Read Online A Place Called Wiregrass by Michael Morris - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Michael Morris
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Stella had been gone ten years now.
When I looked inside that frilly gray casket and saw my aunt’s face all sticky-looking, I started to cry. From the time I was just a little thing, I knew she was the one person who really loved me. Mama quickly reached across the flowers on top of the casket and squeezed my elbow. Her eyes pierced me as if to say, “If I can stand my own sister’s death, then I expect the same out of you.”
Mama didn’t like for me to cry. Said it made me look weak, and people would feel sorry for me. I just hope that after Bozo shows up with his shotgun and blows me away in front of this safe haven, Mama won’t expect Cher not to cry.
What about Cher? If I go, who’ll end up with her? Mama?
I felt the blood drain from my face and neck. The very idea of that cold woman taking thirteen years of my training and turning Cher into an empty shell made me want to throw up. I tipped to the right and caught myself on the edge of the grand piano top. Before I realized it, the blue cobalt glass blasted into pieces on the hardwood floor.
Bozo’s shotgun blast won’t sound much louder, I thought. Paralyzed, I stood looking at the scattered pieces. The chips ofglass looked like hundreds of expensive blue stones ready to be mined.
With the shrill crack of glass, Miss Claudia stopped playing and turned towards me. I had my hands up in the air like something gone wild. My mouth flew open, but nothing came out. Tears puddled in my eyes.
“Don’t you cry, girl. You want this woman to think you’re weak?” I heard Mama yell in my mind.
Miss Claudia picked up her cane and approached the rubble. She put her hand on my shoulder. I still couldn’t look at her. My hand shielded the side of my face as though I expected a strike from her blue-veined hand. Mouth still open, all I could manage was some sort of half-human moan.
This is it for sure. I’ll never be able to work off how much this thing cost.
“It was an accident is all. No reason to let your nerves get keyed up.” Her bony fingers squeezed my shoulder tighter.
I could only turn my head away from her. “I’m so…so…sorry. And these the glasses your husband…” Some sort of matter seemed to gather in my throat. Looking down, I saw an escaped tear mark a spot on her hardwood floor.
“People make mistakes every day. You know what my husband Wade used to tell folks down at the store? He’d tell ’em, if you’re not making one mistake a day, then I question if you’re really working.”
If I’d had a tail, it would’ve been tucked between my legs. Instead, I tucked my head. When I turned to face her, I let myself fall into those hazel eyes. I dropped the invisible shield and bit my lip to keep from squalling. Soon I felt her bony fingers again, pulling me into her bosom.
“All this fuss over some blue glass. Oh, I can get Patricia to get me another one. It’s just a thing, sugar, not a human being.”
Her hand patted my back while I clung to her soft, silky shoulder. I would not cry. I couldn’t cry now and stain herpretty silk blouse with my weak tears. Without the release of a single tear, I erupted. “I’m gonna get killed. Cher won’t even be able to cry, and they’ll all be telling you what trash I was.”
She pulled me back to examine my face. Her raised eyebrows and gaped mouth seemed to question if I had been struck by one of Richard’s nerve attacks. Instead of calling for a straitjacket like she probably should have, she and her cane led me to the kitchen table.
“Now, you need a Coca-Cola to help settle your stomach?”
“No, ma’am,” I said, knowing full well I had to tell it all now. But instead of dread, I felt protected. For a moment she didn’t say anything. She just sat there with her hands folded, looking down at her lace tablecloth. I was relieved when the air conditioner kicked on and provided background noise. The humming sounded soothing.
“Now what in the world was all that about? And just
When I looked inside that frilly gray casket and saw my aunt’s face all sticky-looking, I started to cry. From the time I was just a little thing, I knew she was the one person who really loved me. Mama quickly reached across the flowers on top of the casket and squeezed my elbow. Her eyes pierced me as if to say, “If I can stand my own sister’s death, then I expect the same out of you.”
Mama didn’t like for me to cry. Said it made me look weak, and people would feel sorry for me. I just hope that after Bozo shows up with his shotgun and blows me away in front of this safe haven, Mama won’t expect Cher not to cry.
What about Cher? If I go, who’ll end up with her? Mama?
I felt the blood drain from my face and neck. The very idea of that cold woman taking thirteen years of my training and turning Cher into an empty shell made me want to throw up. I tipped to the right and caught myself on the edge of the grand piano top. Before I realized it, the blue cobalt glass blasted into pieces on the hardwood floor.
Bozo’s shotgun blast won’t sound much louder, I thought. Paralyzed, I stood looking at the scattered pieces. The chips ofglass looked like hundreds of expensive blue stones ready to be mined.
With the shrill crack of glass, Miss Claudia stopped playing and turned towards me. I had my hands up in the air like something gone wild. My mouth flew open, but nothing came out. Tears puddled in my eyes.
“Don’t you cry, girl. You want this woman to think you’re weak?” I heard Mama yell in my mind.
Miss Claudia picked up her cane and approached the rubble. She put her hand on my shoulder. I still couldn’t look at her. My hand shielded the side of my face as though I expected a strike from her blue-veined hand. Mouth still open, all I could manage was some sort of half-human moan.
This is it for sure. I’ll never be able to work off how much this thing cost.
“It was an accident is all. No reason to let your nerves get keyed up.” Her bony fingers squeezed my shoulder tighter.
I could only turn my head away from her. “I’m so…so…sorry. And these the glasses your husband…” Some sort of matter seemed to gather in my throat. Looking down, I saw an escaped tear mark a spot on her hardwood floor.
“People make mistakes every day. You know what my husband Wade used to tell folks down at the store? He’d tell ’em, if you’re not making one mistake a day, then I question if you’re really working.”
If I’d had a tail, it would’ve been tucked between my legs. Instead, I tucked my head. When I turned to face her, I let myself fall into those hazel eyes. I dropped the invisible shield and bit my lip to keep from squalling. Soon I felt her bony fingers again, pulling me into her bosom.
“All this fuss over some blue glass. Oh, I can get Patricia to get me another one. It’s just a thing, sugar, not a human being.”
Her hand patted my back while I clung to her soft, silky shoulder. I would not cry. I couldn’t cry now and stain herpretty silk blouse with my weak tears. Without the release of a single tear, I erupted. “I’m gonna get killed. Cher won’t even be able to cry, and they’ll all be telling you what trash I was.”
She pulled me back to examine my face. Her raised eyebrows and gaped mouth seemed to question if I had been struck by one of Richard’s nerve attacks. Instead of calling for a straitjacket like she probably should have, she and her cane led me to the kitchen table.
“Now, you need a Coca-Cola to help settle your stomach?”
“No, ma’am,” I said, knowing full well I had to tell it all now. But instead of dread, I felt protected. For a moment she didn’t say anything. She just sat there with her hands folded, looking down at her lace tablecloth. I was relieved when the air conditioner kicked on and provided background noise. The humming sounded soothing.
“Now what in the world was all that about? And just
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