Like Slow Sweet Molasses (31 page)

When
he led them in the direction of the mission and not the church, she accosted
him physically with a hand to his arm. “You’ve got to be kidding!”

He
never stopped walking forcing her to hang on to his sleeve. “We’ll get you
something to protect your clothes.” He tried to make peace. “Kel? Come on,
Baby.”

Kelsy
took in the altercation with interested eyes and a foreboding that signaled in
the speed of her steps. All around them were people of all colors and
ethnicities lined up for admittance to the food hall. It was obvious some found
her appearance outside of the norm for they stared openly. Others didn’t pay
her the time of day. “Dad?” she whispered and increased her stride to catch up
to him. “Are all of these people homeless?”

He
hugged her around the shoulders and walked with her towards the entryway. “Not
necessarily. Some probably are while others are, unfortunately, down on their
luck.”

“B-but,”
she stuttered, “so many of them are children.”

“It’s
sad. I know. And this may be the only meal they’ll have today.” He looked her
way and witnessed a hint of something new and fresh in her eyes now filled with
befuddled emotion.

“Is
this where you met Angela?” Tina, bringing up the rear, poked fun with a
taunting smile. “Begging for food?” She startled when Chance turned her way so
swiftly she bumped headlong into him.

“This
isn’t a joke,” he said through clenched teeth. “You’ll show respect here.” He
resumed walking and stopped, again. “Better yet, you can sashay your fancy butt
back to the car.”

Everybody
stood stone-still in the middle of the walk. Chance and Tina had eye combat
going on while those patiently waiting ignored the scene. Kelsy felt sorry for
the people. However, her sympathies were with her mother and Chance knew it,
relinquishing a bit of his anger to attempt a cohesive front.

“Tina,
be the giving person I know you can be by setting an example for Kelsy. Doing
for others is more rewarding than you can imagine. Can you do that for Kel?” He
purposely backed her into a corner.

“I’m
not staying here all day,” she gave an answer as close to a
yes
as she could.

“Thanks.
I appreciate it.”

Chance
reached the building and rang the buzzer at the door. The nun peering at them
through the rectangle glass scrutinized each of them before unlocking and
pushing it open. She moved into the walkway to allow them to enter speaking
cordially as she did so.

“Lt.
Alexander, it’s good to see you again.”

“Sister
Catherine,” he acknowledged her by name. “We’ve come to help serve if you have
space for us.”

“We
always need helping hands, Lieutenant.”

Chance
allowed her to relock the door then introduced his team. “This is my daughter,
Kelsy. She’s visiting me for the holidays. And her mother, Tina Campbell, who’s
here to take her home.”

“It’s
real considerate of you to take the time to help others. We need more people
like you in this world.” She beckoned them to follow her.

Tina
said for their ears only, “A Mother Theresa wannabe.” Chance glared. “Oops.
Sorry.”

“Mom?”

“Not
you, too?”

“It’s
only for a couple of hours,” Kelsy said in support of her father. Her eyes
swept the dining hall’s many tables. “We can do this.” Kelsy found herself
entrenched in Chance’s bear hug.

“That’s
my girl.”

“Lieutenant?”
Chance responded by turning to face Sister Catherine. “I have space for all of
you on the line. That frees up a couple of my regulars to keep the pans coming
from the kitchen.” She directed the next question to Kelsy and Tina. “Have
either of you ever served meals before?”

“Only
the dinner parties I’ve given,” Tina confessed with a hoity-toity flair.

Kelsy
said a nervous, “No.”

“We
don’t skimp on the servings and try to keep the line flowing in order that all
who show up are fed.” The Sister offered a bundle to Tina. “Your outfit is too
pretty to mess up.”

“Thank
you, Sister.”

“Take
your places at the hot table where you’ll be given gloves and a cap. You two
will have a mentor between you to get you started.”

“Ready,
ladies?” Chance asked, pride seeping into his voice at the eagerness displayed
by his daughter. Tina slipped the apron over her head and tied it on. “Here
goes.”

The
group behind the serving table gazed in the direction of the door that Sister
Catherine and a male volunteer opened to a very orderly crowd. Some walked with
an urgency seen in those whose lives, challenged at every turn, had to make
each minute count. Some seemingly down for the count so long, nothing enticed
them to hurry for they only expected more of the same drudgery.

Kelsy’s
place on the line was next to Chance who observed as she appeared to do a
mental calculation. She leaned into him so as not to be overheard. “Do you know
how many babies are out there? What about the babies, Dad?”

“Sister
will take care of the babies, too,” he reassured. As he spoke with confidence
that no child would go hungry, one little boy dropped his plate and simply
rooted to the spot as if afraid of retribution and slowly stooped to collect
the spoils. Tina, the one on the line closest to him,to Chance’s utter shock,
put herself out for another. “Amazing.”

Tina
felt many eyes burning into her back but chose to act in a way counter to her
normal behavior. She led the crying child back to the snaking line where she
graciously gained permission to break and glided his tray with him in tow as
his mother hovered nearby. Once his plate contained new portions of the day’s
meal, she exchanged places with his mother and returned to her position,
spooning like a pro.

It
was two-fifteen when Chance turned onto the Lakeview Mall parking lot to treat
Kelsy to a shopping spree. He truly hoped she purchased something in colors
other than morose black. The choice would be hers, though. Whatever she
decided, he determined to go with the flow. Nothing could spoil the camaraderie
established between the three of them during the last few hours’ experience.
Tina, for one, impressed him with her willingness to exhibit a compassionate
trait from her past.

Tinsel,
garland and bells shimmering red and gold, bobbed and weaved from light poles
already and Christmas was a month away. They left the car what seemed like
miles across the lot due to the heavy volume of shoppers mobbing the stores for
the big after Thanksgiving sales. Tunes piped in by loudspeakers anchored
overhead blasted the airwaves with merriment. The interior of the mall told the
true story as elbow to elbow shoppers jostled each other while en route to the
next savings.

Christmas
colors decorated every inch of the promenade while holiday smells wafted in the
air. They strolled where others seemed in the biggest hurry to get on with the
burdensome holiday chore of shopping. An outsider would have mistaken them for
a real family from the looks of things. Kelsy window shopped as Chance and Tina
tagged along behind, lost in their own thoughts. He had only praise for the way
Kelsy stepped out of her comfort zone to be of benefit to others.

Mall
carolers had onlookers packing the stage area to enjoy the brief performances.
All the noise clashed into a cacophony of sound that somehow blended to make a
joyous atmosphere even jollier. The singing stopped. New participants took
their places on stage and the melodies began again.

“Dad,”
she disturbed his revelry. “I’m going in here.”

The
shop reeked of the trendy clothes worn by the young hip set. It looked to be a
teenager’s gold mine. “Take your time. I’ll be in the sitting corner on the
other side of the performing stage with the other old men who are too tired to
move.” She laughed and invited her mother to browse with her.

Chance,
left to his own devices, actually found a seat stage left, and promptly
searched out a toothpick. Spirited young voices prattled on in his subconscious
as he people-watched as a way of occupying his time, drifting in and out of
what was happening all around him. During his time on the sidelines, he passed
small talk with others in the rotation of musical chairs. Many came and went on
their way and he still sat good-naturedly with passers-by cloaking his
presence. A glance in the vicinity of Kelsy’s location was all he did to ensure
they found him when they were ready to move on.

The
amateurish music playing in the background captured his full attention. The
tinkling of triangles combined with thumping tambourines brought a smile that
showed snowy white teeth as he listened appreciatively. They played a little
then sang a little. He laughed aloud and craned his neck for a glimpse through
the moving wall of bodies. There she was—conducting the beginner’s orchestra
with flair becoming any professional performance.

He
no longer needed the wood gnashed between his teeth with Angela so close.

Chance
left his seat behind slowly moving in for a better look. He was careful to
remain in the background as not to distract Angela. When the children’s number
was over, a teacher escorted them off the platform while other teachers joined
Angela who’d not descended. All arranged themselves near the piano for a
preview of their talents. Principal Dauchex moved from the grand piano to
announce the next number.

“Please
show your appreciation for the kindergartners of the Academy School of the
Arts.”

A
sporadic round of applause competed with the buzz in the air.

“We
hope you enjoyed their performance. The following number comes to you from our
dedicated instructors performing a rendition of Joy to the World, musical
arrangement by one of our own, Angela Munso. Our soloist today is also one of
our own, Sheryl Jacques.”

Chance
eased closer to a support pillar to watch clandestinely. The song progressed in
the style becoming a black-tie affair with a standout singing presentation. The
time came for the instrumental solo and his chest swelled mightily while listening
to Angela finesse the strings of her cherished viola. He heard her practicing
across the yard but never in concert with others. If he’d worn a hat, he would
have tipped it to her magnificent performance.

Nearing
the end of the number, Angela’s stance stiffened ever so slightly only Chance
recognized the change. He locked into her line of sight and spotted Tina and
Kelsy standing abreast of the performing area doing all types of antics to
capture his attention. They skirted the maze of onlookers to finally reach him.
When they did, Angela’s eyes met his, momentarily transmitting her duress,
before she pivoted away never missing a beat.

“I
need your card, Dad.”

Chance
handed over his debit card without questioning the total purchase to watch
Kelsy dash back to the store. To his disappointment, she left her mother
behind.

“You
are so busted,” Tina regaled. “At least she has another talent. Which one, to
your knowledge, is she more proficient?”

“Pull
in your fangs, Tina,” he warned. “You’re nowhere in her league. So, back off.”

Kelsy
walked up as Tina burst out in a fit of laughter. “What’s so funny?” She handed
his card back.

“Your
father’s witty sense of humor.”

“Dad?”
Kelsy swallowed down the bitter taste of prejudice to pay a compliment.
“Angela’s got skills.” Her words were an emulsion extracting another series of
side-splitting laughter from her mother.

“You
don’t know the half of it.” Tina reached out to pat Chance’s cheek.

Angela
saw the gentleness of the contact but tried to cover the observation by
throwing herself into packing up their gear for departure. She missed him
flinch at Tina’s touch. When it appeared he’d separate from them to start in
her direction, she absconded on sprinter’s feet dragging her instrument plus
the two small children appointed to her care and headed for freedom, flinging
one last look over her shoulder.

One
more hole he had to dig himself out of thanks to Tina’s pranks. Then, he
remembered. His digging days were over as far as Angela was concerned. They
weren’t an item anymore.