Bone's Gift

by Angie Smibert

  “No, he did not,” Ash replied.

  Junior looked thoughtful.

  “Come to supper?” Ash asked him.

  “No, I think I’ll stick around.” His eyes trailed up the road.

  “Suit yourself.” Ash nudged the dogs awake with his foot and pointed them toward the truck. “You better get home, Forever Girl. We’ll arrange another jailbreak soon.” Ash kissed her on the forehead before he lit himself a cigarette and shook Will’s hand goodbye.

  “Uncle Ash? Why does Aunt Mattie hate this sweater?” Bone unbuttoned her coat so that the yellow peeked out. It was easier to ask than some of the other questions she had.

  “Aw, Forever Girl. I think that sweater has seen too much.” He kissed her again and hurried down the stairs to his truck.

  Bone buttoned her coat back up.

  Will seemed to have his mind elsewhere as they walked slowly back to the parsonage. And Aunt Mattie certainly didn’t invite him in. She barely even acknowledged Bone. Ruby was out of sight. Mattie was intently chopping up vegetables for dinner. Quiet fury radiated off her, and Bone made herself scarce, too.

  Bone hung up her coat in the tiny closet in the study then rushed to finish making up the beds. Everything was swirling around in her head as her hands went through the motions of her chores. Had Mattie and Willow parted ways over healing that cut? Did Mama never tell anyone else about her true Gift, that she could heal? Had she healed Tiny? And how did her Gift kill her? What had the sweater seen? That’s twice Uncle Ash had said something about it.

  Bone was putting clean towels in the hall closet when she heard Aunt Mattie yell at her, “What the hell do you have on?”

  Bone had been so wrapped up in her thoughts about the sweater that she’d forgotten to take it off. Still. She turned on her aunt. “My mother’s sweater,” Bone said, emphasizing the “my.” Bone’s anger boiled over. “That you stole and hid in your shed.”

  Ruby emerged from her room and stared at her mother.

  “Give it here,” Mattie said.

  “No, it’s mine. It’s all I have of Mama.”

  “I do not want to see that sweater again.” Mattie measured out every word.

  “She’ll take it off, Mother,” Ruby said carefully, like she was calming a stray dog. She turned to Bone, with pleading in her eyes, but Bone was tired of appeasing Mattie.

  “If you don’t want to see this sweater, then you better not look in my direction,” Bone blurted out. “’Cause I’ll be wearing it.”

  Aunt Mattie moved faster than Bone thought possible. The woman grabbed a great handful of fabric at the nape of Bone’s neck and yanked on it with all her might. The cardigan ripped down the back, about taking her shoulders off in the process. Bone was left with just the sleeves, which fell to the floor as Bone stood there in shock. Mattie threw her handful of butter yellow at Bone’s feet.

  Bone sank to her knees and scooped up the fabric, trying to will it back together. Without thinking, she closed her eyes and held the soft wool to her cheek. The images hit her like a cold splash of water, waking her up from a long sleep. She saw a new memory; this time Mattie was there. Bone’s mother was laying the sweater across her sister as she slept. No, she was sick, really sick.

  “Mama put this across when you were—” Bone wanted to say dying, but then she opened her eyes and looked into her aunt’s face.

  Aunt Mattie’s eyes were the size of saucers, and she was incredibly still. Then in a flash, she grabbed Bone’s hair and dragged her down the hall. Bone fought the rising panic as Aunt Mattie push-pulled her toward the bathroom like a rip current toward a rock.

  “Mama, what are you doing?” Ruby cried out.

  “Run the cold water,” Mattie commanded Ruby. “You’ve got the devil in you,” her aunt told Bone.

  Bone struggled, but her aunt had an iron grip on Bone’s hair and neck. Ruby didn’t move, so Mattie dragged Bone to the tub and turned the water on herself.

  “Mama, don’t,” Ruby begged over the sound of running water. “You don’t know what you’re saying.”

  “She’s got the Gift just like her mother.” Mattie ranted about the Reed Gift and quoted some Bible verse about casting out demons.

  Bone’s fear rose with the water level.

  “Don’t,” Ruby sobbed. Aunt Mattie was unreachable now.

  She yanked Bone over the edge of the tub and pushed her head toward the water.

  In the distance, Bone heard Ruby running toward the door. “I’ll get help, Bone.”

  “I baptize thee …”

  Bone’s face hit the ice-cold water. The shock of it took her breath away. It was like that buck drowning in the icy currents of the New River.

  Mattie held her there for what seemed like an eternity. Bone scrabbled at the sides of the tub. She tried to push herself up, but her aunt was too strong. Panic filled her—and then Mattie pulled her head up. Bone gasped for air, groped for something solid to grab onto.

  “In the name of the Son …”

  Mattie shoved Bone’s head back down into the icy water.

  Bone tasted the iron bathwater sliding down her throat. Aunt Mattie was going to baptize the life out of her if she didn’t do something fast. She tried to push herself up again, but the tub was too slippery. Bone’s arms flailed in the water. She grabbed for the stopper, but her aunt pulled her head up before Bone could get her fingers around the plug. Instead, Bone elbowed her aunt hard, and Mattie’s grip loosened enough for Bone to squirm free. She scrambled toward the door of the bathroom over the wet tiles. Mattie lunged for Bone’s foot, but she slipped and sat down on the floor hard.

  Bone locked eyes with her aunt, and, in that instant, Mattie blinked.

  “Oh lord, Bone, I’m sorry.” Her eyes looked like Mama’s again.

  Bone didn’t trust it. She took off running through the front door and stumbled out onto the gravel road, heading toward the river. Mattie called after her, and Bone ran even faster. Then she heard Uncle Junior’s voice, “Amarantha, what the hell have you done?”

  Bone kept going. It was dark and beginning to rain. Her hair and shirt were soaked through, but she wasn’t feeling the cold yet. She wasn’t feeling anything—other than the desire to be as far away as she could from Big Vein. Maybe the ferryman was still there. It would be a long walk to Mamaw’s but she’d done it before. Or maybe she’d walk clear to Radford or Roanoke or hop a freight train to somewhere else.

  She was shivering by the time she reached the river. There was no ferry. No boats. No nothing but more icy water. She stood on the dock and waited.

  Soon, though, she heard footsteps running toward her on the gravel road.

  “Bone,” Ruby cried out. She wrapped Bone in her coat and gently dried her hair with a towel. When she was done, she stood shoulder to shoulder with Bone. “We’ll go to Mamaw’s together.”

  Bone was as numb as if she’d fallen in the New River in January. The two cousins waited side by side for the ferry that had already stopped running for the evening.

  28

  WILL AND THE BOYS found Bone and Ruby huddled together on the dock in the gently falling rain. Everybody had heard the commotion and gone out to search for them.

  Uncle Junior kept an eye on his sister until one of the church ladies could come watch her.

  The cousins spent the night curled up in Bone’s old bed at the boardinghouse. Bone felt like the weight of the mountain had lifted off of her as she heard Uncle Junior and Mrs. Price and Miss Johnson murmuring together into the wee hours. Ruby shivered and tossed in her sleep. The weight was still on her.

  Bone awoke to the smell of eggs and biscuits and mint tea and the sound of gentle laughter and country music coming from downstairs. Bone found Mamaw and Uncle Ash in the boardinghouse kitchen when she crept down the stairs to avoid waking Ruby. Mrs. Price was peeling some potatoes that the Reeds had probably brought from their garden stores. Uncle Ash was leaning his chair back, smoking and telling Miss Spencer one of his devil dog
stories. Both had a plate of eggs in front of them.

  Bone was at home for the first time in what felt like forever.

  “Hey there, Forever Girl.” Ash jumped to his feet and closed the distance between them. Mamaw wasn’t far behind.

  “Is Ruby still sleeping?” Mamaw asked.

  Bone nodded. Her cousin had been having nightmares all night.

  “Hungry?” Mrs. Price asked.

  “Ravenous,” Bone croaked out as she sat down to a heaping plate of scrambled eggs, fried potatoes, and jelly biscuits. Mrs. Price always felt the generous application of food could put right most problems. Mamaw set a steaming cup of minty tea in front of her. Mamaw felt the same about teas and tinctures. “This will make you feel better.” She kissed the top of Bone’s head.

  For once, Bone didn’t feel like talking. She shoved forkful after forkful into her mouth, warming herself on the food and the company. She was hungry for both. She hadn’t had anything to eat since that Nehi and peppermint stick Uncle Ash had given her at the store—before Aunt Mattie laid into her.

  Mattie. Bone could still taste that cold bathwater.

  All of a sudden she couldn’t eat another bite. Memories of the cold water and not being able to breathe washed over her.

  “Do I have to go back?” she asked, fighting the shivers.

  “No!” every single person in the kitchen told Bone at once.

  “You can stay with us,” Mamaw said.

  “I’ll drive you to school every morning,” Uncle Ash added.

  “Or you can stay here in your old room,” Mrs. Price said. “Junior said he’s going to move in until Bay gets back. And we’ll all look after you.”

  “You don’t have to decide now, honey,” Mamaw said. “But I want you to know you always have a place to go.”

  “But what about Daddy? He wanted me there …”

  “I’ll write him. He never would have wanted you there if he thought Amarantha would …” Mamaw trailed off.

  Bone took a sip of her tea, and it warmed her back up.

  “What about me?” Ruby asked from the doorway.

  Mamaw swooped in and hugged her. “You’ve always got a place to go as well,” she told Ruby as she held her granddaughter’s face in her hands.

  “Is Mama okay?” Ruby asked quietly.

  “Mrs. Linkous is with her now. I’m going to make them a plate and take it over,” Mamaw said. “Do you want to go with me?”

  Ruby nodded. Mamaw made her sit down and eat first.

  Bone certainly did not plan on seeing her aunt anytime soon. And no one even asked her if she wanted to go, which suited her fine.

  “So what’s on your agenda, Forever Girl?” Uncle Ash asked. He was going to drive Mamaw and Ruby over to the parsonage and then make some of his own calls. Animals that he needed to see.

  “Not a thing.” Bone smothered a cough. She was content to stay right here. She’d been plucked out of the raging river on the point of drowning—literally—and now she was high and dry on shore, sunning herself on a log.

  “I could use some help, Bone,” Miss Spencer offered.

  They spent the rest of the morning sorting stories and indexing them according to subject and area and teller. Miss Spencer even gave her a lesson in shorthand. And they made lunch for themselves out of biscuits and mint tea. They talked about college, ancient Rome, and movies. Bone felt safe and free and full of possibilities—and possibly a little sick. But she didn’t let on.

  In the afternoon, Ruby came back with Bone’s suitcase in hand.

  “You’re staying with her, aren’t you?” Bone asked, a sinking feeling in her gut.

  “Mama needs me. She says she’s awful sorry.” Ruby pulled a flat package from her coat. “You should have this.”

  Bone unwrapped the brown butcher paper. Inside was her sweater, dry and clean and in one piece. Neat seams joined the pieces together invisibly.

  “Mamaw helped me fix it while Mother slept.”

  Bone hugged the sweater to her chest, breathing in the lavender. She could hear her mother softly singing.

  “What are you going to do?” Ruby asked.

  Bone shrugged. It didn’t matter as long as she wasn’t there.

  “Are you going to be okay?” Bone wrapped the sweater back up in the paper.

  It was Ruby’s turn to shrug. “Walk me to school tomorrow?”

  Bone nodded. She followed her cousin out onto the porch. It felt like solid ground underneath her feet as she watched Ruby slowly make her way up the river of gravel to the parsonage. Bone wished she had a lifeline to throw.

  That evening there was a familiar rap on the back door. Bone had set out a piece of pie and a glass of milk for him. She read the new National Geographic Miss Johnson brought home for her while Will ate at the kitchen table. This issue was all about North Africa, where her father was soon to be.

  “I’m fine,” she said. “Mostly,” she added in answer to his very loud thoughts. She wasn’t quite ready to talk about it, even with Will.

  After Will drained the last drop of milk, he ushered Bone out onto the back porch. As she was about to sit on the steps, Will dropped to one knee and handed her a slip of paper.

  Marry me, it said.

  Touching the paper, she could see his vision of them growing old together in a tiny cabin by the river.

  “I’m only twelve, you fool,” Bone said as kindly as possible. “And you’re only fourteen.” She tried not to laugh. She loved Will, but she wasn’t sure it was in that way. She wasn’t even sure what that way was.

  I know, he scribbled out. In a few years. Just want to protect you.

  “Thank you, Will Kincaid.” Bone kissed him on the forehead and then pulled him to his feet. “But I think I might want to go to high school, and maybe even college, first.”

  I’ll be here.

  I know, she scribbled back.

  “You didn’t really think I was going to say yes, did you?”

  He shook his head. Bone knew he’d been serious in his own way, but he seemed content. He was always content. And she felt better for the asking, but she didn’t need a prince to save her.

  Tell me a story?

  She told him the tale of Jack and the Doctor’s Daughter until she could talk no more.

  29

  BONE WOKE UP ALONE in her room at the boardinghouse, fully intending to go to school. She dressed in the only clothes she had left that Aunt Mattie hadn’t foisted upon her even though the corduroy pants and flannel shirt needed a wash. The yellow sweater hung over the door, but Bone was reluctant to put it back on just yet.

  Mrs. Price was cooking oatmeal in the kitchen, and Uncle Ash and Miss Spencer were talking over the paper.

  “You feel up to going to school this morning?” Mrs. Price asked.

  “I’ll run you up there,” Ash volunteered. “It’s raining cats and dogs. The road’s beginning to wash out.”

  School was never canceled in Big Vein on account of weather. You either got there or you didn’t.

  Bone opened her mouth to answer but nothing came out. Not even a hoarse whisper. She kept trying to say something. Anything.

  Uncle Ash nearly laughed. Miss Spencer elbowed him before he could. Not that Bone could blame him. Bone Phillips, teller of stories, could tell no stories this morning.

  Mrs. Price laid the back of her hand against Bone’s forehead. “She does feel warm. I better send for Dr. Henderson.”

  Dr. Henderson, the closest doctor around, lived in Radford.

  “I’ll get Mama.” Ash pulled himself up and threw on his coat. “She’s staying at Mattie’s until things calm down.”

  What Uncle Ash meant was until they were sure Aunt Mattie wouldn’t crack again and maybe go after Ruby this time. Bone wasn’t sure Mattie hadn’t gone after Ruby before, even though Ruby had denied it when Mamaw asked her.

  Bone sighed and dug into her oatmeal. She didn’t feel too sick, but she was sure glad to stay home for a while.

 
“I’ll make you some of Mother Reed’s tea,” Miss Spencer said. “It’s probably good for laryngitis.”

  Bone wished she had a pad and pen, but she didn’t even think she could spell that word.

  “Laryngitis means you lost your voice. It happens when you talk too much or you get sick. The vocal cords get inflamed,” Miss Spencer explained.

  “It’s no wonder. You were soaking wet and chilled to the bone when the boys found you,” Mrs. Price said when she returned from calling the doctor. “He’ll be over this afternoon, if he can. In the meanwhile, it’s hot liquids and bed rest for you, young lady.”

  Mamaw agreed with the doctor’s prescription when she came over a little while later. She spent the morning plying Bone with herbal teas with honey, both of which Ash fetched from their home up the mountain, despite the river rising.

  Dr. Henderson arrived after lunch and pronounced that she did indeed have laryngitis. He sniffed at Mamaw’s teas and said they couldn’t hurt and to call him if she wasn’t better in a few days.

  Bone nodded off reading her National Geographic over the murmurs of Mrs. Price’s favorite soap opera, Against the Storm, playing downstairs.

  The yellow sweater still hung over the door.

  Bone dreamt of drowning in a sea of yellow yarn, with only Mattie’s face peering down at her from above.

  30

  BONE AWOKE TO THE BANGING of the screen door, boots clomping, and male voices laughing in the kitchen. She crept down the stairs in her pajamas to see what the commotion was all about.

  Will was holding open the back door for Uncle Ash and Uncle Junior. Both of them had their arms loaded up with grocery boxes full of clothes, books, and pictures. And Will had Junior’s beat-up old guitar in his hands.

  “How’s my Forever Girl?” Uncle Ash asked as he plunked a box down on the kitchen table.

  Better, Bone mouthed. She wasn’t sure she was.

  Corolla scrambled across the linoleum floor toward Bone.

  “I told you boys to be quiet, or else you’d wake her up,” Mamaw scolded. She was pouring hot water into yet another pot of herbal tea. She motioned to Bone to sit at the table. “Let me get you something to eat, child. You slept through supper.”