Amy Lynn, page 5
“Where shall we start?” Carla Jo asked rhetorically. “I know, at the beginning.”
She took Amy’s hand. “Let’s go.”
The first store they walked into was full of girls Amy’s age. They walked past dresses, jeans, and tops to the back of the store.
“Underwear,” said Carla Jo. There were racks and racks of colors and styles; some with hearts, some with stars, some with pictures of kitties, and some with little bows.
“These are fancy.”
“What do you see that you like?”
When Amy only picked out two pairs Carla explained, “You will need at least a dozen, unless you want to do laundry every day.”
Amy carefully searched the rack for something that was a little like her; not quite so fancy but a little cute. She picked out four more and went with Carla Jo to the dressing room so they could make sure she had the right size.
When Amy left the dressing room she saw Carla Jo standing by a rack. When she turned around, Amy saw something dangling from her finger.
“What’s that?”
“A training bra. Those bumps on your chest won’t be getting any smaller.”
Amy reflexively put her arms over her chest and scrunched her face. Carla Jo smiled, leaned down, and whispered, “Look around, all of these girls are going through the same thing. It’s all part of becoming a woman. There’s nothing to be scared of and nothing to be ashamed of. Come on, let’s go try it on.”
They made their way back to the dressing room. Amy unbuttoned her dress and slid it off of her shoulders. Carla Jo looked at her back and arms and said, “Wow, are you muscular.”
“What do you mean?” Amy said, feeling a little self-conscious.
“It’s not bad. It’s just that I’ve never seen muscles like this on a girl.” It must be all the work she does on the farm, thought Carla Jo.
It was hard to find a training bra that would fit because of her build, but eventually they found a style that worked and left the store. “I know a dress shop, let’s go.”
They spent a couple of hours trying on dresses, jeans, and tops. It was difficult to find jeans for her because of her thigh and calf muscles. When they found something they liked, Carla Jo bought it. They went to three different shoe shops. Tennis shoes for gym class and pink tennis shoes for “stylin’,” as Carla Jo put it, as well as two pairs of boots, one black and one tan. They looked a lot like Carla Jo’s only without the high heels. Then something occurred to Amy, something she hadn’t thought of.
“Did my daddy give you the money for this?”
“No, he didn’t. This is on me.” She smiled an understanding smile and added, “I know it seems like a lot to you, but really, it’s not a lot to me.”
“We can’t … I can’t take this from you. My daddy always said you can’t take somethin’ for nothin’. It never turns out good. We have to take this stuff back.”
Carla Jo had wondered if this would come up. She knew Amy was honest, had a big heart, and an unbelievable work ethic. Apparently she also had a sense of pride. Carla Jo thought It’s easy to love this girl.
“Come over here and let’s sit down. I need to tell you a few things.”
They sat their bags down and took a seat on a bench. Carla Jo turned to Amy and held her hands. “When I came to Alabama I had nothing. No clothes, no money, no family, and no friends. Your momma invited me into her home and treated me like the most special person in the world. Remember when we talked about being a real person, keeping your heart and soul above all else?” Amy nodded. “Well, I had lost mine. Your momma and your uncle Jack gave them back to me. I want to do for you the things that I think your momma would have wanted. So, please, let me do this for you.”
“So you’re doin’ this for my momma?” Amy asked.
“Yes. I’m also doing it for you. I was hoping we could be friends. Spending time together like this is a good start.”
“I thought we were friends.”
“I think we could be. Friendships take time and trust. I’m willing to work on that with you.”
Amy thought about it for a few moments. “Okay, ah, wow, thank you for today.”
Carla Jo gave her a hug and said, “Let’s go home.”
They were nearly to the mall exit when a dress in a window display caught Amy’s eye. “Whoa, look at that dress.”
“You like that?”
“It looks almost like yours.”
Carla Jo was almost giddy. “Well, let’s take a look.”
They walked quickly into the store and when Amy stepped out of the dressing room, Carla Jo’s eyes lit up.
“Yes, very nice.” Turning to the sales lady she said, “We’ll take it.”
“Aunt Carla Jo, do you think I could wear this home?” Amy said with a little excitement.
Carla Jo looked into one of the shopping bags and, pulling out a shoebox, said, “Not without these shoes.”
Once again they started for the exit. Carla Jo got to a kiosk and stopped, “One more thing.”
Carla Jo scanned the rack of sunglasses, found a pair, and slipped them on Amy. Stepping back to examine her work, she smiled and said, “OK, now we’re done.”
They got to the exit where two teenage boys were talking. When the boys saw Amy they quickly opened the door while smiling big smiles at her. Amy kept looking over her shoulder while she and Carla Jo walked and marveled at the fact that the boys just kept on staring. Amy looked at Carla Jo and said, “Aunt Carla Jo, are those boys …?”
Carla Jo interrupted, “Yes, honey, they’re looking at you. Get used to it.”
When they reached the curb, Amy stopped. Carla Jo spun around when she realized her niece was no longer at her side and questioned her hesitation.
Amy was puzzled. She asked, “Where’s our car? It’s usually sittin’ out front waitin’ for us.”
Carla Jo laughed. “You are spoiled already. They don’t do that here, so start walking.”
Carla Jo had a plan and the first part of her plan was complete. She had two weeks to prepare Amy to face some of the most evil, ruthless creatures ever to walk the face of the earth: roving packs of materialistic, judgmental, and socially conscious junior high school girls.
Chapter 6
Amy felt her body being pushed back in the seat as Carla Jo sped down the on-ramp and onto the highway. It had been an exciting day and she felt a little tired. She had been to the city before, but she barely remembered it. They had gone to the big hospital the day her granddaddy died. That was a sad day, she recalled.
Carla Jo glanced at Amy as she stared out the window. She looked deep in thought, so Carla Jo figured it would be best to stay quiet and let Amy process her day. Carla Jo set the radio to Amy’s favorite country and western station, but Amy didn’t even seem to notice.
Playing with her newly styled hair, Amy thought about the kindness of Jean Paul and the people at the salon. Those little chocolates—she had never tasted anything like that. Then she chuckled to herself when she thought about Melissa’s fake boobs. Her hand fell from the ends of her hair and touched the seam of her training bra. Another thought crossed her mind, how big are these things gonna get? Her hand fell to her lap and she gently stroked the material of her dress. It was so soft against her legs. It was a great feeling. Her toes wiggled in her boots. The leather was so soft. It felt like her feet were being gently hugged. Peeking out of the tops of her boots was lace from her socks. She studied the pattern. How pretty, she thought.
Looking out the window as different landscapes sped by and she began to wonder about people. They seemed so different in the city. Were they this different everywhere else? She noticed the big apartment buildings; then the neighborhoods with the houses so close together with perfect little streets. What’s it like living that close to other people she wondered. Then she saw big houses with their own swimming pools. They dotted what looked like a giant green carpet. Who lived there? Then it was as if she blinked and the landscape changed again to the rows of crops in the farm fields. Way out in a field on the top of a hill she saw the outline of three deer. A little buzz, like electricity, shot through her body. It would be hunting season soon.
“Aunt Carla Jo?” Amy asked slowly with some hesitation.
Carla Jo almost jumped in her seat because Amy had been so quiet. “Yes?”
“Do ladies hunt?”
“Ladies can do anything anyone else can do. Why do you ask?”
“I don’t think guttin’ a deer is very ladylike,”
“No, it’s not, it’s ah, hunter-like.” Carla Jo struggled with a way to explain this one. “Being a lady isn’t about acting one way all of the time. It’s about knowing the proper way to act in different situations. You will always want to be kind and polite and use manners when possible, but I don’t think saying please, thank you, and excuse me will work well when you are in the woods.” Amy looked relieved and said, “I thought you wanted me to be this way all of the time.”
Carla Jo smiled at Amy and said, “No, I don’t want you to change your life completely. I just want to help you add a little something to it.”
As they drove through Lewistown, Amy felt a little older and more sophisticated. She thought about how big the town used to feel to her and how small it looked now. When Carla Jo turned on to Indian River Road at the edge of town, she hit the gas. Glancing at the speedometer, Amy saw that the needle was at 80. “You promised my daddy you would slow down.”
Carla Jo lifted her foot off the gas and said, “You caught that, did you? It’s a bad habit, one I need to break.”
When Amy saw the big steeple of the Black Oak Baptist Church, she knew she was almost home. Carla Jo slowed the car down further at Ed Gwinn’s store. Amy looked at the bench by the front door where she and Kerry used to sit and eat their favorite treats. Kerry always had a Grapico and a little Bama Pecan Pie. Amy liked Dr. Pepper and Moon Pies. Since Amy left Carla Jo’s house that morning, she had hardly thought about Kerry at all. She wondered what he would think about her hair and dress. She felt the grief of his death starting to flow back into her body, but it wasn’t as strong as before. A dull ache had replaced the constant pain in her chest. Turning up String Hill Road, Carla Jo gunned the engine for the climb to the top.
Leon and Jack were sitting on the front porch when they heard the deep rumble of Carla Jo’s car coming up the hill.
“Here they come,” Jack said.
When Carla Jo pulled onto the gravel drive she saw Gloria’s car. That’s just great, she thought. Carla Jo and Gloria had an uncomfortable past. Jack met Carla Jo halfway across the front yard and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Amy got out and joined them in the grass.
Looking at Amy, Jack smiled and said, “Wow, you look beautiful.” He then whispered in Carla Jo’s ear, “Nice job.”
“Seems I have my own little Eliza Doolittle,” Carla Jo said with a sense of pride.
“Eliza who?” asked Jack.
“Never mind,” she sighed.
Leon stood up and stared. He saw what Carla Jo saw in the mirror at Francois. He saw Katherine’s hair, eyes, and even the little button nose. Leon felt himself beginning to choke up.
“So daddy, what do ya’ think?” Amy asked as she twirled left then right.
“You are the prettiest thing I think I have ever seen.”
Amy smiled. Suddenly, the front door opened and her Aunt Gloria walked out onto the porch carrying two grocery bags. Gloria had a dated bouffant hairdo dyed black and she weighed somewhere north of two hundred and fifty pounds. She was wearing a polyester pantsuit and when she took a step, her rubbing thighs made a swishing noise.
Gloria looked at Amy and then turned toward Leon. With a disgusted look on her face she said, “So Leon, I guess you’re gonna let Carla Jo turn Amy into a slut.”
“A what?” asked Amy innocently.
“That’s it,” growled Carla Jo. She took a step toward Gloria with visions of kicking her ass.
Jack grabbed Carla Jo’s arm and whispered, “Don’t do it. Stop, Carla Jo, you’re better than that. Please don’t.”
Leon looked at the ground and shook his head. “Gloria, I think it’s time for you to leave. Thanks for stopping by.” Gloria started to say something, but Leon gave her a hard stare and said, “It’s time to leave, NOW.”
Gloria walked to her car, sneering at Carla Jo. Jack had to keep a tight hold as Carla Jo mumbled something about a white trash polyester princess. After Gloria pulled down the driveway and disappeared from sight, Amy looked at Carla Jo. “Not very ladylike, Aunt Carla Jo.”
Jack chuckled. Carla Jo took a deep breath. “Well, Amy, despite our best efforts, we all fall short of perfection. That’s why we shouldn’t be too hard on ourselves.”
Amy smiled. “I understand. She aggravates me, too.”
After unloading the car, Carla Jo and Amy took Amy’s new clothes into her room, where Carla Jo took the time to show Amy the proper way to hang everything. They also talked about the proper way to wash certain materials. Amy decided it would be a good idea to change clothes and hang up her new dress. She wanted to save it for the first day of school.
Back out on the porch, Leon looked at Carla Jo and said, “Thank you. I haven’t seen her smile like that in a long time.”
“It was my pleasure; she’s an amazing child. I was wondering if it would be OK to take her with me to the city once a month. We’ll get our hair done, have lunch, you know, girl stuff,” Carla Jo asked.
“That’s fine,” Leon replied while reaching for his wallet. “How much did you spend today?”
“Not enough. Keep your money Leon. I have an old debt to pay.”
“I can’t let you do that.”
Carla Jo looked at Leon and in a serious tone told him, “You can and you will.”
Jack piped up, “I’ve seen that look before. Let it go.”
“Alright then, thank you again. Tomorrow after church I’m gonna have a small party for Amy’s birthday. I would like you both to come.”
“We’ll be there.” Carla Jo assured him.
Just then Amy came back outside, gave Carla Jo a big hug, and thanked her again. Jack walked Carla Jo to her car and opened the door. “Just how much money did you spend today?”
“None of your damn business,” Carla Jo replied.
“What color underwear are you wearin’?” Jack asked with a mischievous look.
Carla Jo smiled her best sultry smile, “Hurry home, big fella, and I promise I’ll make that your business.”
Chapter 7
It was Sunday morning and Amy was up early again, doing her chores. It was the first day her uncle Jack didn’t show up. He said he couldn’t come because he had to work, but her chores seemed to go faster without him. This was probably because they talked more than they worked. After her chores, Amy took a bath and used the shampoo that Jean Paul gave her. She loved the way it made her hair smell. Ever since her adventure with Carla Jo, she was becoming more concerned with how she looked. She fussed with her hair until her daddy knocked on the bathroom door.
“Amy, you still have to get your brother ready for church and we have to leave soon.”
“Okay Daddy.” She looked at the clock and couldn’t believe she’d let that much time go by.
After piling in the truck they headed to church. Looking at her daddy, Amy noticed he seemed a little happier. He never really showed much emotion but today he just looked … better. Once at church, Amy had only taken about two steps through the parking lot when one of the older ladies stopped her. “Leon, looks like you got yourself a little Katherine.”
Leon smiled. “Yep, she’s growin’ up, isn’t she?”
Amy must have been called little Katherine a couple of dozen times that day. She didn’t mind. Amy remembered her mother as a beautiful woman so she took it as a compliment. Brother Taylor III’s sermon was about the trials and tribulations of Job. Amy looked at her daddy and thought about how much he was like Job. He lost his wife, his son, and yet here he was, keeping his faith and thanking Jesus for his good blessings. Amy said a little prayer thanking Jesus for her daddy.
When church was over they headed back out to the truck, but before they got there Miss Francis stopped Amy and told her Brother Taylor wanted to see her. Amy’s daddy had stopped to talk to a couple of friends, so he told her to go ahead without him. She walked back into the sanctuary and Brother Taylor waved her over. Before giving her a gift, he gave her a big hug and told her Happy Birthday. It was a little piece of flat metal with an angel stamped into it, just like the one Kerry had kept in his pocket.
Then Brother Taylor invited her to take a seat on the first pew with him. “Amy, I would like to know if you would be interested in teaching Sunday school with Miss Francis. You would have to come early and help her set up the classroom, and then stay a little late to help her clean up.”
Amy’s eyes got big. That was a high honor, she thought. “Yes, sir, Brother Taylor, I would love to, but I have to ask my daddy first.”
“Miss Francis already asked him for you. He said it would be fine with him if it was fine with you.”
“Thank you, Brother Taylor, I would love to!”
Amy walked tall with a little pep in her step back to the truck where her daddy was waiting and hugged him.
“You gonna help Miss Francis teach Sunday school?”
“Yes, sir!”
“Good. I have another surprise for you and your brother. How about lunch at the Bluebird?”
Amy nodded her head and Joseph exclaimed, “Heck, yeah!”
Once at the Bluebird and after drinks were served, Amy’s daddy looked across the table and said, “I got a new job at the mine. I won’t be working nights anymore. I’ll be getting up with you and I should be home not long after you get home from school.”
Amy grinned nodding her head. “This day just keeps gettin’ better and better!”
Joseph asked, “That means we can go fishin’ in the evenin’ at the dam, right Daddy?”
