The Honey Well

by Gloria Mallette

  Richard didn’t have a bit of fun and quite literally exhaled when he pulled up in the driveway of his own two-story, roomy Cape Cod house in Laurelton, Queens. “No place like home,” he said, cutting the engine and turning on the dome light so that he could see all they had to gather up.

  “The house is dark,” Stella said, looking at all the windows on the front of the house, upstairs and down. “Katrina must be out, unless she’s back in her bedroom.”

  Pulling on her leather thongs, Celeste was hopeful. If she’s out, I won’t have to see her stupid face tonight. Thank God for small favors.

  “Where would she go on a Sunday night?” Richard asked.

  “Somewhere with Damon,” Celeste replied. “You know how tight they are.”

  “It’s after ten. Doesn’t she have to go to work tomorrow?”

  Stella answered, “No, she took off.”

  “Again? That’s not a good way to start out.”

  “Richard, it’s only a summer job at Burger King,” Stella said, picking up her pocketbook from the floor between her feet. “Katrina’ll be fine once she finishes college and gets a regular job.”

  “Yeah, right, Ma. You know Katrina doesn’t like to work. She said she’s gonna marry somebody rich so she won’t have to.”

  “Well, she better do it soon,” Richard said. “She’s not gonna make a living staying in bed all day or partying every night.”

  “Yes she can, Dad. She could become—”

  “Celeste!” Stella said. “Don’t you start. You, too, Richard. Both of you leave Katrina alone. She’ll be fine.”

  Celeste snickered behind her hand. Her mother knew what she was about to say, and that’s because Katrina thought she was the bomb and used her body to get any guy she wanted. What did that say about her?

  Stella pushed open her door and again looked at the house. “I left a message for Katrina telling her that we would be coming in tonight. You’d think she’d be home.”

  “Where did you leave the message, Ma? On the house machine or the one in Katrina’s room?”

  “The house machine, I think.”

  “Ma, you know Katrina never checks that answering machine.”

  “Yeah, that’s true, I forgot.”

  Again Richard yawned. “Man, I’m tired. The next time we go anywhere, I’m staying in a hotel.”

  “Me, too,” Celeste agreed, as she collected the empty potato chip bag, candy wrappers, empty soda cans and plastic slushie cups tossed on the floor. “Ma, I don’t like sleeping with you.”

  “I don’t like sleeping with you either; you toss and turn too much, but you and your daddy are just spoiled.”

  Richard pushed a button under the dash and popped the car’s trunk. “If you consider me spoiled because I like sleeping in a king-size bed and having my own damn bathroom to use when I need to, then so be it, I’m spoiled.” Then opening the door he slowly pushed himself out of the car. “And another thing, I don’t like being cornered by family with their hands out.”

  “Who asked you for money? You didn’t tell me anything about that.”

  “Your nephew Joe, and your cousin Ralph.”

  “Did you give them anything?”

  “Sure did—a handshake and a ‘I’m broke’ speech. What do they think, we’re rich?” Stretching out fully, Richard walked stiffly to the trunk and grunting, started unloading the suitcases.

  “I didn’t know they’d asked you for money,” Stella said, deciding to keep her mouth shut about giving Edith fifty dollars, Joe thirty dollars, and Ralph fifty dollars.

  “I’m with Dad, Ma. I’m for staying in a hotel, and for flying the next time we have to go anywhere.” Taking her bag of garbage and her small carry-on bag, Celeste got out of the car, glad to be able to fully stretch out her legs. “Dad, planes fly to Ohio, you know.”

  “Good, save your money. Next time we’ll meet you there.”

  “I’m not going back to Ohio,” Celeste said, meaning it, and she wasn’t ever driving anywhere that took more than an hour to get to.

  “That’s your family, Celeste,” Stella said.

  “Your family first, Ma, and they’re boring.”

  “Celeste—”

  “Let her be, Stella. She’s a teenager, everyone’s boring to her.”

  “That’s right. I’m going inside to call Sean.”

  “Before you do, miss, come get these bags,” Richard said, indicating two large plastic shopping bags full of clothes that Stella and Celeste had shopped for in Ohio that were still in the trunk. “And hurry up and open up the door and get the lights on.” Richard’s hands were full and he didn’t feel like digging into his pocket for his house keys. “I have to go to the bathroom.”

  Stella stayed behind. “And, Celeste, come back and help me get the rest of this stuff out of the back.”

  “I have to go to the bathroom, too,” Celeste said, using her key to unlock the door.

  “I bet you do,” Stella said, knowing that Celeste was anxious to get her hands on the telephone.

  “Dad, I’ll use the upstairs bathroom.” Dropping the bags in the front hall, Celeste quickly turned on the lights in the hallway and in the living room, and then taking the stairs two at a time, rushed up to the bathroom on the second floor. As soon as she took care of her business, she headed for her bedroom to cool out and call Sean, but just as she was passing Katrina’s bedroom, she heard a noise coming from behind the closed door. She looked down at the bottom of the door and saw a thin line of light. Katrina was home. Celeste pressed her right ear to the door. She heard the sound of someone shushing someone. Normally, she would not go into Katrina’s room uninvited, which was never, but she was intrigued. Celeste pushed open the door. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the closet door as it was closing.

  “Who told you to open my damn door?” Katrina was on the far side of her bed hurriedly trying to pull on her panties. Her hair was all over her head.

  “I saw that,” Celeste said, her eyes glued to the closet as she boldly stepped inside Katrina’s room. “Who’s in there?”

  “Celeste, U’ma kick your ass.” Katrina searched frantically for her bra. “Get outta my room!”

  Teasingly, Celeste said in a hushed voice with her hand to her mouth, “Ma, Dad, Katrina’s home. And she got company.”

  “U’m gonna kill you, Celeste. There’s no one in my room. Get out and close the door.”

  “Is it Damon? Ooh, Ma and Dad are gonna kill you. You’re not supposed to have him up in your room.”

  Katrina fumbled with her bra but couldn’t get it untwisted to get it on right. She yanked it off her arm and threw it at Celeste. “Get out!” She took a step toward Celeste, but she glanced at the closet door and stopped. “Please, Celeste,” she said in a softer voice, “just leave. I’ll owe you.”

  “That’s all right. This is payment enough. Damon, you better come out before my dad gets up here. The window’s open.”

  “Celeste, stop talking crazy. There’s no one in my closet.”

  “Then why do you look so scared.” Celeste started for the closet.

  Katrina rushed over and blocked Celeste, pushing her back toward the door. “Get out before I kick your ass.”

  Celeste was no longer seeing the humor of the situation. Katrina was caught and what better way to get back at her. “You better get dressed before Ma and Dad get up here.”

  “I hate you.”

  “What else is new? Ma! Dad! Y’all better get up here!”

  Again, Katrina pushed Celeste. “I’m gonna beat your ass!”

  “Let’s see if you get yours beat first.” She pushed Katrina back.

  Richard and Stella rushed into the room. “What’re you girls fighting about now?” Stella asked, out of breath. “Katrina, if you’re home, why are all the lights out?”

  Katrina stood bug-eyed, mouth open, staring at her parents.

  “Girl, put your clothes on!” Richard said, standing behind Stella.

  Katrin
a scurried back to her bed to search for her white tee shirt in the rumpled bedsheet and spread. Quickly finding her oversized tee shirt, she hurriedly tried to put it on but her head and arms got caught up in the shirt. She yanked irritably on it until she was able to pull it on right.

  “Now, what’s going on up here?” Richard asked.

  “Celeste barged into my room without knocking.”

  “That’s because I heard something.”

  “You heard me, stupid! I am in my own room, you know.”

  “Yes, and you’re butt-naked. Dad, I heard another voice in here.”

  “That’s a lie! Ain’t nobody in my room but me.” Richard and Stella both glanced around the room. Seeing nothing but Katrina upset about Celeste barging into her room, they both looked at Celeste.

  “Celeste, you know you girls are supposed to stay out of each other’s rooms,” Stella said. “It’s ridiculous that you two can’t get along.”

  “I’m sick of it myself,” Richard said. “I want it to stop.”

  “I didn’t do anything wrong,” Celeste defended.

  “You came into my room—uninvited!”

  “Is that true, Celeste?” Stella asked.

  “Yeah, but—”

  “Celeste, we’ve only been home five minutes. I’m tired. Must you start up with Katrina the minute we step foot in the house?”

  “I didn’t—”

  “Get out of my room!”

  “Celeste, go to your room,” Richard said. “Tomorrow—”

  “Y’all always taking Katrina’s side. Y’all never listen to me.” Celeste charged at the closet door, getting there before Katrina could stop her. She yanked open the door exposing the half-naked man hiding there. But it wasn’t Damon as Celeste had suspected, it was Sean—her own boyfriend. A boyfriend she had only kissed.

  All hell broke loose. While her father was snatching Sean out of the closet and hauling him toward the door, Celeste, when she recovered from the shock, which was quite swiftly, charged—claws out, teeth bared—at Katrina. Before her mother could come between them, Celeste pulled a handful of Katrina’s hair out of the top of her head. In that moment, she hated her sister.

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  Copyright © 2003 by Gloria Mallette

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  ISBN: 978-0-7582-9197-4