hidden motive. It’s just plain unbiased reporting.
And believe me, I don’t get told I’m beautiful every day. I can’t even remember my dad ever saying that to me. He’s said it to my sisters but not me. But why does it have to come from a freaky dude like Mr. White? Why couldn’t Tillman say it? Or even Chuck. Somebody I could really fall for. Still, I guess every girl wants to hear they’re beautiful sometime, no matter who it comes from.
Inside the barn, Mr. White is already kneeling next to the captain. Bobby’s squatting on the other side, and Chuck’s standing behind them with one hand in his back pocket and the other holding a cup of blackberry wine. The only light comes from a mechanic’s lamp hanging from a rafter. Me, I feel like I’m caught between two forces—wondering about this new development of Mr. White telling me I’m beautiful and then also wishing I could come up with something to say to get Bobby out of here.
They’re all inspecting this thingamajig the captain calls his aero-velocipede. If he’s going to try to fly this contraption, he won’t get far—it doesn’t have any wings. Right now, it just looks like a giant silver tricycle, only the seat’s lower and has a high back and sparkly blue vinyl upholstery. The thing doesn’t even have wheels.
Just about anyone who saw it would say it’s just a big pieceof crap, but for some reason Bobby has a different idea. He looks up at me and goes, “You can see it, can’t you, Ceejay? Get some wings, some wheels, and an engine on this thing, and it’ll be riding the sky with the eagles and crows.”
He seems so happy about it, I can’t bring myself to do anything but lie. “I can see it,” I tell him. But all I can really see is disaster if someone tries to take this thing up in the air.
More cups of wine and more stories go around until finally the wine runs out. Bobby grabs his wallet. “Here, Chuck, I’ll give you a few bucks. Run into town and get us some beer.”
Of course, Chuck’s totally up for it, but finally I have to put my foot down. Which isn’t easy. It’s not my place to tell Bobby what to do, but the last thing I want to see is him passed out on the ground in Captain Crazy’s barn.
“No, you don’t,” I say, aiming the words at Chuck instead of Bobby. “It’s late. I have to go home. And I sure don’t want to get in your truck with you after you polish off a six-pack of beer on top of everything else.”
“That’s all right,” Chuck says. “I’ll drop you off when I go get the beer.”
I’m like, “No way. I’m not going without Bobby.”
Finally, Bobby looks up at me, smiling a drunk smile. “That’s right, Ceejay. Don’t you go anywhere without me. You’re my best, best, best little sister. And if you’re leaving, then I’m leaving too.”
Sure, it took a few glasses of wine for Bobby to finally say something that sounds like him, but that’s all right. It feels good, like cool water pouring down to the bottom of my stomach.
Unsteadily, he gets up and addresses the captain, “Captain, I’m glad to meet a man of your caliber. You’ve given me a lot to think about, sir.” He shakes the captain’s hand and starts toturn but thinks of one last thing to say. “I will be back. And you can bet, sooner or later, we will fly.”
The captain grins and salutes him.
On the way to the truck, Bobby leans against me and I take his arm. He’s more like his old self, happy and talkative, though more wasted than I’m used to. As we drive down the highway, he puts his arm around me. “I love you, Ceejay,” he says. “You know that, don’t you?”
“I know,” I say. “I love you too.”
“Thanks for being patient with me,” he says. “I know I’ve been weird.”
“No, you haven’t,” I tell him.
“Yeah, I have. It’s just I’m not ready yet.”
“Ready for what?”
“Anything.”
“If you want,” I say, “I can tell Mom and Dad you called while they were out
And believe me, I don’t get told I’m beautiful every day. I can’t even remember my dad ever saying that to me. He’s said it to my sisters but not me. But why does it have to come from a freaky dude like Mr. White? Why couldn’t Tillman say it? Or even Chuck. Somebody I could really fall for. Still, I guess every girl wants to hear they’re beautiful sometime, no matter who it comes from.
Inside the barn, Mr. White is already kneeling next to the captain. Bobby’s squatting on the other side, and Chuck’s standing behind them with one hand in his back pocket and the other holding a cup of blackberry wine. The only light comes from a mechanic’s lamp hanging from a rafter. Me, I feel like I’m caught between two forces—wondering about this new development of Mr. White telling me I’m beautiful and then also wishing I could come up with something to say to get Bobby out of here.
They’re all inspecting this thingamajig the captain calls his aero-velocipede. If he’s going to try to fly this contraption, he won’t get far—it doesn’t have any wings. Right now, it just looks like a giant silver tricycle, only the seat’s lower and has a high back and sparkly blue vinyl upholstery. The thing doesn’t even have wheels.
Just about anyone who saw it would say it’s just a big pieceof crap, but for some reason Bobby has a different idea. He looks up at me and goes, “You can see it, can’t you, Ceejay? Get some wings, some wheels, and an engine on this thing, and it’ll be riding the sky with the eagles and crows.”
He seems so happy about it, I can’t bring myself to do anything but lie. “I can see it,” I tell him. But all I can really see is disaster if someone tries to take this thing up in the air.
More cups of wine and more stories go around until finally the wine runs out. Bobby grabs his wallet. “Here, Chuck, I’ll give you a few bucks. Run into town and get us some beer.”
Of course, Chuck’s totally up for it, but finally I have to put my foot down. Which isn’t easy. It’s not my place to tell Bobby what to do, but the last thing I want to see is him passed out on the ground in Captain Crazy’s barn.
“No, you don’t,” I say, aiming the words at Chuck instead of Bobby. “It’s late. I have to go home. And I sure don’t want to get in your truck with you after you polish off a six-pack of beer on top of everything else.”
“That’s all right,” Chuck says. “I’ll drop you off when I go get the beer.”
I’m like, “No way. I’m not going without Bobby.”
Finally, Bobby looks up at me, smiling a drunk smile. “That’s right, Ceejay. Don’t you go anywhere without me. You’re my best, best, best little sister. And if you’re leaving, then I’m leaving too.”
Sure, it took a few glasses of wine for Bobby to finally say something that sounds like him, but that’s all right. It feels good, like cool water pouring down to the bottom of my stomach.
Unsteadily, he gets up and addresses the captain, “Captain, I’m glad to meet a man of your caliber. You’ve given me a lot to think about, sir.” He shakes the captain’s hand and starts toturn but thinks of one last thing to say. “I will be back. And you can bet, sooner or later, we will fly.”
The captain grins and salutes him.
On the way to the truck, Bobby leans against me and I take his arm. He’s more like his old self, happy and talkative, though more wasted than I’m used to. As we drive down the highway, he puts his arm around me. “I love you, Ceejay,” he says. “You know that, don’t you?”
“I know,” I say. “I love you too.”
“Thanks for being patient with me,” he says. “I know I’ve been weird.”
“No, you haven’t,” I tell him.
“Yeah, I have. It’s just I’m not ready yet.”
“Ready for what?”
“Anything.”
“If you want,” I say, “I can tell Mom and Dad you called while they were out
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