I am waiting on the twenty-fourth like a court date. I dont know what Mister Johnnys going to do when he finds out Im working here. Maybe hell say, Good! Come clean my kitchen anytime! Heres some money! But Im not that stupid. This secret-keeping is way too fishy for him to be some smiling whitey wanting to give me a raise. Theres a good chance I might not have a job come Christmas Day.
Its eating me up, not knowing, but what I do know is, a month ago, I decided there had to be a more dignified way to die than having a heart attack squatting on top of a white ladys toilet lid. And after all that, it wasnt even Mister Johnny that came home, it was just the damn meter man.
But there wasnt much relief when it was over. What scared me worse was Miss Celia. Afterwards, during her cooking lesson, she was still shaking so bad, she couldnt even measure the salt in a spoon.
Monday comes and I cant stop thinking about Louvenia Browns grandson, Robert. He got out of the hospital this weekend, went to live with Louvenia, what with his parents already dead and all. Last night, when I went over there to take them a caramel cake, Robert had a cast on his arm and bandages over his eyes. Oh, Louvenia, was all I could say when I saw him. Robert was laid up on the sofa asleep. Theyd shaved half his head to operate. Louvenia, with all her troubles, still wanted to know how each and every person in my family was doing. And when Robert started to stir, she asked if I wouldnt mind going on home because Robert wakes up screaming. Terrified and remembering all over again that hes blind. She thought it might bother me. I cant stop thinking about it.
Im going to the store after while, I say to Miss Celia. I hold the grocery list out for her to see. Every Monday we do this. She gives me the grocery cash and when I get home I push the receipt in her face. I want her to see that every penny of change matches the paper. Miss Celia just shrugs but I keep those tickets safe in a drawer in case theres ever any question.
Minny cooking:
1. Ham with pineapples
2. Black-eyed peas
3. Sweet potatoes
4. Apple pie
5. Biscuits
Miss Celia cooking:
1. Butter beans
But I did butter beans last week.
Learn those, everything else come easy.
I guess its better anyway, she says. I can sit down and be still when Im shelling.
Almost three months and the fool still cant boil coffee. I pull out my pie dough, want to get it ready before I go to the store.
Can we do a chocolate pie this time? I love chocolate pie.
I grit my teeth. I dont know how to cook no chocolate pie, I lie. Never. Never again after Miss Hilly.
You cant? Gosh, I thought you could cook anything. Maybe we ought to get us a recipe.
What else kind a pie you thinking about?
Well, what about that peach pie you did that time? she says, pouring a glass of milk. That was real good.
Them peaches from Mexico. Peaches aint in season around here yet.
But I saw them advertised in the paper.
I sigh. Nothing is easy with her, but at least shes off the chocolate. One thing you got to know, things is best when they in season. You dont cook pumpkins in the summer, you dont cook peaches in the fall. You cant find it selling on the side a the road, it aint in. Lets just do us a nice pecan pie instead.
And Johnny loved those pralines[91] you did. He thought I was the smartest girl hed ever met when I gave him those.
I turn back to my dough so she cant see my face. Twice in a minute shes managed to irritate me. Anything else you want Mister Johnny to think you did? Besides being scared out of my wits, I am sick and tired of passing off my cooking for somebody elses. Except my kids, my cookings the only thing Im proud of.
No, thats all. Miss Celia smiles, doesnt notice Ive stretched my pie crust to where five holes rip through. Just twenty-four more days of this shit. I am praying to the Lord and the devil on the side that Mister Johnny doesnt come home before then.
Every other day, I hear Miss Celia on the phone in her room, calling and calling the society ladies. The Benefit was three weeks ago and here she is already gunning up for next year. She and Mister Johnny didnt go or I wouldve heard plenty about it.
I didnt work the Benefit this year, first time in a decade. The moneys pretty good, but I just couldnt risk running into Miss Hilly.
Could you tell her Celia Foote called again? I left her a message a few days back
Miss Celias voice is chipper, like shes peddling something on the tee-vee. Every time I hear it, I want to jerk the phone out of her hand, tell her to quit wasting her time. Because never mind she looks like a hussy. Theres a bigger reason why Miss Celia doesnt have any friends and I knew it the minute I saw that picture of Mister Johnny. Ive served enough bridge club luncheons to know something about every white woman in this town. Mister Johnny dumped Miss Hilly for Miss Celia back in college, and Miss Hilly never got over him[92].
I walk in the church on Wednesday night. Its not but half full since its only a quarter to seven and the choir doesnt start singing until seven-thirty. But Aibileen asked me to come early so here I am. Im curious what she has to say. Plus Leroy was in a good mood and playing with the kids so I figure, if he wants them, he can have them.