in
January 30th, 2005
Chapter 7
The First Clues
"Why are you so quiet, Red?" Abby asked as she pulled out the new
meeting table. I sat on her bed and sighed.
"Today, we're going have a different kind of meeting. I have something
to tell y'all."
Abby lifted up her eyebrow, and cocked her head to the side.
"You have to tell me first." she said. I shook my head.
"It's a rather long story. I'd rather tell everyone at the same time. I
think I'd feel more comfortable that way." She nodded.
"That bad?"
"Yup."
I closed my eyes, and laid back on her bed.
"You'll never believe what I'm going say, but it's true. Ask my dad
and...."
"Would you just shutup, and tell me the story. If ya gonna keep
running yore big mouth, ya might as well just tell me." Abby huffed. "No use
in keeping it ta ya self." I looked up at her, as she pulled her desk
chair up to the table and sat down.
"I told you already, girl. I'm gonna tell y'all altogether. I'm just
not comfortable." Abby took out her club note-book, and opened it.
"I thought we'd do something fun today. You know, like bake a cake,
go shopping, even start building a club house. I talked to Dad about
it, and he agreed to help make it. So did Rodney and Donaven. What you
have to say most likely can wait for a.... a sleepover!" "What?"
"Yeah, your daddy wouldn't mind. And then you can tell us what's on
your mind." I looked at her with doubtful eyes.
"I don't think...."
"Think about it. He might let you since it's almost school time, and
you won't be seeing us in a while. So he might let you, Red. Call
him."
I shrugged.
"I guess I'll call him. But I don't think it's going to work." She
picked up her cordless phone, and passed it to me. I dailed daddy's
cellphone number, and waited for him to answer. He answered on the second
ring.
"Dad?"
"Hey, Red, what do you want?"
"Abby was wondering if I could stay the night over."
"Let me speak to her mom."
I laid the phone down, and looked at Abby.
"He wants to speak to your mom," I informed her. She opened her door,
and yelled,
"Mom! The telephone's for you." I listened on the phone for Mrs. Choke.
When she got it, I hung up.
"Your mom doesn't know a thing about it," I said. She smiled.
"She's use to me doing things like this. Don't worry. She knows
what's going on."
About ten minutes later, Mrs. Choke came up the stairs and into Abby's
room.
"Your dad says that you can spend the night, only if you can fit into
Abby's clothes. And to make sure that Suzie changed. She has some
clothes in her bag." I nodded.
"Hilary woudn't mind doing that," Abby piped up. "I'm gonna invite
the rest of the girls over," she said grabbing her phone." Mrs. Choke
nodded.
"Tell them not to eat dinner. I'll make a feast." She went off
mumbling something about too much steak. Abby and I gave high fives.
"Let's roll!" she cried.
An hour later, Jesse, Ronda, and Eshi were sitting on Abby's bed
munching on cracker-jacks.
"I wouldn't eat too much," Abby warned. "Mom's making a feast, and
she's going to force you."
Ronda shrugged. "I'll eat anyway. I'm straved."
She wasn't in bad shape or anything, but she was bigger than us all.
For fifteen, she looked at least nineteen. She could pass for twenty. I
always admired her, though. She took no shame in it. She was actuly
proud. I grabbed a handful of the crackers, and stuffed my mouth.
"Cracker-jacks are nasty," I said. "I'm just eating them because I'm
hungrey." Abby shrugged.
"Do you like chesse-nips?" Eshi spat her crackers out.
"I love chesse-nips. Do you have some, Abby?"
Abby glared at her.
"You ain't getting nothin' til you clean off my bed." she huffed.
She stalked out. Eshi sighed.
"Why does everybody treat me so different?" she asked. "I feel like
I'm being used and pushed around like some little critter."
"Maybe that's because you are," Ronda snapped. "Now clean off Abby's
bed. She's gonna be furious!" I looked at Ronda in disbelief.
"That's not true, Eshi. You just need to be more dedicated to your
club." I soothed.
"Dedicated? Dedicated! What is it with you guys! I am dedicated to my
club. I have a family, too. I have problems-"
"We know that," Ronda said sourly. "You have all the problems any
retard has. Now if I were you, I'd clean up that mess you made real fast,
cause Abby'll be mighty mad if she found out that you didn't do it yet.
Your dirty mess is soaking into her nice covers."
Eshi stood up, and began cleaning the covers. After she was done, she
picked up her duffle bag.
"I'm going home," she imformed us.
"Why?" I asked. "We were just kidding."
She nodded.
"Sure. But this club seems so much better without me."
"Yeah, but you didn't even hear what happened to me. Please stay. We
need you. Don't we, Ronda."
Ronda shrugged. "I guess the club wouldn't be complete without you,
Eshi."
She smiled. "I'll stay, I reckon. So what's your story."
I sighed. "It's not excalty a story. It's real life. And let's wait for
Abby."
Jesse sighed. "Ain't nobody wanna hear about your dumb story. If ya
gonna tell us, jist do it."
"Please, just wait."
Abby came back with the chesse-nips and Febrezz.
"Good. You got it up." Abby smiled.
It was a friendly smile. Made me wonder if she overheard the last bit
of our conversation at the door.
"Now who all want chesse-nips? I guess we'll go ahead and listen to
Red's ole story."
We all sat around the table, and made ourselves as comfortable as we
could.
"Okay, Red," Abby said. "tell us your story."
An hour later, all of their mouths were hanging open.
"Are you pregneat?" Eshi asked.
I shook my head.
"We didn't make love, we almost did. Well... he almost did to me."
Abby shook her head.
"That's a good one, Harris. You almost had me for a while. But that's
just too hard to believe."
"I know it seems imposible, but it's true."
"Did you get the guy's name?" Eshi asked. "Because a cousin of mine is
involed with that stuff."
I thought hard. Then it hit me. Myers, git out of here. I was saving
her for me!
"He said, Meyers. Didn't give no first name, or anything like that."
"How'd he look? Did he have brown hair, gray eyes, and -"
"He was short. Very muscular. Great smile."
She nodded. "That's him, all right."
"Are you serious?" I squeaked.
"The name's Jermey Trenton Meyers. He's my third or fourth cousin."
"Okay, let me get this straight," Jesse said. "Red, you were nearly
raped by Eshi's cousin?"
I nodded still letting the news sink in. "That's what it looks like."
"Well whatcha gonna do 'bout it?" she asked.
I shrugged. "I don't know, yet. Maybe I can -"
"You know this whole thing is weird!" Abby exclaimed. "Red, you
finding your mother, the rumor about your dad and mom, plus this happening to
you. What's going on?"
I shook my head. "I...I don't know, Abby. I need help."
Ronda closed her eyes, and laid her head on the table.
"I'm scared," she whispered. "Red, something is diffently wrong. I
don't wanna be in this mess. I'm scared for you, your mom, and your dad. I
heard my mom talking on the phone to her friend. They were talking
about your dad and Caroline in the streets. Then she said something else
about Caroline being the mother to Red that she isn't. And she also said
something about this lady named Londa. Once she realized that I was
easedropping, she shooed me out."
I held one hand over my heart. What could Mrs. Hankins mean. How can
my mother not be the mother she is to me.
She is my mother, right?
I tried to make myself as comfortable as possible on the floor. What
is going on? I wondered. What is Dad not telling me? A tear slowly
trickled down my cheek. Jesse shifted beside me, and yawned.
"I can't go to sleep," she moaned. "What I need is my big comfortable
bed, and a good movie to help me go to sleep. How 'bout you, Red? Are
you sleepy?" she asked.
I shook my head.
"Red?"
"I don't think I'll be able to go to sleep in a while."
"Would you two hold it down?" Ronda huffed. "It's hard trying to
get sleep up here already. I don't like sleeping with other people."
"Well don't forget, Ron, you're in my bed. I'm not use to sleeping
with other people either," Abby piped up.
Jesse sighed. "Eshi, are you sleep?"
Eshi leaned up, and shook her long, white-blonde hair lose.
"Who can sleep in this room? Even though the air conditioner is on,
it's five girls in this room. That's what making it so hot and stuffy in
here. Who would be able go to sleep?"
I smiled in spite of my conditions. I knew that my homegirls wouldn't
let me down.
"Y'all wanna go outside?" Abby asked. "We can bring some snacks
along, and go for a walk. Or maybe even get into the pool. What do y'all
say?"
We all agreed.
"Get up, then! I'll gather some bathing suits. Ronda, since you know
my house so well, you can get the snacks. The rest of you wait on the
back patio."
I shivered. It was pretty cool for a July night. I pulled my robe
tighter around me. Jesse was shivering too.
"What is taking Abby so long?" I wondered aloud. "We might get
caught!"
"Don't worry, honey," Jesse soothed. "Abby can get us out of
anything."
As if on cue, we saw a light come on in Mr. and Mrs. Choke's bedroom. I
looked at Jesse, who looked at Eshi.
"Let's jump in the pool," Eshi suggested.
"No!" Jesse and I hissed.
"Let's make a dash for the kitchen, and warned Abby and Ronda," Jesse
instruted. Eshi and I nodded, and did as was told, Jesse at our heels.
In the kitchen, we didn't see Abby nor Ronda.
"Think they already found out?" I whispered.
Jesse shrugged. "probably so."
We heard footsteps coming, so we dashed into a closet right out of the
kitchen.
Inside the closet, there was a bare lightbulb with a string atached to
it. I pulled the string so that we'd have some light. There were
newspaper clipings all over. Some were glued to the wall, some on the
ceiling, and the rest all scattered abroad.
"Wow," Eshi exclaimed. "Newspaper city."
I began reading one on a lady's death. Her name was Londa Harris. Maybe
she was related, I considered. She died at the age of 19 giving birth
to her little daughter who......
"Someone's coming," Jesse whispered. "Turn that light off."
I pushed the string that turned the life off to the light. Poor woman,
I thought. She was so young. And her picture, I must admitt, she had
sort of looked like me. She had the red hair and all. Must be related. I
closed my eyes, crossed my fingers, and prayed that we wouldn't be
caught. Then the door opened. We were caught.
Come to find out, that we were caught by our own president, and
treasurer, Abbagail Choke and Ronda Hankins.
"You dummies," Abby whispered. "Y'all woke my parents up. They already
discovered that we were missing from my room, so what are we going to
do now?"
Eshi smiled. "Simple. All we have to do is say we wanted to watch a
little televison."
Everyone starred at her with completely blank faces. Everyone but Abby,
that is.
"What are you talking about, Lewis? I have a t.v in my room!" Abby
huffed. Eshi looked down at her slippers.
"I was just trying to help," Eshi whispered. "I forgot all-"
"There y'all go. What are you girls doing up so early?" Mr. Choke
asked.
We all turned around with paled faces, and sweaty palms.
"We, uh, decided that we needed to move around. Get some
air....inside, of course. It's really hot and stuffy when you have a room full of
girls." Abby piped up.
"Oh, so a tweleve package of sprite, three bags of chips, cookies,
and beach towels does have something to do with getting fresh air, eh?"
he smiled.
"Uh, we decided to snack on something as soon as we get to the room.
Right girls?"
We all nodded, not daring to say anything, let alone open our mouths.
Mr. Choke rubbed his chin as if considering Abby's lie. He looked down
at us supisously.
"And the beach towels?"
"We wanted to have a little indoor beach party, and I-"
"That's enough lying Abby. If you and your girlfriends want to go
outside. Then do so. If you go into the pool, you have to promise to keep it
down. Abby, you know how your mother gets." He smiled and saluted us.
"Have fun, girls."
"Thank you," we all squealed in delight.
I don't think we ran out of that house quick enough. I was so happy, I
forgot all about Londa Harris.
Chapter 8
Spending The Night
Back at home, in my room, I couldn't think of one thing to do. Suzie
was laying on my bed, asleep. Her curly, blonde hair, her big, blue
eyes, her plumb lips, and her perfect nose. It was truly a combanation of
my parents. If you asked me, I didn't look like my mother a bit. I
looked like my dad a little, but if someone saw me and Mom together, they'd
probably think we were just friends. I walked out of the room, leaving
Suzie on my bed. I entered my dad's opened doors, that led to his
bedroom. He looked up at me.
"What's happening?" he asked.
"Bored," I replied truthfully. "Can we go someplace?"
"Where would you want to go on a hot day like this?" Dad asked. I
pulled on my short ponytail, and shrugged.
"Columbia. We could go to Columbia and visit Mom."
Even though he was trying not to show it, delightness filled his hard
face.
"I don't know...."
"Aww, shut up, Da. You know you wanna go see Mom. Tell you what, while
Suzie and I go shopping, you can visit Mom, and have her all to
yourself. Just drop us off at the mall."
His small smile widened. "If y'all want to. What's Suzie doing?"
"She's sleep on my bed. But as soon as she finds out that we're going
to Columbia, she'll be wide awake.
He nodded. I looked on his dresser. I never reconized it before, but
there was a picture of a lady, who looked to be around 18 or 19. It
seemed as if I saw the picture before, but I just couldn't remember where.
Oh well, I thought. Must be an old friend.
At the mall, Suzie couldn't stop jumping around. She wanted to go to
every store store she could find. I couldn't go anywhere that I wanted
to go, without Suzie wanting to go somplace else. As I was buying her
fifth barbie doll, I heard a voice behind me.
"Red? Suzie?"
I turned around, and to my delight, it was my dad's youngest sister,
Molly. Her beautiful brown hair in a big, beautiful bun, with pieces lose
around the end. She was in a red and white checkered shirt, and a white
jean skirt.
"Well, if it isn't my two favorite nieces," Aunt Molly exclaimed. She
ran over and hugged us. Taking Suzie right out of my arms, she paid for
the doll, and led us to the food court.
"Where's Wayne?" she asked.
"He went to see Mom," I replied.
She frowned and led us to the McDonalds.
"Something wrong?" I asked.
She shrugged. "How can Wayne just go flying in her open arms after all
what happened with Londa.... I mean Caroline leaving?"
"Who's Londa?" I asked. "I think Ronda said something about someone
named Londa, and I heard about that name someplace else, and now you?"
"Oh, she was an old girlfriend of Wayne, that's all."
"Oh. Why'd he break up with her?" I asked.
Aunt Molly shrugged, and than began ordering our lunch.
After retreiving our food, Aunt Molly asked if we could spend the
night.
"Suzie nor I have any clothes," I said shaking my head.
"So. That's why we're at the mall. Wayne wouldn't mind you coming to
spend the night with me. He trust me. It's just that ole Billy, who he
don't trust. Let me give him a call, while y'all find us a table.
At Aunt Molly's, we could just relax and have fun. Since Aunt Molly
was only nine years older than me, 24, she knew how to make us satisfied.
She helped us with our clothes, and even helped buy some of the things
that we didn't have enough money for. But back at her house, things
were everything a teen or a child would want. We rented five movies from
Hollywood Video, and brought popcorn so that we'd have something to do
when we got to her house. Before watching the movies, we washed, and got
everything settled in place, so when the movies were over, all we'd
have to do is brush our teeth and go to bed.
While watching the first movie, Baby Talks, Aunt Molly went to pop
another bag of popcorn. When she came back, it was on the part when the
lady has the baby. She laughed a little.
"I remember the day your mother had you, Red. She was nineteen. We
thought she was going to live....I mean die....I mean we didn't think you
were going to...let me just shut my mouth up. Here, y'all want some
popcorn?" she asked.
I took a handful, and stuffed my mouth.
"What do you mean y'all didn't think I was going to live?"
"Oh, it's nothing, girl. Don't worry about a thing.
By the fourth movie, Aunt Molly and Suzie were alseep, but I couldn't
go to sleep. All I could think about was my mother at birth. They
didn't think I was going live? Something was defiently wrong. Right now,
though, I couldn't put my finger on it. I fell into a dreadful sleep,
dreaming that my mother wasn't my mother. But someone else.
The next morning, I pulled on the new, black, mini skirt Aunt Molly
helped me buy, and the new red, tank-top that brought out the brightness
of my hair. I applied little make-up to my face, before adding the
dimond earrings that once belonged to Aunt Molly. I looked at Suzie who was
still asleep on the soft bed.
Daddy.
I don't know why he came to me, but he did. Then it hit me. Dad spent
the night alone with Mom. I mean, why would he just leave and go to a
hotel, or waste gas money, when Mom was there with all the extra space.
The dream came back to me, that I had a couple of weeks ago. I suddenly
got weak in my knees, and had to sit down. The way Dad panted over her,
the way they looked at eachother, the way they talked to eachother, the
way he tickled her, the way they touched.......
Well why are you thinking about that? I scolded myself. They were just
seperated. And who knows, they probably didn't even do it. Still I
didn't have a good feeling about it. I stood up, but had to sit back down.
I could hear Aunt Molly shuffling around in the kitchen. Picking up the
phone, I slowly punched in Dad's cellphone number. After five rings, I
gave up, but I still hung on, just in case. No answer. I stood up,
still weak, but I managed to get to the kitchen.
"Where do you supose my dad spent the night at?" I asked Aunt Molly.
She laughed lightly.
"And good morning to you, too, Red. And if you want my opinion, I think
Wayne spent the night with Caroline. Who else? Where else?"
I cupped my chin into my hand and thought.
"He didn't answer his cellphone," I informed her.
She just laughed that light laugh again.
"Red, when people are in love, they do things. You know what I mean?"
I nodded numbly. "Yeah, I know. I just don't want to believe it."
She placed a cup of coffe in front of me.
"Drink," she ordered. She sat down in front of me, and watched me
sipped the steaming coffe.
"Red, I love you." she almost whispered.
I looked up at her surprised. Not like it was anything wrong with her
telling me, or anything. It's just the way she said it. She was looking
at me with big tears in her eyes, and a strange look on her face.
"I love you, too, Aunt Molly," I said, a knot forming in my stomach.
What was going on? Why was everyone acting so strange? And who is Londa?
My mind was racing with thousands of unanswered questions. The
unanswered questions that I thought would never be answered.
When we were at Mom's apartment complex, I asked Aunt Molly if she was
coming in. She shrugged.
"Caroline and I never got along too well."
"Aww, just come on in," I pushed.
"Fine," she surrendered lifting both of her delicate hands. "But if
Caroline and I get into an aurgument, blame it on yourself."
I smiled and shook my head. Aunt Molly was impossible. She took my hand
and squeezed it, before picking up Suzie, and leading us to the lobby.
I knocked loudly on Mom's apartment door. No answer. I knocked again,
only this time, louder. I heard rushing footsteps, and then Mom yelled
that she was coming. After about three minutes, she opened the door in
a see-through robe, that revealed that she only had a strapless slip
on. Aunt Molly muttered something under her breath, and pushed past Mom,
and into the apartment. Mom rolled her eyes, and than smiled at Suzie
and I brightly.
"Up so early?" she greeted us.
"Mom," I said. "It's almost 11:00."
She whistled, and moved aside to let us in.
"Wow! Didn't reconize how late it was."
Suzie and I entered. The house didn't seem the same, even though
everything was perfectly in place. Just like it was when I last came.
"Where's Dad?" I asked.
"Oh, him! He's uh, getting ready to come out. You know, he's just-"
"Getting dressed?"
"Uh, yeah."
"So where'd he sleep? The guest room? I need to go see him. He's my
dad, anyway," I said walking down the hall.
"Wait, Red!" she cried. "He slept in my room..... with me. We wanted to
just spend a little time together, that's all."
I nodded.
"Dad! Come out this very instant!" I yelled.
Mom paled. "Oh, Red. You're not offended, now are you?"
I didn't bother answering her.
"If you are, please don't be. We needed eachother. We...we...we felt
like we had to do it, get things back on track."
Just when I was about to open Mom's bedroom door, Aunt Molly burst out
of the room.
"Good-bye, girls. I had fun with y'all. We needed to have some time
together, anyway. Y'all needed to get away from y'all's crazy dad."
"Dad's not crazy," Suzie objected.
"Tell her again," Dad said.
I turned around and looked at him. He smiled a lopsided grin at me.
"Hey, short stuff, had fun with your auntie?"
I glared at him, and he took a step back.
"Whoa! What's the matter with you?" he asked. "Woke up on the wrong
side of the bed?"
"No," I snapped. "but you woke up in the wrong bed."
He smiled at me. It wasn't the nicest, father to daughter smile either.
"Well I don't think I did. I had a lot of fun in the bed that I was
in. But me and that bed done had it, so we'll move back to my bed,
right, Caroline?"
Mom rushed by Dad's side, and smiled at us.
"That's right, girls. I'm moving back in."
I was so shocked, I didn't know what to say. Aunt Molly on the other
hand, cursed aloud, and stormed out of the apartment, and slammed the
door behind her.
Dad sucked his teeth, and muttered something under his breath. He
looked at Suzie and me.
"Well don't just stand there, help us pack. We don't got much time."
A month later, and she thinks she has the right to boss me around? I
think not. I don't know why I'm so mad. After three years of wishing
she was with me, I was wishing she'd just die. I kicked the pillow she
gave me, the night I was nearly raped.
"Look, Red." I told myself. "You have no reason to be mad with your
mother. She's your mother. Now you can be proud, and say you have a
mother. So be nice, and get use to her. Because she's living with you now,
and there's nothing worst than not having a relationship with your
mother." I wrote the little speech to myself down on a piece of sationary
paper, as I said it. I folded it, and laid it on my bed. I picked up the
pilllow that I had kicked, and covered the note with it.
"There," I said. "And stay there, too."
I walked down the hall, and into the kitchen where Mom and Dad were
sitting at the table. Dad, reading the newspaper, Mom, looking in this
giant cookbook for a recipe, I supose.
"Need any help with dinner?" I asked coming up beside her.
She looked up in surprise. I had given her and Dad the silent
treatment, ever since I found out that she was moving in.
Dad looked up from his newspaper, and took his reading glasses off. He
cocked up one of his bushy eyebrows.
"Oh, stop looking at me like that," I snapped.
He smiled a small smile of thanks, and looked back at his newspaper. I
turned my attention back to Mom, who was still gaping at me.
"I said, do you need any help with dinner?"
She smiled, and began to move quickly, her hands fluttering about like
a butterfly's wing.
"Sure, Red. I'd be delighted to have my teenaged daughter help me
cook. What do you wanna make....daughter?"
I starred at her blankly. Why was she acting so stupid?
Dad stood up, and left the kitchen, leaving me starring at her. She
looked away uncomfortably.
"What were you looking at?" I asked, leaning over to get a look in the
giant cookbook.
"Oh, I was going to try to make a roast," she said losening up a bit.
I smiled, and took out the big roast pot.
"Then what are we waiting for?" I asked.
At dinner, Dad said the blessing, and we began to eat the hen we
roasted, smoked potatos, and honey-glazed carrots. For drink, we had the
usual, tropical flavored Kool-aid. Mom and I had a great time together.
Since the both of us had never made a big roast, it was something we
expirenced together. I ate until my heart was content. Dad and Mom were
very quiet durning the dinner. Suzie talked on and on about her starting
preschool. Her big eyes shone with excitment. When she finally quieted
down, Dad cleared his throat.
"Um, your mama and I have something to tell y'all." he said.
I looked up at them, as I wiped my mouth.
"Well?"
He looked at Mommy as if to say: You tell them. Mom smiled nervously,
and stumbled over her words.
"Y'all are, we as a, I'm going to-"
"Ya mama's two months pregneat." Dad said for her.
My fork fell from my hands, and made a loud, clattering sound, once it
bounced onto my plate. Dad and Mom exchanged worried glances. I smiled
in complete pleasure.
"For real?" I squealed.
They both nodded eargerly.
"Great! I'm so happy!"
And I really did mean it. At the time.
Chapter 9
Her Secret Past
November, four Months Later
I looked at the price of the fuzzy, yellow onies. They were cute, and
adoreable and all, but they were ten dollars each. I looked at the
medium sized lump that replaced Mom's slim stomach, and couldn't resist. I
added one of the onies to my collection of girl baby clothes that I was
planing on buying for my up coming sister. I picked up the fuzzy,
yellow night cape that would complete the outfit. It was five dollars. I
sighed and dropped it in the blue basket.
"I won't regret it," I told myself.
Mom came over and stood beside me. "What are you mumbling to yourself
about, now?" she asked playfully. I looked into her blue eyes and
smiled.
"I just can't find what I want to buy little Colora. I only have
twenty dollars for myself and her." Mom laughed her little laugh that
reminded me of jingle bells. "You don't have to buy the baby anything. By the
way, what if she don't be a girl?" she asked. "Doctors haven't always
been right."
I shrugged. "That's what I'm gonna go by now." I smiled. We all agreed
to name the up coming baby girl, Corlora (Cor-lo-ra) Jessica Angelic
Harris. I came up with Colora, Mom came up with Jessica, and Dad and
Suzie came up with Angelic. She shrugged.
"It's your money, Red. But I can buy it."
"Well, if you're gonna buy it, there's no use in me wasting my money,"
I smiled. She patted me on the back, took my basket of baby clothes,
and trotted off. I smiled after her, and decided to buy a new shirt for
me or something. The thought of a new baby sister filled my heart with
love.
I opened the big text book that seemed heavier than Suzie, and turned
to my half done homework assignment. Mr. Sweed was calling out
attendence, and we had to bring our homework up as our name was called. So far
I hadn't made any friends. Everyone acted if I were different. Like
something was wrong with me. I've never been really popular in WBJH, but I
had friends. Everytime I talked to someone here, they'd completely
ignore me, or stare at me as if trying to make friends wasn't regular. But
I figured someone gossiped, and got bad news around the school or
something, because after four months I'm still friendless.
I hurried through my homework, trying to get it done before Mr. Sweed
called my name. On my next to last problem, I heard my name called.
"Harris. Red Harris."
I scrambled down answers for the last two problems, and walked between
the rows of desks, before reaching the biggest desk of all. I handed
the paper to Mr. Sweed, who looked down at the paper through his rather
small glasses for his huge face.
"You may be seated, Miss Harris." he imformed me.
I quickly did as was told, and looked down at my lap.
"Rawing. Erin Rawing."
I looked into the face of the girl who was sitting next to me. The only
reason I wasn't on the cheerleading team. She told me all of these lies
about the coach, and also made me late for the pratice. She made lies
up about me, and pretended to be my friend. I found out by some girl by
the name of Plumb Tillars, who I learned love to start up fights. She
also laughed at me in my face. Why can't I just disappear? I wondered. I
wish I could just go home. As if God heard my silent plea, I heard my
name being called over the intercom.
"Red Harris. Please report to the main office. Someone is here to
pick you up."
Mr. Sweed looked up at me from his desk. "I guess you might as well go
on, Miss Harris. I'll have someone call you and explain our lesson."
I couldn't hide my smile, as I stood up and gathered my papers. "Thank
you, Jesus!" I whispered to myself as I left the classroom.
In the office, I found Abby, Ronda, Jesse, Eshi, and Twinkle waiting
on me.
"What's up!" Twinkle greeted me.
I ignored her, and turned to Abby. "What's going on?" I asked.
For once she looked serious. "You're coming with us. We're going to
Columbia." she informed me.
"What do you mean?" I asked. "Y'all came all the way over here to take
me on a little field trip to Columbia." I said sourly. "Do you know
what'll happen to me if my daddy finds out?"
Abby grabbed my arm, and nearly dragged me away from the building.
"It's about your mom." she snapped. "Your real mom."
"What are you talking about Abby?" I asked as chill went down my
spine. She nodded toward a red mini van. She went on as if she didn't hear
me.
"Give Twinkle five bucks, since all of us are doing this for you."
"Doing what?"
"This is her mom's mini van. And she drove us to here, Sandre. We
paid her five dollars. You give her five dollars to drive us back."
"And who's gonna take me back here?"
"That determins on where my plan leads us."
As soon as we were on the road, Abby shoved a newspaper clipping in my
hand. I looked on it. Londa Harris! Now I remember where I heard the
name from. Ronda, Aunt Molly..... and the newspaper clipping in the
Choke's closet. Londa Harris.
"That's strange," I said. "Londa's my dad's old girlfriend, but her
last name is Harris."
"That's because she was your dad's wife!"
"WHAT!!"
"Read the clipping, dummy!" Abby ordered.
It went.
Londa Harris:
Londa Harris, wife of Wayne Harris died Sunday, April 7
1988, giving birth to a little girl at Palmetto Baptist Ho-
spital in Columbia. The baby servied.
Services will be annouced by Fillis Funeral
Home of Columbia.
I gasped in horror, trying to rearange my thoughts. It wasn't a wonder
I didn't look like Caroline Harris's daughter. I wasn't.
Aunt Molly sat a steaming cup of green tea in front of me. The rest of
the girls were drinking hot chocolate. Aunt Molly sat down in front of
me and sighed.
"Well let me begin from the beginning. Your mom and dad met in high
school. They decided that they loved eachother very much, and wouldn't
let college get between them. So when they grauated, Londa, your mom,
decided to move in with Wayne, who was renting an apartment in WesBrige.
Londa, coming from a very wealthy family, decided to pay half the rent.
"They were only eightteen. In September we learned that Londa was one
month pregneat. So they decided to get married. They got married right
away. They didn't have no big fancy wedding. Actully, we didn't find
out that they got married until the next day. They eloped. We all were
very, very happy. But her family wasn't, and didn't want anything to do
with you, Wayne, or her after they heard the news. Anyways, she refused
to have sex durning her pregnecy, so your dad went out, and met
Caroline.
"This was behind Londa's back. Well Londa's sister, Jenny, who was
also pregneat, found out that Wayne was cheating on Londa. So she told
Londa, and Londa asked Wayne, and he admitted it was true. So just to make
a long story short, Londa stopped doing what was healthy for herself
and you. So when she had you, she was very, very weak. First they told us
that something was wrong. Then a hour after you were born, we lost her.
"Wayne only being nineteen, was sad for a little while. He even broke
up with Caroline. But when you were about six months old, she was
knocking on his door again. And he took her in, of coarse."
She smiled weakly at me, and patted my hand.
Millions of questions were spinning around in my head at once.
Everything was going too fast. I didn't realize that I was crying, until Aunt
Molly handed me a tissue, and embraced me. She kissed my cheek.
"Don't worry, sweetie." she soothed. "Everything's gonna be all
right."
I nodded, but in my heart I didn't believe it. I knew everything wasn't
going to be okay for a long, long time.
It was 3:45. Time for me to go home. Aunt Molly had dropped me back
off at school ten minutes before the bell. I climbed on the bus, and sat
on a seat by myself. I was the first one. Soon, though, the bus began
to fill up. Everyone was shouting, laughing screaming, and coming in
little groups. I looked out of the small, dusty window, hoping that no one
would come and sit beside me. Just in case, I placed my heavy bookbag
beside me on the seat. The huge engine roared to life, and I was finally
on my way home. Since it would be well a hour before I reached home, I
decided to try to think things out. How could they have lied to me
about something as big as this? I wondered. I covered myself with my white
jacket, and scrunched my knees up in the seat. A tear trickled down my
cheek.
A short girl who was sitting behind me tapped my sholder.
"Can I sit with you?" she asked, obviously annoyed with the person
who she was sitting with. Great.
Without answering her question, I quietly moved my backpack. She slid
in, and smiled at me.
"My name's Helen. I heard some rumors about you from Erin, but I
don't believe them. I think you're really pretty. Where do you live? I
heard you're from WesBrige. Do you still live there, and come down here
everyday? Do you want to see my new lipstick? I got it from Vanity
Affairs. Have you ever been there? It's the best place for make-up. Anyways,
it's half midnight blue, and half baby pink, plus it has silver glitter
in it. Could you come over my house? My dad decided he's going cook.
He's a great cook." She looked at me and waited for all of her questions
to be answered. I never knew anyone who talked and asked more questions
than Suzie all at once.
"Well.... My name is Red Harris. I am from WesBrige, but we recently
moved down here to Sandre. Yes, I do want to see your new lipstick, and
I don't know if I can come over your house. I don't really know you."
She nodded. "Well I'm fifteen. I'm not really that popular around
school. I love singing, reading, and I'm in the chorus. I have a sister.
She's seventeen. My mom...... Have you been crying?" she asked me. She
looked closely at me. "Are you all right?"
I nodded. "I...It's just some family problems."
She smiled and nodded as if she understood. "Wanna talk about it?"
I shook my head. "It's okay. I'm fine."
She shrugged. "Your life, your choice. Anyways, I'd really like to be
your friend. I've been watching you alot lately. You seem lonely. Well
if you are, you're not the only one. I don't have a single friend,
here. My family and I moved here five years ago, and do I get friends? No.
Instead I get teased, tortured, and I can't go one day without getting
in a fight. Because I'm fat."
I was about to protest, but once I got a good look at her, she was
fat. She seemed to be about twenty pounds over-weight. She wasn't actully
fat, she just looked older.
"You're not fat," I said. "you just look older. How old are you?" I
asked. I had forgotten that she'd already told me.
"Fifteen."
I nearly choked. "So?" I manged to sqeak. "It's natural for you to feel
this way. I'm surprise you're not taken." I said, studying her face.
She wasn't pretty, but she did have an interesting face. She had big,
bright green eyes, thin lips, a wide nose with a sprinkle of freckles
across it, that acomplished it with high checkbones. Her hair seemed to
have different varities of browns. It reminded me of cinnimon. Besides
her considerable, bulky figure, she was in other words, a regular girl.
Someone you looked at and later wouldn't wonder about. Someone who you
wouldn't give a second look.
"You're just saying that to be nice. My sister's always complaining
about me. Like, why did I have to be her sister? Or why did I have to be
so ugly and fat. Why! Why! Why! She makes me so sick. You may look at
me, and think my sister's ugly, but really, she's a knockout. She's very
popular around here, but to me, she's a snob. She'll be getting on you
soon."
If you asked me, it sounded as if Helen was the one complaining.
"What's your sister's name?" I asked.
"Areia. Why? Have you seen or heard of her yet?"
I nodded, remebering the stunning girl I saw in the school newsletter.
"She is pretty," I admitted.
Helen nodded. "I would take lots and lots of pride in her if she
weren't so mean."
She took out a red notpad that was formed into big lips, scribbled her
number on it, ripped it out, and handed it to me. She stood up.
"Call me, and see if you can come to dinner. I'm sure we'll become good
friends. Unfortunatly it's time for me to go."
She pointed at a two storie, meduim sized house. It was very pretty,
with lots and lots of plants, and trimmed bushes.
"Maybe you could come with me, and call in the house," she offered. I
was about to protest, but than I remembered all the lies, the deceit,
the hurt, and pain. They can be a family of x-murders for all I care, I
thought bitterly. At least they're still a family.
"Sure," I smiled. "Why not?"
Inside the house was just as pretty as the outside, if it wasn't
prettier. Red roses were in fancy vases, three beige and red love seats, a
slick black, grand piano that looked brand new, was in it's own little
coner of the living room, or what she called, a sitting room. Big green
plants in large beige flower pots, with small drops of fresh water on
them, were everywhere. The house was bigger than I'd predicted. A huge
chandalier hung from the ceiling. She led me into the kitchen. I felt
like I had stepped into a house keeping magazine. It was white and black.
Everything. From the poka dotted celing fans, to the checkered, tiled
floor. It made me wish that I'd wiped my sneakers off before I had
enter. She went directly to the cabinets, and pulled out a bag of chips. She
laid the bag on the counter.
"Dinner's gonna be ready at six-thirty, so let's just have a small
snack." she suggested.
After grabbing a couple of napkins, she led me up the stairs and down
the hall that had huge pictures of roses of red and white. They looked
like they'd cost a fortune. It seemed so unreal. So fairy-tale like.
Like I was in a bubble of a very wonderful dream, and soon the bubble
would pop, and I'd be back in reality. Better take advange of the dream
while I can, I thought, a small smile playing my lips.
We walked past two bedrooms. Both doors were open, and I could see
the beauty and elegance.
"This is my room," she said.
I guess I was expecting something beautiful and fairy-tale like,
because when she opened the door, I knew my mouth was hanging open.
"Shock, huh?" she smiled. "My mom hates the way I keep my room, but,"
she shrugged, "I'm just a regular teenager. I guess it seems like I
don't belong in this family. That's how I feel, at least."
Her room was worst than Suzie's. Dirty pants were all over chairs and
the floor, the bed undone, papers overflowing off of her desk and onto
the floor, c.ds were on her dresser without its case, the list went on
and on.
I shrugged. "My room isn't much better." Even though I knew it was a
lie, I said it as if it were true. I don't know why. I guess maybe to
make her feel better. "And I'm sure your mom's just talking. Speaking of
your mom..."
"She and Dad must have gone shopping. They should be here soon. But
don't worry. Why don't you call your parents, now. I'm pretty sure
they're worried 'bout you." She said, opening the bag of chips.
I shook my head. "Oh no! That's okay. They're the kind that don't care
where I am, whom I'm with, or where I'm going. If they did they
wouldn't have lied to me all of these years." The bitter words were slipping
out of my mouth so fast, that I don't think I could have stopped them if
I tried.
She starred at me, her mouth hanging open very wide. "What are you
talkin' 'bout, girl? I thought...aren't you...darn it, girl, tell me
what's going on!"
Even though I didn't know Helen that long, I felt that I could trust
her. And I know she felt as if she could trust me too. So I poured my
heart out to her. I told her about the time Caroline, my so called mom,
ran away from us, and when and how I found her again. I told her about
the mystries, about the rapeing, about the love I had for Caroline, and
about today. The truth.
Instead of leaving her mouth open, she went to her desk, and pulled
out a silver laptop computer.
"Seems like your life is just like mine. So we're equal. I was
thinking about running away for a long, long, time. Making my family sorry
for the way they treated me. Making them want me. Well I did some
research on where I would go....... now where we will go."
Even though it sounded impossible, I still couldn't help being
excited. "You don't even know me. How can you want me to go along with you on
this? Money? How are we going to go? We don't have a car, and I don't
have a bike. If we had all of the above, I still don't think I would go.
And as I said again, I don't know you."
She smirked. "You were brave enough to come to my house when you
didn't even know my last name. So?"
"I'll think about it."
Just as the words were out of my mouth, I heard a knock at the door.
Helen rushed and opened the door. There stood a very pretty girl. She had
short, light brown hair, wide green eyes, a small, but perfect nose,
and plumb lips. She had a slim figure, and looked to be a little older
than seventeen.
"Mother!" Helen cried. "You're home."
I tried to hide my surprise when Helen's mother looked at me. Soon as
she saw me, delightness filled her face.
"You have a friend over?"
"Oh, this is Red Harris. She recently moved here from WesBrige."
"Hello. How are you?"
I stood there getting over the shock of how young she looked. "I'm
fine, thank you." I said polietly.
"Are you staying for dinner?"
As I nodded, she glowed with pleasure. "Good! I'm so glad for you. My
husband's an excellent cook."
I nodded. What am I doing in this strange home? I asked myself as she
rattled on and on about how Helen never had any friends over, and that
I would be the first.
"This is just great," she muttered. She looked around the room.
"Helen! This room is so disgusting. I will take your friend here, Red, to
the sitting room, while you straighten it up." She nodded at me. I looked
at Helen who nodded and shrugged. "She don't bite," she teased.
I walked out of the junky room, and back into the fairy-tale world of
Helen's home. Helen's mom led me to the sitting room, where she sat and
crossed her legs.
"You don't have to call me Mrs. Morris, I'd rather you call me Jenny.
Makes me feel younger.
"Sooo.... what made you come visit Helen. She's not much of a problem
to you, eh?"
"Helen is the only person who has been friendly to me since I came to
Sandre. And I think she'd make a great friend. Another thing is, she
invited me to dinner. It was obvious that she need friends, and so did
I, so I took the chance. I think you have a very nice daughter, who
thinks much of you," I said defending Helen, as if I knew her all my life.
"Oh really, eh? You didn't look at how fat she was, so plain,
unnoticeable? What do you see in her. She reminds me of my poor sister......"
She looked me over, her eyes wide with horror. "Did you say your name
is Red Harris?"
I nodded not unstanding her actions.
"And did you say you were from WesBrige?"
"Yes, ma'am."
She covered her face and shook her head furiously. She took her hands
down slowly, and peeked at me, and than squeezed her eyes shut again
quickly.
"This is God's punishment for forgetting my sister," she muttered.
"Why? Why? Why me? Why did my daughter have to choose this.... this girl
for her friend?"
I slowly stood up, and backed away slowly. What's wrong with this
woman? I wondered. What did she mean her sister?
"Excuse me, ma'am, is there a problem? Did I do anything?" I asked.
She sighed deeply, and shook her head. "It's not you who picks your
daddy, rather mother. Sit down child, and forget everything I said. It's
all right. Really." She smile at me with trembling lips.
I sat down slowly on the edge of the chair, still shocked and a little
scared at how she reacted.
"You might not be who I think you are," she smiled. "It's just.....
my sister who died after giving birth, had a daughter...... Red. Her
father just had to be a Harris. Wayne Harris. Do you know him?"
I nooded slowly, and looked closely at her. Of all places I had to end
up here, after all I discovered today. She must be my aunt. Aunt Molly
did mention something about my mother's sister, Jenny. The shock of the
realization came too quickly, and I uttered a cry of disbelief. "Wayne
Harris is my father. And you, you're my Aunt Jennny, aren't you?"
"I suppose I am. I'm sorry, sweetie, but I just couldn't stand your
father. My poor sister, she..." She let her sentance trail off as she
shook her head. "I can't believe it. You, you look just like her."
She covered her mouth with her small hands, and looked me over, her
eyes wide. My heart was thumping so loud in my chest, it felt like a drum
was pounding it. "I'm sorry, darling. You must have millions of
questions racing in your small mind." She stood up and began pacing back and
fourth.
"I don't know how much your father told you. I haven't seen him nor
you after the funeral. Do you know about that?"
I nodded. "I happened to find out today with the help of some of my
friends and my aunt. Molly Harris."
"So you do know the whole story?"
"Yes."
She shook her head slowly. "Do he have another woman in his life?"
"Yes. Caroline Harris."
She pounded her little fist on the smooth wall. "I should have known.
He was just using Londa the day he saw her."
"So are you saying my father is the blame for my mother's death?"
"Oh, I don't know!" she cried lifting her arms in the air. "This whole
thing is so confusing. I can't help the way I felt and still do feel
about your father. He was an embaressment to me, my family, and everyone
else. He put my sister in that pigs pen he call an apartment. When she
could have had something like this!" She waved her hand around the
room. "But she chose him. In other words," she leaned over to me, "Londa
chose death.
"Do you want to see pictures? I can answer all of your questions
while we do so."
I shrugged, the news still sinking in. "Yeah."
"I know Helen probably hasn't offered you anything to drink, but-"
"You didn't tell me I had an Aunt Londa, Mom. You told me that I didn't
have any aunts." Helen interupted.
We both turned and saw Helen standing there, her lips in a tight line.
"Why do you always lie to me, Mother? If that's the case, I must have
others. It's very embaressing, even to myself, that I have to overhear
things like this. Come on, Red," she nodded at me, "I need to talk to
you."
I stood slowly, flirting with the idea to run out of the door, and
never come back, or to go with Helen. Another part, though, wanted to stay
with Jenny.... Aunt Jenny. I wanted to hear about my mother, Londa. See
pictures, if she and I looked alike.
My blood boiled with anger. How could Dad keep something as precious
as this from me? How could Caroline call herself my mother? How could
they have lied to me all these years? I would soon find out. And after
that..... I just might follow Helen's plans and run away.
I decided to go with Helen into her room. It did look much nicer.
Helen sat on her bed and crossed her legs indian style. She sighed with a
small smile played on her lips, as her eyes danced over me.
"I guess I must admitt that I'm happy. Even though you're my cousin,
we can still be friends. I'm just furious with my mother. There's so
many things that I don't know about this family. It's frustrating!" she
cried, bawling up her fist, and throwing them in the air.
I sat at her computer desk, and looked at her. She smiled at me.
"Sorry. I do get carried away some time." She offered me the bag of
chips she had brought in earlier. "Hungrey?"
I didn't realize how hungrey I was, so I smiled back and nodded. She
passed the bag, and bit her lip.
"So, isn't all of this strange? You don't look so.... so upset." she
said. "You don't seem shock."
"I really am," I said munching on the chips. "I'm just trying to
forget this for once. I know I will have to face it all again when I get
home."
"Than don't go home. Let 'em worry." she smirked.
"Helen," I said leaning forward, "me and you haven't been friends
long. Do you wanna see me dead?"
She shook her head slowly. "No, I don't."
"Than don't suggest something so stupid like that again, 'kay?"
"Okay," she nodded.
"I don't wanna sound mean or anything...."
"No! It's okay. I want you to be true with me. Honest. You know, like
real friends. Real cousins."
I shrugged. "I kinda like your plan. Maybe I'll go along with it. But
we have to plan it wisely and carefully."
She squealed in delight. "Good! That's why I called you back in the
room. I wantd to see what you thought of it.
"What are you gonna do when you get home?"
"I'm gonna put up a fuss. I'm disgusted with the way they've treated
me, and I'm not gonna let them get by with it. But enough of that
already. Let's make plans for our trip."
After two hours of making plans, deciding where we would go, and
fussing over small things and making up, Helen looked at her watch and
whistled.
"It's 6:25 already! We'd better wash up for dinner. Dad and Areia,
the both of them must be at the table."
"Why do y'all have dinner at a certain time?" I asked, slowly
standing up and streching.
"I thought every family does it. I mean, everyone else I know does
it." She smiled wistfully. "It's not like I know much people. Come on,"
she pulled on my arm, "let's go eat."
Helen was right. Her dad and sister, Ariea, was already at the table.
Mr. Morris was a tall man who was so skinny, it seemed that the
slightest wind could blow him over. He had curly brown hair, with a small
brown gotte to match it. He had full lips that seem to go perfectly with
his dark complection. He seemed like a man who could cook. Somewhat like
an italian.
But Ariea, on the other hand, was as beautiful as I had saw her
before in the school newsletter. She had sholder-length brown hair, soft
blue eyes, perfect nose, perfect smile, and a perfect figure. I decided
to like her right away.
As soon as we sat down to the table, Mr. Morris lifted his eyebrow at
me and smiled.
"So I see you have a friend over," he said. "Your mother actually
told me that this was your cousin. We're very please to have you, Red."
I smiled at him and nodded. How much have my aunt told him? I wondered.
"I'm glad to be here," I said politly.
Areia looked up at me. I smiled at her, but she didn't smile back.
"I didn't know we were going to have guest," she said looking me
over, "how old are you? Do you go to WJHS? What's your name?" She fired the
questions at me so quick and without hesitation. I gaped at her before
replying.
"My name's Red Harris, and I do go to William J. Howard High. I'm
fifteen years old."
"Oh," she said, dissmissing the conversation with a flip of her hair.
"You're too young to be hanging out with me."
I didn't hide my surprise. I knew that she was only two years older
than me.
"Long as I have your sister," I replied. "You know you're only two
years older than me.
Mr. Morris threw his head back and roared with laughter. Ariea, who
obviously didn't get let down or dissapointed easily, glared at me with
lots of fury in her eyes.
"You and her get together fine. You're both just stupid, immature,
kids. By the way, you won't have Helen very long, she's so fat and
disgusting, that one day, she'll just blow up. And I'll be satisfied." she
spat.
"Shut up, Areia! You're such a disgrace to me. At least I'm not a
slut!"
"HELEN!" Mr. Morris cried. "What kind of language is that for you to
use at my dinner table? Or any place at all for that matter! Go to your
room at once. You will not eat dinner, today."
"But she picked on me. She called me fat."
Mr. Morris shook his head. "Helen, you are fat. Face the facts. But
Ariea is not a slut, and you know it. You're just jealous."
"Jealous? Jealous! I'm not jealous of her. I don't wanna have an
abortion before marrige. Or," she leaned over the table and looked her
father straight in the eye, "have an abortion any place for that matter."
His face turned crimson as he gaped at her for a while.
"Go," he finally managed to get out. "Go away, NOW!"
Helen hurried out, leaving me feeling ashamed, and Areia with a huge
smile of satisfation slicked across her face.
I hate her, I decided.
After dinner, I picked up the chunk of ham that I had saved for Helen,
and excused myself.
"Sure," Mr. Morris said. "Sorry you had to see and hear all of that.
Don't pay any mind to it. You have a weird friend in that room up in
that room," he conculded, nodded his head toward the stairs. "Don't end
up like her."
I nodded, disguising my anger with a false smile. I began walking up
the stairs and down the hallway. It didn't seem as pretty as it did
before. Actually, all the rooms seemed to be filled with hatred behind the
beautiful funiture. Behind those faces of happiness that they wore,
there was so much evil and hatred.
Helen was lying on her bed, her face stuffed into the pillows.
"Helen?"
"What?" I barely heard the words because it was so muffled.
"I'm sorry. I started all of that up."
She turned on her side, and looked at me. "It wasn't your fault. It was
Ariea's."
I shook my head. "You were right. Your family really do hate you. It
makes me furious to see the way they treat you. It makes me want to make
more arrangments for our plans of running away. Are you with me?"
She nodded, her face taking on a serious look. "I'm with you all the
way."
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