The Funeral Flower

Chapter 2

Two

DECEMBER – 7 YEARS OLD

It was the first Saturday after Christmas and I still didn’t know if I was dying. Momma hadn’t said anything about going to the doctor. It didn’t even seem like Christmas this year without Pawpaw being here.

Audrey and I were close in age, but she didn’t play with Barbie’s anymore and picked on me a little bit when I did, so I always went all the way to the back of our backyard by the fence to play. I made sure to go behind the root beer bush because it blocks some of the view from my house. I spend a lot of time here now, mostly because it’s quiet and I can cry. I snuck a butter knife from the kitchen so I could scrape the tree and smell the root beer again. I had to get under the dirt a little bit to get the good smell and it did make me feel better somehow.

Today Sophia went to the mall with her friends so I knew she wouldn’t be yelling for me. Momma was in the kitchen listening to country music real loud and dancing while she cooked. She did that a lot when she didn’t have a headache. Dad was in his garage working on his car. He did that a lot, too. I know I’m safe right now.

I don’t feel that way too much anymore.

As soon as I leaned against the fence, I realize tears are falling down my face again, and I don’t even know why. I don’t guess I really need a reason anymore.

There were several people in the backyard behind ours. They were happy people. Loud, but happy. I tried to play but I couldn’t seem to stop watching them. I like the old lady that lives there, Ms. Nancy, she is really nice. She always has cookies and hot chocolate for Halloween and we sit at her table and eat them with Momma. Audrey and I talk with her from our backyard just because she is so nice. She likes it outside almost as much as I do. Sometimes, when I watch her, I think she’s sad because she doesn’t look very happy, but then when she sees us she gets happy and waves, so that’s good. There used to be an old man there too, but we don’t see him anymore. Maybe that was her husband and maybe he died like Pawpaw. That could be why she looks so sad sometimes.

More and more people are showing up, including lots of kids. They are playing games together and eating and having a real fun time. Even though it is a little cold outside, they all seem so happy.

It makes me think about Pawpaw. He loved when we would visit. He was always so happy to see me. Pawpaw said I had the best personality and people love me ‘cause I didn’t take no for an answer. But I do take no for an answer. I just didn’t want to tell him that.

How can they fit that many people in that backyard? Just then I saw a little boy hit a little girl. I think I just held my breath. At least, I don’t remember breathing…until the little girl hit him back super hard, and he yelped. It made me laugh. Mostly because I wish I could hit the boys at school, especially if I could hit like her, then I wouldn’t come home with so many bruises. I felt like crying again, but just then another boy was staring at me through the fence. He got really close and didn’t look very nice, especially because he was a boy. I learned the hard way that boys aren’t very nice.

“Hey,” he said with a wave. “Whatcha doin?”

“Playin’.”

“My sister plays with Barbie’s,” he smiled.

I put my Barbie down. For a few seconds he just stared at me.

“What’s your name?” he waited a few seconds then continued, “Mine’s Ty.” He was smiling. He seemed nicer now that he was smiling.

“How old are you?”

I glanced up at him again, “I just turned seven,” I said slowly.

“Want to come play with us?”

“I can’t. I can’t leave the yard.”

“Oh,” He sat down and leaned on the fence, with his forehead resting on the metal wire as he curled his fingers around it. “Do you ever leave your yard?”

“Of course I do, when we leave the house.”

“Oh,” I could see his eyebrows crease. He looked around me towards my house “Woah, you have a really big yard.”

“Yeah, my momma says that’s why we bought the house.”

“Do you ride a bike?” he asked.

I moved closer to the fence. “I’m seven, of course I do. I ride it in my driveway.”

“Hey, our hair is almost the same color.”

He was right; it was almost the same color. Except his was a little darker with different colors of blonde mixed together. Mine was just plain blonde. Still, he could be my brother. I always wanted a brother, but I don’t know why because I really don’t like boys. Maybe if I had a brother he could fight all the other mean boys. Someone from the crowd called out his name.

“I gotta go. Time to eat.”

“Ok. Bye.”

“Bye,” he said as he started to run off, but then he stopped and turned around. “You gonna be here two weeks from now?”

It was my turn to crinkle my brows together, “I live here.”

Suddenly he smiled really big. It was a beautiful smile that made his whole face light up. “You live in your backyard?” he asked with a wink. His words trailed behind him as he took off running, “See you in two weeks!”