Pandora's Shoebox: Miss Fortune World: Wholly Moses!, #9

By Kamaryn Kelsey

Encouraged by her half sister, Jonah, Mo decides to search for her real father. To her surprise, Grannie Annie left a shoebox with clues about who that man might be. The problem isn't following the clues. It's the residents of Sinful, who aren't happy that Mo is opening the box into her past and possibly digging up some of their own skeletons.

With her friends, helping and hindering, Mo tries to take another step forward in her life. But maybe she should have listened to the women when they warned her to watch where she steps.

• Language: English
• Publisher: J&R Fan Fiction
• Release date: Aug 21, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386539643

Book preview

Author's note:

This is Book 9 in the Wholly Moses series and is not intended to standalone.

This is a work of fiction. Other than Jana DeLeon's original story elements, the characters and names are creations of the author's imagination.

CHAPTER 1

Ladies, I have an announcement, Mo told her friends, Ida Belle and Gertie. I've decided I want the answer to a question that's been plaguing me my whole life- Who is my father?

Who's your father? Gertie shoveled another piece of cake onto Mo's plate and shot a nervous look across the table to Ida Belle. Ida Belle ignored the look and drained her cup of coffee. She glanced at the kitchen clock and sighed. It was before noon, so she poured herself another cup of straight brew for fortitude. If Mo had waited a couple hours before dropping her bomb she could have been fortifying herself with an SLS cough syrup chaser.

Moses, how old are you? Ida Belle asked as she rubbed her forehead.

Mo's brows dropped. How old are you, Ida Belle? she responded in a tart voice while Gertie silently cheered in the background.

Ida Belle's cup hit the table with a slam. Fair enough. But why now? Why wait until you're, she looked at what she could see of Mo above the tabletop, a big girl to ask? Does it really matter?

At some point it was bound to come up, Gertie insisted, earning a sharp look from Ida Belle.

It was Jo who lit this fire, wasn't it? Ida Belle demanded. Because until she showed up you didn't care to look into your history.

Well, I don't think it's a casual ancestry search, Ida Belle. I mean Moses should know her medical history. What if breast cancer runs in her father's side of the family? That kind of information is important for a woman to know. Right Moses?

Ida Belle looked at Mo's enormous chest. Given the amount of cells Moses is toting around in her boobs, I'd say odds are pretty good she's gonna have breast cancer at some point in her life.

Ida Belle! How can you say that? Gertie asked in a hushed voice.

Gertie, do you really need your glasses to see Mo's boobs aren't normal? For that matter, neither are Jo's, she said bluntly, referring to Mo's half sister.

Well, Jo knows who her father is, Mo pointed out. But I don't. Grannie Annie always got tight lipped whenever I asked, but now that I'm older I think I deserve to know.

Have you tried contacting Margaret? Gertie asked.

I'm not going to track down Margaret for a list of her youthful sexploits, Mo said firmly. I have just as good a shot at this going into it blindly. I mean Sinful's not a big town, and Margaret didn't have her own car. So it seems likely my real father is, or was, someone local, right?

Moses, knowing this, are you sure this is something you want to pursue? Margaret wasn't discriminating when it came to men. Could you handle finding out your real daddy is someone like Eugene Mooney? Ida Belle asked.

Mo's response was to choke on her piece of cake. It flew out of her mouth and hit Ida Belle in the center of her white shirt.

Ida Belle glared at Gertie. Thanks a lot.

How is this my fault? Gertie asked.

It's your house, your chocolate cake, and your encouragement for Moses to pursue this crash course in stupidity, Ida Belle replied as she used a napkin to wipe off the cake. It left a large brown smear down the front of her shirt.

You might want to stand up and check your chair, Gertie suggested. If that frosting landed down there it won't look nice on those tan pants of yours.

Mo giggled at Gertie's implication and Ida Belle stood with a huff of impatience. Well? she demanded.

It's okay. You can sit down, Gertie assured her. After Ida Belle plunked back down onto the chair Gertie continued, Because it's already too late. You might want to think about carrying an extra set of clothes with you for when you have these accidents.

The only accident here is that chocolate cake, Ida Belle complained, while Gertie and Mo continued to giggle. Ida Belle's eyes narrowed. Moses, you have no call to laugh. I'd suggest you wear a bib next time... but I don't think they make bibs your size!

Mo looked down. Sure enough. She was also wearing frosting from Gertie's cake. She gave a mental eye roll. Like she needed a spot on her shirt to draw scrutiny to an already attention grabbing feature of her anatomy. Then she grinned. Ladies, I rest my case. I'd like to know who is responsible for this abnormality.

Even I can't argue with that one, Ida Belle admitted. Because you sure didn't get that chest from Grannie Annie. Now those thighs of yours...

Yes, I know, Mo sighed. If you keep bringing them up, I might just hire out to the Catholics for the Sunday morning banana pudding run.

Good lord, don't do that! Gertie yelled. Ida Belle, I think it's time.

Mo looked at them suspiciously. Time for what?

Gertie gave her a very serious look. It's time for revealing secrets, long kept hidden, she replied in a theatrical whisper.

Ida Belle said, Gertie, stop being a drama queen and just get the box already!

What box? Mo asked.

Ida Belle blew a gasket. The one Gertie is supposed to be retrieving! And don't ask me what's in it because I don't know, she told Mo as Gertie went upstairs. After you left for college Annie paid us a visit. She knew someday you'd ask about your father, so she put together a box in case she wasn't here to give you answers.

Do you think she knew and never said anything?

How the hell should I know? Ida Belle steamed. I just told you I didn't look in the box!

Gertie returned and placed an old shoe-box on the table. Annie left it with me because she knew Ida Belle would look, she told Mo with a smug smile.

Oh, please! She left it with you because we had coffee at your house that morning. Besides, you can't tell me you didn't look, Ida Belle accused and Gertie's cheeks turned pink with guilt.

Ida Belle turned to Mo. I think it's safe to say that Annie didn't know, or Miss High Horse would have spilled the beans already. How long have you had this box, Gertie? And how many times have you looked into it?

Gertie glared as she wiped off the dust and pushed it to Mo. You know darn well how long I've had it. She avoided Ida Belle's other question. Ida Belle looked triumphant when Gertie admitted, But Annie wasn't sure who your dad was.

CHAPTER 2

Mo reached for the box but didn't open it. Instead she wiped off the bit of dust residue still on the box top. Gertie must have kept it stored in a spare room, out of sight or it wouldn't have gathered dust. It seemed strange that clues to her past and a possible key to her future were all stored in this one small box.

Ida Belle, tired of waiting, cleared her throat and Mo looked up.

Do either of you know? Mo asked.

Ida Belle tried not to laugh, but wasn't entirely successful. Check the phone book from the year before you were born, she suggested. That should narrow it down. Of course, I don't think they had Viagra in those days, so I'm sure you could eliminate half the men, even back then.

Gertie patted Mo on the hand. Dear, that's why Annie left you this box. So you would at least have some idea of who she suspected might be your father.

Moses, the truth is, without a blood test I doubt you'll find the truth. Annie had to get a blood test to prove you were related before the authorities in New Orleans would let her bring you home. She had to do it again to obtain a birth certificate for you, since Margaret probably gave birth to you in an alley, or an abandoned warehouse, and shoved you into the first empty container she could find. Of course Annie had to list the father as unknown.

Mo seemed taken aback. A blood test? Really?

Gertie nodded. Moses, when your mother discovered her sex drive had a five speed transmission with overdrive, Annie couldn't keep her home. I dare say there were more males in Sinful who knew your mother in a carnal sense than didn't.

Mo stared at them with her mouth open in shock. I always knew Margaret was fast, but still...

Fast? Moses, a Formula One race car couldn't compete with your mother, Ida Belle informed her.

Mo pushed the box across the table, her eyes huge with doubt. I'm not so sure I want to look inside, she admitted in a faint voice.

Gertie firmly pushed it back. Believe it or not, there's a bright side to your mother's behavior.

I think I'll count it as a win that I didn't inherit that genetic defect, and leave it at that, Mo replied.

Ida Belle shook her head. Moses, don't give up so easily. Margaret may have been one of the largest tubs of margarine this town's ever seen, but for the most part she went in streaks with her men. Sure, she had some random flings, but mostly she stayed with a man just long enough to cause trouble before moving on to her next victim. At least a couple of weeks, right Gertie? Gertie nodded, while Ida Belle ignored Mo's snort of derision and continued. So it might be possible to narrow down who Margaret slept with around the time you were conceived.

Gertie nudged Ida Belle and focused on one thing. Margarine?

Cheap spread, Ida Belle hissed. Gertie's eyes widened and her mouth was an 'O.'

Margarine was her nickname, Ida Belle said through her