by Beth Bowland
“Really? What’s the occasion for the feast? Is she going home?” I stole a quick glance out the other window, hoping the doctor was leaving, but no such luck.
“Nah, I wish. Grandma says she’s just in a good mood. I think it’s because my dad went out on a fishing trip.”
“Are Ivelisse and Farkas coming?”
“Yes. At first Ivelisse’s mom said no, because of the ingredients in the food. After my mom spoke to her, she said she could come. And you know nothing would stop Farkas.”
Grabbing a comb from my dresser, I styled my hair different ways. “Does your grandma know we’re coming over?”
“Yeah.”
“What did she say?”
“Her usual—humph.”
Interesting, I thought to myself. “How’s this hairstyle look?”
“Ugly.”
“Jerk.”
“Gremlin.”
I quickly located a Hacky Sack that I’d won in gym class and threw it through his window at him, aiming at his head.
Chu caught it. “Sweet, thanks!” he said as he kicked the sack.
“Hey, give that back.”
Chu only laughed. “Come over around five.” He shut the window and held up my Hacky Sack, then continued kicking it around his room.
We sat in Chu’s den waiting for dinner to start. As we waited, Chu told us what he knew about his grandmother. Grandma Thuy was born in Hanoi, which is the capitol of Vietnam. She’d lived what we would call a hard-knock life. Grandma Thuy was traditional. Chu’s mother was married in an arranged marriage.
After moving to the United States, Chu’s mom attended medical school and adopted a more Western value system. She wanted more freedom to make her own decisions about life. She divorced Chu’s dad, who moved back to Hanoi. Grandma Thuy was ticked because her daughter did not listen to her instruction to stay married and apparently was still an itty bit mad about it.
Mrs. Willene walked into the den and smiled, motioning for us to follow her into the dining room.
Grandma Thuy yelled out Chu’s name. He immediately scurried into the kitchen.
“How’s everyone doing this evening?” Mrs. Willene asked.
Mrs. Willene was a pretty woman, not much taller than her mother. Elegant would be the perfect word to describe her. When Mrs. Willene spoke, her words were soothing. She could totally record one of those relaxation CDs with ocean sounds in the background.
As everyone gave their responses, I couldn’t help but notice the family pictures on the wall. The Thuy family consisted of a whole lotta folks.
Chu returned shortly and whispered something to his mother, who smiled and headed toward the kitchen.
“Is your grandmother really into her country’s traditions?” Ivelisse said.
“Yeah. My mother’s not so traditional, but my grandmother can be that way at times.” Chu slumped in his chair.
“Dude, where’s the grub? I’m hungry,” Farkas said.
I started to smart off to him, but the time had come. Dragon Lady entered the room, and the temperature dropped twenty degrees.
Uneasiness filled the room. Everyone was on edge with Grandma Thuy around. I was silently hoping she wouldn’t ask me any questions.
Grandma Thuy sat in silence as Chu introduced us. She stared at each of us as if reading our thoughts through some ancient mind-reading exercise. My right temple throbbed. What if Grandma Thuy could pulverize your brain for having bad thoughts? I must think happy thoughts.
Kiara was first to break the silence. “Good evening, Grandma Thuy. How are you?” she asked.
“I am well. Thank you for asking,” Grandma Thuy replied.
What happened next freaked me out. Grandma Thuy smiled. “I hope you children enjoy the dinner I have prepared,” she said. “I have selected staple foods of the Vietnamese culture.”
Grandma Thuy’s accent was heavier than her daughter’s, and I loved how she always appeared to be in chill mode.
Mrs. Willene returned from the kitchen and placed two platters of what looked like egg rolls on the table.
“This first dish is an appetizer. They’re called spring rolls.” Grandma Thuy passed the platter to her right.
Kiara grinned. “Oh, I love spring rolls.”
Since no zapping into cornfields had taken place, I figured it was safe to be social. “Grandma Thuy, how are you enjoying your stay in Atlanta so far?” I asked before biting a chunk from my spring roll. Whoa! These things were tasty.
I looked directly at her and noticed her face did not seem to be as harsh as I’d first thought.
Chu smiled at me through a mouth full of food.
“America is so different from my country, but I have decided to make the most of my visit with my daughter and grandson.”
I noticed she didn’t mention Mr. Willene.
“The spring rolls are delicious,” Farkas said.
Grandma Thuy nodded.
Mrs. Willene whispered something to Grandma Thuy.
“Ah, children, the next dish is one of my favorites. Pork stew in fish sauce with boiled eggs. I will return shortly.”
A look of horror spread around the table like knocked-over dominos. Except for Chu.
Gag me. There was no way I was eating that stuff. I could feel my politeness getting up and skipping out the front door.
“Yo! You guys are gonna love this. It’s one of my faves.”
Ivelisse’s face contorted.
“I like boiled eggs,” Kiara said.
“I say bring it on. I’m game.” Farkas nodded.
Kiara thought it was funny. “I’m with Farkas.” She held her spoon in the air. “Bring it on!”
Chu lifted his spoon along with Farkas. “It’s not as bad as it sounds.”
Ivelisse and I stared at each other.
“Aw, come on you two, you can’t weasel out now,” Chu said, swirling his spoon around his head.
“What’s the worst that can happen?” Ivelisse asked as she raised her spoon.
“Famous last words,” I added and twirled my spoon down low.
Grandma Thuy and Mrs. Willene returned to the dining room holding two large bowls. They ladled out servings to each of us. Ivelisse kept kicking me under the table. I tried hard to stifle my laughter.
“It looks like cow brains stew,” Ivelisse whispered.
“With little round egg turds,” I whispered back.
My right temple started throbbing. I knew Grandma Thuy was staring at me, possibly reading my evil thoughts about egg turds.
“Katrina, you like the stew?” Grandma Thuy asked. Her left eyebrow raised slightly.
I quickly shoved a spoonful in my mouth and nodded.
“Yes, ma’am.” I was trying to resist the urge to hurl while forcing myself to swallow. Grandma Thuy continued to stare at me.
“How was it?” Ivelisse whispered.
I could tell from everyone’s face that this was the million dollar question.
“You know, it’s not so bad. Actually, it’s very good,” I said as I shoveled another spoonful into my mouth.
Grandma Thuy actually chuckled. For the first time I felt at ease with her.
“So tell me, children, why does the strange man with long hair wander around the neighborhood at night?” Grandma Thuy asked.
Dropped spoons clamored into the bowels then—silence.
“You’ve seen him?” The words fell from my mouth.
Grandma Thuy nodded. “I watch him sometimes, going from yard to yard. He seems to be looking for something. Then he’s up early the next morning retracing his steps. Very odd man.”
Soon we were all slurping down the egg turd soup and tossing out scenarios about Mr. Maxwell with Grandma Thuy, who surprisingly didn’t seem as scary any more.
Chapter 16
“KATRINA, GET UP. You’re not sick,” Kiara said as she snatched the blanket off me.
“Seriously, I am. Feel my forehead. I’m sure my temperature’s at least one-oh-four.”
She felt my head and moaned. “Cool as a cucumber.” She bopped me on top of my head. “Kat, do it for Mom. It won’t be that bad.”
“There’s no way I want to be trapped in a car for three hours with the doctor on some dumb road trip.”
Today Dr. Jackson wanted to take us all to that stupid berry farm. Afterward we were going to stop west of no-man’s-land to visit his parents. From the sounds of it, they lived in Mayberry with Barney, Opie, and Aunt Bee. Fuggettaboutit.
“Think about it this way. You’ll be trapped with Andre.”
I perked up at that thought. “Hmm, so it may not be so bad.”
Finally, I hopped out of bed. I secretly made plans to sit next to Andre.
As we waited for Dr. Jackson to pull up, I rubbed lotion on my hands. I was going to find an excuse to hold Andre’s hand, and I wanted them extra soft.
Finally, Dr. Jackson’s Escalade pulled up. He got out and greeted us as he opened the door for Mom.
Kiara threw open the back door.
“Hi,” a voice said.
I recognized that voice. It couldn’t be!
“Oh boy…” Kiara said, grabbing my arm. “Uh, hello, Porsche,” she added as she held my arm tighter.
“Wassup, peeps?” Andre’s smile was so broad, it reached clear around his massively oversized noggin.
Everything sounded muffled as if my head were inside a fish bowl. I heard my mother say hello as she climbed into the front seat. Porsche and Andre sat in the middle row. Kiara was still holding my arm as she pulled me, and my cracked face, inside the SUV to the back row.
Porsche turned around and smiled. “This is going to be so much fun. I love the outdoors.” She giggled before turning her attention back to Andre.
“I’m sorry,” Kiara whispered.
Trapped like a rat. Dr. Jackson’s cologne pulled me from my deep thoughts of devising a plan of escape. I didn’t notice Chu trying to get my attention.
Mom spoke to him through the window.
“Let me go with you to ask your mom if you could come along,” Mom said to Chu, who took off running to his house, waving to me as he left.
They returned quickly, and Chu climbed in the back row with Kiara and me. Mrs. Willene waved goodbye from her door.
“Wud up, yo!” Chu sat on my lap. “I’ve come to rescue you,” he whispered.
Laughing, I pushed him off my lap.
“Let the good times roll,” Chu said.
So the journey began. I was happy Chu came along. He’d keep me laughing.
Porsche once again let out the girl giggle and mentioned, oh, I don’t know, for the zillionth time, how excited she was about the trip.
I groaned.
Kiara leaned over to me. “She’s a little annoying, huh?” she whispered.
I lightly gave her a head butt. “Eureka. I think you’ve got it,” I whispered back.
I really didn’t have to worry too much about Porsche and Andre getting into some deep lovey-dovey conversation because Chu leaned forward with his head practically between them the entire trip. Andre kept trying to cut him off and start a different conversation with Porsche, but it didn’t matter. Chu was successfully taking over the entire conversation. After a while, Porsche turned around in her seat and talked to Chu, leaving Andre out of the conversation altogether. Andre stared aimlessly out the window.
Dr. Jackson’s Escalade rode so smoothly, I felt myself drifting off, or it could’ve been due to the fact that we’d driven for so long it felt like we’d passed Stonehenge, the Sphinx, and the Grand Canyon. Mom chatted endlessly with Dr. Jackson. Kiara was snoozing like a big dog, head leaned back, mouth wide open. I thought about trying to talk to Andre, but decided against it. Let him suffer, served him right for bringing her in the first place.
Finally, the car eased to a stop. We pulled into a huge dirt driveway. Overhead a large hanging sign read Crossing Hills Farm.
Kiara woke from her slumber, stretched, then ran her hand around her mouth. Drool check. Andre looked over at Porsche, who was still chatting away with Chu. He rolled his eyes and went back to staring out the window.
“We made it,” Dr. Jackson announced as he climbed out of the car.
I gave Chu a nudge to get him going out of the car. It felt good to get out and stretch.
I inhaled deeply because I’d heard country air was good for you. Unfortunately, that set off a sneezing fit that lasted ten minutes. I so do not like the country.
A friendly gray-haired man came over to greet us. Dressed in the stereotypical attire of faded overalls and plaid shirt, he wore a faded Atlanta Braves baseball cap that he tugged on with a nervous twitch. He told us his name was Carl and the farm had been in his family since before he was born. He continued to bore us with stories of when the doctor was young. Just shoot me now.
Twenty minutes later, we were smack dab in the middle of acres of blueberry bushes. Endless rows of bee-and-mosquito-infested plants the size of small trees. Just when I thought this day could not get any worse, up pops Porsche on the opposite side of the row I was on.
“Isn’t Dr. Jackson the nicest man?” she asked.
“Uh, yeah sure,” I mumbled, as I moved farther down the row.
“He sure seems to like your mother.” She popped several blueberries into her mouth before continuing. “You and Andre could be siblings. How cute.” She smiled.
Evil thoughts were raging in my head. Why wouldn’t she leave me alone?
“Well, I don’t think they’re that serious,” I said, stepping through the bushes into another row.
Turning my back to her, I bent over, pretending to have found a patch of berries to pick.
Porsche followed me. I tried to ignore her, but like the gnats around the bushes, she continued to buzz around my head.
“Your mom is really nice. I bet she listens to you when you have something to say.” She waved to my mother who returned the wave and gave me a thumbs-up.
“Duh. Doesn’t your mother listen to you?” I asked, still on the move trying to get away from her.
“Hmm, not so much.” Porsche’s mouth formed a smirk. “She only cares about my career.”
“Girl, you’re trippin’. You have photo shoots, get to meet celebrities. Humph, I say bring it on. A mother that can make that happen can’t be too bad.”
Porsche sighed. “My grandmother always says ‘everything that shimmers ain’t gold.’”
“Where’s Andre?” I asked, hoping she’d go talk to him.
“Oh, he’s over on the other side somewhere,” she said as she popped more blueberries in her mouth.
“You’d better stop eating those things. Girl, don’t you know they have all sorts of pesticides on them?” I hopped into another row.
The gnat followed.
“I doubt it’d hurt me. I’m not eating that many.” She chuckled and continued to eat them.
“Okay, keep on eating. When you develop gangrene in your stomach, remember I tried to warn you.”
Porsche laughed. I’d call it more of a nose snort-cackle. Honestly, it was the most annoying sound I’d ever heard. Would she please just shut up?
Andre yelled Porsche’s name and waved for her to meet him. I was actually relieved.
Porsche made the snort-cackle sound once again. “Andre is so cute, dontcha think?”
I felt my stomach tighten up.
“Katrina? Don’t ya think?”
I made a humph sound, to show her I wasn’t impressed. “He’s ai’ight, I guess.”
“I guess it would be weird if you did think he was cute, since he may soon be your brother, huh?”
“Porsche, our parents are not that serious. They’re just good friends,” I protested.
“Anyhoo, can you believe Andre tried to kiss me the other night at the park?” Porsche whispered and then squealed. “I almost let him.”
She squealed some more before letting out the annoying girl snort-cackle. She ate more blueberries and grinned. “I think I
’ll let him if he tries again,” she said before prancing away.
I tried to compose myself when I realized that unconsciously my hand had made its way inside my basket. I’d just massacred half of my berries and my hand was stained in blue blood.
Almost kissed her? I wiped my now smooshed berry-covered hand on my shorts. Almost let him? I was disgusted that Andre tried to kiss her, but for all I knew, she could be lying.
I roamed from row to row, purposely staying as far away from everyone as I could. Everyone else was laughing and having a grand old time. No one seemed concerned about the gargantuan gnats out here. Even Chu was having fun. Traitor.
I headed over to a shady area and sat down in the grass. I was hot, sticky, bitten, and miserable. It felt good under the tree, and finally I had some peace and quiet. Closing my eyes, I tried to find my happy place. I learned about this during one of our “How to avoid stress” lectures in gym class.
“Kat!” Chu yelled, jarring me from my happy place.
“What?” I jumped up.
Chu pointed down. “That looks like poison ivy,” he said as he took a few steps back.
I stared at the leaves and frantically tried to remember my outdoor training from Girl Scout camp. Was it leaves of three or four to watch out for?
Soon I was the center of attention. Dr. Jackson knelt down in front of me. He examined the leaves and my legs. They’d just started to itch, along with my butt. I wasn’t sure if it was from the poison ivy, dried berry juice, or because everyone was staring.
Dr. Jackson sighed and looked at my mother. “Yeah, that’s poison ivy, all right. I’ll ask Carl if he has a hose that we can use to wash her off. Then we’d better get her home before it really kicks in.”
I just stood there like a mummy, thinking if I moved it’d spread.
“What about Grandma?” Andre said.
I couldn’t believe my ears. I could be dying of this plant poison, and he wanted to see his grammy? Give me a break.
“We can come back again,” Dr. Jackson said.
“Come on, Kat, let’s get over to the main building,” Mom said, maintaining a safe distance.
Chu started laughing and poking fun, but he did give me a hug. Kiara gawked at me, not saying a word, as if she was afraid she’d catch it if she opened her mouth.