Just South of Home

by Karen Strong

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  Family Meeting

  By the time Mrs. Greene finished the rest of her errands in Alton and she pulled into our driveway, Mama was already home. She met us in the kitchen and smiled broadly when she saw Mrs. Greene, which was odd. Mama was never this happy to see our grandma.

  “Lena, I appreciate you calling me about the children. We would love you to stay for supper.”

  “Is that right, Delilah?” Mrs. Greene pushed her heavy purse into my arms. What did she put in here? Ellis used to joke that it was probably the severed head of an enemy.

  “Robert would like to have a family meeting,” Mama said. “He wanted to be sure you were included.”

  Mrs. Greene inspected the kitchen as Mama spoke. She frowned before walking over to touch the stove. “Too cold for supper.”

  Mama ignored her and took off her jacket. “Your son is bringing the food. He’s on his way. You can rest while we wait. Would you like some sweet tea?”

  “Ice water will do.”

  Mama gave her a tall glass, and Mrs. Greene left the kitchen and went into the living room. Janie followed her, while Ellis made gagging faces behind our grandma’s back.

  I stayed in the kitchen with Mama as she opened her briefcase and shuffled out some of her law office papers.

  “What’s this family meeting about?” I asked.

  Mama didn’t seem upset, so it probably wasn’t about Creek Church. I wondered if there would be a time when I needed to tell her everything, or if Mrs. Whitney would beat me to it. I hoped not.

  Mama smiled and brushed my cheek. “We have a slight change in plans for the summer.”

  “Did something bad happen?” I asked.

  “Everything is fine, Sarah.”

  Mama headed upstairs, leaving me more confused than ever. A change in plans? My mind rattled with the different possible meanings for this.

  Daddy came home with three boxes of pizza. Ellis beamed. Mrs. Greene was not impressed.

  “Does anyone cook anymore around here?” she complained.

  I grabbed the paper plates from the cupboard, and we all went into the dining room. Mrs. Greene looked around her chair and under the table. I’m sure she thought Walter would come leaping into her lap like last time.

  “Don’t worry,” Daddy reassured her. “Ellis learned his lesson.”

  Ellis smiled at Mrs. Greene; she only narrowed her eyes at him. “Humph. You still need the wrath of a good switch.”

  Our grandma took a napkin and pressed down on her slice until it was transparent with grease. Then she cut her cheese pizza as if she was dining at the finest steak restaurant, eating filet mignon.

  Mama and Daddy still hadn’t mentioned what the family meeting was about. I tried to enjoy my pizza, but it felt like cardboard on my tongue. Janie took small bites of her pepperoni slice in silence.

  Ellis was on his third slice when Daddy finally cleared his throat, the signal he was beginning the family meeting.

  “So the reason I called us together is to share some news with all of you.”

  Mrs. Greene put down her knife. “Are you starting your own business?”

  “This isn’t about me,” Daddy said. “Gina called me a few hours ago, and there’s been a change in plans.”

  Ellis and I glanced at each other. He looked just as confused as I was. Janie sat straight up in her chair. “What does that mean?”

  “Gina’s screen test went exceptionally well,” Mama said.

  Mrs. Greene released a short snort but remained silent.

  “That’s right,” Daddy said. “Janie, your mama is gonna be in a movie!”

  Janie jumped up and screamed, the sound making me whip my palms to my ears.

  “My mom is gonna be a movie star?!”

  “You need to control your volume, young lady,” Mrs. Greene warned.

  Janie stopped yelling.

  “Not yet, but she’s been cast in a movie.” Mama reached across the table and squeezed Janie’s hand. “A supporting role. A good one. Which means she’ll have to go film on location in Paris—”

  Mama couldn’t even finish her sentence because Janie started whooping and hollering.

  “Can you use your indoor scream, please?” Ellis complained.

  “Paris?! Oh my God, oh my God,” Janie chanted.

  Mrs. Greene dabbed the corner of her mouth. “Gina can’t stay off a plane.”

  “When do I leave?” Janie squealed. “How soon can I go?”

  Mama and Daddy exchanged heavy looks. It was then that I knew what Mama had meant in the kitchen. The change in summer plans. Janie wouldn’t be going to Paris at all.

  “Your mother will be very busy,” Mama explained. “She won’t have any time to spend with you, and she needs to prepare for her role.”

  Janie’s smile vanished. “But she told me that if she became a movie star, she would come get me. She promised.”

  “I know this is hard,” Daddy said.

  “So does this mean the girl is staying in Warrenville?” Mrs. Greene asked.

  “Yes, for the rest of the summer,” Mama said. “We thought it would be best for everyone.”

  Janie slumped in her chair. The rotten-egg grimace plain on her face. “I hate it here.”

  “Honey, I thought you were having a good time?” Mama asked softly.

  “She promised me,” Janie said quietly.

  “Maybe now is a good time for us to have a different kind of talk,” Mrs. Greene stated. “I found these children up in Loren’s Grocery, unsupervised.”

  Mama looked at Mrs. Greene. “I’ve told Sarah she could go to Town Square as long as Mrs. Taylor knows where she is.”

  “That’s another thing,” Mrs. Greene continued. “It doesn’t make any sense that a woman who is not our blood kin is looking after these children.”

  Mama took a deep breath. “Lena, for the hundredth time, these are my children. Not yours.”

  “Janie isn’t your child,” Mrs. Greene spat back. “She’s my granddaughter. She needs to be somewhere where she can be supervised.”

  “Everyone here is being taken care of,” Mama said.

  “How would you know? You’re not even here!” Mrs. Greene shouted.

  The room went silent. Ellis slid down in his chair. Janie was fighting back tears. I was too scared to move.

  “Sarah, Ellis, why don’t you two go upstairs,” Daddy said more as a command than a question. “I think we need to have a private conversation with Janie and your grandma.”

  Ellis shot up from the table. “Can I take a slice of pizza with me?”

  “No,” my parents replied in unison.

  “I’m still hungry, though,” Ellis mumbled.

  I took my brother’s hand, and we left the dining room. Janie had been right about her mama. Aunt Gina was on her way to being a movie star, and she would finally be a celebrity daughter.

  This also meant that my cousin was under my watch for the rest of the summer.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  Daphnis

  Since the start of her stay, Janie had collected pens, stamps, even stickers from bananas. I stared at the wall above her bed, where she had taped pictures from her celebrity magazines. I stared at palm trees and famous movie stars. She had brought California to Warrenville. Just like I loved my planets and moons, Janie loved her beaches and mansions. She’d made the other side of my room her home.

  I continued to stare at Janie’s wall until my eyes blurred. Although I loved science and space, I didn’t think I could live in a world alone with them. I couldn’t imagine being anywhere without my family. Although Janie had collected wonderful and unusual things, she was still all by herself. Her mama had made a promise, and now that promise had been broken.

  I reached in my pocket and touched the wood statue from Mrs. Whitney. I had almost forgotten about it. I pulled it out and looked at its smooth surface. My fingers traveled down the woman’s arms. She reminded me of a warrior. I decided to nam
e the statue Daphnis. It was a new moon discovered by the Cassini spacecraft. It had the same qualities of the wooden statue. An irregular shape and a smooth surface. I smiled at Daphnis as I put her on the windowsill.

  Mama’s voice floated up the stairs. She was using her lawyer voice with Mrs. Greene. Their words were sharp and traveled to my room in loud, angry waves. I froze as they reached a furious crescendo and the front door slammed shut, abruptly cutting them off.

  A few moments later Janie appeared in the doorway. Her face was hard to read. I couldn’t tell if she was happy or if she was sad.

  My cousin didn’t say anything to me. Instead she crawled on top of the bed and started to peel her poster collage off the wall.

  “What are you doing?” I crossed the room and stared at the pictures discarded around her feet like trash.

  My brother poked his head in. “Did y’all hear all that yelling?”

  “Not now, Ellis.”

  Janie continued to scrape posters filled with pictures of movie stars and mansions off the wall. When the tape held fast, she ripped them away. Ellis and I glanced at each other. We had never seen Janie damage any of her things before.

  “Did you find out what kind of movie your mama’s gonna be in?” Ellis asked. “Is Aunt Gina gonna be in something like that movie Alien? Maybe she can get one of those slimy things to bust out of her belly.”

  “I don’t care.” She fell onto her pillow and let out a sigh.

  “Why was Mrs. Greene hollering like some crazy woman downstairs?” Ellis continued.

  “She wanted me to stay with her in that old-lady house.”

  I glimpsed at Ellis, who shrugged. “We don’t mind if you stay with us,” I reassured her.

  The fact that Janie was staying should have bothered me, but it didn’t anymore. All I had craved was peace and quiet. My plans revolved around reading my Cassini book and learning everything about Saturn’s moons. Now things were different. I had gotten used to Janie being in my room. It made me forget how lonely I was without Jovita.

  “Living with two girls ain’t been too bad,” Ellis added. “Now you can help out with the haints.”

  We heard a quick knock, and Mama came into the room. She had changed into her silk floral robe and had pulled her hair up in a messy bun. A faint crease appeared between her brows.

  “What are you doing out of your room?” she asked Ellis.

  Ellis stumbled and tripped over Janie’s fuzzy slippers. “I was checking to see if Janie was all right.”

  Ellis quickly left, and Mama closed the door. She stared at the bare wall, then lowered her gaze to the torn posters on Janie’s bed.

  My cousin crossed her arms. “I didn’t want anything that reminds me of California.”

  Mama examined Janie’s face for a moment. “You might change your mind later.”

  “Is Mrs. Greene mad at you? Why was she yelling like that?” I asked.

  Mama rubbed the back of her neck. “Your grandmother and I have a difference of opinion on where Janie should stay this summer. She’ll be fine.”

  “If it makes any difference, Ellis and I decided Janie should stay here too.”

  Mama’s face relaxed, and she pressed her lips into a smile. The knots loosened in my stomach, and I took in a deep breath. “We’re family,” she said as she kissed both of us on our foreheads. “Our home is Janie’s home too.”

  • • •

  Janie slid off the bed and pulled her nightgown out of the dresser.

  “You don’t mind that I’m staying?” Janie asked. “You’re not lying, are you?”

  It wasn’t her fault that she couldn’t go to Paris with her mama, and we couldn’t let Janie stay at Mrs. Greene’s house. I didn’t hate her that much. I wasn’t even sure I hated her at all.

  “Of course not,” I said. “I wouldn’t wish staying at Mrs. Greene’s house on my worst enemy.”

  “Not even those country birds we saw at the mall?” Janie asked.

  “Maybe Mrs. Greene could give them some home training. Teach those Jones Girls how to act.” I smiled.

  “This whole night has made my head hurt,” Janie said. “I’m going to take my bath.”

  • • •

  I ventured down the hall to my parents’ bedroom. Mama sat at her dressing table. She slid creamy lotion on her legs, and I watched it disappear into her skin.

  I stood behind her chair, staring at Mama in her vanity mirror.

  “Are you okay, Sarah?” she asked.

  “Why can’t Janie stay with her daddy in Chicago?”

  She gestured for me to come closer. When she squeezed me into a hug, I could smell the citrus scent on her skin. “I thought you said that it was fine if she stayed here for the summer.”

  “I did.” I paused. “But I don’t think she’s happy about it.”

  “You know the situation with Janie’s father. He’s remarried now.” She rubbed her hand against my cheek. “Things are complicated.”

  “She never talks about him,” I said. “She barely talks to me at all.”

  Mama sighed. “Give her some time. Some people deal with hard things in different ways.”

  I thought about this for a moment. Until now I had only focused on my own problems. I hadn’t thought about what Janie might be going through. I was so wrapped up in keeping her out of trouble. Invested in trying to protect us against the haints.

  “I need you to try harder,” Mama said. “Janie needs to know that she’s a part of this family. I know you’re used to having things done your way, but I need your help in this. Do you think you can do that for me?”

  “I’ll try,” I said.

  “Good.” She picked up her brush from the dressing table. “You want to practice your braiding on me?”

  “I don’t need practice anymore,” I said.

  “Even better. Let’s see what you can do,” she said. “Go get my coconut oil.”

  When I returned from the bathroom, Mama was on the carpet. I sat in the chair, and she nestled between my knees. I parted her hair into sections and layered coconut oil on her scalp. After giving her a good head massage, I brushed her hair in long, deep strokes. I decided to give her a big goddess braid.

  She stood up and admired my work in the vanity mirror. “Very nice.”

  “Thanks,” I said, a huge smile spreading across my face.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  Protect This House

  The next morning, I woke up and inspected my bedroom window and the backyard. Daphnis was standing undisturbed on the sill, a silent sentry of protection. I touched the glass pane and took a deep sigh of relief.

  Janie was still burrowed in her sheets.

  I knew my cousin didn’t want to be in Warrenville, but now that she was here for the summer, we needed to figure out how to fix the mess we had created. Maybe she would come in handy in getting rid of the haints. And just maybe we’d figure out how to be better friends.

  At breakfast, my parents poked around with questions to make sure everything was okay. Mama once again declared her confidence in me to take care of everything while she was at work. It made me wince because I hadn’t been taking care of things. My parents’ protection pouches were still in Janie’s backpack. When they left, we could at least protect the house. We had been lucky that nothing had come to visit in the dead of night, but I didn’t want to take any chances.

  • • •

  Later that morning, Jasper came over on his bike with the rock salt. He carried it in a large black trash bag and lugged it over his shoulder as he climbed up the porch steps.

  “Where’s Janie and Ellis?” he asked.

  “Ellis is upstairs brushing his teeth,” I replied. “Janie is still in bed.”

  Jasper looked at his watch.

  “She usually sleeps late, but I also think it’s because she’s sad. Her mama got a role in a movie in Paris, and she has to stay here.”

  “That’s kind of messed up,” Jasper said.

  We sa
t down on the top porch step. “Ready to put this salt down?” he asked, changing the subject.

  “I hope it works. A summer storm can wash everything away. Maybe it’s more the ceremony of it?”

  “Maybe.” He paused. “Do you think the haints we saw at Creek Church can be saved?”

  “I don’t know,” I said. “Now having woken them up, I’m not sure yet if that’s good or bad.”

  “Mrs. Whitney wants to save them,” Jasper said.

  “What happened at Creek Church wasn’t right.”

  “No it wasn’t,” he agreed.

  “They never got any kind of justice,” I added, the angry heat rising up through my arms and my chest until my face burned. “No one talks about it anymore. The more I think about it, the more it makes me angry.”

  “You should be angry,” Jasper said. “Mrs. Whitney says we can’t change the past, but we need to remember it. We need to acknowledge it and not hide it.”

  I thought about my own memories. All I knew was Mama, Daddy, Ellis, and Mrs. Greene. I didn’t have perfect memories. I didn’t have a perfect family. Not with my grandma’s inspections and constant judgments. When I thought of Warrenville’s history . . . those memories were acts of pure evil. They were haunting, most of them too painful to bring up. Maybe this is why Mrs. Greene never talked about her childhood.

  Ellis came out on the porch and plopped down next to us. “You bring the salt?”

  “Yep,” Jasper said.

  “Let’s get started,” Ellis said. “The sooner I can protect myself from a haint the better.”

  I stood up. The boys went down the porch steps, but I didn’t follow them. “Let me go get Janie,” I said.

  “We’ll start looking around the house to get our perimeter set up,” Jasper called out as they walked away. “Meet us in the backyard.”

  I went inside and headed up the stairs. When I opened the door to my bedroom, Janie was still underneath the covers.

  “Janie?” I whispered.

  When she didn’t answer me, I touched her shoulder.

  “Leave me alone,” she mumbled.