by Joy Redmond
“Unbelievable!” Toots said, shaking her head. “Why didn’t you tell me about that? Mama says that Mr. Patrick is a dirty old man, and I overheard Frank tell Mama that if he ever saw Mr. Patrick in public, he’d beat him to a pulp!”
Now it was Ali’s turn to look surprised. “Frank said that? That was nice of him, but I don’t want him to beat up Mr. Patrick. I know what he did was wrong, but if you can keep a secret, I think I still love him, deep down, in spite of everything that happened.”
“Well,” Toots said thoughtfully, “I think maybe you were just confused because somebody showed you what you thought was affection, and that’s understandable, because you sure never get any affection from your family.”
“Maybe so,” Ali said, and actually found herself smiling for the first time in three months. “I’m glad your mom and Frank see it that way.” Then she lowered her voice and added, “But I can’t let Mr. Patrick take all the blame. I actually liked it when he kissed me, and I hoped he’d kiss me again.”
At that moment, a crowd of students came rushing into the room just in time to beat the bell. Another long day had begun.
Ali was relieved when the school year finally ended and she could escape from the stares of the students and faculty. As Aunt July waited in the car to pick up Ali on the last day of school, Toots walked Ali to the car and hugged her goodbye.
Much to their surprise, Aunt July said, “Toots, you can visit Ali on Saturdays. She can’t go uptown with you, but you can visit her at my house.”
Toots said excitedly, “No kidding sure enough?”
“No kidding,” Aunt July said with a slight smile. “And if it’s okay with your mom, I’d like it if you could ride home with us today. We can stop at your house and ask permission.”
Toots was momentarily speechless, but then she said, “Mama’s at work and the beauty shop is way uptown, but I’m sure she wouldn’t mind. She knows how much I’ve missed Ali. I can call her from your house and tell her where I am.”
As Toots jumped into the backseat, Ali was stunned beyond words. She was happy that Toots would be coming to her house for the afternoon and on Saturdays, but she couldn’t help wondering what Aunt July had planned for the rest of the summer.
Chapter Ten
Aunt July pulled her old car into the garage, and then turned toward Ali and Toots. “You two go wait on the front porch until I call you. Don’t ask any questions. Just do it.”
Ali and Toots glanced at each other but didn’t utter a word. They just climbed out of the car and dutifully made their way around the house and onto the front porch.
As she sat in one of the lawn chairs, Toots whispered, “What do you think your aunt’s gonna do? I’m a little worried. She’s been pretty mean to you for a long time.”
“You can say that twice and mean it,” Ali agreed, “but did you notice that she was smiling when she said that? She actually seemed to be in a good mood too. Maybe she made me some new summer dresses—ones with hems above the knee.”
Toots laughed. “Well, let’s not go overboard. She didn’t sound delirious. I wonder what she’s up to.”
Just then, Aunt July opened the front door and said, “Okay, you can come in now, and head for the kitchen!”
Holding hands, the girls walked inside, where Ali scooped up Mr. Puss as he emerged from the kitchen. When they walked into the kitchen, they couldn’t believe their eyes. There in the middle of the kitchen table was a large cake covered with frosting and with at least two dozen candles stuck in it.
As Ali turned her wondering eyes toward her aunt, Aunt July smiled and said cheerfully, “Happy belated birthday to my two May girls!”
Moving closer to the table, Ali saw the words: Happy Birthday, Ali and Toots.
For a moment, neither girl could find her voice. Then Ali looked at Toots and said excitedly, “It’s for both of us!”
“Yes, it is,” Aunt July said. “I know it’s late, but I’ve been so heavy-hearted and busy making prom dresses that I let two important dates slip my mind. I’ll light the candles, but if you’ll give me second, I’ll go get my camera so I can take a picture of you two blowing them out.”
Aunt July lit the candles and then scurried off, leaving Ali and Toots looking at each other in amazement. Then Ali said, shaking her head, “I swear, I never know what to expect out of that woman. She can go from Bad Witch to Good Witch in the same day. That’s why part of me loves her while the other part can’t stand her.”
Toots added, “The cake’s pretty though, and it was really nice of her to do it.”
“Oh, I’m not saying it wasn’t a nice thing to do,” Ali said. “And you know, the last time I had a birthday cake was on my sixth birthday. That was long time ago, but it was also the day I got the best birthday present of my life. Mr. Puss.”
Before Toots could respond, Aunt July came bounding back into the kitchen. “Okay, girls. I got the film in this old thing. One of you get on each side of the cake and when I count to three, you blow out the candles.”
Ali stood on one side of the table while Toots moved to the other side. Then they each took a deep breath as Aunt July counted, “One. Two. Three! Now blow!”
When the candles were all out, Toots said, “Oh, no. We forgot to make a wish.”
“That’s okay,” Ali said. “Mama Jane said wishes never come true anyway.”
Aunt July said, “That’s because people wish for things that aren’t God’s will for them.”
Ali rolled her eyes while Toots smiled, but neither of them said a word.
“Toots, you need to call your mother and tell her where you are. I’ll cut the cake and put a couple pieces on plates for you. Ali, you go with her,” Aunt July said as she shooed them from the kitchen.
Ali wondered why she had to go into the living room with Toots, but she followed and sat on the couch while Toots made her call. When Mr. Puss jumped into her lap, Ali whispered, “Happy birthday, big boy!”
After Toots hung up, Aunt July called, “Okay, girls, come and get it before the ice cream melts.”
“Aunt July sprang for ice cream, too?” Ali said, “She must be running a fever.”
“Hey, don’t knock it!” Toots said, turning toward the kitchen. “Let’s go get it before she comes to her senses.”
In the kitchen, Aunt July said a quick blessing, then they began eating. Aunt July stayed and ate with them.
When they had all finished, Aunt July said, “Don’t get up quite yet, please.” She stood and walked over to the old pie safe that she had always told Ali not to touch. She unlatched the bottom doors, reached inside, and pulled out two brightly-wrapped boxes.
Ali and Toots were again speechless as Aunt July set a present in front of each of them. They hesitated—until Aunt July finally asked, “Well, aren’t you going to open them?” That was all the encouragement they needed. The girls quickly ripped off the wrapping paper, then lifted the tops off a pair of shoe boxes and pulled out matching sandals with multi-colored straps. Under each pair of sandals was a pair of blue flip-flops.
Ali’s heart was pounding with excitement. Aunt July had never allowed her to wear sandals and or flip-flops. She always said they were too trashy.
“Wow!” was the only sound Ali could make.
“Try them on,” Aunt July said, her smile beaming. “I think I guessed the sizes, but if they don’t fit, we can take them back.”
Ali kicked off her loafers and slipped into the sandals. “They’re perfect!” she exclaimed. “Oh, Aunt July! I love them. Thank you so much!”
“Mine are a perfect fit, too,” Toots said. “Thanks, Aunt July.”
“Well, I’m glad they fit,” Aunt July said with relief. “I’ve never bought sandals before and I wasn’t sure what kind to get.” Then, anticipating the next question, she added, “And before you say anything about the flip-flops, I’ll tell you why I got them. I’ve noticed that lots of women wear them, and they do look comfortable, so I decided to let you have a pair.�
��
Before either of the girls could respond, Aunt July lowered her voice and said, “And if you promise not to tell anyone, I bought a pair for myself, too. I wore them all day today—at least until I came to pick up you girls—and I have to admit that they’re very comfortable, especially to an old pair of feet like mine, with my bunions and all.” Then she added a bit more firmly, “But we’ll only wear them around the house and when we do yard work, okay?”
Ali had to fight hard not to jump out of her chair, throw her arms around Aunt July and give her a big hug, but she knew that Aunt July wasn’t the hugging kind. Instead, she looked at her aunt and said, “I can’t thank you enough. These are the best presents you ever could have given me. Thank you so much.”
Toots added, “The colors of the straps will go with every outfit I have. It was really nice of you to buy something for me too.”
“You’re welcome, girls,” Aunt July said, nodding happily. “Now go outside and run around so you can see how good those flip-flops feel on your feet. I’ll clean up the table and then I’ll put on my own flip-flops and join you.”
At that moment, Mr. Puss chose to wrap himself around Aunt July’s ankles. She bent down and stroked his fur and said, “You’re welcome, Mr. Puss. Happy birthday to you too.”
Once outside, Ali shook her head and said, “Now I’ve seen everything. I’m telling you, the world must be coming to an end. If Grandpa and Grandma knew that Aunt July bought us sandals and flip-flops, they’d never speak to her again. It’s nearly unbelievable.”
“Well, she did say that you can only wear the flip-flops around the house,” Toots said, “so maybe she still thinks they’re trashy and not something a person should wear in public.”
“Maybe,” Ali conceded, “but it’s a start. Maybe there’s hope for her after all.”
Aunt July joined the girls in the backyard and surprised them both by prancing around in her new flip-flops like a schoolgirl. “I gotta tell you, these things sure feel good,” she confided, “even if they are ugly as sin.” Then she looked directly at Ali and added sternly, “You are not to mention this to Ma and Pa—do you hear me? If they found out, we’d both catch a world of grief. I don’t mean to be sneaky, but sometimes I get tired of hearing them go off.”
“I won’t say a word, I promise,” Ali said, smiling broadly.
Starting toward the old garage, Aunt July said, “Come over here for a second, girls.” Once they had reached the backyard, she pointed toward the ground and said, “This year we’re going to plant our own garden, and this will be the perfect spot. I know Ma and Pa bring us plenty of fresh vegetables, but I think I need to teach you how to till a garden, plant, and tend it. What do you say?”
“I’d love it!” Ali replied happily. “I love to plant flowers and keep the beds looking pretty, so I think I’ll enjoy a vegetable garden, too. Any time I can be outside I’m happy.”
“I know you are,” said Aunt July, nodding her head. “That’s why I thought it’d be a good idea to plant a garden, and when the vegetables are ripe, I’ll teach you how to can them. We never had enough to can before because we ate the vegetables as fast as Ma and Pa brought them over. It’ll be a big job, but I think it’ll be fun. I’m also going to teach you how to cook whole meals and how to make evening gowns, and how to embroider, crochet, and knit.”
Ali looked at Toots, who said, “That sounds good to me, Aunt July, but I might not be able to help much because I have to work at my mom’s beauty shop this summer. I’m saving up for a—” Before Toots could say the word car, Ali shot her a look that cut her off in midsentence. Instead, she said, “I’m saving for college.”
“That’s a great plan,” Aunt July said, nodding her approval. “Ali’s saving her money too. A lot of people never learn how to save. They spend every dime as fast as they make it.”
Ali smiled, but kept silent, though just the thought of the day when she and Mr. Puss could finally make their getaway sent tingles through her body.
Aunt July didn’t seem to notice Ali’s faraway look as she continued, “We’ll go to the garden shop tomorrow and I’ll let you pick out the things you want to plant.”
Sensing that the time might be right, Ali took a chance and asked, “Aunt July, since I’ll be working all day during the week, do you think I could go uptown with Toots on Saturdays and get a banana split at Woolworth’s?”
Aunt July’s expression changed instantly. She gave Ali a cold stare and replied, “Ali, don’t start in with me. I’m bending my rules by letting you out of your room, but there won’t be any going uptown until I’m sure you’ve learned how to behave like a proper young lady.”
Ali returned her aunt’s icy stare. She really couldn’t figure her aunt out, but it had been worth a try.
Toots broke the stony silence, saying, “Well, I think I probably should head on home. I need to find little Rick and start supper for Mama. I’ll see you later. Thanks again, Aunt July, for the nice shoes.”
“Be sure to come back this Saturday,” said Ali, “if you want to help with the garden and the sewing and stuff.”
“I have to work at the beauty shop all day Saturday, but I’ll be here as soon as Mama closes up for the day,” Toots said. “I’d like to learn all that stuff, and Mama doesn’t know how to do any of it.”
Giving Toots a hug, Ali said, “Okay, we’ll see you Saturday whenever you can get here.”
“I’ll grab my sandals and school shoes from the kitchen before I go. Bye, bye.”
“Bye,” Ali called after her friend, part of her wanting to return to the old neighborhood where she had spent the first ten years of her life.
After talking more about the garden space, Ali and Aunt July went back inside. In the kitchen, Ali looked at her aunt and said, “You know, it’s kind of strange that Grandma didn’t call and wish me a happy birthday. She always has before. I didn’t expect her and Grandpa to come by and take me shopping since they stopped doing that when I came to live with you, but—”
Aunt July’s eyes filled with tears as she interrupted, “Ali, I have a confession to make. Ma did call on your birthday, but I told her you were studying your Bible, so she said she didn’t want to bother you—”
It was Ali’s turn to interrupt, “Then you lied about forgetting my birthday!”
Aunt July’s voice trembled as she said, “I didn’t exactly lie. I did forget it was your birthday until Ma called, but it was late and you really were studying the Bible, and I was so heartbroken and miserable at the time—”
As her aunt’s voice trailed off, Ali glared at her and said, “That’s the same thing as telling a lie. You didn’t forget. You were just being mean. Didn’t you think I needed to know that my grandma hadn’t forgotten my birthday?”
“Now, Ali,” Aunt July said defensively, “this has been a good day so far. Please don’t ruin it. You have no idea how my heart was hurting at that time. I should have listened to my better judgment when I agreed to let you go to the movie house. Now I know why Ma and Pa always said the move house was an evil place. You can bet you won’t be going there again!”
Ali’s voice was cold and measured as she said, “Oh, Aunt July, you have no idea what I saw and heard before I came to live with you. The movies had nothing to do with it. As a matter of fact, movies are mild compared to some of the things I’ve seen in my lifetime.”
Aunt July looked shocked. “My stars above, child! I had no idea. You mean—Jane?” Then she seemed to regain her composure as she waved her hand dismissively and said, “Never mind, I don’t want to know about it.”
With that, Aunt July stood and walked out of the kitchen, as if she was afraid to hear any more. Sitting alone in the kitchen, Ali could only smile. Mama Jane hadn’t been perfect, but she at least tried to live her life in her own way after she escaped from the guilt and tyranny of Grandma and Grandpa. Aunt July might have been showing signs of loosening up a little, but she still had a long way to go.
* * *
By mid-July the vegetables were coming in as fast as Ali and Aunt July could pick them and can them. Toots generally joined them in the early afternoon after work at the beauty shop. The girls enjoyed spending time in the garden and the kitchen, and they ate their evening meals together. After they had cleaned up the kitchen, they all sat on the front porch, fanning themselves in the late afternoon heat before heading to the sewing room.
One day, Aunt July got an order for an evening gown. Ali ran her hand over the blue satin material and dreamed of the day when she would be able to wear a beautiful evening gown and attend a dance with a handsome man.
Ali held up the pattern slip and admired the picture. “This is going to be the most beautiful gown you’ve ever made.”
“That we’ve ever made,” Aunt July said with a smile. “You’re going to do most of the sewing on this one.” Ali looked at her aunt in surprise. “I’ve been watching you, and I can tell that you’re a natural at the sewing machine, but this is very delicate material, so you’ll have to handle it with extra care.”
With Ali doing most of the sewing under Aunt July’s watchful eye, it took about two weeks for the dress to be finished.
Friday afternoon, Toots came over and they all headed to the sewing room, where Ali proudly showed Toots the finished product. As Ali held up the gown, she looked toward Aunt July. “It’s so beautiful. Do you suppose it would be okay for me to try it on?”
Aunt July shook her head. “You know I don’t approve of this type of gown,” she said, which was exactly what Ali was expecting her to say. However, Aunt July then added, “But we do need to see how it’s going to look on someone and the lady who ordered never came by for a fitting. I’ve called her several times, but so far I haven’t gotten an answer, so I’m glad she paid for half of it in advance. It cost a lot of money for a gown that will probably be worn only once, but I don’t ask questions. I just give my customers what they want.”
