Sharing secrets

Mama repeatedly told Laura not to share her secret with anyone and sent Laura away so that no one knew about the baby. Yet, mama shared the secret with Lena Mae. Was anyone else surprised that mama told someone about the baby?

i was not surprised. Everyone thinks they can tell one person about "the secret", and that person will keep it secret.

I actually was surprised Laura's mother told Lena Mae. However, I feel the motive was selfish in that Laura's mother wanted to continue to make Laura feel bad for making her mother feel so miserable.

Appreciate Joyce’s perspective about why Laura’s mom shared the secret with Lena Mae. I got so caught up thinking/hoping Lena Mae’s guidance would lead to a turning point and that Laura’s mom would perhaps be just a little bit nicer. Since Lena Mae’s words seemed to resonate with Laura, I thought Laura’s mom would also listen to what Lena Mae said.

I wasn’t surprised Laura’s mom told someone about Laura’s secret. It would be a hard secret to keep.

I was not really surprised either. Don't we all have at least one person we are close to with whom we can share our deepest sorrows/hurts (even Laura's mother)? To have someone who can be our sounding board and validate us/our feelings goes a long way in helping work through our issues.