“I don’t trust this old gal on the road for such a long haul. I looked at the Old Man’s map, and Williamsburg’s more than two and a half hours away.”
“So.”
“The furthest I’ve driven her is over to Dares Beach.”
“No, please don’t back out now, Walt,” she whined.
“I’m sorry, but it’s an old car, and I can’t put that much pressure on her. It’s not safe.”
Sophia slouched down on the grass next to him, picking at a holein her overalls. Every time she took a step forward, she was hit with two giant steps back. If she didn’t get to Williamsburg over spring break, then she’d have to wait until the summer. The knowledge that she could be so close to solving her life’s puzzle was killing her.
“Isn’t there someone you could call? Maybe Mrs. Brown at Brooks.”
“My old school counselor?”
“She got you into West Oak Forest, maybe she’d help you with this too.”
Then it hit her, and Sophia stood up and dusted grass from her backside. “Not Mrs. Brown, but I have another idea.” She made her way back toward the house.
“Fingers crossed,” Walter called after her.
The sky was still purple as Sophia lay awake in her bed, listening to Ma Deary hum along to “Precious Lord” by Aretha Franklin as she bumped around in the kitchen. It was a song that Sophia had always loved. Aretha crooning, along with the rumble of the bass and the rich fingering of the piano, brought her a semblance of hope. Today she would embark on a life-changing moment, and she needed courage.
“That uppity school done made you lazy.” Ma Deary poked her head into Sophia’s dugout bedroom, breaking the sweet spell that Aretha Franklin had spun. “Get on up, girl. The hens waiting on you to get those eggs.”
Sophia pushed herself up. “Coming, Ma Deary.” After shrugging into her West Oak Forest Academy sweatshirt, she made her way into the kitchen, fragranced with the aroma of coffee.
Ma Deary wore her white uniform that stopped below the knee. “Pile of laundry out back for you to wash.” She scowled, then slipped into her blazer and let the screen door slam behind her.
Once Sophia heard Ma back the Rambler down the road from the house, she returned to her bedroom and changed into the khaki A-line skirt with attached suspenders that she had picked out of the lost-and-found bin, and her school blouse. Then she brushed her hair back into a ponytail.
Walter was waiting for her on the back porch in a rusted chair next to the broken icebox. “Ready?”
Yesterday Sophia had phoned Mrs. Gathers, and she had agreed to take Sophia to Williamsburg to reunite with her mother. Given the circumstances, Sophia couldn’t meet Mrs. Gathers at the farm and chance a run-in with Ma Deary or the Old Man. That would put a stop to this whole expedition, not to mention Sophia’s continuing shame over their poor living conditions. Instead, Sophia had given Mrs. Gathers the address of Brooks High School, with instructions to meet in the parking lot.
Walter had agreed to drop Sophia off on his way to purchase feed for the animals. As she slid across the cracked leather seat, she asked, “Will you double back and give the twins a ride to school?”
“They’re used to walking. Quit babying them.” Walter backed up the Ford Six and then turned the nose toward the road.
“I promised to bring them back cherry sours and Bazooka bubble gum.” She passed Walter a boiled egg, peeled and salted.
Walter gobbled his down in two bites while Sophia ate hers slowly. Once it was in her belly, she worried that she’d smell like hard-boiled egg when she met Mrs. Gathers. She put her hand in front of her mouth and blew out her breath to smell it.
“There’s a handful of peppermints in the glove box,” Walter said.
Sophia wrenched it open. “I hope all this candy isn’t an indication that you’re still fooling with Mary Ellen at the General Store?” She popped a piece into her mouth.
His cheeks blushed. “We’ve been spending time together when she can get away.”
“Have you lost your mind? Sneaking around in the woods with a white girl.”
Walter grinned. “We’re going steady.”
Sophia turned in her seat. “You can’t be serious.”
“As a heart attack.”
Sophia touched her brother’s arm. “You know those brothers of hers smoke pot and are always up to no good. Not to mention that it’s illegal.”
