caught me a little off guard when she said, “Cera, honey, if you have a minute before you head out, your step daddy and I would like to talk to you.”
“Okay,” I responded to her somewhat tentatively before asking, “Is this about the letter? You know the one you got from those two lawyers in New York.”
“Yes, it is, honey.” she said, taking my hand in hers before gently guiding me over to the kitchen table. “Now that your step daddy and I have had time to talk things over, we’ve decided that in light of the bank foreclosing on the house and all the other debts we have, not-to-mention your step daddy having been having a hard time finding work.”
As if he’s tried, I thought but would never say that in front of either of them.
“We’ve decided that we’re going to go ahead and try to make a fresh start in New York.”
Woo-fucking-who! I thought. Goodbye crummy old Saraland. Goodbye crummy old house. Goodbye crummy old burn-outs and drunks. Goodbye poisoned Gulf, and Goodbye perverted old scumbags like Ray Boone. Keep your dirty, fucking hands off my Ass!
“So what do you think, honey?” my mama asked, trying to gauge my reaction. “It only has to be for a year, and then if we don’t like it there we can sell the place and come back home.”
I just stared at her emotionless at first not wanting her to see the giddiness that was bursting inside of me because I knew that she really didn’t want to leave Saraland. She then went on confirming that obvious suspicion when she said, “I really don't like the idea of leaving Saraland… But there’s not much, if anything, we can do right now. Trust me, Cera. I'm the last person in the world who wants to move back up to New York, but we’re pretty much out of options for the time being.”
“I know, Mama.” I said, trying to sound indifferent to the idea of moving, but still wanting to show her my support. “Whatever's best for the family? I guess. I'll just have to finish my senior year at another school, and make new friends, but it will be okay. I’m sure.” I poured that last part on a little thick, but the way I figured it was… Since we were about to come into all that money I might as well score a few extra sympathy points. I mean… Screw the Trans Am, with that much cash, they can afford to buy me one of those cool, little Wranglers with a rag top, and flood lights. The way I see things moving forward is… There’s no reason this little cowgirl shouldn’t be riding in style from here on out.
*****
The following two weeks since having received the letter seemed to fly by as we began packing up for the move. During which time I had turned seventeen and my parents had given me a Samsung Galaxy cellular phone as a birthday present. It had just come out on the market a month before and having it instantly made me the envy of all my friends. It was the first time in my life that I had ever owned something that was really nice which also wasn’t second hand. (We’d always been a family that had New-to-you items, which was our little way of saying used.)
I’d figured that my parents must have used what little money they’d had left to buy it for me since we hadn’t received any of the money from my mama’s inheritance yet, or any money from those sons-of-bitches at BP yet either for that matter. Or, maybe my parents used what little money they had saved up to pay the bank for the mortgage that was behind? But since the house was now in foreclosure and we were leaving Saraland anyways, they’d just figured, Screw’em! Let’s get Cera a new phone. It’s the least we can do for making her miss out on her senior year with all her friends.
Our remaining days in Saraland had gone by in a flash and on the Saturday before we had left for Mt. Harrison my Step Daddy Cade had decided that we should have a yard sale to try to rid ourselves of
“Okay,” I responded to her somewhat tentatively before asking, “Is this about the letter? You know the one you got from those two lawyers in New York.”
“Yes, it is, honey.” she said, taking my hand in hers before gently guiding me over to the kitchen table. “Now that your step daddy and I have had time to talk things over, we’ve decided that in light of the bank foreclosing on the house and all the other debts we have, not-to-mention your step daddy having been having a hard time finding work.”
As if he’s tried, I thought but would never say that in front of either of them.
“We’ve decided that we’re going to go ahead and try to make a fresh start in New York.”
Woo-fucking-who! I thought. Goodbye crummy old Saraland. Goodbye crummy old house. Goodbye crummy old burn-outs and drunks. Goodbye poisoned Gulf, and Goodbye perverted old scumbags like Ray Boone. Keep your dirty, fucking hands off my Ass!
“So what do you think, honey?” my mama asked, trying to gauge my reaction. “It only has to be for a year, and then if we don’t like it there we can sell the place and come back home.”
I just stared at her emotionless at first not wanting her to see the giddiness that was bursting inside of me because I knew that she really didn’t want to leave Saraland. She then went on confirming that obvious suspicion when she said, “I really don't like the idea of leaving Saraland… But there’s not much, if anything, we can do right now. Trust me, Cera. I'm the last person in the world who wants to move back up to New York, but we’re pretty much out of options for the time being.”
“I know, Mama.” I said, trying to sound indifferent to the idea of moving, but still wanting to show her my support. “Whatever's best for the family? I guess. I'll just have to finish my senior year at another school, and make new friends, but it will be okay. I’m sure.” I poured that last part on a little thick, but the way I figured it was… Since we were about to come into all that money I might as well score a few extra sympathy points. I mean… Screw the Trans Am, with that much cash, they can afford to buy me one of those cool, little Wranglers with a rag top, and flood lights. The way I see things moving forward is… There’s no reason this little cowgirl shouldn’t be riding in style from here on out.
*****
The following two weeks since having received the letter seemed to fly by as we began packing up for the move. During which time I had turned seventeen and my parents had given me a Samsung Galaxy cellular phone as a birthday present. It had just come out on the market a month before and having it instantly made me the envy of all my friends. It was the first time in my life that I had ever owned something that was really nice which also wasn’t second hand. (We’d always been a family that had New-to-you items, which was our little way of saying used.)
I’d figured that my parents must have used what little money they’d had left to buy it for me since we hadn’t received any of the money from my mama’s inheritance yet, or any money from those sons-of-bitches at BP yet either for that matter. Or, maybe my parents used what little money they had saved up to pay the bank for the mortgage that was behind? But since the house was now in foreclosure and we were leaving Saraland anyways, they’d just figured, Screw’em! Let’s get Cera a new phone. It’s the least we can do for making her miss out on her senior year with all her friends.
Our remaining days in Saraland had gone by in a flash and on the Saturday before we had left for Mt. Harrison my Step Daddy Cade had decided that we should have a yard sale to try to rid ourselves of
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