I give her the evil eye behind Haynes’s back. She shoots me one in return.
“That’s one of your mother’s missions for the day,” Haynes says, chuckling. “I wouldn’t tell her how much it cost. I didn’t want her passing out in my truck.”
I swallow, and calmly change the subject—not daring to meet Mama’s eye.“Honey, maybe you should go on over to the Grove. I got a text from Ellie right before I got here. She’s on the way there.” I push him on the shoulder, in an attempt to get him away from Mama.
“Trying to get rid of me?”
“No. I just know it will take you a minute to find her. Thousands of people are over there already.”
“I can’t wait to surprise her.” He leans in for a kiss. “I’ll call you as soon as I know something. Keep your phone handy.”
“It will never leave my hand,” I say, waving it in the air.
As soon as he’s out of earshot I glare at Mama. “Why did you have to bring up the dorm room? You know I’ll take you over there. Please leave Haynes out of it.”
“Ohhh,” she moans like a hospital patient. “You are wearing me out with this deception. Let’s go ahead and tell him. He won’t mind. Especially in light of who Ellie has for a roommate.”
“Don’t you know Haynes by now? He couldn’t care less about that. I am not telling him.”
“Spare me the details.” She sighs. “Can you show me to the powdah room, please? I’d like to check my lipstick before I meet Mrs. Whitmoah.”
Once she passes in front of me, I roll my eyes.
To get into the House we have to pass under a blue-and-white balloon arch over the walkway. Someone has turned up the volume on the rap music and it’s honestly enough to make me turn back around. But I have to say, despite the razor-thin odds, if Ellie happens to pledge Alpha Delt instead of Tri Delt, the rap and this nightmare of a week will be well worth it.
Mama has to back away to let more members through. I see her jerk her palms up as if she’s afraid of getting knocked down. After they pass she lifts her chin and adjusts her posture. “They’re packing them in like sahdines these days.”
“It’s not like it used to be.” The last thing I need is for her to fall, so I stretch an arm around her back and lead her through the front door.
While we’re making our way toward the powder room I see her eyeing my hair. “Have I told you about my new hairdress’ah?”
“You’ve switched? I’m shocked. You’ve been going to Robert as long as I can remember.”
“I was exhausted from hearing about his sexual escapades. At first I thought it was humorous, I even egged him on, but after thirty years I’m starting to wond’ah if he’s actually a porn star in disguise.”
I stop. “Mama.Ew.” This is not a subject I fancy speaking about with her.
She lifts her chin. “Tell me about it. That’s why I switched to Brandon. He’s young and cutting edge.” She sighs. “He’s gay, too, but aren’t they all?”
Another mom is leaving the powder room. She holds the door for us as we step through. When Mama is in front of the mirror she stops. “Wouldn’t you agree my hair is the best it’s ever looked?” She lifts one side with her palm. “Brandon. Gould’s in the mall. You should give him a call.”
“Thanks, but no thanks,” I say while looking at her in the mirror. “I have no desire to get my color done in front of a big mall window with everybody in Memphis walking past. A woman wearing a black plastic poncho with purple cream on her scalp is not an attractive look.”
“Well. Don’t say I didn’t try.” She inspects my hair once more before stepping inside the stall. I hear the latch click. “You’re due for a new ’do.”
FORTY-FOUR
CALI
If anyone could feel the pirouettes the butterflies are making inside my stomach right now, I think they might feel like they were about to see Jesus in person or at the very least take a walk on the moon. Am I really sitting here in the most beautiful grove in the country, with veins of yellow and red just beginning to spread onto the leaves?
Am I truly in the middle of two thousand pedigreed girls, listening to the president of Panhellenic welcome us all from the stage? There is breath moving in and out of my lungs and a pulse on my wrist, so this must be real. Maybe this is my first step toward becoming Mississippi’s first lady governor.
I hate that I can’t see Ellie. Her Gamma Chi Group is on the total opposite side of the stage. But this time we have a plan. As soon as we open our bid cards we are going to meet at the back of the last row of seats before we make the grand dash to our new Houses.
Even though I haven’t the slightest idea which sorority has invited me to become a new member, Ellie knows for certain she will either be an Alpha Delt or a Tri Delt. She said it was the hardest decision of her life. After sitting in the ranking room for two hours after Pref last night she finally put Tri Delt first, although she really doesn’t care which one she joins. Technically, I’m notsupposed to know. Keeping our choices a secret is one of the Panhellenic rules. As much as I want to be in the same sorority with her, I have resigned myself that it’s not going to happen.
I feel a tap on my shoulder, then someone whispering in my ear. “Cali, hey.”
