Girls Like Us (13 page)

I couldn’t believe my two ears. Leave it to Quincy to spoil things. Miss Lizzy did something I ain’t never seen her do. She got mad.

She turned to Quincy. She grabbed the sides of her walker until her knuckles stood out. Her voice wasn’t loud. No hollering or screaming from Miss Lizzy. She looked sad. But I could see her black eyes was hard and snappy.

She told Quincy that she tried hard to understand that peoples been mean to her and that Quincy always ’spected the worst out of folks. But she said manners meant more than holding a spoon right. She said that Quincy couldn’t treat peoples bad just ’cause she wanted to.

Miss Lizzy took a deep breath. And kind of run out of steam. But she said me and her been kind to Quincy, and she was disappointed in her.

Miss Lizzy thumped her walker and stamped past Quincy. Quincy stood there.

Miss Lizzy got to the door. She turned around. “And don’t step foot in my kitchen until you are ready to be courteous to me . . . and to Biddy.”

She went inside.

I saw something then I didn’t know what to do with.

Quincy started crying.

She didn’t cry like most peoples. Her eyes got full-up with tears that got bigger than Quincy could handle. Then they run down her face. She didn’t do nothing to stop it. She stood there, her back straight and her head up. Tears run down her cheeks, over her chin, and down her neck and shirt collar.

I didn’t know how to feel. I was full-up with proud that Miss Lizzy told Quincy to treat me right. I felt sorry for Quincy too. I know what it was like to have people talk bad to you. Make you cry. But I was mad at Quincy. She spoiled the whole morning. My baby duck morning. I wanted to push her in the dirt. Stomp on her back. And . . . and I wanted to pat her on her back. Tell her not to cry.

I cleared my throat.

Quincy put her hand up like Ms. Evans when she wanted hush in class.

I ’spected Quincy to run up the steps to our house and start packing. But she done something made my brain twirl.

She lifted up the hem of her T-shirt and wiped her face. Then she turn around. She took a deep breath. She looked me square in my eye.

“Biddy, I’m sorry I’m such a shit.”

Then she marched herself into Miss Lizzy’s house. Pretty soon I heard cabinet doors closing and pans clanking. I sat down on the grass. I didn’t know what to do or where to go.

In a little while I smelled cinnamon. I knew Quincy was making her Yummy French Toast.

She called to Miss Lizzy to come eat breakfast.

Quincy was sorry. I didn’t think that girl could be sorry for nothing. Sometimes you gotta wait a long time to find what’s true.

I was bad mean to Lizabeth and Biddy, and Lizabeth, she set me straight. It wasn’t so much she hopping mad, but more like she tired to the bone of my hateful self. I did my ’pologizin’ and made breakfast. Once the kitchen smelled of cinnamon and butter, I easied down.

I scrub myself hard in the shower, wishing that mean part of me could wash away under hot water. But I know it be deeper down.

I don’t get Lizabeth. Once I say I was sorry, she smile nice. Not fake. And she pet my hand. And I didn’t flinch or jerk it back. It was like nothing been crostways between us. I don’t know how to let go a grudge. It’s like it grows onto my body and get to be a new part of me.

Maybe when you live rich and with smart in your head, your hurts don’t get so sore.

It’s been two days. None of the other eggs have hatched. Mama Duck still sitting on them, though. And, Li’l Peep swimming around in that pan of water. And, they’re both eating the dry corns. But I’m worried.

I come home, and Biddy sitting next to that pile of eggs. She tuck a little blanket on them. Mama Duck and Li’l Peep was nowhere around. Biddy be crying. Not one of her snot-nose sobbing jags, but crying like her heart done broke.

I left her alone and went and found Stephen where he was pulling weeds in the front yard.

“Are them eggs gonna ever hatch?”

“No,” he said.

Two days later, when Biddy asleep, I went outside and buried them eggs.

Biddy never said a word about it.

I walked to the feed store to talk to the clerk man. I told him about the eggs. He said that the mama left them because they was probly “ ’fective.” I didn’t know what that meant. He told me that there was something wrong with them.

I got my money and went to the big Kmart. I bought Biddy a TV. It’s little, but maybe some cartoons make her laugh. I’m so tired of that long face. I’d be glad to hear her sing ’bout the Itsy-Bitsy Spider.

I wonder if my child knows she’s ’dopted. I decided that I’m not going to give her these tapes. If she don’t know she’s ’dopted, she won’t never feel like her mama left her.

Things ain’t been right around home. My head is addled ’bout Biddy and Lizabeth. Lizabeth been acting funny. Like she got a surprise in the back room. I got me a bad feeling.

It’s late. Gone dark. Quincy not home. Miss Lizzy worried too. But she said, “Have patience, Biddy.” She told me Quincy eighteen and free to do like she please, and it wasn’t real late. She said that if Quincy wasn’t home by ten, she’d make some calls.

I know Quincy wasn’t out having fun. She belonged home. I don’t want to go on them dark streets. I’m scaredy of it. Maybe boys being around. But Quincy needs me.

I got my coat and pulled it close. It’s big on me now, like all my clothes. I left out of the house and walked to the Brown Cow.