Pieces of Why by K. L. Going

Author:K. L. Going
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group
Published: 2015-08-23T16:00:00+00:00

“I can’t believe Ms. Marion didn’t say a word about you giving up the lead at June Fest,” Keisha said, leaning back in her beanbag chair. “I mean, really, not one word?”

I shrugged. “She didn’t seem angry. Just said I needed time to work through things.”

Keisha rolled her eyes. “That’s not very helpful.” She sighed, but then she straightened. “Oh, Ma said you should let her know when you got here, so we can head out.”

“Okay,” I said, trying not to frown. “Guess I’ll say hello to Loretta too.”

I headed downstairs, but stopped on the final step, listening to the hushed voices coming from the kitchen. The tone of them made my skin tingle.

“I just don’t see why you’re still taking care of her as if she’s your own kid. Does her mother even pay you?”

That was Loretta’s voice, clipped and annoyed.

A wave of fear washed over me as I heard Ms. Evette cluck her tongue.

“She’s Keisha’s best friend. I don’t ask for payment.”

“Oh right,” Loretta snorted. “Because you have all the money in the world to feed an extra mouth, what with your husband having been out of work for two years.”

“We’re doing fine,” Ms. Evette snapped. “Just because you feel the need to put on airs every time you visit, making my daughter think you’re some kind of fashion mogul . . .”

Loretta laughed. “Oh Ettie, she does not think that. Why can’t I buy Keisha something pretty? That’s not putting on airs. Besides, I buy things for little Ms. White Girl too. I’d think you’d be happy about that.”

“She has a name,” Ms. Evette said. “And this isn’t about color.”

“Oh come on,” Loretta said, snapping the words apart like each one was a separate sentence. “You’re really going to tell me that a black woman taking care of a poor little white child, practically raising her while her incompetent mama refuses to pull herself together and her worthless father rots in prison, isn’t about color?”

“Don’t you dare!” Ms. Evette said. “Tia is a great kid.”

“I’m not saying she isn’t,” Loretta said. “At least so far.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You haven’t thought it?” I could hear the click of Loretta’s heels. “Her father’s in prison for murder. You know when a child’s brain forms the most neural connections? During the first three years of life. What do you think a man like that taught his kid during those years? A person has to be wrong in the head to pull the trigger on a twelve-year-old girl.”

Ms. Evette was trying to talk over her sister. “Tia’s a child, for goodness’ sake. She’s not some evil spawn.”

“I’m not saying you shouldn’t be kind to her,” Loretta answered, “I’m just saying that if I were you, I wouldn’t want to keep taking care of her once she’s a teenager. One way or another, that girl is going to be disturbed.”

I clapped my hand over my mouth. Was this what people thought of me?

That’s when Dwayne came around the corner. As he passed, I dashed up the stairs, hoping he hadn’t seen me hovering there.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.