Chapter 9
Mrs. Grace'shouse smelled like bleach and old lady perfume, specifically Chanel No. 5. It was a nice smell, but the acidic taint of bleach and Lysol to hide other smells made it unbearably sweet and nauseating. Jazzy and Devin, Mrs. Grace's five and three-year-old grandkids were already up by dawn, sitting on the living room floor, pop-tarts in hand, watching Sunday morningcartoons.
I clicked around on my new phone, finding the game Slither where I led a snake around eating dots for several minutes before that, too, became boring. Erika had been overjoyed at me finally getting a phone. She had texted me the best apps to download from the app store that the phone came preloaded with, but I was too scared to download anything. I knew those things costed money. I only had Slither because Texas had apparently downloaded itbeforehand.
I set the phone down on my stomach and watched Jazzy and Devin munch on their sugary breakfast and stare, wide-eyed, as a cartoon pig danced on the screen to an upbeat song about cleaning the house. The phone vibrated to life midway through the episode, startling me so much that I dropped it over the side of the couch. I scrambled after it, picking it up with a prayer that the screen hadn't shattered upon impact. My sigh of relief drew Devin's attention as he glanced at me for a moment before returning to hisshow.
Texas:Tomorrow 3:15pm.
I sighed. Wonderful. I now knew something was happening tomorrow, but not what. I grinned as I typed a reply, deciding to turn up the sass and teasehim.
Harlow:3:15pm, huh? Sounds like a great time ofday.
I grinned as I hit send. I'd been texting Texas a lot since I got the phone and one thing I had learned was that trying to sound sarcastic with texts was difficult for others to interpret. I still tried and even though he rarely got it, it was still funny tome.
Texas:Bell will pick you up in front of theschool.
I thought for a second; how could I turn that around before typing myreply.
Harlow:I'm pretty heavy, do you think he can carry me wherever it is that we'regoing?
There was brief pause between texts and I could picture his face, dumbstruck and unsure. I giggled, drawing the attention of Jazzy and Devin who, with their mouths half-full, turned their heads towards me at the same time. Jazzy, the younger of the two, stood on her chubby legs and shuffled over to me. Her fat toddler fist, clutching the pastry, raised it to myface.
Her, big, brown eyes were curious and loving. I couldn't bear to disappoint her, so I leaned down and took a small bite, thanking her for sharing. She smiled, her skinny, white, baby-teeth contrasting with the darkness of her skin, before waddling over to her brother who returned his attention to the TV show once again. They were the sweetest kids. My phonebuzzed.
Texas:You're not heavy and you'll never refer to yourself as such again or I'll tell Knix. Bell will be picking you up in acar.
There was only a brief second before my phone vibrated again, alerting me to another text from someoneelse.
Bellamy:Smartass.
I grinned, unrepentant, before I sent him a winky face and reopened my conversation withTexas.
Harlow:What's Knix gonnado?
I was taunting him, I knew it. It was too much fun, more fun than I’d had in a long time. My phone lit up again, but this time Knix's name crossed the screen and I gulped as I opened themessage.
Knix:If I hear you calling yourself heavy, I'll spank you. Begood.
I wasn't even offended that Texas had tattled. I simply grinned and sent an angel Emoji before putting the phone away. Mrs. Grace came home a little after lunch while Jazzy was playing dress up and Devin sat at the kitchen table coloring his way across some computer paper I had managed to find, with a few brokencrayons.
"How were they today?" she asked, setting her giant purse on the counter as I wiped away the PB&J mess they had left afterlunch.
"Good, Jazzy is in the den," I said. Mrs. Grace was quiet as she went over to Devin and brushed his springy curls lightly with her hand, kissing his forehead. He grumbled and whined, pulling away from his grandmother's affection and continued to color on his paper. "How was the appointment?" I finally asked. She sighed, petting her grandson's head again as he dutifully ignoredher.
She was quiet for a moment, her eyes averted and my hands started tosweat.
"It's not good, Baby." I knew it wouldn't be, but hearing it hurt. All the good that had filled me from talking to the guys bottomed out and drained away. I gripped the edge of the counter to keep my hands from shaking as I nodded my head. "You might wanna go home, now. She's gonna need you,” Mrs. Gracesuggested.
I let go of the counter. "Thanks for takingher."
She wouldn't look at me as I passed her, but she nodded. Her house was so full of life, Jazzy and Devin's toys in strange places, sticking out from the couch cushions, hiding under the entertainment center. They had so many years left. Sometimes, in the moments when my mom let paranoia and her mood swings take over, it felt like she was already gone. But she wasn’t, not really. Because even amidst all that, there were times when she came back to me like she had the nightbefore.
I crossed the street to my duplex and stood at the front door for several minutes, attempting to steal myself against what I might find. I took a deep breath, reached for the door, and twisted the knob, letting it swing inward. Cleo’s distressed meow came from somewhere in the house. I rushed in and followed it to the kitchen where her little black and gray form was barely visible under my mom's chair. She hissed, and meowed, and cried out when I entered, but my mom didn't seem to notice that her shoe was planted firmly on Cleo's tail. I eased closer, trying not to startle my mom or Cleo. The little kitten meowed at me in desperation, begging me to save her. I slowly lifted my mom's foot, glancing up to see if she would react. Cleo meowed again, hissed at me and my mom, and sprinted out of theroom.
"Mom?" I sat across from her, keeping my hands in my lap because I was afraid to reach forher.
Her dull eyes fluttered before they refocused, seeing me for the first time. "Hey, Baby." I sighed in relief and slid my palms towardhers.