“It doesn’t matter. I’m ready,” I said, and clapped like a circus clown.
“Look who’s up.” Frank reentered the living room carrying Peaches. She leaned her head against his shoulder but waved to us in that way she does that looks like she’s grabbing chunks of air.
“Hey, Mama’s baby.” Mama reached for her, but not before Frank planted a big kiss on her cheek. I think that was the first time he kissed one of us. When Peaches got out of his arms, her steps toward Mama were wobbly, like Frank had swung her around and she was still dizzy.
“Take your time, baby,” Mama said. I saw Mama and Frank exchange glances, neither one surprised at her unsteady steps. Mama clasped her hands like she was keeping herself from reaching for her.
I didn’t quite know how to feel. One part of me was just happy to have Peaches home, the other part was sad that she wasn’t running and jumping. It was like the meningitis just wouldn’t let her go.
When Peaches made it to Mama, Frank said, “Let me see if I can pry that other member of the family out of her room and we’ll go pick up something for dinner.”
“Get whatever you three want,” Mama told him. “I’m going to cook Peaches and me a little something.”
“Popeyes?” Frank gave me a thumbs-up like a human emoji.
“That sounds good,” I said. Frank headed upstairs to talk to Tangie. Then I turned to Mama. “Can I tell Peaches?”
At first I thought it would be a surprise party like Nikki said hers was, but then Peaches would have missed the fun of planning it and getting dressed up.
“Sure,” Mama said, and smoothed Peaches’s hair.
“Guess what, Peaches?”
“What?”
“Mama and Frank said it’s okay if we have a party for you!” I spread my arms wide. “I mean a big, big party with all the friends we have.”
“It’s not my birthday, G-baby,” Peaches said. “Tell her, Mama. It’s not my birthday, is it?”
“No, baby,” Mama assured her. “But we are so happy you’re home, and we want to celebrate.”
“And it’s a seventies party like we saw on That’s So Raven, remember?” I said.
“We get to wear the funny clothes and make pets out of rocks?” she asked.
“That’s right!” I said.
“I can invite my friends, Mama?”
“Anybody you want,” Mama said. Then Peaches got quiet and buried her head in Mama’s chest.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
“What if I fall down instead of dancing?”
“Know how you’ve seen me dance in front of people and fall down?”
“Yeah,” Peaches said.
“What do I do?” I asked.
“Get up,” she said.
I would do anything just to keep her from falling, but it was out of my hands.
“You’ll do fine. Nobody cares about that anyway. Your legs just not used to walking around. It’ll be okay,” I said. I glanced at Mama.
“Your sister’s right, baby. You’ll be stronger in no time.”
And just when I was about to get sad, I saw Frank coming down the stairs with Tangie behind him.
“We can have the party, Tangie!” I said. “Mama and Frank said we could. You can invite all your friends! There’ll be food, music. You like music, right? We can go buy some old clothes.”
Tangie stared at me. She took her earbuds out but still said nothing.
I needed words that would make Tangie want to be a part of it all. But the fear of saying something goofy fastened my lips airtight. Then, just like in a football game where a player throws the ball down the field and his teammate catches it and makes a touchdown right before the end of the game, Peaches’s words were sailing in the air.
“It’s because I don’t have to be in the hospital no more!” Her voice was louder and stronger than I’d heard it since before she’d gotten sick.
Tangie put her arms around my shoulder. “Well, I can’t think of a better reason to have a party.”
“Thank you, Tangie!” I wanted to give her a big hug but figured that would be too sappy. “We’re going to have so much fun.” I threw my arms up like runners do when they’ve crossed the finish line, which made me look pretty stupid. But I didn’t care. All I could do was run and call Nikki to tell her what was going on. I hoped I’d hear Tangie talking to Frank and Mama about the party as I jetted up the stairs. But I didn’t hear any words at all.
A couple days later, after Mama’s Sunday dinner of meat loaf, mashed potatoes, and lima beans, she said it was time to start planning the party. I guess Mama had been too busy taking care of Peaches and “getting the house in order” before that. I didn’t mind, though. Getting Peaches well was the most important. Anytime Daddy called, Mama didn’t say much but just called Peaches and me to the phone. Sometimes I’d think about that day he came to pick us up and he and Mama laughed like they could never be a pain in each other’s necks. I’d even heard Frank telling Mama that she needed to “get herself together before the party.”
“We don’t have long to prepare,” Mama said. “We should be ready to leave for Bogalusa a few days after.”
“We can have it Saturday,” Tangie said. I stared at her, waiting for something to tell me she was just teasing. But she gave me a smile that told me a whole bunch of nothing.
Peaches leaned against Mama’s leg. I couldn’t help holding my hands out just in case she fell. “No school on Saturday,” she said like we weren’t on break.
“Sounds good, Tangie. Decorations, next.”
“You ladies worry about everything but the music and the meats,” Frank said. “I’m taking care of that. Getting one of those barrel grills.” He closed his eyes for a second and breathed in like he could smell sizzling steaks.
“Are you gonna cook a whole pig?” Peaches asked.
“Not a whole one, but it’ll be plenty.”
We talked about who we wanted to invite to the seventies party, and I thought about Kevin. Wouldn’t it be perfect if he were there? And just as if my mama was skating around inside my brain, she said, “So tell us about this visitor you had the other day, G-baby.”
I shot a hopeless look at Tangie. After everything had gone haywire about going to Bogalusa, I thought Mama had forgotten.
“Well?” Frank said.
“Just one of my friends from Sweet Apple,” I whispered.
“He’s a perfect gentleman,” Tangie jumped in.
“Seemed very mannerable. Nothing wrong with having friends your age,” Frank said.
Mama sipped her water and pointed to Peaches’s juice for her to drink the rest of it. “Well, as long as it was just friendly. Start your guest list for the party, G-baby. Put him and his parents on there.”
“His mama doesn’t leave the house much, and his dad’s in Rochester,” I told her. “He’s moving there to live with him.”
“Well, invite her, anyway. She might make it,” Mama said.
“Okay,” I said, and sped off to e-mail Kevin. I’d memorized his e-mail. The family computer was in a corner in the living room. Tangie had hers in her room, but Mama said that was a no-no for me, because of the creepy strangers who try to talk to young girls when their mamas and daddies don’t know.
While I waited for our computer to boot up, I checked out all of Mama’s Dummy books. She likes to try new hobbies, but she loses interest in them like Peaches loses interest in every toy except anything Barbie. There was Acrylic Painting for Dummies, Embroidery for Dummies, Making Candles and Soap for Dummies. I wondered if there was Kissing for Dummies. What if one day Kevin tried to kiss me on the lips, and I just stood there like a real-life dummy? I was so deep into that thought that I jumped when the computer finally booted up. I went straight to my e-mail and started typing.
Hi! We are having a welcome home party for my sister. You and your mom are invited. It will be out at our house this Saturday at 6 p.m. Lucinda still has Nikki’s bike. We gotta think of a way to get it
back. Bye!
As soon as I wrote “bye,” I felt stupid. I should have said, “Talk to you soon,” “Take care,” or something like that. Even though the chances of Kevin sitting in front of a computer right at that moment weren’t the greatest, I waited for a while, refreshing my e-mail every few seconds, and each time my stomach flipped. I’d be happy to get any response. I wondered if that was the way Tangie felt about Marshall.
The week cruised by, and Saturday came before anyone was ready.
A little after eleven o’clock, Peaches was munching on a peanut butter and banana sandwich that Mama let her have as a treat for taking her medicine like a “big girl,” and I was wolfing down a peanut butter and grape jelly one. Frank and Mama walked up from the basement.
Without even fussing, Mama put the milk back in the fridge that I’d left out. “Did you fold all those clothes I washed last night?”
“Yup,” I answered.
“Did you and Peaches clean your rooms?” she asked.
“We did, Mama,” Peaches said, though I did all the work and let her play vacuum.
“Checked the weather and it’s going to be eighty-five for the high, seventy-one for the low, and only a five percent chance of rain,” Mama said.
Frank rubbed his hands together. “Gotcha! That’s my confirmation to crank this shindig up a notch. Grill master mode in full effect.”
“And what does that mean?” Mama said.
“That’s for me to know and you ladies to find out.” He raised one eyebrow higher than the other like an evil genius.
“Mama, we got to get together what we’re going to wear, and remember about our Afros,” I said.
“We’ll get to it, G-baby, but first, if you two are finished eating, Frank and I have a surprise.”
Peaches gulped the last of her milk. “What is it, Mama?”
“Go check out the front closet.”
I took off but stopped and waited for Peaches. I tried not to feel sad when she tried to run, but it was like she was sloshing around in mud. If I could take back every time I stopped her from jumping on my bed and crashing to the floor, I would. I thought I was helping her not get hurt, but when she really needed me to protect her, I was running off to Nikki’s.
“You open the closet door, Peaches.” As soon as she did, a huge Walmart bag tumbled out.
“It’s like Christmas!” said Peaches. I helped her lug the bag to the couch as Mama and Frank strolled into the living room.
“Trouble, Sorry, Pik-Up Stiks? I’ve never heard of some of these games,” I said.
“Oooh, a Pet Rock kit!” Peaches said.
“Can’t have a seventies party without the right games,” Frank said. “Just make sure you feed and walk it yourself.”
Mama elbowed him.
“Thank you!” we said. Mom and Frank walked back to the kitchen, and Peaches studied the instructions on the back of Sorry.
While she did that, I went to the computer. As fast as I could, I checked my e-mail and saw Kevin’s “Hi.” If Mama had a chance to open that, she would have. I quickly clicked on it.
Dad driving in to get me this morning. He wants to go back the same day because of his work. If it changes, I’ll e-mail you. I should have just taken that bike from Lucinda. Sorry.
I remembered his dad was flying in, but I guessed he changed his mind. I typed back.
Not your fault. Glad your dad is coming. We’re gonna have a lot of fun. I’ll tell you all about it. Hope you like Rochester. Talk to you later.
The only good thing about Kevin not coming would be that I’d have more to write him later. At least that’s what I told myself.
After I e-mailed him, I joined Mama and Tangie in the kitchen. Tangie had taken her braids out at Valerie’s and had them redone. They were as skinny as before and dangled against her shoulders. She told me that I could help her undo them next time. Now, I was a little nervous about that, since I really had never taken any braids out before, except for Peaches’s.
“G-baby, we need to make it to the store before it’s too late, but we got to get you and Peaches’s hair started first,” Mama said. “Tangie, can you wash G-baby’s hair for me and I’ll take care of Peaches?”
“Sure,” Tangie answered.
“Then we’ll blow-dry it and put it in rollers,” Mama said.
“With all the hair these two have, they gonna have Afros bigger than those old pictures of Michael Jackson,” Tangie said.
“I don’t have as much hair as before,” Peaches said.
“Still looks like a lot to me,” Tangie said.
“Me too,” I added. “Plus, you know you’re tender-headed anyways.”
I didn’t know if Tangie really had stopped being mad about going to Bogalusa. Or if she was just pretending. I hoped that she liked me more now and would tell me the truth.
“C’mon, let’s put a move on it. Need to stop at a couple stores. Can’t be late to our own party,” Mama said.
“My dad will be on time,” Tangie said.
Mama laughed. “Yes, he will.”
An hour later, Peaches and I were walking around with a head full of foam rollers. It looked like we already had pink and squishy Afros. We took turns holding the blow dryer to our heads to speed things up. Mama knew it was useless to do it the night before, because Peaches and I couldn’t sleep with rollers in our hair, like Mama could.
When Daddy called to check on Peaches, Peaches got on the living room phone, and I grabbed the one in the kitchen.
“Millicent and I will be there this evening,” Daddy said.
Tangie had sent him an e-mail invitation like he was a regular person.
“You coming to Bogaloosie?” Peaches asked.
“It’s Bogalusa,” I said.
Daddy laughed. “You know it. Be there before July is out.”
Mama called to Peaches.
“Gotta go, Daddy. See you later.”
“See you in a bit, baby,” Daddy said and sighed. Peaches hung up.
“Daddy,” I said. “You and Mama still mad?”
He cleared his throat the way he used to do at dinner before he prayed.
“Just say we were on a good track but hit a bump in the road. Both of us said things we probably shouldn’t. Got worse when we were alone.”
Daddy was always more honest with me than Mama. Mama used to say because he was trying to get me on his side, but she doesn’t say that anymore.
“Mama didn’t want to have the party at first. I think she didn’t want you and Millicent to come. But she changed her mind.”
“We always try to put you and Peaches first, G-baby. We’ll both be on our best behavior.”
“You coming to Bogalusa by yourself?” I asked.
“Not sure yet. Millie will probably come, too.”
“Oh,” I said.
“G-baby, I thought you were giving Millicent a chance. You know she was the first one to suggest taking Peaches to the hospital. We all need to be thankful for that. Okay?”
“Okay,” I said.
“Plus, just between us, it wouldn’t hurt if she picked up a little bit of Aunt Elvie’s cooking skills, huh?”
“A li’l bit,” I said, not knowing if Daddy was joking or not. “Mama said Aunt Elvie might not be remembering everything like before.”
“That’s why it’s good for her to do stuff she loves,” Daddy said. “And you know one thing she loves most?”
I thought for a second. “Making sweet potato pie.”
“Not just that, but she loves cooking for folks she loves. That’s why she has the diner. She also makes the best black-eyed peas and collard greens you’ve ever tasted.”
“Better than Mama and Sugar?” I asked.
“Plead the fifth,” he said, and laughed.
After I talked to him a little longer, I went back upstairs to get ready. But now and then, I’d sneak back down to the living room and check my e-mail just in case Kevin’s plans changed. That happened sometimes to Peaches and me
when Daddy lived in North Carolina. He’d want to see us, but something would always come up. It didn’t matter how many times it happened, Peaches and I cried every time.
Mama caught me about to check my e-mail before I could act like I wasn’t on the computer.
“I want to run to the store around two,” Mama said, as she turned it off. “Enough of this for today.”
If I told her I was double-checking for an e-mail from Kevin, she might think I liked him too much, so I said, “Okay,” and rushed upstairs to Tangie’s room. “Mama turned off the computer. Can you check my e-mail for me?” I asked her.
“Expecting a special RSVP?” she asked.
“He already said he couldn’t make it but that he’d e-mail me if that changed.”
Tangie opened up Gmail, and I entered my information. Nothing. I closed it out and started back to my room.
“I’m sure he’ll update you when he can,” she called after me. “Everybody doesn’t have a couple computers in their home like we do.”
“Yeah, he said they don’t even have a phone.”
“I’d check back in a little while. It’s still early. Wanna help me with my hair?”
I turned around and came back to her door. “What are you doing to it?”
She showed me an old picture she’d found online of a singer called Patrice Rushen who had a head full of braids with beads all over them. Then she flipped to a picture of Stevie Wonder, and after that, old pictures of my favorite athletes, Venus and Serena. They were still kids then and wore their hair plaited with white beads on each one.
“I gotta tell you something.”
“What?”
“I don’t really know how to take out braids like I said. I’ve been practicing, though.”
“It’s okay, Georgie. Trust me, it’s not hard. I’ll show you when I’m ready to do it again, okay?” I nodded. “What I need help with now is really simple.”
Tangie opened her closet and pulled out a plastic tub of multicolored beads.
“Wow, where did you get those from?” I shoved my hand in the tub and lifted the beads up, then let them fall like sand. She took a dish of black rubber bands off her nightstand and she taught slide the end of the braid through the beads and then twirl the rubber band at the end to hold them in place.
Love Like Sky Page 17
