Cancer," she said. I think she was speaking to the fire.
"The sun is in Cancer," repeated the other women in deep voices.
"The moon is in Scorpio," Fleur chanted.
"The moon is in Scorpio," they answered.
They circled the fire, holding hands.
"We ask the Goddess to protect our realm. We ask the Mother to keep us safe." Whatever Fleur said, the women repeated.
I can't remember everything, but it ended with something that sounded like 'blessed be .' It wasn't exactly like anything I'd ever heard in the Baptist church, except, of course, the "blessed" part. Everyone around here says "Well bless your hea-art," all the time, or "Have a blessed day." They also say someone "blessed them out," which is Columbus-speak for "cursed them out."
I didn't know if I should make some noise. Should I let them know I was there?
They threw some papers into the fire, and it flared.
"To the Huddle House!" Fleur threw up her hand with a flourish.
"To the Huddle House!" they all answered.
I stepped aside, so that when the gate opened I would be behind it. The women scurried onto the street and piled into Aunt Fleur's old van. I was sure that they did not notice me at all. Fleur winked back at the open gate and a gust of wind slammed it shut.
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17
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I walked home wishing I understood more about what was going on. The house was quiet as I slipped between my cool sheets. I could hear dad's snoring through the walls.
That night, my room spun and made me dizzy. I heard distant sirens moving through the city. The shrill sound seeped in through the windows and rolled around as if caught in the tornado twirling the room. I don't know why the wail frightened me. I was protected behind locked doors. Nothing could hurt me. I clutched the sides of my mattress, afraid that I might be thrown onto the floor.
The ringing of the phone awakened me around dawn. A slit of light peeked from between the eyelet curtains. Slowly emerging from my fitful sleep, I rolled over and fell back into a dream about a snake with a hundred heads that screamed like a siren whenever one head was lopped off.
When I finally got up, Mom and Dad were sitting at the table drinking coffee. They weren't dressed for work.
"Gertrude, sit down." Mom rubbed her open hand on the pocket of her chenille robe. "We have something to tell you."
Dad stepped in as if he didn't think Mom was getting to the point fast enough. I knew something bad was coming, and held my breath.
"Your aunt was hurt last night. She is in the hospital," he said.
"What happened?"
"Well, it seems that she was in an altercation." He stirred his coffee for what seemed like forever. "She was with some friends, and apparently they were mugged in the parking lot of the Huddle House."
"Is she okay? Can we go to the hospital?"
"Yes, dear," said Mom. "Go get dressed."
We entered Baptist Memorial Golden Triangle Hospital (the only hospital in town), and were directed to her room. At first, I didn't recognize the old person sitting on the edge of the bed. Her face was puffy and pale. All her makeup had been washed off. I ran to her and tried to hug her, but she held one hand out to stop me.
"The doctors say I can go home. Kay, will you and Truly help me dress?"
Dad stepped into the hallway. Mom and I carefully draped her clothes loosely around her. There were wide strips of white tape wrapped around her ribs; her breasts were almost completely flattened by the bandage. Her left arm was in a cloth sling. We gently put her in a wheelchair.
"I'll be alright," she told us when we reached the front of her house. "You don't need to come in." She handed something to my mom. "Kay, I think you should keep the key to my house. You might need it."
"I want to come in," I whined. "I can make tea. I don't even know what happened."
"That's alright, Truly. I have pain pills, and I will go right to sleep."
"But you are hurt! Who did this? Can you identify them?"
"All in good time. All in good
"The sun is in Cancer," repeated the other women in deep voices.
"The moon is in Scorpio," Fleur chanted.
"The moon is in Scorpio," they answered.
They circled the fire, holding hands.
"We ask the Goddess to protect our realm. We ask the Mother to keep us safe." Whatever Fleur said, the women repeated.
I can't remember everything, but it ended with something that sounded like 'blessed be .' It wasn't exactly like anything I'd ever heard in the Baptist church, except, of course, the "blessed" part. Everyone around here says "Well bless your hea-art," all the time, or "Have a blessed day." They also say someone "blessed them out," which is Columbus-speak for "cursed them out."
I didn't know if I should make some noise. Should I let them know I was there?
They threw some papers into the fire, and it flared.
"To the Huddle House!" Fleur threw up her hand with a flourish.
"To the Huddle House!" they all answered.
I stepped aside, so that when the gate opened I would be behind it. The women scurried onto the street and piled into Aunt Fleur's old van. I was sure that they did not notice me at all. Fleur winked back at the open gate and a gust of wind slammed it shut.
Â
Â
Â
Â
17
Â
Â
I walked home wishing I understood more about what was going on. The house was quiet as I slipped between my cool sheets. I could hear dad's snoring through the walls.
That night, my room spun and made me dizzy. I heard distant sirens moving through the city. The shrill sound seeped in through the windows and rolled around as if caught in the tornado twirling the room. I don't know why the wail frightened me. I was protected behind locked doors. Nothing could hurt me. I clutched the sides of my mattress, afraid that I might be thrown onto the floor.
The ringing of the phone awakened me around dawn. A slit of light peeked from between the eyelet curtains. Slowly emerging from my fitful sleep, I rolled over and fell back into a dream about a snake with a hundred heads that screamed like a siren whenever one head was lopped off.
When I finally got up, Mom and Dad were sitting at the table drinking coffee. They weren't dressed for work.
"Gertrude, sit down." Mom rubbed her open hand on the pocket of her chenille robe. "We have something to tell you."
Dad stepped in as if he didn't think Mom was getting to the point fast enough. I knew something bad was coming, and held my breath.
"Your aunt was hurt last night. She is in the hospital," he said.
"What happened?"
"Well, it seems that she was in an altercation." He stirred his coffee for what seemed like forever. "She was with some friends, and apparently they were mugged in the parking lot of the Huddle House."
"Is she okay? Can we go to the hospital?"
"Yes, dear," said Mom. "Go get dressed."
We entered Baptist Memorial Golden Triangle Hospital (the only hospital in town), and were directed to her room. At first, I didn't recognize the old person sitting on the edge of the bed. Her face was puffy and pale. All her makeup had been washed off. I ran to her and tried to hug her, but she held one hand out to stop me.
"The doctors say I can go home. Kay, will you and Truly help me dress?"
Dad stepped into the hallway. Mom and I carefully draped her clothes loosely around her. There were wide strips of white tape wrapped around her ribs; her breasts were almost completely flattened by the bandage. Her left arm was in a cloth sling. We gently put her in a wheelchair.
"I'll be alright," she told us when we reached the front of her house. "You don't need to come in." She handed something to my mom. "Kay, I think you should keep the key to my house. You might need it."
"I want to come in," I whined. "I can make tea. I don't even know what happened."
"That's alright, Truly. I have pain pills, and I will go right to sleep."
"But you are hurt! Who did this? Can you identify them?"
"All in good time. All in good
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