Ivy in the Shadows (7 page)

I don't know if it's all five-year-olds or just JJ, but he was always doing that. Begging me for something and then changing his mind once he got it. And I would have loved to call Mama because I didn't really have a plan for what to cook and I also couldn't figure out why she was late. But I didn't because I knew she needed this job, and if there's one thing I'd learned from Ellen, it was that she'd better be on fire if she called her mom at work.

“I have another story for you,” Caleb said. “It's about animals. I'll tell you after dinner if you'll draw a pig and a goat for me.”

JJ ran off to find paper and crayons. I went into the kitchen and found six eggs left in the carton. I knew how to scramble eggs. It would get us through until Mama came home. I got out a bowl and whisk.

“Do you need help?” Caleb asked from behind me, and I swear, I jumped a foot off the ground.

“Don't do that!” I yelled. “Don't ever sneak up on me.”

“I wanted to help you” was all he said. He didn't say “I'm sorry.” Or “I didn't mean to scare you.” His responses were starting to annoy me to death.

But then I remembered that he hadn't had any food since breakfast. If I was hungry now, he would be starving.

“Well, I'm scrambling us some eggs. Maybe you can look around and see if there's something that will go with that.”

He walked to the bread box, took out a loaf, and began filling the toaster.

Be nice to him,
I willed myself. I saw him use the last of the bread so I said as nicely as I could, “Mama keeps a list on the refrigerator. Would you please write ‘bread' and ‘eggs' on it?”

He picked up a pen, the kind that you have to push the button on the top to get to write. Only, instead of using his finger to push the button down, he turned the pen upside down and rammed it onto the top of his head! Then he proceeded to write as if that's just what a person should do to a pen. I decided the only way I could really be nice to him was by not talking or looking at him. So I didn't.

Once the eggs and toast were ready, I poured milk into glasses. Caleb went to get JJ, who dived into the food. Caleb did, too. Let me tell you, six eggs don't make very much when you're hungry so I let the two of them have them and I filled up on toast.

JJ ran out of the room at top speed but Caleb stayed and put the dishes into the sink. When the phone rang, I grabbed it. “Mama?” I said.

“No, your mama has a much better figure than I do. Just don't tell her I said that. It'll go to her head.”

“Aunt Maureen! Hi!” I immediately felt better.

“Hi yourself, Ivy Greer,” she said. “I haven't talked to you in forever! How's my favorite girl?”

“Well, not so great.” I put my hand over the receiver and said, “Caleb, can you keep JJ busy so I can have some privacy?”

He didn't answer, but he did leave the room.

“What's going on?” Aunt Maureen said, her voice stern like Mama's gets when she's worried about me.

“It's six forty-five and Mama was supposed to be home at six. We haven't heard anything from her. I was afraid to call the restaurant but I'm worried.”

“Oh, honey. I know forty-five minutes can sound like a lot when you're young but didn't your mama tell you she got off work at six?”

“Yeah.”

“And a restaurant has people coming in for dinner at that time. She probably has to wait until the next shift has things under control, so she wouldn't get home before now. That's why I waited to call.”

“But she said she would. She said she'd bring supper.” It came out a whine that sounded more like JJ than me and I hated it. Especially when I finished lamely, “We were hungry.”

“Have you eaten anything?”

“Some eggs and toast.”

“Good girl. See how resourceful you are? And that will tide you over until your mama comes home, which I predict will be any minute. Now you listen here, you get JJ to take his bath. I know that's hard work. But by the time he's done I just know your mama will be home. And, Ivy?”

“Yes?”

“You can always call me anytime you're scared or don't know what to do. I'm always here so you just call your Aunt Maureen and we'll work things out. You're never alone, you hear?”

“Mm-hm,” I mumbled because I was afraid I'd cry with her being so nice to me.

“Okay, sweetheart. You go take care of your brother and I'll be sitting by the phone if you need me.”

We said our goodbyes and I screwed up my courage to battle JJ, who is like a cat and thinks water is evil. I wrestled him into the bathtub.

He had just finished and put on his pajamas when the key turned in the lock and Mama walked in carrying a box.

“My goodness! What a night!” she said as she came through the door. “I had no idea waitressing was such hard work!”

But the thing is, she didn't look worn out. She looked really happy.

JJ came barreling past me and threw himself into her, almost knocking her down. “Mama, we were worried! And Ivy wouldn't call you!”

Mama staggered against his weight and laughed. “Oh, I'm sorry, sweetheart. But you shouldn't have worried.”

“We were hungry,” he said accusingly.

“Hungry, you say? Well, look what I've brought you.” She sat the box on the coffee table and handed JJ a Styrofoam container. “We've got meatloaf, fried chicken, and today's special, popcorn shrimp. What would you like, Caleb?”

“Ivy cooked for us, ma'am. I'm fine,” he said.

“She did? Why, Ivy, I am so impressed!”

“It was nothing,” I said, and looked down. It felt good to impress Mama because it wasn't something I did on a regular basis—if ever. And, as much as I hated to admit it, it was nice of Caleb to say so.

“Well, when I was told I'd get off at six, I thought I'd get to leave, but no. That just means it's an hour after the dinner shift comes on and sometimes it gets too busy to walk out. There could be times when it'll be later, more like seven o'clock.”

Seven o'clock. Close to JJ's bedtime. I looked at him but he was engrossed in a drumstick and didn't seem to catch on that he might not see her much after school.

“But it's seven-thirty now,” I said.

“I know. But I'm new. I'll get the hang of it.” She smiled at me. “So, how about this, how about I put these dinners in the refrigerator and then tomorrow night you guys can have them?”

“Okay,” I said.

“Is that all right with you, Caleb?” she asked.

“That's fine, ma'am. Thank you.”

So Mama put the containers in the refrigerator and then the phone rang. She answered.

“Oh, Maureen! I'm so glad you called. I have so much to tell you! But I just got home and I have to put JJ to bed.”

I tapped Mama on the shoulder. She put her hand over the phone and said, “What is it, sweetie?”

“I'll put JJ to bed. You go ahead and talk.”

She smiled real big and pulled out a chair. You don't have to be a Mama/Maureen phone-listener like myself to know that meant she was in for a long talk. JJ needed to get to bed. He was
always
cranky in the mornings, even after getting the proper amount of sleep.

I went into the living room, where he and Caleb were.

“Hey, JJ, it's time for bed, buddy,” I said.

His face scrunched up. “But Mama just got home! I haven't seen her. She's putting me to bed.”

It was going to be a long night.

“She's tired, and besides, she's talking to Aunt Maureen. It'll be late when she gets off the phone.”

“Good!” He grabbed the television remote and clicked on a cartoon.

“I'm going to bed now,” Caleb said.

“You are?” JJ said. “Caleb, you never go to bed this early. Besides, you promised to tell me about the animals.”

“Then maybe you should come with me.”

JJ looked uncertain. He looked from the cartoons to Caleb. Caleb shrugged and walked toward the stairs. JJ turned off the TV and ran after him.

And me? I didn't know what to think anymore. Caleb was some sort of pied piper to JJ. I just hoped Mama was right about him and he was a good guy. I hoped he wasn't someone who would hurt my little brother because then I'd have to kill him and I'd hate to be a seventh-grade murderer.

I picked up JJ's Styrofoam container and headed toward the kitchen but stopped outside the door to listen to Mama talking to Aunt Maureen. Her back was to me so I sat outside the doorway but within earshot.

“I hadn't counted on the tips. I got so many! Magdalena said it was because I'm pretty. Can you imagine?” Mama laughed. “Oh, nobody caught my eye. No! I didn't flirt. Magdalena tied this pert bow with my apron strings and set it just so. She said that when I smiled and turned, the men would all be looking at my bow as I walked away and I'd be sure to get a good tip, but I just couldn't do it. I mean, I'm there to make money, sure, but not if I have to pull stunts like that.”

I put my head in my hands, glad I hadn't eaten more. I felt queasy thinking about Mama flirting to get money. I was glad Mama didn't want any part of it but thinking about it still made me nauseous. Sometimes, like now, I wished I'd never started listening in on her conversations with Aunt Maureen.

I picked up JJ's Styrofoam container and put it back where it was. Mama would just think he left it there and she'd probably feel bad that she hadn't put him to bed, which would serve her right. Then I went upstairs to tuck him in.

“Are you sure?” I heard JJ ask Caleb. I leaned against the doorway of his room. JJ was in his bed, covered up, and Caleb was fully clothed, sitting cross-legged on the floor.

“Yes, the animals wander loose everywhere. If you go to the beach, you'll see pigs and goats eating garbage that's strewn about.”

“On a beach?”

“Yes.”

“But that would be awesome! It would be fun to see all those animals on a beach instead of locked up.”

“There are problems with that, though,” Caleb said. “Would you really want your yard filled with wild dogs and pigs and goats?”

JJ's face scrunched up, deep in thought. “No…”

“It's a bigger problem keeping them out of your hut. Goats have sticks suspended from their necks so they can't get through open doorways.”

“Sticks? That's weird. How?”

Caleb picked up JJ's picture and drew on it. “Like this,” he said. “And it works.”

“How do Haitians know who the goats and pigs belong to if they wander around like that?”

I didn't wait for an answer. “Caleb?” I said. “Can I see you for a minute?”

He stepped out into the hall. “Yes?”

“Look, I know JJ likes your stories. If you've read up on Haiti and you want to tell him about it, that's okay. But just don't lie to him about your mom and dad being missionaries there, okay?”

He looked at me, then said, “I won't lie.”

“Whatever,” I said. “Just be careful with my little brother.”

8

The next night wasn't nearly as bad. No one expected Mama to be there so JJ didn't whine when she wasn't. He and Caleb went to JJ's room to do their homework and I did my homework in mine. I have to admit, it was kind of nice. I closed my door and turned my radio full blast, letting the beat of the songs bounce off the room's walls. Mama would
never
have allowed that if she'd been home. I swear, my homework had never gotten done so fast or so well. In my opinion, Mama could use a lesson in what it's like to be a kid.

Around four-thirty my stomach growled, so I went downstairs to get a glass of milk since it was too early to warm the shrimp and meatloaf dinners. Except when I opened the refrigerator, the Styrofoam containers of food were gone. I forgot all about the milk. Instead I stomped up the stairs yelling, “Caleb! Get down here right now!” knowing full well I sounded just like Mama at her worst, but I was so mad I couldn't help it.

JJ ran out into the hall and slammed on his brakes when he saw me. Caleb's head poked around the door.

“Caleb, no one asked you to warm up the food for dinner. That's my job.”

“I haven't even been in the kitchen,” he said, pushing his glasses up his nose.

“Then where's the food?” My eyes narrowed into slits. “Don't tell me you ate it.”

“I haven't eaten anything since lunch.”

I turned to my brother. “JJ? Did you eat the shrimp and meatloaf?”

“Stop being mad about everything, Ivy! Caleb and I didn't eat it. The hungry Haitians did! What's the big deal, anyway? Mama'll just bring more tonight. She said she would.”

I turned on Caleb. “Do you see what your stories do, Caleb?” I said. “They make him lie, too.”

Then I looked at JJ. “The big deal is I don't want to wait until almost bedtime to eat. I'm hungry now. And Mama told us to eat last night's food tonight.”

“She did?” JJ looked confused. “I thought it was just leftover stuff.”

“So you did eat it, didn't you?”

“NO!” he yelled. “I told you. It was the hungry Haitians!”

I spun on my heels.

“Where are you going?” he called after me.

“To get something to eat. I can't tell which one of you is lying but I know
I
haven't eaten tonight! And you!” I pointed to Caleb. “Watch my brother or I'll cut off your head when I get back.”

I ran down the stairs, threw open the front door, and ran smack into Pastor Harold. He staggered. I spun around. My arms and legs both pinwheeled as I fell backward. His arms reached out and grabbed me just before I fell.

My heart thudded a hundred beats a second. It felt like that, anyway.

“Whoa!” Pastor Harold said. “Are you all right?”

“Yeah.” Then I realized he still had hold of my arms. I stepped away.