Mary J lived in a two-story house with a large front porch. The landscape included two large oak trees, flower beds, fruit trees and a garden. Mary J’s family was comprised of her Grandma Mag, Mother Ada, Daddy John Westley, along with eight sisters and brothers. Their birth order from the oldest to the youngest: Showalter, Ella, James Wesley, Mary J, Lucy Gray, Alvin, Margret Ann, Willie Welt and Lorraine. Mary J’s family lived upstairs—her Grandma Mag’s room was downstairs—Showalter had already moved out to start his own family.
Ada had awakened as usual before sunrise to fix breakfast and her husband lunchbox. She got out of bed quietly as she noticed that her baby was sound asleep. Using a rotating schedule, it was Ella turn to be her assistant, Ada walked downstairs to the kitchen while Ella followed several minutes later. Ella was now nearly fifteen years old.
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