Read Online Tender Graces by Kathryn Magendie - Free Book Online

out of dough. I worry it until it gives up answers.” She hit the dough three times. “When the stuff in the jar is fermented, I’ll make the salt-rising bread.”
    “Will you show me how to make it, Momma?”
    “I will one day, I reckon.”
    “Why not now, Momma?”
    She huffed a sigh, said, “I’m in a mood today. Now let me think.”
    It was just Momma and me in the house that Saturday. Daddy was at work. Micah and Buster were down to the creek looking for salamanders. I’d asked him to get me some smoothed rocks while he was there. Sometimes he would and sometimes he’d forget. Andy was over to Mrs. Mendel’s having milk and cookies. Mrs. Mendel made the best oatmeal cookies ever. I was supposed to go, but I wanted to stay by Momma in case she turned sick again.
    I asked, “Momma, how come you’re beating up on the dough?”
    “I told you. It helps me think.” She stuck her fingers in the gooey stuff.
    “What’re you thinking about?”
    “I’m thinking about stuff that’s none of your bees-wax.”
    “How come it’s not my bees-wax?”
    “Go outside and play. I can’t think with you jabbering on.”
    I put on seventy-three pouts of pitiful, but she didn’t care.
    “I said go. Now!”
    I ran back to my room and read a book about Dick and Jane. Then I rode Fionadala all around until I heard Daddy put his keys and hat on the hook.
    Momma hollered out of the kitchen, “Fred, I need to talk to you, pronto,” before he could hardly get in the door. I opened my door to listen, and smelled the bread even stronger.
    Daddy went straight to the icebox. I heard the ice clunk.
    Momma said, “I got something to tell you and I expect you aren’t going to like it a bit.”
    When they went to their room and shut the door, I sneaked down the hall and sat outside their door. I brought Fionadala with me in case I needed her.
    Momma was saying, “. . . it takes two to tangle, dear husband.”
    “Tango,” Daddy said. The ice rattled.
    “Tango, shmango, whatever.”
    “I thought you kept up with that.”
    “Yeah, blame me.”
    A drawer slammed.
    “I’m not blaming.”
    “I’m having babies before I have time to breathe, just like my momma.”
    “What’s wrong with that?”
    “What’s wrong is I’m tired. And you never spend time with them. Off doing lord knows what with that Keemburlee .”
    “I’m not interested in Kimberly. Can I say the same thing about you and that preacher?”
    “You just shut up, you hear? Shut up!”
    Something banged against the wall and I jumped.
    “I think the pot is calling the kettle black.” Daddy sounded sad instead of mad.
    “Uh huh. That so, Fred.”
    Micah sat beside me and about scared me half to death. He had come in quiet as a prowling panther. “What’s happening, Vee?”
    “I don’t know,” I whispered.
    Momma’s voice had that whiny-baby sound to it. “I’d like to keep my figure. I’d like to have my hair fixed up sometime. I’d like to go out and dance without worrying over who’ll watch the kids.” I imagined Momma counting off what she wanted, looking mad at Daddy in between each raised finger.
    “Oh for god’s sake. There’s no use arguing. It’s done.”
    “I’ve asked Ruby for her special tonic.”
    “What?”
    “I got to get this out of me. I can’t do it, I can’t. I’m sick of children.”
    My toes curled, and there was a buzzing around in my head, like fifty-two bees were in there—big mad kind of bees, like hornets. I looked at Micah, but he stared at his feet.
    Daddy’s voice rose up. “Have you lost your mind? That’s our little baby in there.”
    “You really are a stupid man, Fred.”
    “What are you saying?”
    “I need me another one of these.” Ice rattled and footsteps came towards the door.
    Micah and I ran outside. I knew how to open the side screen door so it wouldn’t make any noise. We eased out and sat on the steps. I studied Micah’s face to see what he felt, but he looked far off. His back went