Upside Down in the Middle of Nowhere by Julie T. Lamana Page A

“As long as it don’t come on my side. You hear me, Sealy?”
    Sealy made a huge yawn sound, “Yes, I hear you. Good night, Armani. I love you.”
    â€œYeah, whatever.” I flopped to the left, then flopped to the right, trying to find a comfortable position, making sure Sealy knew that dumb bag was making the whole bed uncomfortable. It didn’t work, though, ’cause she fell asleep faster than Mama could fry an egg and I was left wide awake, listening to the sounds that were bringing in the storm.
    I tried to force my brain to think about my party and what I might be getting for a present. But all I could do was think about the colors in the sky. Daddy buying water. The scrunched-up worried look on Memaw’s face. Sealy sleeping with her stupid book sack.
    The Babineauxes evacuating.

CHAPTER 7
Sunday, August 28, 2005 – 8:18 A.M .
    It was finally my birthday morning.
    I ain’t lying when I say my feelings were hurt when I realized Memaw didn’t even seem to notice. But then I seen that Memaw wasn’t noticing much of nothing. She acted like whatever the triflin’ weather people were blabbing about was more important than acknowledging the fact that it was my birthday morning.
    Instead of fussin’ about whatever Memaw was fussin’ over, I went for breakfast—my first meal being ten.

    Sometime after breakfast, Memaw asked if she could talk to Mama and Daddy in private. Every time she did that, us kids knew something was wrong. What I couldn’t understand was why they thought we weren’t gonna be able to hear them, just ’cause they walked off to the kitchen. There wasn’t nothin’ but a corner separating the two rooms. They acted like the kitchen was some kind of soundproof room or something.
    So when Memaw told them they should consider canceling my party, I heard her plain as day. I flew around the corner and slid into the kitchen the second the crazy words came out of her mouth.
    â€œOh, please,
please
don’t cancel my party!”
    â€œArmani, this discussion doesn’t concern you.” Daddy didn’t sound normal.
    â€œOf course it does, Daddy. It’s
my
birthday! I don’t understand why . . .”
    Memaw walked over, took hold of my hand, and pressed it to her chest. “NeeNee, there’s a
terrible
storm comin’.” She hadn’t called me by my baby name in a long while, and right then, I didn’t much like it. I pulled my hand loose from hers.
    â€œBut Memaw, Mama made my cake, and Daddy said we could do the Slip’n Slide. And, and . . .”
    â€œThat’s enough, Armani. Take the twins and go on outside.” Daddy pulled off his glasses, squeezed his eyes shut, and pinched the top of his nose. My brain knew it was time to shut up, but the message didn’t make it to my mouth.
    â€œBut . . .”
    Daddy slapped his hand down on the gym-floor supper table, catching me so off guard I jerked backward. My eyes went to blinking. Mama’s hands flew up to her mouth and Memaw turned away altogether and stared out the window up over the kitchen sink.
    â€œI’m sorry,” Daddy said in a tired voice. “Just get your brothers and sisters and go outside.” He finally looked at me. His sagging eyes matched his voice.
    â€œYes, sir.” I rolled my eyes and let out a heavy sigh.
    I stopped before going all the way around the corner to the livingroom. I turned and looked at the three people who could ruin my day if they saw fit to do it. I didn’t say a word, but I sure did give them the most pitiful pout I could get my face to make. My shoulders were all rolled forward and my arms just dangled there, hanging as low as they could go.
    Slow as a slug, I made my way to the next room, never taking my droopy eyes off Mama and Daddy and my troublemaking Memaw’s back.

    I sat on the swing, flicking paint chips, and watched Khayla and