More Than a Hashtag, page 38
In a few minutes we were walkin’ in the front door.
“Juniper! We’re home. Home and hungry!” hollered Pawpaw.
Juniper met us, wipin’ her hands on a kitchen towel.
“Oh, Lord have mercy, y’all stink to high Heaven!” She covered her mouth and nose with her protective towel. “Get on up and shower ‘fore y’all even think ‘bout settin’ foot in my kitchen. And when you’re cleaned up, put those nasty, stanky clothes out on the porch railin’. I’ll tend to ‘em in the mornin’. Now get on with ya.”
Pawpaw was ahead of me on the stairs, but I could hear him laughin’. “I get a kick outta doin’ that to Juniper.” He turned halfway ‘round and held up a hand for a high five.
So I high-fived my pawpaw. I’ll bet he never high-fived nobody in this century. I shut my hangin’-wide-open mouth.
“Now hurry, boy, ‘cuz I’m starvin’.”
I hurried.
We were down to the table in record time. Dinner was red beans and rice and hot cornbread.
“Well, I guess y’all frittered the day away, ‘cuz I didn’t see no fresh meat comin’ in the door,” Juniper teased like she did when we came home with our “fish catch.” She was a smart lady and had Pawpaw all figured out. There was no foolin’ MIz Juniper when her nose smelled somethin’ ‘fishy’ goin on.
“Ah, we had better things to do’n just sit there starin’ at the game trail all day,” explained Pawpaw.
“Oh, I see how you is. Now that Mr. Tee’s here, you got yourself an alibi, and I’m sure as the day I was born, he’ll confirm all your big old lies, Big Tom. There’s no foolin’ Juniper. I got eyes on all y’all.” She pointed an incriminatin’ finger at Pawpaw and then me. Boy, I was right. Juniper knew everythin’ that went on in this house.
“So, Juniper, are y’all like Snow White and have those woodland creatures watchin’ and reportin’ in on our activities? And maybe do they come in and help with the housework while we’re away?” I teased her. Pawpaw slapped his thigh, laughin’.
“Hush now, young man! Don’t go givin’ away all my secrets,” Juniper giggled.
Then all at once we got quiet and sat there in silence for a few seconds. Mamere used to say, when that happens, “folks are pausin’ to listen for angels singin’.”
“Well,” said Juniper, “I think I can hear the angels singin’.”
I just looked at her, and my eyes started to water. I was home. And, yes, there were angels singin’.
60
A Week with Juniper
#rougaroumoon
* * *
How many more days ‘til he comes home?”
I was makin’ a bahbin, and I was sure Juniper knew it. I was embarrassed to be whinin’, but Pawpaw had been gone for days, and it was really quiet and boring without him stompin’ and hollerin’ ‘round the house.
“Sometimes he’s gone for a week or more. Just depends on what he finds waitin’ for him over on the ranch. He told me there’d been a fire in a hay barn, so he’ll be back when he gets to the bottom of it. Y’all’s guess is as good as mine. He don’t never tell me nothin’ but the bare bones.”
Juniper was busy cleanin’ out the pantry in the kitchen. I think that woman lives to clean, I thought. She had a real hatred of creepy-crawly things, and Heaven help us if she ever found a weevil in her rice bucket. I kinda appreciated that quality in her.
Even though I missed Pawpaw somethin’ fierce—and ‘sides all her cleanin’ and my school work—me and Juniper had ourselves a lotta good talks on the porch these last few evenin’s. Juniper was never too busy for a good game of Rummy with me after supper. We’d watched some good movies together over popcorn too. Yesterday, she’d let me help her bake cookies. Mamere used to let me help in the kitchen now and then, but once my feet got big, she said I needed to get some ‘blinky lights installed in my shoes.’ My size elevens had become a hazard in our tiny kitchen.
I even took Juniper fishin’ with me day ‘fore yesterday, ‘cuz she told me she knew how to fish from a boat. Mais, if that lady ever caught a fish in her life, I’ll be dipped in peanut oil and fried to a golden crisp. She kept standin’ up when her line wiggled and almost tipped us over a coupla times.
Juniper didn’t know how to be quiet, so she kept scarin’ the fish. Durin’ the whole time we was out, I caught only one little crappie. When I reeled it in, ‘stead of grabbin’ the net, she grabbed my line. The fish swung ‘round and smacked me in the face. My glasses flew off and, luckily, landed in the boat. I didn’t know how I’d ever explain to Pawpaw how my glasses ended up at the bottom of the lake.
After that incident, we went home. Juniper and I decided, where fish were concerned, it’d be best if I caught and she fried. We also made a pact not to tell Pawpaw nothin’ ‘bout our fishin’ trip. I admit, I told her ‘bout our emergency trip to Plutie Prather’s store and the ten-pound bass we bought ‘stead of “caught;” although, I was sure she’d already guessed. We got a good laugh at Pawpaw’s expense and wounded pride.
Today I’d gone to the Piggly Wiggly with her to make groceries ‘stead of doin’ my schoolwork. The market was so crowded, it was like somebody put up a notice:
“Town meetin’ at the Piggly Wiggly tomorrow at 10 a.m. sharp”
Juniper knew everybody in Harrison County, and I met ever’ single one of ‘em. Not that I’d ‘member their names, but she told me some real good gossip. I was havin’ a hard time decidin’ who was the better gossiper, Juniper or Mamere. I think it’s a tie. Man, those two women would have had a good time together. Made me sad they’d never meet.
“What’s for supper tonight?” I asked Juniper after we’d carried in the groceries.
“What y’all in the mood for, Tee?”
“How ‘bout we have somethin’ easy, like fried boloney sandwiches. Then we can sit out on the grass for a picnic. It’s nice outside, and I love this time of year.”
“Now that’s a fine idea. We can call it a field trip and count it as part of y’all’s schoolwork,” she joked. “We ain’t never had a picnic supper in the evenin’ all the years I’ve lived in this house. Cecelia and Little Tommy and me had picnics durin’ the day at the park, but Big Tom ain’t the picnic kind. Let’s eat early, ‘cuz I wanna be in bed on time tonight, ‘case Big Tom comes home. How’s that sound to y’all?”
“Sounds good to me!” I agreed. Juniper and I were always on the same page.
I finished up a bit of my schoolwork, and Juniper finished loadin’ her clean pantry with the groceries we bought.
In a coupla hours we was outside on a big old blanket with our fried baloney sandwiches, barbecue chips, coleslaw, and chocolate chip cookies. And what a surprise! I found out Juniper loved Fanta Grape too.
“Juniper,” I asked with a mouthful of sandwich, “how come y’all never got married?”
I’d been wonderin’ for the longest time. I thought she woulda been a good wife and the best mama. I felt bad bringin’ up the subject ‘cuz Pawpaw had told me some of the story. Still, I thought maybe there was more’n one man in her past, and she might wanna tell me.
“Oh, I don’t know. It’s a long story, but mainly I fell in love with a man, and right ‘fore we got married, he died.”
“Wow. I’m awful sorry I made y’all think ‘bout that.”
We’d shared almost everythin’ ‘bout ourselves, but this time I’d put my own great big foot in my mouth. Now I was desperate to think of a way to pull it out.
“It’s fine, honey. Don’t y’all worry none. That all happened so far in the past, I hardly think ‘bout it anymore. I just never found anybody else worth marryin’ after Walter was killed. But I’ve had a happy life with no regrets. I got me a big family with lots of nieces and nephews to love. I have good friends and was blessed to help raise your daddy.
“Big Tom and Cecelia been good to me. They’re my family too. Lord knows Big Tom would be walkin’ ‘round in week-old, stanky clothes and eatin’ who-knows-what if I weren’t here to boss him ‘round. Don’t ever tell him, but he’s my best friend. I can hear Cecelia thankin’ me ever’ single day for lookin’ after him.” Her eyes got all misty.
“Pawpaw’s not the only one who needs ya. I don’t know what I’d do if y’all weren’t here, Juniper. You’ve helped me more’n I can ever say.”
Juniper answered, dabbin’ at her eyes, “Y’all are so much like your daddy. I feel like I have him back again. I’m awful glad y’all are here with us.”
I was happy she thought I was like my daddy, and I smiled. Then I fought the tears. We was ‘bout ready to start cryin’ like a coupla babies, so I pointed out the skeeters buzzin’ round us.
“My lands! When did it get dark! Let’s get us inside ‘fore we’re eaten by an army of hungry, flyin’ lake leeches.”
I laughed at Juniper’s description and grabbed a trash bag. She had the blanket folded and was up on the porch in a flash.
“Look at that moon, Tee! It’s so big, it looks like it’s being born right outta the forest!”
Suddenly. I wasn’t so worried ‘bout “lake leeches.” I felt my belly scrunch up and looked over my shoulder at the giant full moon. I swore to myself. Pawpaw wasn’t home, and even though I knew he’d disapprove, I was gonna put out some buttons or coins. Ain’t no rougarou gonna get me and Juniper on my watch.
61
A Howl in the Night
#call911
* * *
Crap! My clock said 9:09. Juniper’d gone to bed.
Luckily, I’d hid the buttons Pawpaw had dumped on the kitchen table in my underwear drawer. I hurried to count ‘em out. I was short of the twenty-six. I needed four more buttons. . . . No problem. Juniper kept a “loose change” mah-naise jar in the kitchen. I’d grab four pennies. Pennies worked good as buttons.
I ran down the stairs in my socks and tiptoed into the kitchen. While I was reachin’ in Juniper’s change jar, I ‘membered the picture and the card I’d found in the attic. I got the four pennies and went to the towel drawer to pull out the photo. I reread the card, still tryin’ to fill in the blanks. A frisson spread from the top of my head down to my feet. I hid the picture and card back under the dish towels and got busy.
I tiptoed to the foyer to get my shoes ‘fore I set out the buttons and pennies. With Juniper in bed and Pawpaw still away, the carved fightin’ horses on the wooden doors of Pawpaw’s den were my only witnesses. They would keep my secret; they knew what it meant to fight and protect.
Light was comin’ from under the den. Pawpaw must be home! But how? I hadn’t heard the ususal stomp of his big boots or his hollerin’ to let the world know he was back. He musta thought we were sleepin’ or just plain didn’t wanna talk to nobody. Maybe Juniper left the light on? I hadn’t heard the truck pull up. I knocked on the horse’s wooden mane. “Pawpaw, can I come in?”
There wasn’t no answer, so I opened the door real slow to see if he was there. Nope. The light was on, but nobody home. I ran upstairs and did the same “knock and peek” in his bedroom. Same thing, only no light was on in there to announce his arrival.
I couldn’t put off protectin’ the house any longer. The full moon was risin’ higher and higher. I ran back down the stairs, opened the door, and stepped out on the porch. Pawpaw’s truck was parked outside in the gravel driveway. He was home! He was gonna get mad ‘bout the buttons and pennies. I’d think ‘bout that later.
Where was he? The lights in his shed were off, and he wasn’t rockin’ in the chairs on the front porch.
Suddenly, my mind went clear, and I knew exactly where Pawpaw was. It was like Chilly had reached down from Heaven and whispered in my ear, “Tee, buddy . . . He’s in the deer stand!”
This couldn’t be happenin’. I gotta warn him. I dropped my buttons and pennies on the two door mats and ran back inside to call his cell phone from his office. Please have your phone with you, Pawpaw. Faintly, I could hear it ringin’ in his truck. Dang. I had no choice but to go after him.
I needed my wallet with the oak leaf for protection, so I ran up and grabbed it in my room. My feet were loud on the stairs, but I didn’t care. I needed to hurry.
With ever’ runnin’ step I took, I was prayin’ for angels to protect us. I was back outta the house and on the porch when I froze.
Please, help me do this, I prayed. I’ll be a Baptist and go to church when Pawpaw wants. I’ll even make Pawpaw stay awake, just please help me.
I jumped off the porch sayin’ “AMEN” like a battle cry to give me courage.
I didn’t run to the trail; I walked like I had an army behind me, ‘stead of just skeeters and fireflies. My long legs and big feet made good progress, and I was ready t—SLAM!
Arms came outta the brush and grabbed my body in a football tackle. My head and face hit the dirt hard. I gagged out pine straw and muck and tried to lift my head and holler, but this attacker was strong.
Elmo Astle has found me, I thought with a strange calm. He’ll get revenge and finally finish the job and put my body in the lake for the gators.
I felt a face bump up next to the side of my head and someone say, “Don’t holler, don’t move, don’t do nothin’ if y’all wanna live. I’m gonna let ya get up and walk. Do exactly what I tell ya. Stay close to me. I got a shotgun for protection, so don’t try to run. If ya do, you’ll get us both killed.”
I choked out an “okay,” but I didn’t believe a thing he said ‘bout “protectin’ ” me. My days of trustin’ what strangers said were over. The man had me by the upper arm. His grip was strong. I got a glimpse of a face covered in black huntin’ paint and wearin’ a dark hoodie pulled low over his face. The shotgun hung on its strap over his shoulder.
I got up, and as we started walkin’, he loosened his grip and said, “Stay close to me and when we—”
The howl sliced the air above us and cut through the trees like a powerful saw. It was a sound that could shatter bones. If trees could quiver, they’d be shakin’ in their roots. We stopped movin’, frozen in our tracks, and listened. Neither one of us moved a muscle, even to let a breath come outta our mouths.
The cry was wolflike and angry . . . and went on forever. The second howl came right on top of the first. This one was long too and ended in a vicious snarl.
The creature who made those terrible howls was close.
Pawpaw! The deer stand! I had to get to Pawpaw! So I ran.
I ran faster’n I ever ran in my life. I knew I wasn’t obeyin’ Hoodie’s orders, but right then, I didn’t care if an army was with him aimin’ red dots all over my back. If the man shot me, at least I’d die tryin’ to save my pawpaw. But the man didn’t shoot. He was runnin’ so close behind me, if I tripped on a root, we’d both go down.
The full moon helped me see the shortcut trail Pawpaw’d shown me when we’d walked home from the deer stand. The landmarks were opposite goin’ this way. I saw the the big boulder and ran right past it. ‘Round the boulder, veer right to the fallen pine log. ‘Round the pine log and to the cypress tree, then on to the deer strand.
The man and I stopped in our tracks at the edge of the clearin’ to take in the scene ’fore us. Our breathin’ was ragged from runnin’ fast we could. Right then, though, nothing else mattered, ‘cuz what I saw in the clearin’ would steal my breath forever.
Pawpaw was screamin’ as he was bein’ yanked through the trap door of the deer stand. From his hips down he was bein’ pulled to the ground by a huge, howlin’, snarlin’ monster. It howled again in frustration and shocked me outta my trance.
I screamed back, loud and long as I had strength and air in my body. The beast stopped tuggin’ on Pawpaw and turned to look at me. I held its yellow eyes with my own, and I let out ‘nother scream. It was a scream of anger startin’ deep in my core. I screamed for all those that had been taken from me. I screamed at life and at death, but mostly, I screamed at the beast for tryin’ to take my pawpaw from me.
Pawpaw’s whole body fell through the trap door but was caught hangin’ by his jacket on the top ladder rung. I had forgotten ‘bout the man with the gun ‘til he hollered, “Get down, I’m gonna shoot it!”
I dropped to the ground as the shots rang out. I didn’t know if the man hit the creature, but with one last snarlin’ howl of rage, it dropped down on all four legs and disappeared—like smoke—into the blackness of the forest behind him. ‘Nother howl and snarl, then silence.
Up in the tree, Pawpaw’s jacket gave way, and he dropped to the ground and lay still.
I ran over to him and knelt to see if he was breathin’. Hoodie man followed me over and knelt ‘side me to reload his shotgun. I felt Pawpaw’s neck for a pulse, and the man lay his head on Pawpaw’s chest to listen for a heartbeat.
“He’s alive, but maybe not for long. Let’s get him to the house quick,” the Hoodie man said.
He shouldered his shotgun, and we lifted Pawpaw up carefully, drapin’ his arms ‘cross our shoulders. His feet were gonna drag ‘cuz he was taller’n both of us.
“Hurry,” I ordered, “it may come back.”
For once in my life, I was grateful for a full moon. It was almost like a spotlight to guide our way as we followed the trail at a jog. Cypress, fallen pine log, big boulder, and straight on to the house. We carefully laid Pawpaw on the front porch.
His pulse was a little stronger.
“Call 911 and turn on some lights.” ordered Hoodie. I stood up and then ‘membered the porch light was burned out.
“I have to go inside to call,” I told Hoodie. “I’ll get a flashlight.”
Pawpaw was movin’ his arm and his mouth.
“Hell. Nobody’s gonna call 911. I’ll shoot anybody who tries. Help me get up.” He reached out to grab my arm and pull me back down.
“Pawpaw, just lay still so I can go get Juniper. She can see if y’all are okay. Stay down! You fell seven feet outta the deer stand and could have a broken neck or back!”
