by Joy Redmond
Ali beamed as Toots helped her into the gown, and to her surprise, it was a perfect fit. She looked at herself in the full-length mirror. The dress showed her tiny waist and the low-cut top showed off her ample breasts. She turned and admired the back, which was exposed almost to the waistline. Tiny straps held it on her shoulders. Until that moment, Ali had really never thought about what a perfect figure she possessed—and she wished with all her heart that someday she would have a beautiful gown like that for herself.
As Ali continued to turn in various directions to admire the gown, Aunt July finally said harshly, “Alright, that’s enough! Take it off, and don’t be getting any ideas about wearing a gown that makes you look like a slut. Sometimes I feel sinful just for making such things, but I don’t have to answer to God for things that other people wear.”
As Ali gingerly took off the gown, Toots whispered, “You looked beautiful in that dress, Ali. You’re built like a model.”
“No more foolish talk!” Aunt July snapped. “I only hope the lady will come pick it up so we can get paid for our hard work. She said she needed it for this Saturday night.”
Saturday came and went, and the client never came to pick up the gown, but Ali was secretly glad. She wanted it to hang in the closet so she could admire it from time to time and dream of the day when she’d wear one just like it.
As the summer went on, Ali spent weekdays working the vegetable and flower gardens, then cooking and sewing. She longed to be with people her own age and doing the things they were doing. Ali’s Saturdays were spent shopping with Aunt July.
Saturdays were hard to bear. Toots worked a half day at the beauty shop, then went to the movies and hung out with other girls at the Dairy Queen and didn’t visit Ali. Sundays were worse as she had to spend them with Grandma and Grandpa at church and their house.
As summer dragged on and on, Ali sometimes wondered if she would go completely insane. All she had was Mr. Puss, who never left her side. At times Mr. Puss would softly meow when Ali stroked him and her tears ran, as if he were trying to say, “I’m sorry.”
Chapter Eleven
The summer finally ended, but Ali dreaded having to go back to school dressed in her homemade outfits, where she would be laughed at by the students and shunned by the faculty as if she was the town tramp. She could only hold on to a little hope that everyone might have forgotten everything over the summer. If so, maybe eighth grade would be bearable—maybe.
Aunt July had made Ali several long skirts and blouses and Ali wondered if she’d ever be able to forgive her for the embarrassment that would be heaped on her. Would she ever be able to love her aunt as a niece should? She desperately wanted to, but unless things changed drastically, she simply couldn’t see it happening. She remembered how Mama Jane had cried while telling her that she loved her parents and sister, but they refused to accept her for the way she was. Now Ali understood exactly what Mama Jane’s tears truly meant.
The first day of school, Ali was up early, ate breakfast with Aunt July, fed Mr. Puss, and then announced hopefully, “Okay, Aunt July, I’m ready to walk to Toots’ house so we can walk to school together. I’ll see you this afternoon.”
Before Ali reached the front door, Aunt July headed her off, saying, “Oh no you don’t! I’ll still be driving you to school every morning and picking you up every afternoon. I know more than you think I do, young lady.”
Aunt July’s statement sent a shiver down Ali’s spine. Did she know about cheerleading and the lie she had told about working in the library? If so, what else did she know?
* * *
The school year dragged on and on, and Ali received much the same treatment as she had at the end of the previous year. Todd James still asked her to go to the movies with him on Saturdays, but she always declined. It was a relief when graduation day finally arrived.
The ceremony was simple and short, and Ali was glad that the graduation gown covered her homemade clothes. She stuffed her long hair under the cap and Aunt July allowed her to wear her sandals, so she didn’t feel like a total freak.
The Saturday after graduation, Toots asked Ali to ask Aunt July to let them go uptown and get a banana split, and Ali reluctantly agreed to try.
At breakfast, Ali said, “Aunt July, since I’ve been a model prisoner for a year now, would it be okay if I went with Toots to Woolworth’s—”
Aunt July cut her off in midsentence. “No! There will be no more going uptown for anything—including the movie theater. I can’t trust you when you’re out of my sight. We’ll just spend the summer like we did last summer.”
Ali jumped up from her chair, almost knocking it over, and shouted, “I hate you, you mean, spiteful old woman. Even prisoners have a chance to be paroled! I’ve been held captive for a whole year, for God’s sake—”
Aunt July snapped, “Ali Monroe, you will not take the Lord’s name in vain again! You can hate me if you want, but I’m only trying to raise you to be a decent young woman.” Tears ran down her face as she conceded, “I’ll let you go uptown with Toots today for a banana split, but that’s all—do you understand?”
Ali scoffed, “Like any boy would want to hang out with me. I’m just another Monroe freak and all the boys ignore me.”
“A Monroe freak?” Aunt July said, dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief. “You have no idea how much you break my heart. Just go on—get out of here.”
As Ali hurried from the kitchen, Aunt July yelled, “You have one hour. If you’re so much as five minutes late, I’ll have your hide. I’ll start tilling the garden, but I expect you back here to help.”
Ali ran into the bathroom, brushed her hair, rubbed baby oil through it, and pulled it back in a ponytail. She found a skirt and blouse from the previous year and slipped them on. She had grown a lot during the past year so they weren’t as loose, which made her feel a little better. She buttoned the blouse and realized she could barely get the buttons through the holes in the bust area. She grabbed a lightweight jacket and put it on so Aunt July wouldn’t notice how tight the blouse was.
Ali gave Mr. Puss’ fur a couple quick strokes, and then headed for the front door, hoping she could make it outside before Aunt July saw her. She was sweating by the time she reached Toots’ house, where she removed the jacket and walked around the house and into the backyard.
Kneeling by the lilac bush, she said, “Hi, Mama Jane. I just wanted to say that I can feel you looking down on me and sometimes I can almost hear you crying because of the way I’m being treated, but I’m going to escape someday, and I know you’ll help me. I’m thinking about a place with a beach. I remember you saying that you always wanted to live near a beach—”
Toots opened the back door and stepped onto the porch. “I thought I saw you out here. You needed to visit your mama, huh? I didn’t expect to see you. Did your aunt find a little piece of heart again?”
Ali stood, saying, “I don’t think she has much of a heart—but this morning I blew up and told her I hated her, so I suppose she thought she’d better turn me loose for an hour. But that’s all we’ve got—one hour—so we’d better get moving.”
When they reached Main Street, Toots said, “You know, nobody goes to Woolworth’s anymore. Everyone goes to Dairy Queen. It’s this way.”
Once inside the Dairy Queen, Ali looked around and said, “Wow, this is nice. Let’s eat our banana splits outside, okay? Boy Howdy, it’ll be more fun than eating inside at Woolworth’s.”
“You know, I’m tired of banana splits. I want a hot fudge sundae with a lot of nuts on top. The nuts cost a little more, but they’re worth it,” Toots said thoughtfully.
“I’ve never had one, but I’ve got enough money, so I’ll have one too,” Ali said.
They got their sundaes, then went outside and found a vacant picnic table. A few minutes later, Todd James walked up and sat next to Ali. Ali wondered if he’d been watching her the whole time.
“Hey, Ali!” Todd said cheerfully. “I haven’t
seen you out in a long time. It’s good to see you again—outside school, that is. Would you like to go to the movies with me later?”
Ali shook her head and sighed, “I still don’t have permission to go to the movies. As a matter of fact, I’ve only got twenty minutes before I have to be home.” Looking at Toots, she asked, “Are you ready to go? I can’t be late or my head will be on a platter.”
“You might have to go home, but I don’t,” Toots said. Then, looking at Todd, she added, “I’ll go to the movies with you.”
Ali pushed her sundae away and said, “A fine friend you are. Go ahead, go to the movies. I’ll survive without you too.”
Ali jumped up and started running toward home. When she reached Plum Street, she glanced over her shoulder, expecting to see Toots running after her, but Toots was nowhere in sight.
Tears stung her eyes as she continued on her way. She thought about how much Todd had changed in the last year. He was turning into a handsome young man, and his voice was deeper, almost sexy.
“What does it matter?” she mumbled as she kept walking. “I’ll never be allowed to have a boyfriend. Toots can have him—and she can kiss my ass while she’s at it!”
Suddenly, she heard heavy footsteps coming from behind. She turned to see Todd running toward her.
“Hold on, Ali,” Todd said breathlessly. “I’ll walk you the rest of the way home. I never said I wanted to go to the movies with Toots. Please don’t be mad at me—or Toots.”
Wiping the tears from her cheeks, Ali said, “I’m not mad at you or Toots—I’m just mad. My crazy aunt refuses to let me be a teenager. She’s stealing my life, and I’ll never be able to get these years back. I’ll only be a teenager once.”
Todd nodded, but didn’t seem to know how to respond as they walked along. Then he finally said, “Do you think it would it be okay if I came to visit you at your house for a while? We could just sit outside and talk. That way, your aunt would know exactly where you are, and you and I could get to know each other.”
Ali wanted nothing more at that moment, but just the thought of the embarrassment she’d have to suffer while Aunt July pitched a fit made her stop in her tracks.
“I’m sorry, Todd, but I’ll have to ask permission before you’ll be allowed near me, even on the front porch,” she said sadly, “but I’ll tell you what. I’ll ask my aunt if you can come by for a little while next Saturday, okay?” Before Todd could respond, Ali turned to hurry home, calling over her shoulder, “I’ve got to get back now. I can’t be late. It was nice seeing you too.”
Ali raced into the house with only seconds to spare and hurried to her bedroom, where she quickly put on a skirt that was shorter than she was allowed to wear in public and a sleeveless blouse. She then went into the kitchen, filled a glass with cold water, and went outside, where she found Aunt July and Mr. Puss in the backyard. Aunt July was sitting on the ground, her back braced against the side of the garage.
Ali held out the glass, saying, “I thought you might need this about now. It’s getting kind of hot.”
Aunt July smiled as she reached for the glass. Glancing at her watch, she said, “You timed it just right. Thank you.” After she had drained the glass, she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and said with a slight chuckle, “You know, Mr. Puss is probably ready for a drink, too. I swear, he walked right behind me the whole time to make sure I was doing it right.”
With considerable difficulty, Aunt July managed to lift her large body from the ground. “I’ve got the tilling done. We can start planting tomorrow. I need to go inside and rest a spell. You two can stay out here for as long as you want.”
Once Aunt July was out of earshot, Ali picked up Mr. Puss and said, “I know I told you we’d leave here when I turned sixteen, but I’m afraid the truth is we’re going to have to wait until I’m eighteen. I have to graduate high school, but it’s only four more years.”
Ali carried Mr. Puss into the kitchen, where she kicked off her dusty shoes and opened a can of Friskies to fill the cat’s bowl. In the living room, she found Aunt July sitting on the couch fanning herself.
She sat in the rocker next to the couch and said, “Aunt July, there’s a boy that I’ve known since first grade. He’s very nice and he goes to church.” She paused momentarily to gauge her aunt’s reaction, and then continued. “And, well, he asked if it would be alright to come over and sit on the front porch and talk. We only see each other at school and we’ve never really had a chance to—”
Aunt July held up her hand and said, “Ali, I’ve told you before. You won’t be allowed to date until you’re sixteen. I don’t want to hear about any boys wanting to call on you.”
“It’s not a date,” Ali protested. “We’d be right on the front porch the whole time where you could see us any time you want.”
“Any time a boy comes to your house, it’s a date,” Aunt July countered. “So the answer is no!”
“It would not be a date!” Ali said, her face growing red. “You have to go somewhere for it to be a date—and you won’t let me go anywhere!”
“It’s a date in my book,” Aunt July said dismissively, “and that ends the discussion.”
Ali stood and yelled, “For God’s sake, you’re demented!”
As Ali stormed toward her bedroom, Aunt July called, “That’s the second time you’ve used the Lord’s name in vain today! The next time you’ll get your mouth washed out with soap. I swear, you’re getting to be more like your mama every day!”
Ali had felt hatred for Aunt July many times in the past, but she had never felt it as strongly as she did at that moment. She slammed the bedroom door and prayed as she sat on the edge of the bed.
“Dear Mr. God, that woman is insane. Forgive me if wishing she was dead is wrong, but right now, that’s exactly how I feel. Yours truly, Ali Monroe.”
Ali sprawled across her bed. She just couldn’t wait until she was eighteen. She had to get away as soon as possible. She just couldn’t take any more. She closed her eyes and whispered, “Mama Jane, please help me. Lead me to somewhere else—anywhere else. I can’t stand it here another minute!”
Suddenly, Ali felt a warm glow surround her. She opened her eyes, hoping to see Mama Jane holding a map, but Mama Jane was nowhere in sight.
Ali sighed, “I can feel you, Mama Jane, and I know you’re watching over me, but I need your help.” Suddenly, the warm glow she felt was replaced by a bone-chilling cold.
“What are you trying to tell me, Mama Jane?” Ali asked, pulling a blanket around her shivering body. “Do you want me to tough it out until I’m eighteen? Is that it?”
As quickly as it had departed, the warm glow returned.
Sighing again, Ali said, “Okay. I understand. I know you’ll let me know when the time is right. Thanks, Mama Jane.” Ali rolled onto her stomach and feel into a peaceful sleep.
She was awakened some time later by Aunt July calling from the doorway, “Ali, you’ve slept for two hours. If you don’t get up, you’ll never be able to sleep tonight.”
Ali blinked to clear her head. Had she really slept that long? Had Mama Jane put a sleep spell on her to give her some peace for a while? It didn’t matter. Mama Jane had given her the guidance she’d been seeking so desperately.
* * *
As summer dragged on, Toots came over to visit from time to time, but she spent most of her summer working for Nancy and hanging out with friends. The week before the start of high school, Aunt July surprised Ali by letting her visit the beauty shop.
Ali ran all the way, her heart filled with joy. She was breathless when she finally reached Nancy’s shop. When Ali opened the front door, Toots dropped the broom, threw her arms around Ali, and the two of them swayed back and forth as if they hadn’t seen each other in years.
“I’m so glad you could bust out of prison and come for a visit,” Toots said, smiling broadly. “Does your aunt know where you are?”
“Believe it or not, she does,” Ali said,
“and what’s more, she gave me two hours today. How about that?” Then Ali lowered her voice and asked conspiratorially, “Do you think Nancy would have time to cut my hair? I’m not going to start high school with this mop. What else can the old witch do to me? She’s already stolen two summers of my life, and you know that when school starts I won’t be allowed to go anywhere but church and to my grandparents’ house.”
Nancy walked into the room and smiled warmly when she saw Ali, but after Ali had made her request, she said with a sigh, “Honey, you know that nothing would give me more pleasure than to cut that horrible hair, but I’m afraid July would bomb my shop or something.”
Seeing the look of disappointment on Ali’s face, Nancy paused a moment, then said, “Okay, I’m willing to take the chance if you are. Get in the chair and let’s see what we can do.”
Barely able to contain her excitement, Ali said, “I’d love to get it cut up to my shoulders, but Aunt July would lock me in my room and nail the window shut again. So I’m thinking about a trim and then I’ll have to hope she won’t notice.”
“I’ve got an idea,” said Nancy. “I can layer it and trim the ends. I won’t take off enough length for your aunt to notice, but the layers will take out the bulk. It’ll also feel ten pounds lighter and will be a lot more manageable. I also have some new conditioner that you can use instead of baby oil. You just sit back and let me work my magic.”
“Thanks, Nancy,” Ali said happily. “If it’ll make me look more human, I’ll risk whatever torture Aunt July decides to dish out.”
As Nancy picked up the thinning shears, Ali’s heart soared. She was going to look pretty when she started high school, and that was worth any punishment she might receive. It took a long time, but Nancy finally announced, “Okay, I think that’s about all we’ll take off. I thinned out enough hair to stuff a mattress.”
Nancy then gave Ali a shampoo and finished by adding conditioner and running her fingers through Ali’s hair. “If I blow dry your hair,” Nancy explained, “it will give it too much volume. It needs to air dry.”