Here's the final sample from SEPTEMBER before its release. Enjoy!!
Mama
had to pry Kenny’s arms from around her neck and when she stood to her feet, I
could see the wet spot on her blouse left behind by Kenny’s tears. Kenny’s
cries became shrill and louder as Mama backed away from us, moving toward the
car door. Grandma Orene stepped forward, and when she wrapped her thick fingers
around Kenny’s little arm, his knees buckled and landed on the gravel of the
makeshift driveway that made up most of our grandmother’s front yard. His cries
transformed from shrill sobs to pained wails.
I
reached for him but Grandma Orene shook her head. “You let me take care of him,
sugar,” she said warmly. “Now come on here, big boy. I got some cake in here
and I think you’ll like it. It’s chocolate. Your mama told me you love
chocolate cake.”
Kenny’s
wailing stopped almost the second she spoke the words “chocolate cake”. His wet
eyes widened and he stood to his feet.
Our
grandmother turned to me and winked. “Let’s go get us some cake, Chrissy.”
I
smiled as I followed her into the old, paint-stripped house.
***
Grandma
Orene’s house was larger than the little house in the woods where Kenny and I
had spent our lives up until that point, but it was full of furniture and
knick-knacks. It smelled like food and was so warm, much warmer than our house.
It was an old house, but the floors didn’t creak like at our house and the air
didn’t seep in under the doors and the windows didn’t rattle when the wind
blew. The furniture was old, but not raggedy. The couch sagged but was covered
with a clean quilt. The coffee table was chipped, but there wasn’t a speck of
dirt on it. The house was lived-in, but not run down. It had taken on the
characteristics of a true home rather than just a building.
When
I walked into the kitchen and saw all of that food on the table, I couldn’t
believe it. I had never seen so much food in one place and intended for one
meal in my whole life! Fried chicken, greens, pinto beans, cornbread, boiled
okra, potato salad, and of course, a triple-stacked chocolate cake with
chocolate icing. I looked over at Kenny whose eyes had grown so wide, I thought
they were going to pop out of his head.
“We
gon’ eat all this?” he asked excitedly.
“As
much of it as you want,” Grandma Orene answered. “Now, go wash your hands over
at the sink. We gon’ eat soon as your Aunt Joyce and your Uncle Larry get back.”
I
took Kenny’s hand and inched toward the sink. “Who is they?” I asked.
“They
your daddy’s sister and brother. Now go on and wash them hands.”
“Where
they at?” I said as I turned the water on in the faucet and lathered my hands
with soap.
“Down
the road a bit. They be back shortly.”
I
nodded. “You my daddy’s Mama, right?”
She
smiled at me and nodded. “Yes, I am, smart girl.”
“Where
his daddy at?”
A sadness swiftly
filled her eyes.
CLICK HERE to pre-order your copy now!! Price increases 9.1.15!!!!
CLICK HERE to add this book on Goodreads!!
No comments:
Post a Comment