Sunday Candy

If anyone had asked me, I woulda told them I ain't do nothing wrong. I got up, made my bed, ate breakfast, and brushed my teeth like I was supposed to. I mean I mighta argued a little when getting dressed. You woulda too if you saw what Momma laid out. The pale pink dress stared at me, taunting me. I wasn’t one to let things go easily, so I stomped my foot at it and stuck my tongue out as far as it would go. Without even looking at me Momma spoke in a hushed tone.

“Child, you betta stop looking at that there dress like that and put it on before I pop you a good one.”

“But, Momma, it’s so uncomfortable. Lila’s momma don’t make her wear em.”

“Do I look like Lila’s momma? That’s why Lila so fast now. Don’t make me go get yo daddy.”

At the mention of Daddy, I quickly made my way to the stupid piece of clothing and dragged it over my head just in time to be plopped down on the floor. Momma began to unwrap the curlers she stuck in my head the night before.

“When we get there you betta put yo ass in a seat and don’t move it. I don’t want to hear a peep out of you, neither.” She punctuated each word with a yank of my head in each and every direction. I tried leaning forward a little to grab my doll to keep me company, just to have my head pulled back into the original position she had it. I tried again, and the same thing happened. With my arms folded across my chest and my bottom lip jutted out, I settled in with only my thoughts to keep me entertained. I was in the middle of thinking how to get a dollar out of Uncle Jim when someone seized me and stood me up.

“What you do to my baby, Charlene?” Daddy joked while poking at my bottom lip.

“I ain’t do nothing but do that child’s hair. You need to stop babying her. That’s her problem now.” Momma gave him a peck. With that, she walked in the closet and continued to get herself dressed. Daddy picked me up and placed me on the seat she just vacated. He pulled out a tie that matched my dress and looped it around my neck. Daddy folded the ends until they formed a knot at the base of my throat. After making sure it was just right he loosened it without completely untying it. He pulled the tie over my head just to slip it over his own.

“Let’s go wait in the car for ya momma.” He picked me up and hoisted me on his hip. My entire frame shook as Daddy bounced down each step. We stopped for two seconds so he could wrestle my coat on me before throwing on his own. Then we continued our journey to the car

“Can you handle getting yourself buckled, baby girl?” Daddy questioned, opening the back door to the car for me.

“Of course I can," I mumbled with an eye roll. Before he could respond, mamma came and sat in the passenger seat. While Momma told him to make sure the front door was locked, I fastened my seat belt. When he turned back around to check on me and saw that I buckled myself in, he gave me a quick high five and a kiss on the forehead. I smiled up at him and laid my head on the recently closed car door, waiting for us to take off towards the church.

The whole ride to the church I watched Momma and Daddy up in the front seat. It was pretty boring because all they did was hold hands over the stick thing Daddy uses when he drives. From time to time Daddy would lift their hands to kiss the back of Momma's, but that was it. Once or twice I heard Momma mention Auntie Shelia. Auntie Shelia wasn't Momma's sister; I don't think. I think it had more to do with Auntie Shelia and Momma being friends since they were in second grade. I’ll be in second grade next year. Momma said Auntie Shelia's son would be in my class. Monte ain’t very nice though, so I don’t think we are going to be friends like our parents are. Our parents don't get that. Auntie Shelia always tries to make us sit together whenever our families do anything together. I just know they gonna make us sit together at church. I don’t know why, we always end up in trouble for arguing and ugh, there was Monte front and center as we pulled up to the church. Uncle Jim was helping get him out of the backseat of their car. His shirt kind of matched Auntie Shelia's dress. They were both gray. Daddy came and grabbed me while Momma and Shelia talked away as if they weren’t on the phone with each other this morning.

"Me and Shelia are going to go freshen up in the bathroom. Take the kids and find a seat. Make sure it's not by Sister Bell, she always got somebody name in her mouth.”

Daddy threw his head back and laughed, moving us in the opposite direction of her and Auntie Shelia. After entering the church, Daddy and Uncle Jim set us down to take off our coats and hang them up on a silver rack nearby. Monte pulled a piece of my hair and started to run in the opposite direction laughing. I couldn't let him get away with that, so I decided to chase after him. Just as I reached him, I tripped over my own feet and fell on the red carpet hurting my knee. I got up and ran to Daddy. It hurt so badly.

“Daddy, Monte made me hurt myself,” I cried while pulling on his suit jacket.

"Are you sure you didn't trip and fall?" he laughed.

"No, Monte made me fall because he pulled my hair."

"Aww, it will be okay, baby girl," Daddy whispered tucking my head into his shoulder. He started to walk us in the direction of the church's main room. "We won't tell your mother about those runs in your tights either."

When we walked into the main room, they were in the middle of passing around the silver bowl that Daddy says I’m not allowed to take money out of. Daddy usually gives me a quarter or dime to put into it. Just think, if I saved up all that change I could be rich. Ooh, Momma gone be pissed. Daddy plopped Monte and me right by Sister Belle and went to help with collecting the money. I like Sister Bell. She always lets me play with her fan and gives me peppermints out of her purse. Sometimes she even lets me sleep on her lap when it gets too boring.

“Hi, baby. Where yo mamma at?” she asked. She dug into her purse and pulled out four mints. She gave me and Monte two each. I popped both mints in my mouth at the same time.

“They in the bathroom freshening up.”

“No, they ain’t. They in there talking.” Monte interrupted, “At least that’s what Daddy says they be doing.” I rolled my eyes at him and sat back on the bench.

“What’s it yo Daddy say?” Aunt Shelia questioned while taking a tight hold of Monte’s shoulder.

Sister Bell stepped in before Monte could dig himself and his Daddy a bigger hole. “Now you leave that poor boy there alone. He ain’t do nothing but answer what I asked him.”

I sat there snickering into my hand while pointing at Monte. Momma didn’t like that, so she dug her fingers into my shoulder, too. She turned me to face her and gave me a look that said, “I dare you.” I started looking for Daddy to help me out of the situation. He stood on the other side of the church with his back turned toward me. He couldn’t see me. I was on my own. With that thought I tried to slip out of Momma’s grasp and fold myself into Sister Belle’s side, using her fan as a way to shield me from Momma’s gaze. I could hear Monte snickering at me now and was going to say something, but I decided against it.

“You young folks are always late. Service started over thirty minutes ago.” Sister Belle said at Momma through pursed lips.

Momma bit out with a twitch going in her eye, “Well when you have a child, a husband, and yourself to get dressed in the morning, then come talk to me.”

I was confused because all Momma had to do this morning was help me with my dress and tights. I went to ask her about it when I felt a stinging feeling coming from my right arm where Momma dug her nails deeper to warn me about keeping my mouth shut. Momma took the next two seconds to come around the side of the pew and take a seat between Monte and me. Monte’s Momma sat on the other side of him. I kept my eyes on Daddy as he continued to pass the silver bowl up one aisle and down the other. I wished I could be over there with him. It was beginning to be very boring just sitting here. I felt like I hadn't moved in hours. Finally, after Daddy collected all the money, they went out a door to the side of the pulpit near where the pastor's wife always sits. I moved my eyes to look at Momma. Her eyes were trained forward looking at the pastor. Every now and again she would lean over and whisper something to Aunt Shelia. One time I even heard her mention Sister Belle’s name. I strained my ears to try to listen, but it was useless. So instead I laid my head down on Sister Belle's lap. She began to play with my hair and fan air on my face. I fell asleep listening to the choir sing. I didn’t wake up again until Monte started violently shaking me.

“Wake up, stupid. I want candy.”

I wiped the sleep out of my eyes. “Leave me alone,” I whined.

“No. Hurry up before they run out,” he mumbled at me with another shake. I was upset, so I sat up and pushed Monte as hard as I could, but he didn’t move at all. His big head was probably weighing him down to that spot. I’m not the stupid one he is. He forgot we don’t have money for the candy, and Momma and Aunt Shelia weren’t going to give us any. I decided to let him know that. Just then he pulled a bunch of quarters out of his pocket. We sat down on the floor and counted twelve.

“I grabbed them outta my momma’s purse when she wasn’t looking. There is enough for us to get six pieces of candy each,” he said splitting the quarters in half. I scooped up my half and closed them in my fist so that I couldn’t drop them. Monte lied and told Auntie Shelia we were just going to sit with Daddy. He was going to be in so much trouble when Auntie Shelia and Uncle Jim found out. We ran to the empty room connected to the back of the church. We wanted to be the first in line. We made it to the other room just as they were bringing out the wood-topped folding table. I watched Monte watching them. His eyes looked huge, and drool dripped onto his grey shirt. I laughed at him. I turned to look at the candy they just finished setting out. There was so many. I could see Blow Pops, Pixy Sticks, and Lemon Heads. There were other types of candy too, but I only wanted those. Monte and I raced to the table, change in hand when we heard the noise level rise. It meant that church finally ended. We had to hurry up and get out of here. I pushed my way in front of Monte and got two of each of my favorite candies. While Monte was taking forever to choose his, I could see Daddy and Uncle Jim making their way into the room. I poked Monte once in his back, but he ignored me. So, then I poked him in the cheek repeatedly until he turned around.

“Hurry up Monte! We are going to get in trouble. Uncle Jim is in here with Daddy,” I whisper yelled at him.

"I'm almost done. I just need to pick out two more," Monte answered back. I started rocking back and forth on my feet, getting more and more scared with each passing second. Monte grabbed my hand and started to run out the room when I went flying backward. I felt two huge swats on my behind. I screamed ow as tears began to fall from my eyes. When I turned around, I saw Daddy standing there.

“Why did you tell your mother that you were coming to sit with me when you weren’t?”

“I didn’t Monte did,” I cried out.

“Snitch,” Monte yelled in my direction. Well, he did. I didn’t want to get in any more trouble because of him. My father grabbed my chin and raised it till I was looking him in the eyes. I kept trying to look away, but his hold wouldn’t budge.

“He may have said it, but you followed along. Did you or did you not?” Daddy questioned. I didn’t want to answer, so I just stood there whimpering.

“Answer me,” Daddy demanded as he swatted my behind for the third and fourth time.

"Baby, I think we also need to talk to her about stealing. Sister Belle said she saw Monte take some money out of Shelia's purse," Momma said, coming out of nowhere. Daddy let me go to talk to Momma.

“That doesn’t make any sense. Amelia has never stolen anything before in her life,” Daddy spoke to her in disbelief.

"Well, I sure as hell didn't give neither one of them money for candy. Did you?" Momma answered back.

"No. I'll whoop her ass again when we get back home then. No child of mine is gone be a thief."

I looked around for Sister Belle, knowing she had to be somewhere nearby. Once I found her, I glared at her with as much as hatred as I could. What did I ever do to her, and when did Momma start listening to her? Out the side of my eye, I saw Monte glaring at her as well. We were both so angry. Even as Momma was dragging me out the church and back into the car, I continued to glare. Not even the candy still clutched tightly in my hand could cheer me up.

On the ride back home Daddy wouldn’t look at me. He just stared out the front window. Momma tried rubbing his right shoulder in circles, but that didn’t help. Momma let out a huge sigh before looking out her own window. After fifteen minutes Daddy parked the car in the driveway and made his way over to my door. He didn’t say a word as he reached in and unbuckled me. He carried me into the house and sat me down by the front door to undo my coat.

“I’m not going to whoop you, but I want you to understand what you did is wrong and I am very disappointed in you Artemis,” he spoke while looking me in the eye. I think I preferred the whooping.