The Laura Line by Crystal Allen

Author:Crystal Allen [Allen, Crystal]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Children's Books, Geography & Cultures, Multicultural Stories, African-American, Growing Up & Facts of Life, Family Life, Multigenerational, Friendship; Social Skills & School Life, Friendship, Literature & Fiction, Historical Fiction, United States, 1800s
ISBN: 0061992747
Google: MHrJcEi0oRkC
Amazon: 0061992747
Barnesnoble: 0061992747
Goodreads: 16065579
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Published: 2012-12-31T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eighteen

This gravel road is the only thing standing between me and my mission. I’ve got a military rhythm in my walk as I take the same route to the shack that I took on Wednesday, but this time, I’m not going in there for Troy. I’m excited and embarrassed and ashamed and curious, all at the same time. My emotional drama needs to step aside, because I’ve got a bet to win.

I’ve gotta shake these jitters. I know the bet is going to be won or lost in the ledger, so as soon as I walk inside, I place my backpack on the table and go get it. Once I open the book, I run my finger down the Laura Line family tree. I’ve read the ones for Mom, Laura Rachel; Grandma, Laura Lee; and Grandma’s mom, Laura Elaine. The next Laura is Laura Jean.

There she is.

LAURA JEAN

There’s a picture of a little girl sewing at a table. She’s awfully young to be sewing. Is that Laura Jean? She can’t be older than eight. I turn the next page. It’s a picture of a formal gown. I run my finger across the picture, imagining what the dress feels like. Did Laura Jean make this?

I sit up and clear my throat. Maybe she did make it. And even though it may be kind of cool, it’s not amazing. Kids do stuff like this all the time. And I don’t think sewing is that hard. I’ve sewn before. I made a handkerchief for Dad one year for Father’s Day. Sewing must run in the family, and the only thing Laura Jean’s story does is give me a clue to where it all began for us.

It still doesn’t have anything to do with slavery. Though I have to give her props for this bangin’ dress. It’s gorgeous.

I can’t believe the fancy lace and pearls around the hem and the neckline. Even though it’s old, I could wear that on my wedding day and I wouldn’t be mad. It doesn’t take long for the daydream to take me down the aisle with Dad beside me. Troy’s standing at the front with Shane and the minister. I’m wearing the dress Laura Jean made, and the pearls are all shiny and the lace is so . . .

I startle myself out of that special edition of Troy TV. What the what am I doing? I need to focus, because I’ve got to get this field trip canceled!

I turn the page and find a letter to Laura Jean, congratulating her on a successful production despite all the things that went wrong. Was Laura Jean a movie producer? Here’s another letter apologizing that the fabric she ordered was not going to be delivered in time for her production.

I’m almost through with Laura Jean’s pages when I turn to the last one and my eyes switch to high beam. I exhale without inhaling first as the words on the fashion show program seem to leap out at me. It reads FASHION EXTRAVAGANZA at the top.

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