Feb. 13, 2007

"The color was a dark, rusty red. Mama said it looked like the color of that-time-of-the-month blood, but you know what ladies? I loved it! I'll tell you what, there ain't a person on this earth who's going to have a dress like my girls, and I'll make sure of it."
Jean jabbered on about the wedding plans, her dress, her man's penis. All the stuff a less-than virgin bride would talk about.
Me, I just sat on the floor leaning on the couch, wishing this party would just get over with.
"And then Mama says, 'Girl everybody's going to laugh when they see those table-sheets you picked out'. So you know ofcourse I bought em'. I'll tell you what, if my dang ole' mother don't stop interfering with my stuff, I'll just forget to send the witch an invitation."
Everyone else laughed, but I wasn't sure if it was polite of me to be laughing at my Aunt Peg. She'd never done nothin to me, and I supposed it would be rude to act on about it.
"Shoog, what you moaning about over there? You know girl there's a wedding to get on, ain't you even excited about it?"
I looked at Jean and her red hair all covered in present bows. What was I gonna say? That I'd rather be outside nailing my finger to the barn?
"Sure I am Jean, I'm just watchin everyone."
"Well hunny don't go getting bored on me; you know I need you to be my maid of honor."
Do I gotta wear a blood-red dress, I thought.
"Anyway girls..."
Jean turned back toward her couple of friends there for the wedding shower, and started laughing bout something I didn't hear.
It was about three, and I got a quick idea in my head.
"I'm gonna go catch the mail man."
No one heard me though.
Jean was going on now about some type of garden belt or something, so I just walked on out the door.

Kay Greenfield


The color was a dark, rusty red. I let out a low sigh as I drew my eyes away from the dried blood surrounding the scratch and up into the teary eyes of my little brother. He sniffled slightly, his nose raw and red as he rubbed at it, and his lower lips trembling and set in a pout. It would have been extremely adorable had it not been my little brother and the fact that he was actually hurt.
I pushed him gently back against the couch and told him that everything was going to be fine.
I gently rubbed at the dried blood surrounding his knee. He was already tearing up and letting out small whimpers of pain before I had even gotten to the scraps.
Why were you skating in the house again, Kyle, and what exactly happened? I made my voice soft and sisterly, afraid that he would begin crying again if I appeared angry and threatening.
It didn’t

Chrissy Faye