Chapter Eight
Mama came home and it was the most awkward time I could ever recall. Susie and I wanted to act like nothing was wrong, and yet it was all we could do to look her in the eye. I felt horrible. I was ashamed of my mother. ashamed.
Dr. Rogers suggested Mama start up something for fun: something that brought her no stress, only unadulterated pleasure. Daddy signed up for weekly dance sessions at the community center. Most of the people there were older, or taking lessons for their weddings. They were rusty, stiff, and clearly not dancers. But Mama didn't care. She would take the floor and it was then I saw real pleasure on her face. She forgot everything else when Daddy took her to the floor.
Meanwhile, my graduation was drawing closer.
Seniors were taking day trips to the beach, skipping as many days of school as they could afford. There were times I was one of three or four in my classes. Those days, teachers gave a slight smile and refused attendance. They'd sit at their desk and pretend to not watch as the other students slipped out the door to find something more interesting to do. I finished several novels in just a few weeks' time.
It was hard to prepare for my graduation and not prepare all at the same time. Mama, trying hardest to ignore everything that had happened, insisted on having a party in the backyard a few days after graduation. I looked at her dubiously when she made this suggestion.
"I don't have many friends here," I told her honestly. Mama gave that prim laugh and cupped my face with one of her hands.
"Well, we'll just see about that. Invite whoever you want, darling," she patronized. It was all I could do to keep from jerking away from her hand. I didn't know what I expected from her or what I wanted from her. I loved Mama; why couldn't that be enough? Why did she always have to make things so complicated?
Before my eyes I watched Susie grow. She picked up on all the details Mama left off. There wasn't anything around the house Susie wouldn't do. I'm not sure Daddy ever realized how much Susie actually did.
Two days before graduation, Daddy called home from work.
"Hi, kiddo. How was your last exam?" he asked me cheerily.
"Fine. Environmental science. Not sure if I got an A on the exam but I'll get one in the class either way," I said absently, cradling the phone on my shoulder as I grated carrots for dinner.
"Fine, fine," Daddy said. I don't think he heard a word I said. "Look, kiddo, I thought we could go out to dinner tonight, you know, a kind of pre-graduation celebration. You think you can get the word out and have everybody ready by six?"
I looked down at the carrot scrapings in the sink and rolled my eyes. It was just like Daddy to do something like this.
"Sure. Mama's taking a nap right now, and Susie's at a friend's house. I'll try and round up everyone." I bit back a sigh.
"Great. See you in a few!" I heard the click as his receiver hit the cradle. With a dejected sigh, I quickly dialed the Graber's number and requested that they send home Susie. I then finished my summer salad and put it in the refrigerator for another night.
"Mama?" I knocked on the door gently and poked my head around it. I hadn't woken her: she was sitting in bed, reading her dog-eared copy of Gone With The Wind. She looked up and smiled at me.
"Daddy says he wants to go to dinner tonight and to have everyone ready by six," I informed her.
"Oh, was that Dad on the phone?" she asked, putting down the book and stretching. "I think I can manage that. Thank you, Katey."
By 5:45 I sat impatiently in the family room, trying to read. I could hear Susie upstairs, still getting ready for a night out. I hadn't heard a sound from Mama's room, but I had faith that she was nearly ready. Nearly, anyway. Seemed that I was the only one in this family that had any sense of punctuality. Or maybe I just didn't care what I looked like in public. After another glance out the window in hopes of seeing Daddy's car pull in the drive, I settled down to try and finish Animal Farm.
I was barely engrossed in the story when I heard the sound of an engine coast into our drive and shut off.
"Daddy's here, let's go!" I shouted to the house. Suddenly it seemed terribly important to get out of this confining house.
I flung open the front door and skipped out to meet Daddy. He had just stepped out of the car and turned to greet me with a smile. I saw the figure of another person in the car and I stopped my flight rather un-gracefully.
"I brought a guest for dinner, I hope no one minds," Daddy said, as a lean man stepped out of the passenger side door. I felt like melting, screaming, and crying all at the same time. I don't remember exactly what I decided out of the three. All I remember was his smile.
