Page 55 of The Women of Oak Ridge

A gentle smile came to Velvet’s face. “‘If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.’ When we acknowledge our sins before God and repent—when we turn away from wrongdoing—we’re no longer slaves to sin.

It loses its grip on us, and we become the redeemed, beloved children of God. ”

Aunt Mae’s breath came in hard gulps. “I’m forgiven?” she whispered.

Velvet nodded. “Yes, Mae. You are forgiven. You’re free. Now it’s time to live like it.”

Aunt Mae’s sobs shook her entire body as she fell into Velvet’s arms.

The change in Aunt Mae was immediate. She still felt deep remorse over her long-ago actions, yet her face shone, almost radiant, with peacefulness as she spoke to us about what was next.

“Laurel, please call Jonas and tell him I’m ready to turn myself in,” she said. While she’d been resigned earlier to confessing her guilt and paying the price, now she had a sense of serenity about her that was nearly tangible.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Dad asked.

He’d been quiet while Aunt Mae shared her story with Velvet, but I saw in his eyes he didn’t agree with her plan.

“What you did was wrong, yes, but it happened a long time ago. Whatever the Russians may have learned from the documents you passed to Morrison is obsolete by now. We don’t even know if Morrison really was a spy or if he was just some lunatic. ”

“What do you suggest Mae should do?” Roonie asked, his voice gentle.

Dad glanced at each of us. “I don’t see the need for her story to leave this room.

” When Aunt Mae began to protest, he held up his hand.

“Hear me out, Mae. If you had actually been the one stealing the documents and passing them to the enemy, then I’d have no choice but to let you turn yourself in.

But you weren’t a spy. You were blackmailed and threatened by a murderer.

You didn’t commit a crime. You were a victim, like Laurel said. ”

“If that’s true, then everything will work out.” New confidence infused her words. She nodded at me, indicating the plan was still in play.

I left the room to make the call to Jonas. The woman who answered the telephone at the police station said Jonas was out of the office but she’d pass my message to him over the radio. I thanked her and returned to the living room. It wasn’t long before I heard a car enter the driveway.

Dad looked out the window. His shoulders grew stiff. “Tyson is here.”

Aunt Mae reached a hand to him. He grasped it like a lost little boy. “It’s going to be all right, Harry.”

I met Jonas at the door. Our eyes locked.

“Thank you for coming,” I said as he entered.

He nodded to each of the room’s occupants, then went to Aunt Mae. “I’m glad to see you’re feeling better.”

She offered a peaceful smile. “I am, Jonas. Much better than I’ve felt in years.”

“I understand you wanted to speak to me.” He glanced around the room. “I’m going to assume you’re all aware of what this is about.”

“I’ve told them everything,” Aunt Mae said.

Velvet and Roonie volunteered to leave to give us privacy, but Jonas requested they stay.

Dad brought in a chair from the kitchen for Jonas and set it facing Aunt Mae.

As he and I sank down onto the sofa next to Velvet, with Roonie standing nearby, I bit my lip to keep it from trembling, unsure what was going to happen after Aunt Mae confessed her crimes.

“Whenever you’re ready,” Jonas said to Aunt Mae.

She took a deep breath and began her story. Jonas listened intently, never interrupting her with questions of his own. He didn’t take notes or look troubled or shocked. He simply let her tell the tale that still seemed unreal to me.

When she came to the end, she wiped a tear that trailed down her cheek.

“I’m very sorry for my actions. I wish I could go back and change everything.

I’ve lived my whole life trying to keep this secret buried.

Telling all of you about it today is like coming out of the darkness into the light.

I’m ready to accept the punishment I deserve for betraying my country. ”

“You’re a very brave woman, Mae,” Jonas said.

“What happens now?” Dad asked. His tone told me he was still angry. “Will you take her into custody?”

“No, sir,” Jonas said. “Espionage cases are handled by the FBI. There will be an investigation. Mae will have to tell them what she’s told all of us.” He faced Aunt Mae. “You said you still have Sissy’s diary with the entries about Morrison?”

She nodded. “I also have documents I took from Clive’s trailer, as well as handmade copies of some of those I gave to him.

I drew them myself in case I ever needed evidence.

Laurel,” Aunt Mae said to me, “would you go to my closet? There’s a metal box there, behind some things.

Please bring it to me. The key is taped to the underside of my top bureau drawer. ”

I hurried to do her bidding. I knew exactly where to find the box.

When I returned to the living room, Aunt Mae unlocked it. A pained expression filled her face as she lifted out a small book.

“Sissy’s mama gave this diary to her before she left for Oak Ridge.” Tears filled her eyes. “That poor woman never knew what happened to her daughter.”

“You believe Sissy drowned in the river?” Jonas asked.

Aunt Mae nodded, her grief obvious. “After the war ended, Clive was transferred out of Oak Ridge. On his last day at K-25, he warned me to keep silent or else my family would suffer. Thankfully I never heard from him again. I searched and searched for Sissy’s grave but never found one.

I’m convinced she’s in the Clinch River.

I can’t tell you how many times I started to write to her mama about what happened.

About Clive and my suspicions. But every time I’d convince myself I could do it, I’d remember Clive’s threats, and I’d let fear win. ”

My heart broke for Aunt Mae. She’d been a young, innocent woman when she arrived in Oak Ridge, ready to do her part to help with the war effort. What happened to her and Sissy was a travesty.

She put the diary back into the box and handed it to Jonas. “Tell the authorities I’m ready to cooperate with them.”

Jonas stood and included all of us in his gaze. “Until the FBI finishes their investigation, it’s important not to talk to anyone else about this. We don’t want it to reach the news outlets until everything is settled.” He looked back to Aunt Mae. “I appreciate your honesty today, Mae.”

Velvet and Roonie left a few minutes later, promising to cover Aunt Mae in prayer. Jonas, too, made his way to the door, assuring us he would keep us informed of what happens next.

I walked him to his car. “Thank you, Jonas, for treating her so considerately.”

He offered a sympathetic nod. “I meant what I said. Mae is a brave woman.”

“How long do you think the investigation will take?”

“I don’t really know, but with the Gladding case in the news, they may jump on this fairly quickly.” Our gazes held. “What’s your plan now? Will you head back to Boston?”

“I’m not really sure. With Aunt Mae’s health situation, she shouldn’t be alone. Dad and I discussed moving her to Boston, but now with all of this...” I shrugged. “I guess we’ll have to see what happens, but I should be here for a while longer.”

I thought that might please him, but he didn’t smile. “While the investigation is underway, it wouldn’t be appropriate for us to see each other socially.”

Disappointment washed over me. “I understand.”

He opened the car door and set the metal box inside. “With the FBI handling the case, I may not know a lot, but I’ll pass along anything I hear.”

“I appreciate everything you’ve done, Jonas.” I took a step back. “Goodbye.”

I watched him drive away, a heavy feeling of loss in my heart. If Aunt Mae was convicted of espionage, it wouldn’t be wise for Jonas to be found dating the niece of a spy. His career could suffer. It seemed our relationship was coming to an end before it even had a chance to get started.

Back inside, Aunt Mae apologized again for everything she’d done and how it would affect us. “I love you all very much. I hate that my family will suffer because of what I’ve done.”

“We’ll be all right,” I said. “Remember the verse Velvet quoted?”

A look of peace settled on her face. “‘If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.’ It’s from the book of John.

I’ve read those words many times through the years, but I never believed I could be free of the guilt and shame.

I didn’t believe I deserved it after what I’d done.

I may go to prison, which frightens me, but I’ll walk through those doors without the heavy burden of guilt that has weighed me down for far too long. ”

I went to her and grasped her good hand. “I’m so proud of you, Aunt Mae.”

“I’m proud of you too, Sis.” Dad rose and put his hand on top of mine. “Mama and Pa would be as well.”

Her eyes filled with tears. “That’s more than I deserve, but it’s everything I’ve ever wanted.”