The church was full with nearly everyone from town. Daddy and Reverend Howlington walked in front of me with Meg and Billy behind us. As we passed each row, the people seated on the ends looked at me with such sad eyes. One woman, as I passed her, held a handkerchief to her lips. I remember thinking, Is she sad that Momma died, especially in such a horrible way, or did she feel sorry for Addie’s four motherless children? I couldn’t tell. When we reached the first pew, Daddy stood at the end as we filed in and took our seats. Reverend Howlington walked to the pulpit. When I sat, I noticed the choir at the altar. I didn’t recognize the song they sang that day, but I think Momma would have liked it. Before that day, we never sat in the front row. Momma usually chose a pew toward the center, proclaiming that the center rows were “Close enough for God to see you, far enough back so He won’t see me pop your behind if you act up.”
