"OurVoices" Excerpt
by Jared Nelson
A cool autumn breeze filled with the scent of vanilla cakes and fresh French bread drifts out of Harris Teeter?s grocery store past Susan and her daughter Carlotta. The child pushes past her mother to jump on the gray padding that opens the sliding door. The swooshing noise makes Carlotta giggle as she takes off at a run into the store to watch the lobsters in their tank at the seafood counter.
Susan shakes her head, her blue eyes filled with smiles at the antics of her child as she takes the last remaining cart and makes her way over to the fruit isle. Carlotta?s birthday is tomorrow and Susan hopes to find the perfect cake for her little girl.
?Susan, is that you??
Frowning at the brownish melon she?s just selected, Susan tosses it away as she turns to see Joan Waters, a striking redhead from her bridge club coming towards her, smiling a welcome. Susan, feeling suddenly self-conscious, flushes pink and smoothes her blonde hair a bit, recalling the woman's always perfect appearance.
?Hi Joan, it?s good to see you. How are you and your family??
?We are doing wonderfully, my dear?, Joan says, green eyes glancing up at Susan?s hair, wondering if the blonde is natural, ?I didn?t know you shopped here?.
Susan swallows nervously, ?Yes, we do. My daughter?s birthday is tomorrow, and she loves the cakes here?.
The woman looks over Susan?s purchases hoping to see a fattening item to gloat over, her own handheld basket stocked with rice cakes and fat free soda.
?I never knew you had a daughter," Joan says, lifting a disinterested eyebrow, "is she here with you??
As if on cue, Carlotta suddenly appears and races around Mrs. Water?s legs, nearly knocking her down in the process.
Susan, embarrassed, smiles apologetically, ?I?m so sorry, I--?
?Did you see that,? Joan says in an angry tone eyeing Carlotta, ?don?t niggers teach their children any manners? Where is her mammy, anyway!?
Susan?s eye?s glaze over as she looks first to her daughter and then to Joan as Carlotta places her newfound goodie into the cart and comes over stand at her mother?s side.
?Mama, did you find my cake yet??
?No sweetheart, not yet. Now tell Mrs. Waters you?re sorry, and then we have to go.?
- excerpt from OURVOICES, OurHair Copyright ? 2004 all rights reserved. |
