Precious Bones

by Mika Ashley-Hollinger

  Nolay didn’t reply. It was like my question had stunned us into silence. I couldn’t ever remember a time when Nolay didn’t have an answer.

  Finally I turned and said, “If there’s no such thing as Soap Sally, what did I see out in the woods?”

  “I don’t know, Bones; sometimes our imagination has a way of playing tricks on us. Then again, there are a lot of things living in the swamps. I’m sure there are things out there that we haven’t met yet. I wish I had better answers for you, but I don’t.”

  I folded my arms across my chest and gazed out the window. Sitting in the truck cab with my daddy by my side, I felt like I didn’t have the sense God gave a piece of rope. How could I have been so stupid?

  All the way home, Nolay’s stories bounced and rolled around inside my head like a handful of marbles, each one hurting a little more than the last.

  Sunday, Mama got a calling, and we ended up sitting for a few hours at the Bethany Baptist Church listening to Preacher Jenkins lecture on the wonders of being saved by the Holy Ghost. Along with about half of the congregation, I almost dozed off a couple of times, only to be rudely awakened by the preacher banging his Bible on the pulpit. He did this periodically, not only to make a point but to ensure everyone in church was wide awake and receiving his message.

  Afterward, while Mama was talking with some of the ladies, I had a chance to tell Little Man about meeting Miss Eunice. “You were right, Little Man, she’s just a nice old lady. I can’t believe what I was thinking. But I could swear there was something out in that shed a couple of times. And I plumb forgot to ask Miss Eunice about it, I got so involved hearing her stories and all.”

  “Like I told you before, Bones, just ’cause you heard or smelled something don’t mean it had to be a witch.”

  “But why did Nolay tell me such a thing?”

  “It ain’t all that bad. Mr. Nolay is just like that, he didn’t mean no harm. Everybody gets fooled sometimes.”

  “Well, I sure did get fooled. But I can guarantee you it won’t happen again.”

  Mama walked over and said, “Come on, Bones, we need to get back home.”

  On the ride home Mama said, “Bones, I hope you’re not mad at your daddy for telling you that story about Soap Sally. I honestly think he had no idea you really believed him or thought he was talking about Miss Eunice.”

  “She’s a nice old lady and we could have been friends all this time instead of me thinking she was an evil witch. How could I have been so stupid to believe something like that?”

  “You’re not stupid. Your daddy can be pretty convincing sometimes, but I think he’s learned a good lesson. He didn’t realize how much you believed his stories. I’m sure he understands now.”

  “I’m not mad, I just don’t know what to believe anymore.”

  Monday when I got home from school, I changed out of my dress and slipped on my favorite dungarees. I grabbed the wishbone that I had got at Little Man’s house. I had polished it to a sheen and tied a piece of blue ribbon around the top. I went in the kitchen and placed the wishbone on the table and showed it to Mama. “I’m going to give this to Mr. Speed for a present. We won’t pull it apart and break it; that way the two of us can wish on it together for a lot of different things. Maybe if we wish hard enough, all our wishes will come true.”

  “That’s nice, Bones. I know he will appreciate it.”

  “Can I go down and give it to him now?”

  “Of course you can.”

  I walked as fast as I could to the Last Chance. I couldn’t wait to tell Mr. Speed all about my visit with Miss Eunice.

  But when I turned the corner to the store, Mr. Speed’s bench was empty. I went inside and found Norbert, Mr. Ball’s brother, behind the counter. “Hey, Mr. Norbert, do you know where Mr. Speed is?”

  “Well, Bones, all I know, he’s having a bad spell and his mama and daddy took him up to Gainesville to the veterans hospital.”

  “Is he sick? Is he gonna be all right?”

  “Bones, I cain’t say. All I know is they asked me and the missus to come watch the store till they get back. But I’m sure he’ll be fine.”

  When I got back to our house, Nolay was busy out in the yard loading boxes into the back of the truck. I followed him back and forth from the house to the truck, asking him question after question. “Do you think Mr. Speed’ll be all right? What is a veterans hospital? What kind of hospital did they take him to?”

  Beads of sweat stood out on Nolay’s forehead as he loaded up the boxes. He answered impatiently. “A veterans hospital is where they take people that have served in the military. Bones, you know Speed got injured in the war.”

  “I know that. But what are they gonna do with him up there?”

  “Now, that I don’t know. Maybe he’s just there for a checkup. Ain’t nothing gonna happen to ol’ Speed. Not much worse could happen to ’em than already has. Don’t worry; he’ll be back sittin’ on his bench before you know it.”

  “You promise? You promise he’ll be back soon?”

  “I promise. Now grab that box over there and help me load up the truck.”

  “Yes, sir, Nolay. I just got to run in and put this wishbone in a safe place. I’ll be right back.” I ran to my room and placed the wishbone in a special place on top of my dresser.

  Tuesday morning when I got on the school bus and sat down next to Little Man, I said, “Did you know that Mr. Speed went to the veterans hospital?”

  “How do you know?”

  “Because Mr. Norbert is taking care of the store. I hope he’s just there for a checkup or something.”

  “Yeah, me too. I’m sure he’ll be back soon.”

  “I hope you’re right.”

  And that night at supper I asked, “Has anyone heard any more about Mr. Speed? Will he be home soon?”

  Mama answered, “Nothing yet. But Bones, he’s in a very good hospital. They will take good care of him.”

  I turned to Nolay. “Has the sheriff got back to you about all his investigating? It’s been weeks. Shouldn’t he have found out something by now?”

  Nolay answered, “Bones, you sure are full of questions lately. I’m sure he’s doin’ the best he can. Like he said, we just gotta be patient.”

  “But Nolay, has he ever had something this big to solve before? Maybe we need some help. You know, someone a little faster.”

  “You got any suggestions on someone faster?”

  “No, sir, it’s just I ain’t sure about Sheriff LeRoy.”

  “Ain’t nothing wrong with LeRoy. He’ll do just fine.”

  “I sure hope so.”

  But I had serious doubts about the sheriff’s po-lease work and his investigations. I was beginning to think he was even slower than pond water, if that was possible.

  The next morning when I woke up, my throat felt like someone had been in there scraping it with sandpaper. I could hardly swallow, and my head felt like someone was inside banging it with a hammer.

  Mama walked into my bedroom, took one look at me, and said, “Oh, my goodness. You do not look well.” She sat down beside me and laid her hand on my forehead. “Bones, you are burning up.”

  “I don’t feel good, Mama. I just want to stay in bed.” I rolled over and snuggled up with my teddy bear. Mama and Nolay had given him to me for my birthday when I was one year old, and I had had him on my bed ever since.

  Mama went and got her thermometer and stuck it under my tongue. When she pulled it out, she said, “Oh my, one hundred and two.” Then she said, “Bones, you stay right here, I am going to get your daddy.”

  Mama didn’t have to tell me to stay, because it took all the strength I had just to roll over on my side. When Mama returned, not only did she have Nolay with her, she also had a piece of cut-up flannel and her trusty jar of Vicks VapoRub. She rolled me over, unbuttoned my pajama top, and proceeded to rub my chest and throat with Vicks. As the menthol seeped into my skin, its strong smell snaked its way up my nose. As much as I
disliked Vicks VapoRub, it did have somewhat of a soothing effect.

  I slept through most of the day. Late afternoon after Mama took my temperature, she called Nolay into my room. “Good Lord, look at this, it’s one hundred and three!”

  Nolay replied, “I’ll go down to the Last Chance and call for Doc Hayes to come out here soon as he can.”

  Mama left the room and came back in carrying a small jar filled with a golden yellow liquid. I knew what that was, and if I could have, I would have jumped up and run away into the swamps. She sat down on the side of the bed. “Now, Bones, you just relax and open your mouth so I can swab this on your throat.”

  The flaming sour taste of kerosene mixed with sugar slid around my mouth and down my throat. This was another of Mama’s trusty cure-alls. But if it actually cured anything, it was only because it made you want to get well faster.

  Mama rubbed my chest with more Vicks and wrapped me up like a mummy. All that night when I woke up, either Mama or Nolay would be sitting in a chair by my bed.

  That evening, Doc Hayes came in my room. I had only seen him one other time, years ago, when I was sick with the mumps, but he still looked just the same. And it looked like he had on exactly the same clothes. I had no idea how old Doc Hayes was, but he had to be older than dirt, because there was not one patch of skin on his body that was not wrinkled. A pair of little round glasses stuck out on the end of his pink pickle nose. I had serious doubts that he could actually see anything past that huge nose.

  He opened his little black bag and began taking out instruments. He took my temperature, listened to my heart, and performed some more doctor stuff. “She’s got a mighty bad case of tonsillitis. Keep the Vicks on ’er so it won’t go down in ’er lungs and turn into pneumonia. I’ll give her a shot of penicillin and be back next week.”

  For the next nine days, I stayed in bed drifting in and out of sleep. Mama rubbed Vicks on my body and swabbed my aching throat with the sugary kerosene. She would wake me up and give me one of her concoctions to drink and say, “Bones, this will help you sleep.” Or, “Bones, this will lower the fever.” She had a never-ending supply of drinks and cure-alls, and she and Nolay continued to take turns sitting with me.

  One time Miss Melba was there. She reached out and placed a cool hand on my arm. “Bones, we’re having a prayer vigil at church for you. You’ll be well soon.”

  Another time, I woke up to find Little Man standing there. “Hey, Bones, I hope you’ll be better soon.”

  “Me too.” My voice came out sounding like a croak.

  The days and nights ran into each other and became so twisted together I couldn’t tell one from the other. I would toss and turn and wake up in a cold sweat. Someone would be there with a soft hand or a cold washcloth to lay on my forehead or rub across my face.

  I would wake up and ask anyone that could hear, “Did the sheriff come by?”

  “No, Bones, not yet.”

  “Is Mr. Speed back home?”

  “No, Bones, he’s still gone.”

  Strange dreams mingled with nightmares and wandered around inside my sleep. I saw me and Mr. Speed running down a road filled with tiny shining stars. He kept pointing at them and saying, “Look, it’s shining, it’s shining.” The scars on his head were gone and a full smile spread across his face. There was Martha and Ruthie holding their little kittens and Sheriff LeRoy standing in a pond watching that dead man’s leg hopping around in the swamp, looking for the rest of its body. I chased after Nolay’s red handkerchief as it drifted out over the swamps like a little kite. I would wake up in a cold sweat only to drift back into a restless sleep.

  On Friday morning I woke up, and my stomach announced that it was hungry. My throat was still sore, but at least I could swallow again. I was able to walk into the kitchen and eat some breakfast and eat again at noon dinner. That night I got out of bed, took a steaming-hot shower, and had supper with Mama and Nolay.

  Mama looked across the table at me. “Bones, it is so good to have you back here with us. I can’t tell you how worried we were.”

  Nolay agreed. “Yep, it’s been mighty quiet around here without our little chatterbox.”

  “I’m glad to be feeling good, too. It is not fun being sick.”

  I turned to Nolay. “Has the sheriff come by? Have you heard from him?”

  “Not yet, Bones. But soon as he has some information, he’ll be stopping by.”

  “But it’s been so long.”

  “Bones, it’s only been a month. I know that can seem like a long time, especially at ten years old. But just be patient. LeRoy will be by soon enough.”

  “And what about Mr. Speed, has there been any news? When is he coming back?”

  Mama replied, “Bones, every time I go to the Last Chance, Mr. Norbert tells us that as far as he knows, everything is all right. Remember, no news is good news.”

  “Maybe so, but I sure wish I would hear something.”

  Saturday morning was my first complete day up and out of bed. When I walked outside, I felt the sunshine wrap around and hug me. I spent most of the day playing with the animals and drinking up the fresh air and sunshine. All the while I was sick, Little Man had been stopping by to drop off my schoolwork. It took most of Sunday for me to catch up on everything. But at least that way I wouldn’t be behind when I got back to class.

  I had been sick in bed so long that I was actually looking forward to school.

  Monday morning I was up and ready to go. On the bus ride to school, Little Man brought me up to date on everything I had missed for nearly the past two weeks. And from the sounds of it, I had not missed much.

  When I walked into the classroom and handed Miss Watts all my schoolwork, she said, “Why, Bones, I am so proud of you. Not everyone could catch up on this much missed work. I’m glad you are back with us. Everyone missed you.” She looked out over the classroom. “Isn’t that right, class?”

  Everyone answered in unison, “Yes, ma’am, Miss Watts.”

  I looked down at my shoes and mumbled, “Thank you, ma’am, I’m glad to be back, too.”

  I turned and walked to my desk, and my eyes bumped straight into Betty Jean Davis. I was almost glad to see her until she stuck her pointed pink tongue out at me.

  When I got home that afternoon, Nolay and Mama were sitting on the living room couch. Mama told me, “Bones, go change out of your school clothes. Then come in here. We have something to talk to you about.”

  I was curious but quickly ran to my room, took off my dress, and slipped into my dungarees. I went into the living room and sat in Mama’s childhood rocking chair. There was a mistiness floating around Mama’s face. When Nolay looked at me, his eyes were the dull blue of a rain cloud.

  He took a deep breath. “Bones, I got something to tell you. And I wish I didn’t, but I gotta tell you. This morning Mr. Speed passed away. He died.”

  I cocked my head. “Nolay, are you lying to me?”

  “No, Bones, I ain’t lying.”

  “Are you telling me a tale, then?”

  “Bones, I ain’t lying. I ain’t telling you a tale. I sure wish I was. But I ain’t. His mama and daddy sent word this morning.”

  I slowly stood up and looked at both of them. Nolay’s blue eyes stared down at the floor, but Mama’s green ones looked straight at me, all soft and shimmering, like the surface of a lake.

  “Well, I don’t believe you. I don’t believe a word you’re saying. Mr. Speed is coming home. You promised. You promised he would be back home soon. I should have known better. All you do is lie to me.”

  Nolay raised his head and looked at me. I could see that my words had cut into him like little daggers.

  I walked to my room. Nippy was asleep in Pearl’s old box in the corner. Now that autumn was on us, she slept most of the day and prowled most of the night. I picked her up and lay down on my bed. I hugged her warm furry body close to me. She looked at me with glassy black eyes and placed her little humanlike hands on my face. Safe
in my arms, she began to purr like a contented kitten.

  A crushing feeling wrapped around me like a snake, till I could hardly breathe. Right then and there, I decided to build a protective cocoon. I would build it just like I had watched the caterpillars do. I would start at my feet, spinning and twisting, strand by strand, right up over my head. It would be so strong that nothing could get inside. Not sadness, not memories, nothing painful. It would be invisible, and it would keep me safe.

  The next afternoon, Mama was taking a platter of food over to Mr. Speed’s house. “Bones, would you like to come with me?”

  “No, ma’am, I don’t want to go over there.”

  “You know, it might be good if you visited with Mr. and Mrs. Ball. Sometimes it helps being with people who feel the same as you do.”

  “I don’t want to go. I don’t want go over there.”

  “I know your heart is broken, Bones. I wish I could make it all go away, but I can’t.”

  The rest of the week, Little Man and I sat on the school bus together, not saying a word. Our grief and unspoken words piled up like two ragged mountains with a deep valley running between them. Before I got off the bus on Friday, he said, “I’ll see you tomorrow at the funeral, Bones.”

  Saturday morning Mama came in my room. “You can wear your dungarees if you want.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Bones, I know you are suffering. We all are. I wish you would talk about it.”

  “I don’t have anything to say.”

  When we drove up to Bethany Baptist Church, we could hardly find parking. At the front door we were bathed in the rich sounds of church hymns. Before I entered I took a deep breath and squeezed my arms around my chest to make sure nothing could seep through my cocoon. I walked in between Nolay and Mama. Little Man sat with his family in one of the pews. We glanced at each other. His face was flushed, like he had been at the beach all day, and his big brown eyes were rimmed with red.