Unfortunately, she disagreed.
“Ella Mae!” she said again. This time, she grabbed me by my collar. “You get off that boy at once!”
I tried to wrap my knees around his stomach and keep him pinned against the ground, but Gracie’s collar-grabbing gave Walter the opening he needed. As soon as my weight shifted, he bucked me off his back with a bloodcurdling howl. I came down on my fanny, hard.
While I recovered from the impact, Walter scrambled to his feet with a dark gleam in his eyes. But before he could tackle me on his own terms, Gracie stepped between us.
“Go home,” she said to Walter, sticking both hands on her hips. “And be sure to tell your mama to expect my call.”
Walter opened his mouth to argue, then snapped it shut again. He glowered up at Gracie as he retrieved his bicycle and swung a wobbly leg over the seat. I couldn’t help but grin as he pedaled gingerly away.
Gracie swatted my fanny. “Stop grinning like that, Ella Mae.”
I paid her no heed. I’d grin at Walter however I pleased.
She knelt down by Takuma. “I don’t think I can carry you, but I do think I can help. Do you think you can walk if I support most of your weight?”
Takuma closed his eyes as another wave of pain swept over him, but he managed to nod.
“Then let’s get you back to Auntie Anna’s.” She looped his arm around her neck. “We’ll stand up on three, okay? Are you ready? One, two, three!”
Takuma gasped and Gracie grunted as they struggled to their feet, but somehow, they stood up. Once they were mostly upright, she snaked an arm around his waist, and he sagged against her side. I didn’t like how she clung to his belt loop and he didn’t shy away.
“I can take him now,” I said as I stepped in front of Gracie.
“You’re too short,” Gracie said, easily sidestepping me. “Besides, if Walter circles back, I don’t think he’s going to settle for calling you two names again.”
I stuck out my chest. “I can handle Walter.”
“Stuffing dirt in his mouth isn’t handling him,” Gracie said. “And don’t think I’m not going to talk to Auntie Anna, either.”
True to her word, the first thing Gracie did when we got home was set Takuma on the couch, and the second thing she did was tell Mama the whole story. Mama listened carefully to Gracie’s blow-by-blow account, then disappeared into the kitchen without saying a word. She came back with her wooden spoon and a handful of lemon drops.
She whacked me so hard with the spoon that tears sprang to my eyes, then dumped the lemon drops into my hand. Mama said the whack was for stuffing Walter’s face with dirt while the lemon drops were for protecting Takuma. She offered some to Gracie, but Gracie waved her off. She was too busy propping Takuma’s leg up on a laundry basket and tending to his sliver.
Mama mentioned something about steering clear of Walter, but I was no longer listening. I was too busy glaring at the back of Gracie’s head. Takuma was my best friend, not hers. I was getting tired of her interference.
• • •
On Wednesday, I dodged Walter like a bad case of the flu, but there was nothing I could do about dodging Theo. From the way that he kept trying to capture my attention, I could tell he had something to say, but I wasn’t in the mood to hear him out. Unfortunately, he tracked me down while I was headed home from school. That was what I got for sticking to the roads.
I stuck up my nose. “I’m not speakin’ to you, Theodore.”
“Why, because you don’t like losin’?”
“No, because I don’t like talkin’ to Walter’s pea-brained friends!”
Theo’s smile faded. “I’m not Walter’s friend,” he mumbled.
I laughed, not very nicely. “Well, you could’ve fooled me.”
He dragged a hand under his nose. “I’m not Walter’s friend, all right? We’ve just been passin’ time. It turns out that Walter doesn’t have many friends, either.”
This was news to me, but I wasn’t about to encourage Theo. “I’m not interested in Walter’s social life.”
Theo stuck his chest out. “Well, I’m not interested—”
“In being Takuma’s friend, I know.”
Theo ducked his head. “It’s not what you think,” he whispered. “And I really am sorry about what happened yesterday.”
“I’m sorry, too,” I said. “But then, I should have realized that you were a coward.”
It was an awful thing to say, and as soon as I said it, I wished I could take it back. Takuma wouldn’t say things just to hurt people. He only said things that were important.
I expected Theo to dissolve into a puddle of snot, but he managed to surprise me. “I did go and get Gracie.”
“Yes, you did,” I said. “But I didn’t need Gracie. I just needed you.”
Theo made a noise that sounded like a sob, and I lowered my gaze. I didn’t want to watch him blubber. Before he had a chance to really get going, I took off my Mary Janes, tucked them under my arm, and darted away with no warning. My stockings were going to look like they’d been through a war zone, but at least I wouldn’t have to help him mop up all his snot. When I reached the picket fence, I didn’t bother with the latch, just hopped onto a rock and leaped over the gate.
But Theo wasn’t giving up.
“I’m not as brave as you,” he said as he sprinted up the lawn behind me, “but maybe I will be someday. Maybe I’ll stand up to Walter.” Under his breath, he added, “Maybe I’ll even be his friend.”
I didn’t have to ask who he was; Theo obviously wasn’t talking about Walter anymore. An unexpected lump lodged in my throat, and I wanted to thank Theo, but I’d already reached the kitchen. And just like that day at the lab, I saw three things all at once:
First, Gracie had beaten us home.
Second, she was kissing Takuma.
And third, he was kissing her back.
21
I shrank back against the doorjamb. I couldn’t catch my breath. Theo was pounding up the steps, but I was too busy hyperventilating to even think about blocking his view. When he skidded to a halt, I knew he’d spotted them. He opened his mouth to say something, but the only thing that came out was a funny-sounding gurgle.
At least it alerted Gracie and Takuma to our presence. They sprang apart as quickly as a pair of startled rabbits. Their faces were as red as cherries, and their lips were wet and swollen. But before either of them could explain, Theo turned tail and fled.
“Theo!” Gracie said.
I didn’t try to catch him, just hugged my arms around my waist. This was my kitchen, my house, but I suddenly felt like an intruder. I couldn’t look at Gracie or even Takuma. Just the sight of them was enough to make my stomach clench.
Gracie cleared her throat. “I’m sorry, Ella Mae. We didn’t mean to cause a stir.”
At least that made my blood boil. “Then what did you mean to do?” It was easier to meet her gaze when I was angry.
Impossibly, Gracie’s face got redder. “I just wanted to give Takuma another set of flash cards, and when he offered me a cookie, one thing led to another, and we just . . .”
Gracie trailed off when she got to the uncomfortable part, but I wasn’t about to make this any easier on them.
“You just what?” I asked.
Gracie ducked her head. “Well, what did it look like we were doing?”
I glanced at Takuma (who was glancing at me), but I couldn’t hold his gaze. “It looked like you were kissin’,” I mumbled at the floor. I didn’t mention the fact that he was Japanese, but I was certainly thinking it.
Gracie must have been thinking it, too, because she arched an eyebrow. “And what’s so wrong with that?”
I opened my mouth to answer, then changed my mind at the last second. The truth was, I didn’t know. Auntie Mildred liked to tell that story abou
t the bird that loved the fish, but I’d never really understood it. Up until this moment, I hadn’t needed to.
Gracie must have noticed my bewilderment, because she answered her own question: “There’s nothing wrong with it.”
“Then why’d you spring apart when you saw me and Theo?”
Instead of answering, Gracie exchanged a loaded look with Takuma. I knotted my arms across my chest. I didn’t like the thought that they could have an entire conversation with nothing but their eyes. But before I had a chance to recapture his attention, one of the upstairs doors slammed shut.
Gracie knelt down in front of me. “You can’t tell anyone,” she whispered, her peppermint breath warm on my cheek, “not even Auntie Anna.”
“But I thought you said it wasn’t wrong.”
Gracie’s blue eyes turned to ice. “It shouldn’t be,” she said as she took hold of my shoulders. “It shouldn’t be, you understand?”
Gracie’s gaze was so intense that I wanted to go along with it, but how could something be wrong and right at the same time?
“You have to do this for me,” Gracie said, digging her nails into my shoulders. “You have to do it for Takuma.”
I tried to wriggle out of her grip, but it was as tight as a bear trap. Behind her, the stairs creaked a feeble warning as Mama barreled down them. When Takuma stepped between me and Gracie and the archway, my stomach did a somersault. Here I was, thinking about handing him over to the mob, and there he was, getting ready to defend us to the death.
I sighed. No matter what I thought of Gracie, I couldn’t give Takuma up. He was better than the rest of us combined—and more importantly, he was my friend.
“All right,” I finally muttered.
Gracie’s eyes defrosted.
“But I’m not doin’ it for you.”
Gracie half smiled, half frowned. “Thank you, Ella Mae.” She scrambled to her feet.
Gracie was still straightening her hem when Mama appeared in the archway. “I found a few more of those picture books!” She stopped short when she spotted me. “Oh, Ella Mae, you’re home.”
“And just in time,” I muttered.
She didn’t acknowledge my comment, just sized Takuma up. “Are you feelin’ all right, sweetness? You look a little flushed.”
Takuma nodded. “Fine.”
She stuck both hands on her hips. “Have you gone on your walk today?”
I grabbed his arm. “I don’t think so.” Finally, I had a chance to get him away from Gracie.
“Maybe you should go with them,” Mama told her. “Heaven only knows what would’ve happened last time if you hadn’t shown up.”
“No!” I said despite myself.
Gracie cleared her throat. “I think Ella Mae means that she can handle it.”
Mama raised her eyebrows. “Is there something you’re not tellin’ me?”
Gracie forced a nervous chuckle. “Oh, I was just telling Ella Mae that I have some algebra to finish.” She waved the picture books weakly. “We can read these when they get back.”
I resisted the urge to smack my forehead. Gracie might have been a decent kisser, but a liar she was not.
Mama studied Gracie’s face, then, finally, said, “In that case, Ella Mae can read with him. You won’t mind a day off, will you?”
Gracie forced a smile. “Of course not, Auntie Anna.”
I smiled, too. “My pleasure.”
• • •
Just like I’d promised, I didn’t tell anyone about the possibly-inappropriate-but-definitely-disgusting kiss. So when the rest of the sixth grade was talking about it the next day, I didn’t even have to pretend to be outraged.
I heard the first whisper while I was jumping rope at recess. Gordon, Chester’s brother, specifically said the word “kiss,” and kisses were usually the last things on Gordon’s mind.
“Who told you?” I asked, ripping the half-eaten apple out of his mouth.
“Catherine,” he replied without skipping a beat. “Now can I have my apple back?”
Grudgingly, I returned his apple, then went in search of Catherine, the daughter of the town gossip. She gave her source up just as easily, and before I knew it, I’d tracked down half of the sixth grade and wound up exactly where I’d thought I would—at Walter.
I found him on the playground as soon as school was over. He was preaching to his choir from the middle of the merry-go-round, which a couple of his minions were turning in a slow circle.
“—must have been awful,” he was saying, puckering his lips. “I mean, can you imagine how it must have looked?” Walter shook his head. “No wonder he started to hurl.”
I pushed the Timothy twins out of the way. “Beat it, blockheads,” I muttered.
When they glanced over their shoulders, their eyes bulged at the sight of me. Rusty grabbed Rosy’s arm, but she refused to budge. After whispering something in her ear, he turned tail and scampered off.
I didn’t have time to fuss with Rosy, just leaped onto the merry-go-round like it belonged to me. “Shut your trap!” I yelled at Walter with all the righteous indignation I could muster.
He must have recognized my voice, because he actually flinched. I stuck both hands on my hips, but by the time he turned around, he’d already recovered. Guess it had occurred to him that he was back on Mrs. Temple’s turf.
“Well, look who it is,” he said. “I’ve been wondering when you’d show up.”
I resisted the urge to grab his shirt. “How’d you find out?” I demanded.
Walter’s smile froze my insides. “How do you think?” he asked as he gestured to a lonely figure huddled under the slide.
His hands were in his pockets, and his shoulders were hiked up to his ears, but I would have recognized my cousin from a mile away. I probably should have realized that Theo was the source, but that realization still made my heart hurt.
I shoved Walter aside, though I was less upset at him than I was at myself. The crowd parted before me as I jumped off the merry-go-round and slogged toward the slide. The sand sucked at my feet, making it impossible to stomp, but Theo still flinched at my approach.
The crowd bounced up and down, obviously eager for a fight, but I just stood there waiting. The wind whipped my braids around like miniature lassos, and yet I still managed to pretend that they weren’t there.
“Is it true?” I finally asked.
Theo didn’t bother to answer, but his silence said enough.
Red-hot rage crawled up my neck, coloring my field of vision. My hands clenched into fists, and it was all that I could do not to punch him in the nose. I wouldn’t mind bruising my knuckles so long as Theo explained why he’d sold his sister out. But I forced myself to resist. If Takuma hadn’t wanted me to box Mrs. Leavitt’s ears, he probably wouldn’t want me to box Theo’s, either.
After a while, the crowd wandered away. We probably weren’t being interesting enough. Theo waited until they disappeared, then dipped his head and headed off in the opposite direction. The head-dipping unnerved me. It was like he was turning into Gracie.
“Theo!” I called after him. When he didn’t stop, I tried again: “Hey, Theo, wait for me!”
At the corner of the football field, Theo finally stopped, though he didn’t turn around.
I hurried to catch up. I expected him to say something—to defend himself—but when he didn’t, I croaked, “Why?”
He just stood there slouching.
I spun him around. “You can’t keep ignorin’ me!” But I said it to his forehead, since he wouldn’t meet my gaze. “I thought we were friends again.”
At least that snapped him out of it. “We were friends,” he replied, ripping his arm out of my grip.
I stuck out my chin. “You keep makin’ it sound like I wanted this to happen, but the fact of the matter is, I don’t l
ike it any more than you do.”
“Maybe not,” he said. “But you wanted him to come.”
I narrowed my eyes. “I’m not gonna apologize for bringin’ Takuma to St. Jude.”
“Well, maybe you should. If you hadn’t brought him here, none of this would’ve even happened.”
“Well, if your mama hadn’t tried to bring Robby back to life, we wouldn’t have had to bring him here!”
Theo stuck his chest out. “Well, if he hadn’t killed my brother, she wouldn’t have had to bring him back to life!”
I rocked back on my heels. What could I say to that?
Theo seemed to know he’d won the argument. He turned around and walked away, and this time, I didn’t stop him. Me and Theo might have argued about the importance of whipped cream (he was for; I was against) and which comic strip was the best (he said Beetle Bailey; I said Dennis the Menace), but we’d never found ourselves on different sides of right and wrong. I didn’t like the way it felt. And I didn’t like not knowing which side I was on.
22
That night, I was passing Mama’s meat loaf when four knocks landed on our door. They caught me so off guard that the meat loaf flipped out of my hands and landed on its ketchup side. I couldn’t look at Mama as I returned the now-empty plate to the table, but she didn’t get upset, just dabbed her mouth with her napkin.
“Would you get that, Ella Mae?” she asked.
So she was going to deliver me to the monster at the door. It was no less than I deserved for ruining the meat loaf.
“Yes, ma’am,” I mumbled dutifully.
Takuma tried to follow, but Mama shook her head.
“Stay here,” she told Takuma, taking a swig of her sweet tea. “I think it will be best to have this conversation in the kitchen. Heaven only knows it’s harder to be discourteous when there’s a centerpiece present.”
It was like she already knew who was at the door and why, but she always seemed to know more than the rest of us did. Takuma hesitated, then, reluctantly, sat back down. Daddy didn’t bother to look up from the Times.
The Sound of Life and Everything Page 13
