already at the table. As soon as he sees me, Daddy stands up and I launch myself into his arms. My daddy is a handsome man, built strong and lean; his hair is dark blond and his eyes are chocolaty brown. He smells the way he always does, like tobacco and spearmint chewing gum.
“Hey, peanut. How much did you miss me?”
“Tons. What’d you bring me?” Getting excited about Daddy’s presents is just for show now. I’m too old to go bananas over a light-up yo-yo or a box of saltwater taffy. But I know he likes giving the presents more than I like receiving them, so I keep up the game.
Daddy laughs. “Wait till after dinner. Where’s your sister?”
My whole life that’s all my father ever says to me. Where’s your sister?
When dinner’s ready, Celia finally comes downstairs. She’s wearing her nubby yellow bathrobe, and half of her hair is curled. The other half is in a denim scrunchie. If only the football team could see her now.
The four of us sit at the kitchen table, and Daddy asks Celia and me how our first week of school was. Celia says fine. She barely even looks at him when she says it. Thecorners of Daddy’s mouth turn down, and for a moment no one says anything.
Then I say, “Junior high’s all right, but my English teacher hates me.”
Daddy raises his eyebrows. “You? Impossible. What’s her name, Shug?”
“Ms. Gillybush.”
He stops cutting his steak. “Anita Gillybush?”
“I guess so. Yeah, that’s her. Why? You know her?”
Daddy laughs. “Yeah, your mama and I went to high school with her. Imagine that. Did you know about this, Gracie?”
Mama shakes her head. “No. I don’t even remember her.”
“Oh, come on. She was the year below us.”
“I honestly don’t remember, Billy.”
“Actually, I’m not surprised.” Grinning, Daddy turns to Celia and me. “Girls, your mama was the most popular girl in school. She didn’t have time for the little people. Girls like Anita didn’t cut the mustard with your mama. Not cool enough, no sir. Heck, I’m lucky she ever looked at me.” We’ve heard him say this a million times over.
Swatting at Daddy with her napkin, Mama says, “Don’t believe a word your father says.”
She’s eating it up, every word. No wonder Ms. Gillybush doesn’t like me. Once upon a time, Mama must’ve been snotty to her. Way to go, Mama. Talk about the sins of the father.
Then Daddy asks Celia which boy is in love with her this week. He doesn’t ask me of course.
Buttering a biscuit, I say, “Daddy, Celia’s a lesbian now. Didn’t you know?”
Daddy chokes on his iced tea. “My baby girl a lesbian?”
“Billy, she’s pullin’ your chain. Celia’s no lesbian.” Mama shakes her head and laughs.
“Mama’s right. I’m not a lesbian. I’m just bi.” With that, Celia gets up and puts her plate of half-eaten food in the sink. “Thanks for dinner, Mama. I’m goin’ over to Margaret’s.”
Mama raises her eyebrows. “Your daddy’s just come home. Don’t you think you should spend some time with the family? We could all go see a movie. Or we could go to the diner for ice cream.”
“I have a life, Mama. Daddy doesn’t expect me to change my whole life around just ’cause he’s in town. Right, Daddy?” Celia smiles her angel smile.
Daddy falls for it every time. “Of course not, princess. You go have fun at Miss Margaret’s. Tell her your old man says hey.” He winks at her.
Celia gives him a kiss on the cheek and runs off, her one ponytail bouncing.
As soon as she’s gone, Daddy turns to Mama and me. “Now what’s this about being bi? What’s this bi talk?” His forehead creases like a walnut. “Is Margaret her—her girlfriend?”
Mama and I look at each other and laugh our heads off.
Daddy used to tuck me in at night. He’d get the covers nice and tight and say, “Snug as a bug in a rug?” and then he’d hug me, kiss me on each cheek. It was nice. Now he doesn’t come too close.
I’m reading a
“Hey, peanut. How much did you miss me?”
“Tons. What’d you bring me?” Getting excited about Daddy’s presents is just for show now. I’m too old to go bananas over a light-up yo-yo or a box of saltwater taffy. But I know he likes giving the presents more than I like receiving them, so I keep up the game.
Daddy laughs. “Wait till after dinner. Where’s your sister?”
My whole life that’s all my father ever says to me. Where’s your sister?
When dinner’s ready, Celia finally comes downstairs. She’s wearing her nubby yellow bathrobe, and half of her hair is curled. The other half is in a denim scrunchie. If only the football team could see her now.
The four of us sit at the kitchen table, and Daddy asks Celia and me how our first week of school was. Celia says fine. She barely even looks at him when she says it. Thecorners of Daddy’s mouth turn down, and for a moment no one says anything.
Then I say, “Junior high’s all right, but my English teacher hates me.”
Daddy raises his eyebrows. “You? Impossible. What’s her name, Shug?”
“Ms. Gillybush.”
He stops cutting his steak. “Anita Gillybush?”
“I guess so. Yeah, that’s her. Why? You know her?”
Daddy laughs. “Yeah, your mama and I went to high school with her. Imagine that. Did you know about this, Gracie?”
Mama shakes her head. “No. I don’t even remember her.”
“Oh, come on. She was the year below us.”
“I honestly don’t remember, Billy.”
“Actually, I’m not surprised.” Grinning, Daddy turns to Celia and me. “Girls, your mama was the most popular girl in school. She didn’t have time for the little people. Girls like Anita didn’t cut the mustard with your mama. Not cool enough, no sir. Heck, I’m lucky she ever looked at me.” We’ve heard him say this a million times over.
Swatting at Daddy with her napkin, Mama says, “Don’t believe a word your father says.”
She’s eating it up, every word. No wonder Ms. Gillybush doesn’t like me. Once upon a time, Mama must’ve been snotty to her. Way to go, Mama. Talk about the sins of the father.
Then Daddy asks Celia which boy is in love with her this week. He doesn’t ask me of course.
Buttering a biscuit, I say, “Daddy, Celia’s a lesbian now. Didn’t you know?”
Daddy chokes on his iced tea. “My baby girl a lesbian?”
“Billy, she’s pullin’ your chain. Celia’s no lesbian.” Mama shakes her head and laughs.
“Mama’s right. I’m not a lesbian. I’m just bi.” With that, Celia gets up and puts her plate of half-eaten food in the sink. “Thanks for dinner, Mama. I’m goin’ over to Margaret’s.”
Mama raises her eyebrows. “Your daddy’s just come home. Don’t you think you should spend some time with the family? We could all go see a movie. Or we could go to the diner for ice cream.”
“I have a life, Mama. Daddy doesn’t expect me to change my whole life around just ’cause he’s in town. Right, Daddy?” Celia smiles her angel smile.
Daddy falls for it every time. “Of course not, princess. You go have fun at Miss Margaret’s. Tell her your old man says hey.” He winks at her.
Celia gives him a kiss on the cheek and runs off, her one ponytail bouncing.
As soon as she’s gone, Daddy turns to Mama and me. “Now what’s this about being bi? What’s this bi talk?” His forehead creases like a walnut. “Is Margaret her—her girlfriend?”
Mama and I look at each other and laugh our heads off.
Daddy used to tuck me in at night. He’d get the covers nice and tight and say, “Snug as a bug in a rug?” and then he’d hug me, kiss me on each cheek. It was nice. Now he doesn’t come too close.
I’m reading a
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