One week later...
At Myrtle's Home, Mitzi and Alberta sits outside on the porch, as Sarah walks outside to join them, as Mitzi asks Sarah "How's Myrtle?" Sarah sighs "Mama hasn't been herself since Aunt Betty had her stroke. She's stayed in her room, and I'm worried about her." Alberta tells Mitzi and Sarah "She's never done this before." Mitzi tells Alberta "Myrtle and her family have never been very close. Betty Zane and her were the closest, and when Jimmy died, she was like this, but I was able to pull her out of it." Sarah tells them "Mama thinks this is her fault, and I've tried talking to her, but she told me to sit on a hot coal." Mitzi and Alberta asks Sarah "Has she considered going down to Georgia to visit?" Sarah sighs "As long as Aunt Cora's alive, Mama vowed to never return. When Grandpa Caney passed in 1982, Mama and Aunt Cora got into a huge fight in the middle of the church, and.." Myrtle walks outside, in her housecoat, and tells everyone "Leave me alone. Just go back home, and leave me alone." Sarah tells her Mother "Mama, Mitzi and Alberta wanted to cheer you up. I've spoken to Aunt Betty's Daughter's, and she's recovering.." Myrtle yells "She had a damn stroke Sarah! I caused it, and now if all of you excuse me, I'm going inside, and LEAVE ME THE HELL ALONE!" Myrtle slams the door, as Mitzi and Alberta both offers support, and Sarah tells them "I think it's time Mama goes to Georgia." Alberta heads to her home on the left side of Myrtle's house, as Mitzi heads back to her home, and Alberta yells at a mover "Don't break that!" Sarah walks back inside, as Myrtle sits at the kitchen table, and Myrtle tells her Daughter "Sarah, I've been thinking." Sarah nods, and adds "I think we need to go to Georgia Mama." Myrtle looks at her Daughter, and tells her "I snuck out last night, and won $2500, and I'm going alone." Sarah looks at her Mother, and tells her "Mama you need me to go with you, or Regina.." Myrtle gets up, and tells Sarah "Hell no! I already have enough problems leaving knowing Regina and that wino's here. You keep an eye on the place. My plane leaves tonight." Sarah reminds her "You're going down there to support Aunt Betty and her family. Not to kill Aunt Cora." Myrtle quips "The airline wouldn't let me carry my pistol with me Sarah, and if I see the wicked bitch, I'll tell her you said hello." Myrtle heads back to her bedroom, as Sarah makes a phone call to her Cousin in Georgia, and tells her "Mama's on her way. Might want to warn Aunt Cora."
Evening has arrived, as Sarah returns from the airport, as Regina and Ted lays on the pull out bed in the den, as Sarah yells "Put on some damn clothes! Damn I feel sick!" Regina and Ted pulls the blanket up over them, as Regina asks her Sister "So Mama's gone?" Sarah sighs "After arguing with the security for an hour, and slapping the guard for touching her, they let her on the plane." Ted quips "I think that old bat needs to be in a home. Last night she sprayed me when I came home." Sarah defiantly reminds Ted "This isn't your home Ted. This is Mama's and she's been through a lot, and you and Regina arguing isn't helping. Now I'm in charge, and you don't want to push me. You'll have more issues besides being impotent." Regina asks Sarah "Well why are you in charge? I'm the Oldest! And I have a job?" Ted responds "About your job.." Regina yells "Shut up Ted!" Sarah tells her Sister 'I'm the only one in this house with brains as Mama puts it nicely. Mitzi and Alberta's also watching the place. So don't pull nothing!" Sarah heads to her bedroom, as Ted reminds his Wife "Well now you have a reason to quit that damn job! You can be the housewife you're meant to be!" Regina tells her Husband "Put on your underwear and shut up." Meanwhile on an airplane, as the pilot tells everyone "We're getting close to Atlanta. We'll be landing shortly." Myrtle sits by the window, as the person sitting next to her asks "Have you ever been to Georgia?" Myrtle sarcastically responds "No. I live a sheltered life. I grew up there!" The man sighs "Damn you don't have to get testy." Myrtle adds "And I'm not interested in giving you pleasure in the lavatory so stop looking me up and down!" The man looks around the plane, as he asks another woman "Ever been to Georgia?", as the pilot tells the passengers "We're now circling, and making our approach.." Myrtle yells "Just land the damn thing!" 30 minutes later, Myrtle's flight has landed, and as everyone gets off the plane, the stewardess tells them "Thank you for flying Alta Airlines. Myrtle walks by, and the stewardess asks "Need help or need me to call for a wheelchair?" Myrtle stares at the stewardess, and asks "Wanna get slapped? I can function just fine you slut." The stewardess steps back and responds "Just doing my job ma'am." Myrtle responds "If taking the man next to me to the lavatory's a job, then you need to be fired." Myrtle walks to the baggage claim, as the stewardess rolls her eyes.
It's the next morning, and Myrtle has arrived in Carrollton Georgia, and sits in her motel room, as she hears yelling in the room next to her, as Myrtle sighs "Thank God my Grandchildren are grown." Myrtle walks out of her room and looks towards the room with a glare, as she says to herself "And now off to see Betty." Myrtle gets into her rental car, as she drives towards the rehab facility where her Sister's presently residing after suffering her stroke. A few minutes later, at the Rehab Facility, Betty Zane's in her room, as her Husband Fred, Oldest Sister Cora, and Betty Zane and Fred's Youngest Daughter, and Adopted Daughter sits by her side, as Cora preaches, and Betty Zane looks towards her Husband, as Fred stares at Cora, as Cora talks loudly "Remember when Daddy read us the bible every night before bed?" Betty Zane's Daughters walks outside, as youngest Daughter, Anna, tells her close friend, and Adopted member of Betty Zane's family, Piper "Aunt Cora's really making Mother uneasy." Piper sighs "She won't leave. Earlier she was telling the staff how to give Z therapy until Fred told her to leave." Anna sighs, as she glances down the hall, as Myrtle heads towards them, and Anna exclaims "Aunt Myrtle!" Myrtle hugs her Niece, and looks at Piper, and asks "Is this Lynne? Did she get plastic surgery?" Anna laughs "No Aunt Myrtle, this is Piper. She's my best friend and Mother's "fourth" Daughter." Piper welcomes Myrtle with a hug, as Myrtle asks "How's Betty? I hear a dog howling in her room. Need me to call the dog pound?" Anna sighs "Aunt Myrtle, just keep your calm. We've tried everything, and she won't leave." Myrtle quips "One of you go buy her a muzzle." Myrtle walks into her Sister's room, as Betty Zane turns, and starts to cry, as Cora yells "Grandma Slut has arrived! You're not welcome here!" Fred greets his Sister In Law with a hug, as he tells Myrtle "Greetings. You and Betty both look just alike." Myrtle looks at Betty Zane, and smiles "We did take after each other in the looks department." Anna and Piper walks inside, as Cora tells her Niece and Piper "I don't want Myrtle here." Betty Zane points her right finger to Myrtle, as Myrtle asks "Who's the fat dalmatian in the room?" Cora hatefully responds "Excuse me? What did you call me?" Betty Zane cracks a smile, as Fred tells his Daughters quietly "I think my Z's happy Myrtle's here." Betty Zane tells them, as her speech's slurred due to the stroke "Take your Aunt to the farm." Myrtle meanwhile looks at Cora, and goes "Wow! A wig! So many liver-spots I'm surprised the dog pound hasn't mistook you for a stray bitch." Cora yells "Who in the hell do you think you're talking to you old slut?" Meanwhile the nurses arrive, as Betty Zane's taken to therapy, and the nurse hears the arguing behind the curtain, and a slap, as she asks "What's going on?" Betty Zane responds with a look of peace "A family reunion." Fred tells Anna and Piper "Go with Z, and I'll break up this reunion." Betty Zane's rolled to therapy, as Fred asks Myrtle "Z told me to take you down to the farm and to pick a room." Cora asks Fred "Are you out of your mind?" Fred ignores Cora, as Fred asks Myrtle "How's Sarah and Regina doing?" Cora tells her Brother In Law "Both living as sinners like their Mama. Queen Slut the first. The Caney family disgrace.." Myrtle warns Cora "If you don't shut your damn mouth, you'll be in here plugged to a machine. I'll even move back to play with the cord." Fred sighs "Let us go down to the farm, and you can get comfortable Myrtle." Cora asks Fred "Aren't you scared she will try and seduce you?" Myrtle and Fred heads out, as Cora shakes her head with disgust, as Fred tells the nurses "Tell my Zzie I'll be back for dinner." Fred and Myrtle heads to the Caney farm, at the Carroll County line.
It's evening, and at Betty Zane and Fred's farm, The Caney Farm, Myrtle and Fred sits in the kitchen, as Myrtle tells her Brother In Law "Don't tell Betty I cooked chicken." Fred tells Myrtle "She's happy you're here. The girls are too. And I won't say anything about your fine dinner." Myrtle whispers "I know she's health-conscious, but.." Fred stops Myrtle, and gently says "It's been lonely coming home each evening without her. But she'll be home soon and I know she will. She's tough." Myrtle nods "She certainly is." Myrtle tells Fred, changing subjects "The two of you did a great job on the home place. I even seen where Betty left all of our names in the wall in the sun room. From the Oldest, to me." Fred laughs "Even where you scratched over Cora's name also." Myrtle sighs "I can't stand her." Fred sighs "We try to love everybody, especially Z, she's always so outgoing." Myrtle tells Fred "The two of you did an excellent job raising your girls, and Mama and Daddy would have been proud of y'all. All these years in Kansas City, and coming down here, and the accent kicks back into high gear." Fred laughs, as he looks at the clock, and tells Myrtle "Our maid fixed your room up for you. We'll go see my Z in the morning." Myrtle heads to the guest room, as she sits on the edge of the bed, as she has flashbacks to her childhood, and sighs "It still feels like home."
The next day, Myrtle and Fred arrives at the Rehab Facility, as Cora waits outside Betty Zane's door, and snarks "So having an affair on my Sister are you Fred?" Fred warns Cora "I really think you need to stop with this. Myrtle's nothing like you say she is, and I think you need to leave." Cora snides "Well your Daughters aren't here." Fred responds "They work Cora." Myrtle adds "Don't you have an appointment at the makeup counter?" Cora snaps at Myrtle "Nobody wanted to see you return! You are nothing but an embarrassment to our family. Your two Daughters were nothing but sluts, and your Son, a worthless loser, and your Grandchildren..." Myrtle stops her Sister boldly, and yells "Shut your old decrepit-ed ass up. I've had enough." Myrtle pulls Cora's wig off, as Anna arrives, and Cora yells at Myrtle "Don't you dare." Myrtle takes Cora into an empty room, and locks the door, as Myrtle looks at Cora, and goes "Ok. Now I see why I stopped having perms. You are nothing but a holier than thou hypocrite that does nothing but judge others, and gets enjoyment from trying to control people's lives, and I won't watch you do that to Betty, or her family. You've worn out your welcome." Cora yells at her Sister "You have no room to talk. You got pregnant and wasn't married. You hurt our family." Myrtle bluntly reminds Cora "Mama and Daddy were good people, and once they met Jimmy, they adored him. He and Fred were friends, and even your dear Edgar liked him." Cora snaps "The hell he did." Myrtle asks "So since we're opening up Cora, why did you change your last name back to Caney?" Cora snaps "Because someone worthy needed to keep the family name alive. And I'm worthy! Why don't you go back to your house of sin Myrtle?" Myrtle tells her Oldest Sister "Edgar had enough and divorced you after 50 years, and your kids want nothing to do with you. I talk to Edie, and.." Cora snaps "Don't judge me!" Myrtle tells Cora "I'm stating mere facts, and the fact is, you like to preach, but you don't follow your sermons. You alienated your family, because you are nothing but a bitter old woman with nothing else to do. My life was never perfect, but I wouldn't change a damn thing. And maybe you should go look in the mirror, and let our Sister heal in peace. And here's your damn 5 dollar wig." Myrtle walks out of the room, as Cora fumes, and leaves the Rehab Facility, as Myrtle walks inside Betty Zane's room, as Betty Zane moves her left arm on her own, and her left foot, as Anna hugs her Father, and Myrtle starts to cry, as Betty Zane tells her Sister "Now stop that Myrtle." Anna starts to cry as well, as Betty Zane defiantly exclaims "The lord is healing me!" Myrtle smiles "The Caney fire still burns, and it's burning madly now." Betty Zane gently tells her Sister "All I needed was the Lord, and my family, and I'm going nowhere yet!" Betty Zane and Myrtle hugs, as Fred and Anna watches on, both crying tears of joy.
A week later, in South Kansas City, Myrtle returns home, as Sarah sits in the kitchen, as Myrtle walks into the kitchen, and tells her Daughter "I'm home." Sarah hugs her Mother, and ask "How's Aunt Betty?" Myrtle smiles, as she responds "She went back home yesterday, and walked out of the Rehab Facility, with a cane, but she's going to be just fine." Sarah laughs "I heard you let Aunt Cora have it while you were there." Myrtle laughs "Damn straight I did, and I finally made peace with everything. How were things here?" Sarah sighs "Actually smoothly, normal." Myrtle walks around the house, as she returns to the kitchen, and tells her Daughter "Well at least everything was where it was when I left." Sarah and Myrtle hug, as they celebrate Betty Zane's miraculous recovery from her stroke.
(Dedicated with love to Betty Zane Waters, and The Waters Family)
ENJOYING LIFE WITH MYRTLE !
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