by Nikki Carter
Ricky laughs. “You better not. You know that Gwen will come back here and pinch you like you’re four years old.”
“I know it, but I’m afraid I won’t be able to help myself.”
Hope slips into the sanctuary, also looking beat. She gives me and Ricky some very conspicuous side eye. I mean, she doesn’t even try to hide it.
“Do you think she’s still mad at me?” Ricky asks.
“I think she’s gonna be mad at you for a minute. Just give her some time, okay?”
Kevin’s grandmother, Mother Witherspoon, is shooting Ricky some head-usher evil eye. A whole family of visitors walked in and took a seat without a program or a fan. In Mother Witherspoon’s book that is nothing short of blasphemy. I won’t be surprised if she makes Ricky go down to the altar and repent.
Pastor Stokes finally takes the podium, and I groan out loud when I see he’s wearing a comfortable suit. That means he’s settling in for a nice hour-long sermon. Why today of all days? When all I want to do is go back home and crash.
He’s preaching about loving our enemies. I glance over at Elder LeRon sitting in the pulpit along with my uncle. It feels like LeRon is almost an enemy, even though I know he loves my mother.
How could he blame Candy’s problems on me? And even after he knew I wasn’t involved, how could he not apologize? That is so the opposite of right.
After a quite merciful thirty-five minutes, Pastor Stokes is done. You don’t think thirty-five minutes is merciful? Well, he’s been known to go for an hour and a half when he wears his comfortable suit, so I consider myself blessed today!
I go over to Mother Cranford after service. I know she’s not speaking to me, because I’ve truly been neglecting her on the weekends. I never expected my life to get so busy and complicated.
“Well, lookee here. It’s my long-lost employee,” Mother Cranford says as I place a light kiss on her cheek.
“Mother, you know it’s football season! After I’m done Hi-Stepping for the year, I promise I’ll be more reliable.”
“Mmm-hmm. You might come back and find out somebody else done took your spot.”
“You wouldn’t do that, Mother.”
She lets out her low and throaty laugh. “And why not?”
“Because you love me, that’s why!”
“Humph! I also love my Lean Cuisines.”
“I promise I’ll be back, Mother Cranford!” I see Gwen waving at me from across the sanctuary. “My mom wants me right now, though, so I gotta run.”
“All right, baby. Have a blessed week.”
“You too, Mother.”
Gwen has this huge smile on her face like she has something good to tell me. It must not be too good, because Candy is standing next to her and scowling hard.
“Hey, Mommy,” I say to Gwen as I give her a hug.
Candy rolls her eyes. She better fall back, because I don’t do all that eye-rolling when she’s saying Daddy this and Daddy that.
“We’re going to dinner with Pastor today, so I wanted to make sure you didn’t get lost with your friends.”
Dinner with Pastor Stokes is so not the business. The conversation is usually boring and Gwen always finds some reason to get offended. Typically, it’s something that my aunt Elena says. But maybe Gwen will be cool today after just hearing a message about loving our enemies.
“Can I ride with Pastor?” I ask. I don’t want to spend any extra time in close quarters with LeRon or with Candy’s gloomy self.
“Sure. Go ahead.”
I walk across the sanctuary to where Hope and Aunt Elena are sitting and waiting for Pastor Stokes. Umm ... why is Hope frowning at me like she doesn’t have good sense? Now I’m thinking I’d rather deal with gloomy Candy.
Before I even get a chance to say hello, Hope says, “I’m not speaking to you, Gia.”
“What did I do this time?” I ask wearily.
“Kevin told me that you, he, and Ricky are all going to Homecoming together as a group.”
What is wrong with Kevin? All that praying and carrying on, you’d think he’d have better sense than to tell this to Hope right after Ricky rejected her.
“Yeah, we talked about it a week ago, I guess. No big deal.”
Hope’s eyes watered. “A week ago? You knew you were going to Homecoming with Ricky a week ago and you still let me walk around thinking he was gonna go with me? Gia, you are foul for that.”
“Wait a minute. I didn’t let you do anything. Don’t get mad at me because you wouldn’t listen to anyone.”
“But you knew I wanted to go with him and then you go and make plans behind my back?”
I let out a huge sigh. “Look, we’re going as a group. We’re not going together like on a date. If you weren’t trying to make Ricky your boo we probably would’ve invited you too.”
Aunt Elena, who had been paying us no attention up until now, gets into the conversation. “What is going on here? Hope, you know how your father and I feel about dating.”
Hope nods. “Right. You have to know the boy and his parents, and it has to be in groups.”
“Okay, as long as we’re on the same page ...”
“We are, Mom. You know Ricky’s parents.”
Aunt Elena’s face lights up. “Ricardo Freeman? Little Ricky?”
I don’t know where Aunt Elena has been, but Ricky is definitely not “Little Ricky” anymore.
“Yes, Ricky Freeman,” Hope says, with a half smile.
Elena hugs Hope and kisses her on the cheek. “He’s a wonderful young man. I’m happy you chose him. So what are you two fussing about?”
Okay ... Twilight Zone alert. Is Hope gonna tell her mother that Ricky is one hundred percent against dating anyone?
Hope replies, “Gia and Kevin made plans to go with Ricky to Homecoming when they both knew I wanted to ask him.”
“Aunt Elena, isn’t the boy supposed to ask the girl?” I ask.
Elena takes a long pause. “Well, in a perfect world, the boy should do the pursuing. But sometimes they’re shy and need a little prompting. It doesn’t hurt for them to know you like them too.”
“See, I told you, Gia,” Hope says.
I throw up the whatever hand to Hope. “Auntie, what if the boy says he doesn’t like you? Are you supposed to keep chasing him and harassing his friends?”
Now Aunt Elena looks confused. “He doesn’t like Hope? How could he not like Hope? She’s flawless and honestly the best he can do in this church.”
“Thank you, Mommy!” Hope says as she hugs her mother around the neck.
Remind me why I said I wanted to ride with them? I think I’ll take doom and gloom over crazy and crazier! And what does Aunt Elena mean that Hope is the best Ricky can do in this church? Anyway!
Aunt Elena looks up at me from her hug. “Gia, I expect you to include your cousin on this group-date thing for Homecoming.”
“It’s not a date.”
“Well, I still expect her to be invited. Your mother and I have that agreement, you know, that we won’t allow either of you to leave the other out.”
Yes, I know that Elena and Gwen said that many, many years ago. But I can’t even count how many times they’ve broken that agreement over the years. I think all the sleepovers, birthday parties, and spa days that I’ve been left out of, entitle me to one cool night out with my best friend.
When I don’t reply to my aunt’s command, she says, “Did you hear what I said, Gia? All four of you have hung out together in the past ... wait ... there’s Ricky now. Ricky! Come over here, please!”
Ricky is going to be extra salty. But he can’t blame this on me. He can blame it on big mouth, church gossip, Kevin.
“Praise the Lord, First Lady Elena. Hey, Hope! Hey, Gia!” Ricky says with his typical chipper tone.
“Hello, Ricky,” says Aunt Elena. “What’s this I hear about you all not inviting Hope to be in your group for Homecoming?”
Ricky’s eyes widen and he looks at me. I say one word.
“Kevin.”
“It wasn’t done purposely, First Lady,” Ricky explains. “We thought that Hope wanted to go with a boy on a date, and we didn’t want to do that.”
“Well, I think you should all go together! That would be the best thing,” Aunt Elena says. “You’re all friends anyway.”
Hope has a triumphant look on her face because she must know, like I know, that there is no way Ricky can get out of this one. Ricky looks a little bit green, actually, like he’s about to be sick.
“Okay, First Lady. Hope can come with us, as long as she knows that I’m not her date.”
Hope glares angrily at Ricky and I cover my mouth to hold in my laughter. That’s exactly what she gets for trying to put him on blast to her mama. Ha!
Aunt Elena is not pleased. “That’s fine, Ricky. But you could do a lot worse than my Hope.”
Why did she just look at me when she said that? Am I supposed to be “a lot worse”? Auntie must forget that I’ve got Gwen’s blood running through my veins. She better be glad I’m trying not to embarrass my mother and that we’re in the sanctuary.
“Oh, I know, First Lady. Hope is a great girl. I just don’t think I’m ready for all that yet.”
Aunt Elena sees Pastor Stokes walk out of his office and she stands. “Well, it’s settled then. Hope will join the rest of you for Homecoming. I’m sure it’ll be lovely. We’re going out to dinner now, Ricky. Have a blessed week.”
“You too, First Lady.”
I try to walk away with my aunt and cousin, but Ricky grabs my arm and holds me back. He whispers, “What was that about?”
“Ask your boy Kevin! He’s the one who told Hope our plan, and Aunt Elena doesn’t like the idea that you might actually be rejecting her daughter.”
“This is a mess! I don’t want to walk into Homecoming with Hope! Everyone’s gonna think we’re together .”
I nod in agreement. “Not to mention that if everyone thinks you and Hope are on a date, everyone’s gonna assume that I’m with Kevin. Me definitely no likee.”
“So you better think of something then, Gia.”
Ricky runs off to talk to the youth choir director and I head out to the parking lot. Why does everything have to be up to me to fix? I’m not a miracle worker! But trust and believe I will not have anyone thinking that I’m with Kevin! Ewwww ...
25
I’m sitting at the table finishing up my math homework for tomorrow. I know I waited until the last minute, but this weekend has been so action-packed that I’m just now getting around to it. It would consist of a bunch of story problems that I hate! Ugh!!!
LeRon is in the kitchen rummaging around in the refrigerator for something. I don’t know what it could be, because he ate so much at dinner that I was embarrassed for him. As soon as Pastor Stokes said he was treating, LeRon started ordering stuff off the menu that he didn’t even know how to pronounce. He knows good and well he wouldn’t ever go up in a restaurant ordering roast duck. He needs to stop playing.
“What are you doing?” he asks.
“My math homework.”
He nods. “You should’ve gotten that done before all of your fun.”
“Yeah, I guess. But my mom lets me be responsible for how I get my work done, as long as it’s done. I get straight A’s, so I must be doing something right.” I’m not about to let him stand up here and clown me, for real.
“Straight A’s! You must be really proud of that.”
Why is he trying to have a conversation with me? Does he not see me trying to finish my homework? I’m trying to be responsible. Good grief!
“Umm ... yeah. I am. I need to get scholarships if I want to go to the college I choose.”
“So where do you want to go?” he asks.
“Spelman, I think.”
“All the way to Atlanta, huh?”
I put my pencil down and look at LeRon. If I send him a mental vibe or two that this isn’t conversation time, maybe he’ll let me finish this. I’ve got eight story problems to go, because the first four took an hour. I don’t want to be up all night long!
LeRon swallows a bite out of the huge hunk of cake he’s holding. “Oh, I’m sorry. You’re trying to get your work done.”
“It’s okay. I’ll ... ummm ... let you get back to your cake now.” Okay, this is really awkward.
“All right. See you in the morning,” LeRon says and then starts toward his and Gwen’s bedroom with his cake and a glass of milk.
Good! Go to bed, man!
“Umm, Gia?”
Grrr! What now? “Yes?”
“I just wanted to say that I’m sorry for how I’ve been treating you.”
Huh? Okay, totally did not expect this.
“It’s okay,” I reply.
“No. It’s not okay. Your mother has gone out of her way to make sure Candy feels welcome in this family, and I haven’t extended you the same courtesy.”
I take a huge gulp. How am I supposed to respond to this? Am I supposed to respond to this?
“I forgive you, LeRon.”
“Well, thanks. But I want to prove what I’m saying, Gia. I’ve decided to set up a little office in the corner of the living room so you can have the other bedroom. You’re used to your own space, and it’s not right that you have to share with Candy. How about you, your mother, and I go and pick out paint and decorations for your new room?”
“Thank you, LeRon!”
I am so excited, I can almost give him a hug. I said almost. It’s a process, people.
“You’re welcome, Gia. Good night.”
“Good night.”
Well, who saw this one coming? Definitely not me! I guess that’s how God works, though. Sometimes He does things for you when you least expect it.
So what color should my new room be? I’m thinking Tweety yellow ...
26
“Gia, hide me!”
Why is Candy convinced that she can go through the entire school day without someone peeping out her ri-darn-diculous outfit? She plans to wear her winter coat all day?
“Candy, you need to take that coat off and put it in your locker,” I say as she darts behind my locker door. A group of cheerleaders are walking down the hall.
“No! If we do this properly, no one has to know about this.”
Kevin and Ricky are coming toward us, because we usually walk to breakfast together.
“Oh, no!” Candy whines. “Tell them to go away!”
“I will not. You are not going to make me be a part of your punishment, Candy. You’re just gonna have to suck it up!”
Kevin is the first one to notice Candy’s lame gear. “What in the world are you wearing?” he asks.
Now, you know your outfit is looking crazy if tight-Wrangler-and-patent-leather-church-shoe boy is clowning you. Dang!
Ricky throws his head back and laughs. “Gwen is off the charts! I can’t believe she’s got you looking this foolish.”
“Don’t blame this all on Gwen. Her daddy was in on this too!” I exclaim. “I actually think it was his idea.”
Candy’s eyes drop to the floor. “I didn’t think y’all would laugh at me too!” she says.
“Okay, okay. We’re sorry,” Kevin says. “This will be our one and only time laughing at your ... ensemble.”
Valerie is marching down the hall with her minions, because today is the day we vote for Homecoming court. She’s handing out brownies with her picture on them, to remind people to vote for her. Ricky, on the other hand, is wearing a Romeo for Prince button to remind people not to vote for him!
Hilarious.
Of course, Valerie stops at our little crew and hands everyone a brownie. She stops at Candy.
“Oh my goodness,” Valerie says as she looks Candy up and down. “Please tell me that is a Halloween costume of some sort. Who are you supposed to be?”
Candy mumbles, “It’s not a costume.”
“What did you say, chica? I didn’t hear you. Did you say that this eyesore of an
outfit is not a costume?”
Candy takes a deep breath and points her chin up. “No. It is not a costume. It’s what I’ll be wearing for a while.”
“What? Have you lost your mind? Hi-Steppers don’t roll like that.” Valerie looks like she’s about ready to faint.
“I know, right?” Kelani chirps. “Those pants are not the business.”
Jewel adds, “And those shoes, mami! What are you thinking?”
Okay, since when did Jewel start with the Latina jargon? It’s sooo not cute.
“Are you three finished?” Ricky asks.
Valerie’s face turns into a twisted frown. Candy’s eyes widen with panic. “It’s cool, Valerie! It’s just a dare that I lost to Gia. Right, Gia?”
She’s looking at me with pleading eyes, but I am not about to lie for her, so I don’t say anything.
Valerie seems skeptical. “Mmm-hmm. So why weren’t you at my hayride on Saturday?”
“Umm ... I-I wasn’t feeling well.” So I guess she’s just gonna keep lying, huh? She hasn’t learned her lesson at all.
Valerie hands her box of brownies to Jewel and gets right in Candy’s face. “I think you’re lying. You don’t do it well, honey. Now, what’s really going on?”
Candy takes a long, deep breath. I don’t think she wanted to spill her guts about this punishment thing, but Valerie is not gonna stop until she gets the truth.
“I’m on punishment,” Candy says.
“For what? What could you have done that would be sooo bad that your parents would make you wear this?” Valerie’s hand sweeps the air up and down Candy’s gear.
Then, something apparently clicks in Valerie’s head. “Did you get caught shoplifting?”
Candy doesn’t answer. She just looks away.
“Oooh! Your parents are dead wrong for this!” Kelani says.
Valerie puts a hand up to shush Kelani. “So how long is this going to go on?”
“A month,” Candy replies in a voice barely above a whisper.
“A month! This is not good. We’re going to have to evaluate your A-squad status if you’re going to be looking like an idiot for a whole month.”
I have to cut in. “Okay, Valerie. That’s enough. I think she already feels bad as it is, you don’t have to rub it in. Plus, she’s only allowed to come to practice during her punishment, not perform.”