The Magic in Changing Your Stars by Leah Henderson

Author:Leah Henderson [Henderson, Leah]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sterling Children's Books
Published: 2021-05-11T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

SO THE STORY GOES

Ailey tried to make himself as small as possible in the dining room chair. But it didn’t work. All eyes were on him.

“We probably ought to call his mother, let her know where he is,” Zelda said, kissing her husband again before she left his side. “We don’t need her worrying.”

“You right ’bout that,” Nanna Truth said. “Your momma got a phone? Or do I need to send Benji and Sammy ’round to let her know you gonna dine with us tonight? Give you a little strength before you head on home?”

Ailey swallowed the last of the sweet tea lemonade, nearly choking again. Call his mother!

“Yes, she has a phone,” he whispered. “But she, um, might not be home.”

“Maybe your father’s there?” Zelda asked, resting her hands on the back of another dining room chair.

“I don’t think he wants us calling his pops,” Taps said, rushing to Ailey’s side.

“Well then, why don’t you at least try and call her? The phone’s over there. I’d feel better.” Zelda pointed to a black phone with a spinning dial. The kind Ailey had only seen in old movies and at museums.

Ailey wandered to the phone like it might bite. Then lifted the receiver. He felt everyone watching and listening. Nestling the phone against his ear, he heard someone laugh on the line. “I think somebody’s using it,” he said, relieved. He was about to place the phone back in its cradle when Zelda took it from his hand, stilling his shoulder with her other.

“This is what you get when you got a whole bunch of chatty neighbors sharin’ the line. It’s probably Edwina Evelyn talking to her sister. Don’t know where she finds the money to keep yappin’ on like she does.” She pursed her lips and shook her head as she put the phone to her ear. “Evening, Salt. This is Zelda. Yes, I’m fine, thank you. But we need the line for a quick call. Emergency. Yes, yes, everyone’s fine.” Zelda rolled her eyes up to the ceiling, still nodding. “It’ll be real quick. Hi there, Pepper, sorry to disturb your call.”

When she handed the phone back to Ailey, there was silence on the other end.

“You best hurry,” Zelda said. “Edwina is going to hold me to that minute.”

Ailey turned back to the phone and let his finger swing around in the holes, picking random numbers. The phone made a funny zipping sound every time he rotated the dial.

“Hello?” he said when a voice came over the line. Everyone except Asa, who, tucked behind a paper, watched him. “Hi, Mom, it’s me.”

“I think you got the wrong number,” the voice said. “You better reconnect with the operator.”

“Yes, I’m fine. I’m at a friend’s house . . . Taps, I mean Benjamin Truth,” Ailey said glancing at Taps. “I wasn’t feeling so well, and they’ve asked me to stay for dinner. Oh, I can? Yes, I’m feeling better.”

“I told you, this isn’t your momma, boy. Now get off this line!”

“I love you too, Mom.

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