was calling it was Mrs. Burmiester her 15 year olds high school teacher. Hello Miss Williams. I am calling about your daughter Joy. “Oh my God what now?” Gloria thought. Is everything ok? She asked. Oh my yes she is fine but she has uh started her period and it is her first time apparently and we thought maybe she should come home Mrs. Burmiester explained.
Gloria choked back a giggle at the discomfort of Joy’s teachers. Well of course she should. Today I am working from home just give me a half hour and I will be there. Gloria wrote for a local paper and with the wonders of the internet she was able to add her story to the paper from home.
Sadly she had to put off the search for her secrete box until later but the news that her little girl was now becoming a women was exciting. She realized of course if she made a big deal of it Joy would be upset and embarrassed so she had to tone down her enthusiasm.

Gloria stepped out of the house and walked to her car lost in thought about her daughter. She got in her car and started down the drive way and headed off to Joys school. While driving she found herself thinking of all the places her box could be and why was it missing?

Joy was not happy at all. Today was a school dance and she had started her period and her “Mommy” was called to come pick her up! Oh how embarrassing this all was. Luckily her teacher had enough sense not to announce that she was sick with a stomach ache. The nurse had sat down with her and talked to her while handing her a pad and helping her to lie down. Joy felt nauseated and dizzy and in truth was very glad her mother was coming to get her. She had felt strange being the last one of her friends to start but if she had really known just how bad she would feel looking forward to it was the last thing she would have done.

Joy wondered if her mom had realized yet that her secrete box was missing? Joy found it in the house and had opened it wondering what it was. She found notes that some seemed very old and others seemed more recent. When Joy read the notes she recognized her mother and her grandmother’s handwriting. Wow! This was like a diary she thought. Joy took the box to her favorite place in the park, sat down and read it for hours.

There was this great tree in the park that she used for hiding her treasures away in. The tree was off alone near some bushes close to the woods and a river. The tree had a small hollow in it that was perfect for storing Joy’s treasures and no one ever seemed to notice this tree. Joy figured it was because the tree never bloomed or even had many leaves on it. Joy could relate to this tree no one seemed to notice her much either.

Gloria walked into the nurse’s office and saw her daughter laying on the bed looking deep in thought. Gloria smiled and went over to the bed sitting down next to Joy. She smiled at her daughter and ran her hand over Joy’s forehead gently to check her temperature. “Hi sweetie” said Gloria. Hello Mother. Joy stammered. “I don’t feel well and I just want to go home” she added.
Gloria took Joy to the car and realized that she had no napkins for Joy to use. Oh I am sorry dear we will have to go to the store and buy you some napkins ok sweetie? Gloria was trying to be patient and kind and not show her true excitement. Ok mother but do I have to go in? Joy asked. No of course not.

Stopping at the store Gloria said “I will be right back sweetie pie.” Oh how Joy hated to be called sweetie pie! She wished her mother would stop calling her cutesy names they were totally embarrassing. Just then while Joy was bemoaning her plight it started to rain very hard. Oh no not this too! She cried. Suddenly it dawned on her if it is raining like this the river will come up and take my things out of the tree’s hollow!

Gloria came back to the car with the napkins and some hot chocolate for Joy. She had noticed it was going to rain and thought it was truly a hot chocolate day. Gloria saw the look of distress in her daughter’s eyes and opened the car door quickly and got in.
What is wrong sweetie pie? Joy was so upset she did not even pay attention to what her mother had said. Mom it’s raining we have to go to the park now! Gloria did not know why but if that is what Joy wanted then that is what they would do. They got to the park and Joy jumped out of the car saying Mom follow me.

Gloria got out of the car worried at her daughters hysterics and wondered why for Pete’s sake she was running so close to the river bank.

The river was indeed raising and Joy realized she had made it just in time to get to the trees hollow. Mom she yelled hurry over here I have to show you this!

Gloria ran over to her daughter’s side and to her amazement she watched while Joy stooped down and picked up of all things Gloria’s secrete box! Joy she cried “what are you doing with the box and why did you bring it here? Joy looked at her mother and said “I am sorry mom” I found it and started to read it and this is my favorite place to read and keep my treasures.

Gloria laughed well its ok; after all it’s where your 5th generation grandmother Dorothy first found the box. It was in the hollow of a tree and its how our secrete box began. Joy even though you are not 16 yet I believe in signs. Today you became a women and the hiding place you picked is just like the place it was found all that long time ago.
Let’s go home have some hot chocolate and I will tell you all about the secrete box.

Gloria took her daughter to the car arm in arm. She smiled to her self thinking it was now time to let go of her box and pass it on to the next generation, her daughter’s generation.

The End.
word count. 1,554