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

He’d get out of dancing, and keep Lily Bea from going with anyone else since it was too late for her to get another date. Maybe she’d even feel sorry for him and bake him a lemon cake or peanut butter cookies. Or she might get real mad and not ever talk to him again.
    He hadn’t really talked to her much anyway. Tommy had done the talking and he didn’t seem to mind at all. Merle Henry had watched him speaking to Lily Bea from across the cafeteria and they got along just fine. Remembering that now caused Merle Henry to open the book and start studying.
    The only thing nagging Merle Henry about playing hooky was that he couldn’t run his trap line. And though he’d trapped eighteen possums, and three raccoons, he still hadn’t caught a mink.
    Twenty minutes later, Gordie was already dressed and out of their room. The morning was nippy like most February mornings in Forest Hill, that wet morning chill that comes from so much humidity. Merle Henry hid the book under his pillow and raised the sheet until it reached his chin.
    Rose cracked open the door. “Merle Henry, you’re running late. You’re gonna have to walk to school if you don’t hurry up.”
    Merle Henry let out a groan. “Momma, I don’t feel so good.” He hadn’t played hooky since second grade and his mother had known all along that he was pretending. Back then, she had let him stay home, but she’d given him so many chores, he decided playing hooky wasn’t that much fun.
    Rose walked over to him and touched his forehead. She raised an eyebrow. “You don’t have a fever.”
    â€œIt’s my belly. I feel kind of sick.”
    She let out a sigh. “You’re not the only one. Cooter must have hugged the toilet in the outhouse on and off all night. Nobody can out-drink your daddy.”
    â€œCooter and Aunt Pie are still here?”
    â€œMm-hm. It was like musical beds last night. Pie and I slept in my room, and your daddy slept on the couch. Cooter just conked out wherever he landed.”
    Rose picked up Merle Henry’s pants off the floor and folded them. “I guess you want to stay home. You do remember that dance is tomorrow night?”
    â€œYes, ma’am.”
    She placed his pants on the end of his bed. “I suspect you better stay home or you might break that little Lily Bea’s heart if you’re sick tomorrow. Although I think you’re too young to get sweet on a girl.”
    His mother was always talking about how she wanted her boys to go to college. “You could be something great,” she’d say. “Maybe even a writer.” Merle Henry wanted to tell her that going to college and becoming a writer were not in his future plans.
    After Rose eased the door closed, he heard his brother leave the house for school. Soon Merle Henry could concentrate on learning to dance, but his mind was on those traps.
    A few minutes later, Rose appeared again. “Blue is whining something awful. You think he’s missing the woods?”
    â€œYes, ma’am. I sure do.”
    â€œWell, I’ve got to go over to Faye’s this morning. She got into a mess of poison ivy. I’ll go the short way through the woods and check on your traps. If you have anything, I’m sure Gordie or your daddy will take care of it later today.”
    Maybe Daddy, thought Merle Henry. Never Gordie. It amazed him how his mother still didn’t realize how different Gordie was from him.
    Before she left for Faye’s, she said, “If you need anything, Pie will help you. I guess you better tell me where to find your traps.”
    An hour later, Merle Henry heard Aunt Pie and Cooter in the kitchen.
    â€œI’ll make you some eggs, Cooter,” she said.
    Cooter groaned. “That’s the last thing I want.”
    â€œI know what you need.”
    â€œWhat’s that?”
    â€œA good shot of whiskey,” said Aunt