It was time. Pa was driving back to Morgan City tonight. His shift started tomorrow morning. Munch was probably at home blasting the “Hallelujah Chorus.” How was Mrs. Dutchendorph feeling? Most likely sad. Usually every time Lolly saw Pa’s packed bags by the front door, her heart hurt. This time she felt a degree of relief. The week had been long and awkward. Things were weird with Pa at home and weird with Munch at school. All week, Pa had walked around in a fog of wonder, while Munch had traveled under a dark cloud. She missed Pa's undivided attention, quite evenings watching TV, and quiet talks about their day. She missed Munch's laughter, his sarcasm, and the sparkle in his eye when he was about to do mischief. Maybe in the three weeks Pa was gone, Munch might adjust to this new situation. Maybe she would too, but she doubted it.

The leaving ritual began. Pa hugged and kissed Grandma Toady and then he reached for Lolly. He hugged her tight and said, “Be a good girl, Shortcake.”

“I will.”

Pa picked up his bags. This was the now, that Lolly usually never liked. Tonight, she was ready for him to leave. Though Pa had been with her all week, somehow he had not been with her. Was this the way it was going to be from now on? God she hoped not. She wanted things to go back to normal. While Pa had been there normal had not had a chance.

They stepped outside. It was clear and cold. The stars were bright points of distant light. Lolly and Grandma Toady watched Pa get into his truck. Grandma Toady took Lolly’s hand. Through the truck windshield, they saw him wave and then he started the motor. This now was moving quickly into the next one. The truck was backing out now. It was traveling down the street headed for the highway. When the tail lights completely disappeared, Grandma Toady tugged on Lolly’s hand and they went back inside.

The phone was wringing, Max answered it. He called out, “Lolly, its for you.”

She went into the kitchen. Mitzi sat at the table coloring in her Mrs. Beasley coloring book. Though Mrs. Beasley’s hair was supposed to be blonde, she had colored it purple and given her black wings. Such a weird kid.

Lolly picked up the receiver. “Hello.”

“Hey Lolly, this is Amber.”

TREVOR’s sister! Lolly’s heart stumbled over itself. “Uh, hi.”

“Hi. My American Literature paper is kicking my ass. Trevor told me you were in advanced English. Could you help me please? If I flunk this class my parents are going to freak.”

Inside Lolly’s head she screaming, TREVOR TALKED ABOUT ME! He knew she took advanced classes. What else did he know about her. Tomorrow she would be going to his house. Now, if only Trevor would be in Trevor’s house at the same time she was! She tried to sound casual when she said, “Uh, sure I can help.”

“Great. Do you need a ride over, I can come pick you up.”

“Yeah, I don’t drive yet.”

“Neither does Trevor. What’s your address?”

Lolly said, “401 Hart Street.”

“Is that in the Flower Mills Trailer park?”

Apprehensively Lolly said, “Yes.” Some people called people who lived in trailer parks, Trailer Trash. She hoped Amber was not one of those people.

“Okay, I know where that is. My shift at Palais Royal is over at 2:00. I can pick you up when I get off?”

Though Lolly had not asked permission, she said, “Yeah, that would be great.”

“See ya! Bye.”

“Bye.”

Grandma Toady had come into the kitchen while Lolly was on the phone. She asked, “So, who was that?”

“Amber. She needs help with her American Literature paper. I said I would help her Saturday afternoon if that’s okay.” It BETTER be okay. Please God let it be okay!

Grandma Toady asked, “Have I met Amber before?” Now it was time for the interrogation.

Lolly took in a big breath before she started. She was going to have to talk sharp and fast. “No, but Pa has.”

Suspicious Grandma Toady asked, “When?”

“Last Saturday at Palais Royal. She is the girl who helped me pick out my new clothes.”

Mitzi looked up from her coloring book and said, “She’s Trevor’s sister.”

Grandma Toady’s expression changed. “Trevor Long’s sister. He is such a nice boy. How old is Amber?”

Honestly, Lolly had no idea. If she took a guess, Amber might be eighteen or older. Most likely she attended Brazosport Junior College where Mrs. Dutchendorph taught. But, she did not really know. It was possible Grandma Toady would not want her to hang out with a college girl. A lie would not serve her, so she said, “I think she goes to Brazosport Junior College."

“So she’s not in high school?”

“No Ma’am.”

Grandma Toady studied her for a full minute. Lolly braced herself to hear the word, No. Arguments started flooding her brain. She HAD to go over there on Saturday, she just had too! To her surprise Grandma Toady said, “Since I did meet Trevor and he has such lovely manners, I am going to assume that he has a good family. This time I will say yes, but if she pops out the booze or smokes anything smokable, you call me, promise.”

All Lolly had to do was say, “Yes,” but she wasn’t sure if she would call. It would be so embarrassing. Kids her age did all kinds of stuff. She did NOTHING. She said, “You can trust me.”

“Okay. I know I can.”

*

Lolly’s palms were sweating. Mitzi stood beside her staring into the closet. The four year old said, “Now why do you have to change your clothes? Did you have an accident? That happens to me sometimes.”

“Just pick something.”

“Do you want me to pick something Trevor would like?”

God how did the little twerp know?

MItzi’s hand landed on brown cords and the new pink shirt. “You look pretty in pink, Lolly.”

“Thank you.”

“Wear your ad— ad—, shoot. I can’t say that word. Max says its German and I don’t speak German yet. Wear your new shoes with the stripes.”

Lolly said, “It’s kind of muddy outside.”

“Then wear your chucks.”

“But they are gross.”

Mitzi rolled her eyes. “Go bare foot for all I care. Come on Puccini. Let’s go ask Granma for a cookie.”

Uncertain, Lollie went ahead and put on her chucks. There was no way of knowing whether or not Trevor would even be home. He might be at a friend's house, or at a meet. She was not going to risk her beautiful shoes for a maybe. If Trevor wasn't home and she wrecked her shoes, she was going to be some kind of upset. Please God let him be home!

A little after 2:30 Amber pulled into the drive and honked. Lolly ran out the door. Her heart was beating hard and she felt like she was going to puke. She must not puke. She climbed into the car. It smelled new. The interior was white leather. On the radio a song was playing that Lolly had never heard before. It was loud and angry. When they pulled out of the trailer park, Amber cranked up the volume. She shouted, “Do you like Black Sabbath?”

Lolly shouted, “I like Iron Man.”

“Yeah, that one is really cool! Ozzy Osborn rocks.”

All the way to Trevor’s house the music was deafening. The bass had settled into Lolly’s chest and she felt like she could not breath.They pulled into the long drive, and then Amber drove her car into the four car garage. The garage was bigger than most people's homes. They got out of the car and headed toward the big house. Lolly had only seen this house from the highway. It looked big even from a distance, up close it was huge! It was a two story plantation style house with big windows and double doors. They went in through the back door, passed through the laundry room and into a large kitchen. It smelled of cinnamon. The foyer and formal living room struck Lolly dumb. She thought rooms like this only existed in magazines and movie star’s houses.

Amber said, “My room is upstairs.”

The staircase swooped down into two separate sets of steps. It was beautiful. Lolly realized she was gaping and shut her mouth. This was where Trevor lived?

Amber stopped at the end of the hall and unlocked her door. She swung it open. The room was a disaster. Grandma Toady would have a heart attack if she saw it. Amber said, “I’m a bit of a slob, sorry.”

Lolly wasn’t sure what she was supposed to say. If she said it was okay would that imply that Amber was a slob? Amber shoved a stack of clothes off a desk by the window. The window looked out over the back pasture and a pond. Lolly couldn’t imagine having a view like this. Her window looked out on the neighbor’s trailer. The feeling that she had landed somewhere beyond her depth flowed through her. She wanted to go home. She wanted to go home now. A boy who lived in a big house like this would never like a girl from a trailer park, even if she did have hair.

From a satchel, Amber pulled out her American Literature book. It was big and yellow. She opened the book. On the page was a list of the poems by Anne Bradstreet. Amber picked one and read a section of it out loud:

For what’s this but care and strife

since first we came from womb?

Our strength doth haste,

and then we go to th’ tomb.*

Amber looked at Lolly and asked, “What in the hell is that supposed to mean?”

Lolly told her, “It’s about how hard life is from the time we are born. Life passes quickly and then we die.”

“Well that is cheerful. I have to write a whole stupid paper about this poem and the poet.”

Lolly said, “Anne Bradstreet was not only the first female American poet, she was the very first American poet, period. I think that is really cool.”

Amber gave her a skeptical look. “If you say so.”

Lolly loved words and books. She couldn’t imagine not loving both. As she thought of ways to explain the poem to Amber, she forgot about the big house, the messy room and even the possibility of seeing Trevor. Words were wonderful vehicles that could take a person to times and places they had never been. She was so absorbed in helping Amber that she didn’t hear Trevor enter the room.

He said, “Hey Lolly.”

Startled Lolly turned and looked back at him.

______________________

*Anne Bradstreet, “Upon a Fit of Sickness.”