Author: Sherry A. Billingslea

Publisher: iUniverse

Published: 2007-10

Total Pages: 221

ISBN-13: 0595467105

Mary Lynn Blackwell, lives in the swamps of Union City, Alabama. She is the youngest of five and the recipient of her daddy absents. She sees her momma's blind love for her daddy. Deep down Mary is an idealist who smiles when she sees the colors in the rainbow, carves for a new beginning, but fears the unknown. She meets her college bound boyfriend while working in the neighborhood ice cream shop. They make plans for a life together after Mary finds out she is pregnant. Tyler vanishes the night she goes into labor. When Mary give birth to there little girl she learns what responsibility means. She thought life was going to be alright, then the sudden death of her momma turns her life upside down. The day of the funeral Mary feels empty and alone. The sound of the screen door slamming shut jarred her out of her trance .The house is noisy and packed with people. "I wished these people would leave, she thought to herself. Her chest starts to feel tight and she can't breath. Mary is having a panic attack. She runs into the bathroom and sit on the toilet. Her hands are shaking. "You have to be strong", she said to herself. Then she gets angry and starts banging her fist against the sink. "Why me, Lord, why I'm I having all this bad luck? Today I buried my momma," "Who is going to take care of me?" "She looks at herself in the mirror and answers ,"No one. Mary sets off to the big city with one hand carrying her bible and the other hand holding her daughter. Along her journey she travels down a street called DECEPTION, she stops at ABUSE, then she makes a U-turns on GOD, she speeds down the back streets to MURDER, and parks on INSANITY. They continue to travel with Mary until she stops and read the DETOUR SIGN.