Read Online Part of Me by Kimberly Willis Holt - Free Book Online Page A

Fancy Pants won’t be flashing that snazzy grin until he gets that tooth replaced.” Then she laughed and soon Rose joined her.
    That day Merle Henry had wanted to kill Buck.
    Today when the soldier boy parked, Aunt Pie jumped out of the jeep, and Merle Henry kept chopping wood. Pie’s hair looked blonder than usual and she wore red high heels and a circle skirt like some of the girls from school.
    â€œMerle Henry, is that you? Come give your aunt Pie a hug.” She held out her arms wide as if she was trying to grab all the air around them.
    Merle Henry gave her a quick hug. The skinny red-headed soldier was standing right behind Aunt Pie, grinning. With a closer look, Merle Henry thought the soldier looked the same age as Gordie, who was a senior this year.
    Aunt Pie swung around and slipped her arm through the soldier’s. “This is Cooter.”
    Cooter held out his hand to Merle Henry. Merle Henry shook it hard, trying to show all his strength.
    When Merle Henry released his hand, Cooter rubbed his fingers. “Goodness, that’s some shake you have there, buddy. Remind me not to get on your bad side.”
    Aunt Pie laughed and Merle Henry’s face felt flushed. “Where’s your momma?” she asked.
    But before Merle Henry could holler for her, she was standing in the doorway, an apron tied above her huge melon belly.
    â€œHey there, Pie.” She reached over and kissed Aunt Pie’s cheek.
    Aunt Pie looked down at Rose’s stomach. “Mercy, Rose. You’re as big as a house.” She patted Momma’s apron.
    â€œIt won’t be too long,” said Rose. “Doc says a month, but I don’t know about his arithmetic.”
    â€œYou look beautiful,” Aunt Pie said. “Maybe this time it will be a girl.” Then she seemed to notice Rose staring at her friend.
    â€œThis is Cooter,” she added, slipping her arm through his again.
    Cooter took off his uniform hat. “Pleased to meet you, ma’am.”
    Rose looked startled. Merle Henry wondered if it was because she’d fried only one chicken and fretted that there wouldn’t be enough for everyone or if she was noticing how young Cooter looked.
    â€œCome on in.” Rose led the way into the house. “We’ll go ahead and eat. Luther is working a little late.”
    They listened to Aunt Pie talk at the dinner table about how she’d met Cooter when she got hired to run errands at Fort Polk. “Then this cute redheaded thing asked me to a dance at the enlisted men’s club. And you know how I like to dance, Rose.”
    Merle Henry suddenly felt a stab in his gut.
    That night Luther came home with some beer and offered Cooter one, but not before asking, “You are old enough, aren’t you, son?”
    Cooter grinned. “Yes, sir. I just have a baby face.”
    â€œHow old are you?” Merle Henry asked, knowing good and well he shouldn’t have. He expected his momma or daddy to snap at him, or at least give one of their disapproving looks, but they just stared at Cooter, waiting for an answer.
    Before he could say a word, Aunt Pie grabbed Cooter’s hand and pulled him to the floor. “Old enough to dance,” she said. “Gordie, turn that radio up.”
    Gordie had been reading the newspaper. He leaned over and turned up the volume, and everyone watched Aunt Pie and Cooter move around the little living room floor to the music coming from KALB radio. Merle Henry tried to memorize every step they took.
    *   *   *
    The next morning Merle Henry woke to a plan. Maybe it was because he’d dreamed about dancing with Lily Bea around the gym floor. He decided he’d play hooky and stay home to study that dance book. After watching Aunt Pie and Cooter dance for a few songs, it was bound to click with him. And if it didn’t, he’d just be sick the next day, too. That idea sounded like the best yet.