Sometimes Daughter (9780758278104) by Emmons Sherri Wood

Author:Emmons, Sherri Wood
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kensington Books
Published: 2011-12-21T16:00:00+00:00

25

Over the next few weeks, Treva became a fixture in our household. Sometimes she cooked dinner for Daddy and me. Sometimes Daddy cooked for us. Sometimes we ordered Chinese takeout or pizza. Always, she stayed long after I went to bed.

Treva was nice enough, but she was pretty annoying. She was always perky, like an overgrown cheerleader, for one thing. I never heard her raise her voice or sound angry. She was always smiling. Sometimes I wanted to say something hurtful to her, just to see if I could wipe that smile off her face. But I didn’t.

Daddy seemed happy when she was around. He smiled a lot and sang silly songs while we washed dishes or folded laundry. Lee Ann was right about that, I guess. Daddy had been lonely. And now he wasn’t. I tried to be happy about that, but mostly I just felt annoyed.

Still, life in the eighth grade was going pretty well. Lee Ann, Vernita, and I were all on the student council, so we got to help decide on the decorations for the Valentine’s Day dance. Lee Ann was going to the dance with Michael Day, and she was excited about it. Vernita and I did not have dates. We would go together and help with the refreshments.

A week before Valentine’s Day, Treva came for dinner. Daddy had made chili. Treva had brought a salad and bread.

“So, what are you wearing to the dance, Judy?” Treva asked.

“I don’t know,” I said. “Probably my blue dress.” I had only three dresses. The blue was the nicest.

“Oh, you need a new dress for a dance!” Treva nodded her head at me emphatically. “It’s your first dance, right? You have to have a new dress.”

“Would you like a new dress, honey?” Daddy was looking at me now, smiling.

“It’s okay, Daddy. I can wear my blue one.”

“No, it’s not okay!” Treva was nodding at Daddy now. “She has to have a new dress for her first dance. In fact”—now she turned back to me—“I’ll go shopping with you this weekend, if you want. We can go to the mall. L. S. Ayres has beautiful dresses. What do you say?” She was smiling at me, still nodding.

“That’s a great idea,” Daddy said, covering Treva’s hand with his own. “I’m sure you’ll do a much better job helping her find something than I would.”

“Well, it’s a girl thing,” Treva said, smiling at him. “So”—she turned back to me—“how about Saturday morning? I can pick you up at ten, and after we find a dress, we can have lunch.” She seemed very pleased with the idea.

“Judy, what do you say?” Daddy was watching me closely.

Well, what I wanted to say was, “Hell no!” I did not want to go shopping with Treva. I did not need her help picking out clothes. And I sure as hell did not want to spend a whole morning with her, and then have lunch.

Instead, I mustered a smile. “Sure,” I said. “That sounds like fun.”

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