2025-06-24 “Tuesday Matinee” by Emma (born 1861)

Good morning, y’all. I’ve got the matinee today—curtain’s at 10:30. It’s real hot out, so they’re expectin’ a good crowd on account folks wantin’ to cool off somewhere with A/C and a story.

I’ve been thinkin’ about that conversation from yesterday. I don’t mind being embarrassed a li’l—especially when I know it’s kindly. And it is true what Melissa said. Merritt does have the memories of the married version of us… and I reckon that makes everything feel a li’l deeper somehow. Like we’re not just playin’ house—we already remember how real it was.

Hannah an’ I talked more last night about trust. She said she feels safe, knowin’ Kent never tries to rush her. I told her I feel the same about Merritt. An’ we ain’t trying to rush them either!

Well, just like that, I come on a verse about trusting husbands and I thought it fit.

"The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain."

—Proverbs 31:11

That kind of trust—that’s somethin’ I pray to grow into more each day. I’m grateful for him. And for today.

Now, I gotta say all this… Well, I’m thinking, you know.

‘Course being actually born in 1861, by now… Well, let’s say Mom and Daddy were real worried that I’d hit 19 and didn’t have a husband yet. Girls on the regular back then got married between 14 and 17, and 15 or 16 was expected. By 18, they’d be ‘least 1 baby on the hip.

So, me, growing up with all that in my mind—you can guess me sitting ‘round at 20 and not even officially engaged is a puzzle I got to work out. But, I got memories of the 2005 born me, too, so that keeps me from being crazy!

Then again, having the memories of me an’ 3 others mes is crazy all by itself, truth told!

Anyway, Merritt an’ me agree we won’t make anything official ‘till we’ve known each other a year face-to-face. That’ll be July 4th.

Well, I got to go on and get my dirty hand makeup on for my stage. Ever’thing about being a sharecropper was a little dirty!

Thanks for reading my story.