She shakes her head. “I didn’t know how much I’d been hurt until now.”
I put my hand on hers. “The Pink Chips are getting an upgrade when they get you. Even though you probably don’t believe me, I’m happy because you’re happy.”
“I know you don’t like the Pink Chips. I totally get that you’re doing this for me. You’ve put all your feelings aside so you could have my back. I’ve got a big surprise for them. They’re going to love my gifts. I’ve been working on them since Sunny mentioned they were interested in me.”
I’m barely listening to Sage, because I’m watching Sunny and her crew. But Sage pushes my tray and I turn her way. She’s not crying anymore. Her face is dead red on mine. And even though she hasn’t said anything, I feel like I need to answer her expression.
I lean forward. “What?”
She holds on to her water bottle. “Remember, this could be just as good for you as it is for me. She’s got the power to change things, Laura. Whether you like Sunny or not, she can make the field trip go a lot easier. Her word is golden around here. That’s not breaking news.”
I lean back. “You don’t understand, Sage. Things have already changed. And now what Sunny says or thinks is so not important.”
Sage’s eyebrows gather as she leans in. “What? What changed, Laura?”
I think of the letters and pictures, ribbons and recipes inside the ledger. And then the truth writes my problem across the center of my brain.
Even though I’m ready to open the doors of the shack, I’m not ready to share the Lauras.
Not even with my best friend. Or my worst enemy.
All the way home from school, I’m thinking how I’m going to get Grandma to buy into this initiation thing. She probably won’t. I bet she just flat out says no. I can hear the television on in the living room. The crack of the bat and a “That’s outta here!” yell from Grandma tells me how she’s spending her afternoon. I wonder what she did before she learned the game. I pull up next to her chair, bend down, and give her a hug.
“Hey, Grandma, looks like a good game.”
“The Rangers and the Indians. Doesn’t that sound like a good cowboy movie?”
I laugh with her and agree before asking the ultimate question.
“I invited a few girls over to see the shack today. Is that okay?”
She perks up. “Oh, wonderful! I’m so happy to know that you’re having a little girl gathering to introduce your friends to the Line. That just warms my heart.”
I nod. “So, they’ll be here around five. We’ll be finished in half an hour or sooner, okay?”
Grandma starts to get up. “I’ll make a caramel cake for you and your friends.”
I put my hand on her shoulder. “No! I mean, no thanks, Grandma. These girls eat nothing but raw vegetables. Can you imagine?”
Grandma stares at me with her mouth wide open. “No.”
I smile and nod. “I know, right? Anyway, we’re going to talk, you know, girlie stuff. But my friends might stop talking if a grown-up comes in.”
She giggles. “I remember those days. And you’re right, they probably will clam up. So I’ll wait on you to come back to the house, okay?”
“Thanks, Grandma. Can I take a few chairs from the kitchen out to the shack?”
“Sure! Have fun!”
This is the second lie I’ve told in a week. And both of them have to do with the shack. But this has got to be the worst ever. I lied to Grandma, and I’m sure the arrow on my good-granddaughter meter reads . . . BROKEN.
Chapter Twenty-Three
I stand outside and check my watch. It’s just a few minutes before five. Suddenly, I notice Sage’s brother Kevin’s white truck heading up the hill. There’s a pink car behind it. Seriously? A pink car? It has to be them.
Sage gets out of the truck, and her brother hands her two huge shopping bags.
When the Pink Chips get out of the car, I can’t help but ask.
“How did you get a pink car to ride around in?”
London smiles. “My mom sells Mary Kay cosmetics.”
I’m not sure what that has to do with a pink car, but I just nod and let it go. Sage is sporting a brand-new outfit with a new necklace and earrings. I rub her arm.
“You look runway ready, Sage. Dark blue is a good color for you.”
She’s misting and breathing short breaths. “Thanks, Laura.”
I reach for one of her bags.
“Just relax. Let me help you with those.”
Sunny steps in between us. “She doesn’t need any help. Sage has to carry everything she brought with her, and she also has to clean up and carry everything out that she brought.”
I frown. “Why? Her initiation hasn’t started yet.”
Sunny glares at me. “Yes it has.”
When Sunny says those three words, something burns in my gut. I try to ignore it and stay strong for Sage, because this is her big moment. When Sunny moves from between us, I mouth to her Good luck. She smiles back and mouths Thanks.
I’ll never tell her what’s going on inside me right now. She wouldn’t understand. Helping with Sage’s initiation is like Grandma giving me a plateful of Almond Joys for breakfast. She knows that’s what I want, but it’s not good for me.
I’m ready for this to be over. So I try to add some of Dad’s bass in my voice, just to let them know I mean business. I point and walk.
“Let’s go.”
I lead them across the grass where the ground is soft. Sunny and Amanda complain about their heels getting stuck in the dirt. I pretend I don’t hear them. London’s walking with Sage, bringing up the rear. A window opens and Grandma shouts out at us.
“Hi there! I hope y’all enjoy yourselves! Oh, hi, Sage! I didn’t know you were coming, too! What’s that pink stuff in your hair? That’s not gum, is it?”
Sage returns the wave. “No, it’s just . . . I was having some fun, that’s all.”
“Okay. Well, enjoy the shack. Don’t forget to check out the Laura Line.”
I hear Sunny whisper. “The what?”
I wave and smile at Grandma, hoping she’ll stop talking. I didn’t want them to know about the crosses. Now they’ll want to see them. I just know it.
Sage and the Pink Chips aren’t the only ones weighing me down. The Lauras are heavy on my mind.
And the cherry on top of this pile of problems is I lied to Grandma. I look over my shoulder to see if she’s still looking our way from her kitchen window. She waves.
I pick up the pace. “Come on!”
Soon, everyone’s standing in front of the shack.
Silence.
I’m not telling them jack. And I don’t think the Lauras would care much about these snooty booty rich patooty girls anyway. But then Sage opens her mouth.
“There’s a cemetery in the backyard. Wanna see it?”
I open up a conversation in Eye-ish to Sage. She sends two eyeballfuls of apology my way, and I accept it as we walk around back.
London gets close. “They’re all named Laura?”
I can’t resist. “You’re actually looking at the Laura Line.”
Amanda turns to me. “Were they all in the military or something?”
“So what’s the deal with this cemetery, Larda?” I can tell Sunny’s curious.
I walk up to her. “The name’s Laura. Don’t disrespect the Line.”
Sunny walks away. “Whatever. Let’s get this over with.”
We all turn to walk back to the shack. London’s still walking the Line, looking at each cross, touching the wood. Since she’s the only Pink Chip I really like, I don’t say anything. But Sunny calls out to her.
“London!”
Once we’re all in front of the shack, I speak to the group.
“Listen, the stuff in here is worth more than you’ll earn in your whole life. Don’t make me regret letting you use it.”
Sage speaks up, gripping her two bags and grinning. “You rock, Laura.”
They follow me. London has moved to the front of the line, and I hear her gasp behind me when she steps inside. She checks out pictures as the others move around, touching and looking at Laura Jean’s old-time sewing machine and Laura Elaine’s typewriter.
London points to a picture. “Who’s this?”
I walk over to the wall. “That’s Laura Jean. She was a model. On Friday, during the field trip, my grandma will answer all the questions you ask. Okay, let’s get started. The little chair is off-limits, so don’t sit on it.”
I park near the door and the Pink Chips gather around the table.
Sage opens her bags and takes out a jug of Hawaiian Punch, five plastic cups, and five plates. She opens a box and puts a pink cookie on each plate and then pours each of us a glass of punch. I wink at her as she hands me mine. Then, she makes the big announcement.
“Now for the megagift.”
She reaches into her second bag and gives Sunny a pink binder with her name in gold glitter on the cover. She does the same for Amanda and London. They open their binders, and smiles blossom all over the room. Sage starts with Sunny and explains her gift as Sunny looks through the pages.
“I took that picture of you while you were listening to one of our guest speakers in the auditorium. And that one I took at the baseball game. This is a picture from last year during the Spring Dance. I found it in some old film that didn’t get used.”
Sage goes on and on about Sunny’s picture book and then moves on to Amanda, then London, doing the same thing.
As the Pink Chips enjoy their pictures, I give Sage a thumbs-up. She gives me one back and then asks, “Do you like my gifts?”
Sunny closes her binder and eyeballs her Chip-mates. They all nod and Sunny responds.
“We accept your initiation gifts. Have you memorized the Pink Chip motto?”
Sage rubs her hands together. “I sure have, and I’m ready to recite it.”
Sunny stands. “Good. Okay, ladies, help me find something to cover that window. Oh, there’s a basket of blankets on the floor over there. We can use those. Lard . . . Laura, you have to leave.”
I tilt my head. “You didn’t say anything about covering the window, Sunny.”
She shrugs. “I didn’t know the shack had one. You can’t hear or watch Sage recite the motto. Will you at least help us put the blanket up?”
Something’s wrong about this. I feel it in my knower. Reluctantly, I go against my feelings and help put the blanket up anyway. Sunny goes outside and then comes back in.
“Nope, can’t see a thing through the window from out there. Okay, Laura, you can leave now. We’ll be finished in a few minutes.”
I look at my watch. “You’ve got five minutes left.”
Sage waves at me. “Thanks, Laura.”
I sit on the step for what feels like an eternity. Finally I get up and try to see what’s going on through the window. I move around, hoping to find a crack in the wood so I can peek inside.
My thoughts jumble as my heart thumps faster. My knower’s going berserk, and I’m tempted to crash the party. Instead, I holler inside to them.
“Two more minutes.”
I close my eyes and try to listen, but instead my mind shows me a woman sitting in the grass listening to children read. Suddenly their books close and blow away. It’s Laura Mae. I know it. What’s happening? Is she trying to tell me something?
I call out to Sage. “Is everything okay?”
I keep looking for that crack in the wood, hoping I can see inside, but all I hear is a chant.
I close my eyes again. This time, Laura Jean comes to me. She’s celebrating a dress she finished on her sewing machine. It’s beautiful, with tiny pearls around the hem and neckline.
My eyelids flip open. Oh, no! Laura Jean’s sewing machine is still on the floor! I forgot to move it! I begin to holler at the top of my lungs.
“Time’s up. Hey, what’s going on in there?”
My eyes go wide when Laura Elaine’s eulogy appears in my head.
I stop breathing because the ledger is still on the table. My legs move automatically as my chest tightens at the thought of what could be happening to the pages of the ledger. Oh, no . . .
“I’m coming in!”
I hear Sage, screaming something at the top of her lungs. There’s laughter, but to me, there’s nothing funny about this situation.
All I can think about are the Lauras. They’re watching. Something’s wrong. I can feel it. Sadness creeps over me, and I’m sure it’s coming from them. Just as I reach the door,
CRACK! BOOM-BOOM-MA-BOOM!
“SAGE!!!”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Sage’s body lies flat around pieces of wood. She’s trying to get up but can’t. The Pink Chips stand in shock, staring at her and the broken chair.
The broken chair . . .
I check the table, hoping that it was one of the regular chairs, not the little one. Not the little uneven one.
Please. Not the chair Grandma sat in as a child.
Not that one.
“Laura!”
And at that very moment, I lose my balance. The room’s spinning.
I know Sage is calling my name, saying something to me, but everything seems unreal, like it’s one of my daydreams. I grab the edge of the table, trying to sit, when my eyes catch a glistening color coming from the center of the table.
No.
It’s the ledger, with spilled punch all over the cover.
I point at the gravel road and scream.
“Get out! NOW!”
Sage gets to her feet. “Laura, I’m sorry. I was almost finished reciting the motto, and the chair broke while I was standing on it. I’ll clean it up.”
Heat rushes to my face. “You were standing on it?”
“You said we couldn’t sit on it. I didn’t think . . . I’m sorry, Laura. It was an accident. Look . . . we’re almost finished.”
I snap at her, “No, you’re finished right now!”
Silence.
Sunny walks toward the door. “Leaving.”
On her way out, Sage puts her arm on my shoulder. “I didn’t think it would break.”
Amanda follows here. “I hope you can fix it . . . Laura.”
London’s the saddest of all. She’s picking up pieces of the chair.
I can’t take it. “Just leave it, London.”
She slowly walks to the door, then rushes back to the pink car.
But it’s Sage who surprises me the most when she hollers at me.
“You don’t even like this place! You’re ruining everything! I was almost finished!”
I holler back at her. “Then take it to your house, Sage! And I don’t care if you’re mad!”
Now she’s crying. “Why do you care so much about a silly little chair? I thought you hated this shack?”
I begin to cry too. “I did. But . . . but . . . that chair belonged to . . . Just go!”
Sage gives me a long look before rushing out to catch up with the others.
I close the door and use my blouse to dab the punch off the ledger. As I’m dabbing, I notice Laura Jean’s sewing machine turned over. I step over the broken chair and put it back in its place next to the typewriter.
That’s as far as I make it. I sit on the floor next to the broken chair and burst into tears. Sage is right. What was I thinking? How am I going to fix this chair before Grandma sees it? Is that punch going to stain the ledger?
I need the earth to open and swallow me.
Knock, knock, knock.
I scream from the floor. “Go away!”
“It’s me. Sage.”
“Leave me alone!”
The door creaks. “I’m so sorry, Laura.”
“Just go away, Sage. Your precious Pink Chips are waiting for you.”
She sits on the floor next to me. “No, they’re not. I told them to leave. I caused all this drama. I can
’t let you take the blame, Laura.”
Her sniffles come quickly. “Even if it means I’m back to being Sage the Submarine.”
The pain in this room is overwhelming. The air is so thick, I can barely breathe. I’ve never heard Sage cry so hard, and there’s no signs of her stopping. As I inhale hot air, hotter tears sizzle down my face.
Suddenly, I see a pair of house shoes at the door. Seconds later, a cake falls in slow motion.
SPLAT!
“Baby Girl?”
I hate that name. And I didn’t realize it until now. Baby Girl sounds so childish and innocent and pretty and . . . and not guilty. I can’t look up.
“What happened in here? Why is the blanket over the window?”
Grandma reaches down and picks up a piece of the broken wood.
She glances at the table, then back at me. “This isn’t the chair my daddy made for me, is it? No . . . it can’t . . .”
“Grandma . . .” She stumbles, just like I did, and reaches for the table’s edge. Still staring at the splintered wood sprawled across the floor, Grandma plops in a chair and is about to say something when she notices the ledger on the table. She drops the wood, reaches out, wipes her hand across the cover, and looks at the wet red stain on her palm.
Her heavy sobs break me down. I lean to the floor and curl up like an infant. Sage gets up and runs out the door, leaving me with Grandma. We’re crying in the shack together, both for different reasons. But Grandma’s reasons hurt me so bad that I’ve got to try and explain myself. So I sit up and talk through my own tears.
“See . . . Sunny said they just wanted to use the shack for Sage’s initiation. Sage promised nothing would happen and they’d be careful. I tried to watch everything, but at the last minute, they asked me to leave.”
Grandma’s still crying, wiping the spilled punch from the ledger onto her blouse. It looks like blood, and I feel like I’m dying.
“I’ve let you down. I’ve let the whole Laura Line down.”
The Laura Line Page 15