It was a hot, sticky day. The afternoon sunshine blasted in the windows as though it were looking for someone to melt. The low hum of the attic fan droned on incessantly. I just lay on the floor under the fan trying to cool off. Mama was washing dishes, her apron soaking wet from dishwater, her hair, wet with sweat, was plastered to her head. The smell of the soap bubbles and dirty dishes was pulled into the room, making the air seem stickier. The baby was playing in the playpen nearby in front of the dining room windows. He was just in his diaper. I wished I could have pulled my polyester short suit and shoes off, too.
The doorbell rang. I had to have imagined it. Who would be out in this dreadful heat? Mama didn’t hear it. My sister, Sadie, didn’t come running, so I must have dreamed it.
“Yoo-hoo! Anyone home?” a voice called from other side of the wood-slatted screen door. I heard a clatter of dishes as Mama was startled.
“Now, boys! Be still! Stand straight!” I heard the voice on the front porch say.
Mama came rushing out of the kitchen, drying her hands on a dishtowel, and trying to straighten her hair. She unlatched the screen door and cautiously opened it.
“Octavia!” she exclaimed. “Oh my!” She stepped out the door and gave the woman a big hug.
Octavia stood there, wooden, with her cigarette in her hand, as Mama’s arms wrapped around her tall, thin frame. Mama gave each of the boys a hug. “Oh, Little Ted! You aren’t so little anymore,” she said as she hugged the tallest and nearest. “Tommy, you look more like your father every day! Rocky, you are such a little man! Just look at you! Come! Come on in out of this heat! Kids! Your cousins are here!” She quickly said as she swept them into the house.
Aunt Octavia walked past me as she headed for the sofa nearest the windows. She smelled strongly of cigarettes and perfume. Her dress was a copy of Mrs. Kennedy’s, complete with the beautiful blue pill box hat that sat on her golden brown curls. I had never seen anyone wear lipstick quite that bright red nor shoes with heels that high. She looked so cool when I was so hot.
The three boys shambled in and sat on the couch beside their mother. They looked hot and itchy in their Sunday best.
Mama ran to and to straighten her hair and change her blouse. She called to Sadie to get some iced tea. Mama was not tall, and had a pleasing figure. I had bet Suzy Wilkerson that Mama’s lap and snuggles were better than her Mama’s lap and snuggles… and won. Her soft black hair usually hung in large curls around her sweet face. I just stood there frozen in my shyness. I crept over to the baby and reached in to touch his little face finding comfort there, not looking at these strangers.
Sadie came running out of the kitchen with the iced tea on a tray. Her hair was in huge curlers. She had on jeans cut capri-style like that lady on television, and a blouse which had been tied around her waist, but was now tucked properly in her jeans.
“Octavia, you didn’t tell us you were coming! What a nice surprise!” Mama said as she finally sat down in the living room and sipped her iced tea.
“Lou, I couldn’t just drive through town on our way to California without stopping, now, could I?” she said as sweet as syrup. She sipped at her iced tea, but the boys chugged theirs down.
Aunt Octavia and the boys stayed for dinner. And, breakfast the next morning.
The boys were loud and rowdy. They woke Baby with their fighting and carrying on. Sadie was not pleased because they answered the door and harassed her date that evening. My brother, Jody, escaped to his church group. I wanted to go with him but I was stuck with the cousins.
I asked if they wanted to play baseball; they laughed at me.
“Baseball isn’t for girls!” Little Ted said.
“But, I can hit like any boy!”
Rocky, who wasn’t much older than me, grabbed the bat and ball. Little Ted grabbed my glove.
Tommy grabbed me by the shoulders and shook me, “Don’t tell on us or else!” And, they all ran off to the field down the street. I could hear them laughing half a block away.
That evening, after dinner, Sadie, Jody and I cleared and washed the dishes. Mama, Daddy & Aunt Octavia sat at the table to talk and drink coffee. Aunt Octavia had changed for dinner. I had seen people do that in the movies. Was she someone rich or important? Mama and Daddy never sat at the table drinking coffee after dinner. Mama was always too busy and Daddy liked his beer and shows. She had to be somebody!
Aunt Octavia excused herself and grabbed her bright red purse which matched her shoes, dress and lipstick. “I am going to go get some cigarettes. Do you mind watching the boys while I am gone?” I heard her say.
I ran to the kitchen window to watch her get in her bright yellow car. It was the prettiest car I had ever seen. I wanted to ride in it, but I knew better than to ask. She wrapped a scarf around her hair as she got into the car. Watching her was like watching a television show, only in color.
At bedtime, I had to sleep in the crib with Baby again. I didn’t really mind. Usually, I slept with Sadie in the big bed. Sometimes, when Mama would sit on the bed to tuck me in, the slat would come out of one end and would fall to the ground. We would have to sleep that night on the crooked bed. I always got the side that was on the floor since I was so much smaller. The two older cousins got our bed and Rocky slept on a pallet in the bedroom. Aunt Octavia got to sleep in Jody’s bed. Jody & Sadie slept on pallets on the living room floor.
The next morning at breakfast, Mama and Daddy were arguing in whispers. When the cousins came into the room, they stopped talking. Daddy sat at the kitchen table, drinking his coffee and reading his newspaper. Mama scurried around the tiny kitchen, cooking eggs for everyone. The boys shoved the eggs in their mouths, their faces almost on the plates. Sadie and Jody helped Mama feed Baby and do the dishes. Aunt Octavia must have had something to do this morning as she wasn’t there.
Lunchtime came and went. Aunt Octavia still wasn’t there. Daddy came in from work to eat. He and Mama were still arguing in whispers. Sadie and Jody were acting kind of funny. After lunch, they both got their chores done quickly and then just sat in the living room, waiting. I took my afternoon nap. On hot summer days, an afternoon nap was so nice. I could lay down on Jody’s bed which was right under the windows. The attic fan pulled in a nice breeze. It was the coolest spot in the whole house except for right under the fan. I pulled out a library book and read myself to sleep.
I could read early. I didn’t have to go to school to learn that. Mama and Sadie read books to me. Sadie and Jody taught me words. Before I knew it, I had my very own library card. I was so proud of that card! When there was no one to play with, or it was just too hot, I could read a story to myself. I didn’t have to wait for Mama or Sadie to have time to read to me. I loved to go to the library. It was cool in the basement that held the children’s books. They had tables that fit me just right. I would sit there and read the books I chose while everyone else was upstairs in the adult library picking out their books.
That evening, Daddy did something different. “Come on everyone!” he hollered. “Come out back!”
Daddy had bought something that looked like a small wooden barrel, but it had a handle on top. Mama came out carrying this silver thing which she put inside the little barrel. Daddy attached the handle and then poured ice and salt in the barrel all around the silver part.
“Who wants to crank first?”
The cousins all took their turns first as they were guests. Mama looked a bit tired and concerned. Aunt Octavia still hadn’t come back. I couldn’t help but wonder where fancy people like her got their cigarettes. Daddy just got his at the corner grocery store.
After we all cranked for what seemed like forever, Daddy declared it ice cream! I was so excited. We never had sweets or ice cream or desserts. Those were only for special occasions! And, now, we could make it at home, ourselves in this magic little barrel! It was the best ice cream I had ever tasted!
Lightening bugs started blinking. I loved to watch them. Daddy would always catch one and let it crawl on his hand until it flew off. If I was lucky, he would let it crawl on my hand, blinking, until it flew away. Daddy was a bug man. He taught us that lightening bugs were good bugs. They ate aphids and bad bugs from the gardens. The cousins started slapping at the fireflies.
“No! Don’t kill them!” I ran to stop them.
They pushed and shoved me down, but I got up again and again, crying. Mama and Daddy made them stop; but, already they had killed dozens. Mama picked me up and carried me into the house, sobbing on her shoulder.
She carried me to our rocker. I loved that rocker. It creaked as we rocked. It had little lion heads at the ends of the arms and lions feet on the legs. She held me and rocked and shushed me.
“Aunt Octavia isn’t coming back,” she said quietly. “She has left the boys with us while Uncle Ted is away. They are our family now. But, we have to be patient with them as they haven’t had anyone to love them like you have.” She squeezed me in a gentle hug. She moved my hair back from my teary face. I fell asleep to the sound of the rocker creaking and Mama’s soft voice singing to me.
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