stumbled into this paradise out here in the middle of nowhere.
But the meadow’s not what we’re looking at. What has the three of us (not Mom, of course, since she obviously knows all about this) gaping stupidly out into the sunshine is the fact that the meadow is crowded with tents. About two dozen people are bustling around, some building campfires, some fishing on the lake, some simply standing or sitting or lying down in the grass talking.
My eyes are drawn to one particular woman, mahogany-skinned with long, lustrous dark hair, a face like the Sacagawea golden dollar. And a pair of dazzling wings folded like a magnificent white robe against her back.
“This,” Mom says, gesturing around the meadow, “is what’s called a congregation. A gathering of angel-bloods.”
“Congregarium celestial,” breathes Angela.
The lady with the wings sees us and waves. Mom waves back.
“That’s Billy,” she says. “Come on.” She removes her coat and the rest of her winter gear until she’s only wearing a flannel shirt and jeans. Then she strides off barefoot into the grass.
“Come on,” she calls back to us again. “They’ll be eager to meet you.” We leave our packs at the edge of the grass and move hesitantly into the meadow. Several people stop what they’re doing to watch us.
“What is this?” Jeffrey asks beside me, still confused.
Mom’s already reached Billy, who throws her arms around my mother like the two are old friends. Then they turn and start back toward us, and when she gets close enough this Billy woman hugs me too, a giant bear hug with surprising strength.
“Clara!” she exclaims. “I can’t believe it. I haven’t seen you since you were knee high to a grasshopper.”
“Uh, hi,” I reply stiffly against her hair, which smells like wildflowers and leather. “I don’t remember. . . .”
“Oh, of course not,” she says with a laugh. “You were tiny.” She peers over my shoulder.
“And this is Jeffrey. Good God above. Already a man.”
Jeffrey doesn’t say anything, but I can tell he’s pleased by this announcement.
“Meet Wilma Fairweather,” announces my mom as a formal introduction.
Wilma smirks at us. “Billy,” she corrects.
“And this is Angela Zerbino,” says my mom, not to overlook any of us.
Billy nods, looking at Angela so intently that Angela actually blushes. “The Pink Garter, am I right?”
“Yeah,” says Angela.
“Welcome! Are you hungry?”
We glance around at each other. Food is the last thing on our minds.
“Of course you are,” Billy says. “Why don’t you go over there and get some grub?” She gestures off to one side of the meadow, where there’s a plume of smoke coming up over what looks like a big stone barbecue grill. “Corbett makes the best burgers, I swear, enough to get me to eat meat a few times a year, anyway.” She laughs again. “Go eat and then you can start setting up your tents. I want you all right by me.” She links her arm with Mom’s. “You finally got the guts to bring them, Mags. I’m proud of you. Although I guess this means—”
“Bill,” Mom says with a warning in her voice, looking at me. Then she shakes it off and smiles at Billy. “We’ve got a million things to talk about, you and I.” And with that, they walk away, leaving us staring after them.
We make our way over to the barbecue. When we get there we can see that it’s being manned by a white-haired guy with a long ponytail wearing a Hawaiian-style flowered shirt, khaki shorts, and flip-flops. He’s flipping meat on the grill like a professional.
“What’ll it be, young’uns?” he calls back without bothering to turn around.
“Cheeseburger or regular?”
“Cheese,” answers Jeffrey, who can always be counted on to think with his stomach. “I’ll take two.”
“Right-o,” says the guy, and then he turns and squints at us. “What about you, Clara?” It’s Mr. Phibbs. My English teacher. Mr.
But the meadow’s not what we’re looking at. What has the three of us (not Mom, of course, since she obviously knows all about this) gaping stupidly out into the sunshine is the fact that the meadow is crowded with tents. About two dozen people are bustling around, some building campfires, some fishing on the lake, some simply standing or sitting or lying down in the grass talking.
My eyes are drawn to one particular woman, mahogany-skinned with long, lustrous dark hair, a face like the Sacagawea golden dollar. And a pair of dazzling wings folded like a magnificent white robe against her back.
“This,” Mom says, gesturing around the meadow, “is what’s called a congregation. A gathering of angel-bloods.”
“Congregarium celestial,” breathes Angela.
The lady with the wings sees us and waves. Mom waves back.
“That’s Billy,” she says. “Come on.” She removes her coat and the rest of her winter gear until she’s only wearing a flannel shirt and jeans. Then she strides off barefoot into the grass.
“Come on,” she calls back to us again. “They’ll be eager to meet you.” We leave our packs at the edge of the grass and move hesitantly into the meadow. Several people stop what they’re doing to watch us.
“What is this?” Jeffrey asks beside me, still confused.
Mom’s already reached Billy, who throws her arms around my mother like the two are old friends. Then they turn and start back toward us, and when she gets close enough this Billy woman hugs me too, a giant bear hug with surprising strength.
“Clara!” she exclaims. “I can’t believe it. I haven’t seen you since you were knee high to a grasshopper.”
“Uh, hi,” I reply stiffly against her hair, which smells like wildflowers and leather. “I don’t remember. . . .”
“Oh, of course not,” she says with a laugh. “You were tiny.” She peers over my shoulder.
“And this is Jeffrey. Good God above. Already a man.”
Jeffrey doesn’t say anything, but I can tell he’s pleased by this announcement.
“Meet Wilma Fairweather,” announces my mom as a formal introduction.
Wilma smirks at us. “Billy,” she corrects.
“And this is Angela Zerbino,” says my mom, not to overlook any of us.
Billy nods, looking at Angela so intently that Angela actually blushes. “The Pink Garter, am I right?”
“Yeah,” says Angela.
“Welcome! Are you hungry?”
We glance around at each other. Food is the last thing on our minds.
“Of course you are,” Billy says. “Why don’t you go over there and get some grub?” She gestures off to one side of the meadow, where there’s a plume of smoke coming up over what looks like a big stone barbecue grill. “Corbett makes the best burgers, I swear, enough to get me to eat meat a few times a year, anyway.” She laughs again. “Go eat and then you can start setting up your tents. I want you all right by me.” She links her arm with Mom’s. “You finally got the guts to bring them, Mags. I’m proud of you. Although I guess this means—”
“Bill,” Mom says with a warning in her voice, looking at me. Then she shakes it off and smiles at Billy. “We’ve got a million things to talk about, you and I.” And with that, they walk away, leaving us staring after them.
We make our way over to the barbecue. When we get there we can see that it’s being manned by a white-haired guy with a long ponytail wearing a Hawaiian-style flowered shirt, khaki shorts, and flip-flops. He’s flipping meat on the grill like a professional.
“What’ll it be, young’uns?” he calls back without bothering to turn around.
“Cheeseburger or regular?”
“Cheese,” answers Jeffrey, who can always be counted on to think with his stomach. “I’ll take two.”
“Right-o,” says the guy, and then he turns and squints at us. “What about you, Clara?” It’s Mr. Phibbs. My English teacher. Mr.
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