Chapter Five
Chapter
Five
Beulah
They didn’t come inside for breakfast. People began to awaken in lounge chairs, shrubs, on the ground, and one on a float, his body half submerged in water. Several stumbled from the pool house, and the place seemed deserted right before lunch. Portia drank two cups of coffee and watched, frowning from the living room window. She then ate a bowl of fruit and said, “Beulah, go ahead,” as if she’d lost the battle and the war. I had three short hours to visit Heidi.
She didn’t want to explain to Jasper where I’d gone if he came inside. My mother’s nineteen ninety-eight Honda Civic still ran, although it had two hundred thousand miles on the odometer and appeared to have been driven a million. I kept it parked in Ms. Charlotte’s spot. If I hadn’t needed the little bit of gas in the tank to go see Heidi, I would’ve offered to give Shay a ride. I didn’t want to ask her for the money she had; my fuel was precious to me. I was given just enough every month in gas to get back and forth once a week to Among the Spanish Moss.
Today, I was limited in how long I could see her. I couldn’t make my usual stops to say hello to other residents I’d come to know because they all knew Heidi. I did bring the nurses a cupcake. I usually made something every week. It wasn’t much, but I wanted to bring them a treat as a thank you for being so good to Heidi and everyone else. They seemed to love their jobs and were kind to the residents, caring for and loving each one as if they were their family.
“Beulah, I’m so happy to see you. There’s a girl who woke up extra early and has been making her rounds about the place, telling everyone you were coming today.”
Heidi was a socializer. She liked to visit all her friends and talk to the nurses at the station. Staying in her room or the activity center wasn’t enough for her. She didn’t sit and watch television, preferring the crafts the staff arranged on a large banquet table. Heidi liked anything involving glitter. The shinier she could make it, the prouder she was. It couldn’t sparkle enough for her.
“Where is she now?” I asked, anxious to see her.
“She’s in her room, wearing her purple dress with the glittery flowers all over it. She wouldn’t wear it yesterday because she said you weren’t coming. But don’t worry, after her sulk, she went out and played with the others.”
I’d make up for that the best I could. I had three cupcakes left, one for me, Heidi, and May. We would walk on the lawn and watch the ducks at the pond while we ate our cupcakes, and they told me all about their week. Just before I reached Heidi’s door, it swung open and out bounced Heidi. “Is Beulah. . .” she started to loudly ask anyone within hearing distance, “here. . .” and then she saw me. Her face lit up, and that smile I loved so dearly spread lengthening across it. “BEULAH!!” she cried happily, running to me in leaps. I sat the bag down that held the cupcakes, then embraced my sister when she touched me, catching her trip and stumble, as she threw her arms around my neck. In all my life, no one had been as excited to see me as Heidi was.
“Hey, beautiful! I missed you yesterday!” I told Heidi, returning her affection.
“I missed you,” she replied, clinging to me. “We played ball, and I had a cookie. Choc-o-late chip. It was big.”
“Your favorite kind!” I said. “That’s wonderful. Did May have one, too?”
“Yes, she ate three, but don’t tell. She wasn’t suppos’ to do that.” Heidi was whispering loudly. I knew the nurses wouldn’t care about the cookies but went along with her serious demeanor.
“Okay,” I replied. “I won’t say a word. It’s our secret.”
“Lock it up n’ tho’ away the key,” she said, making the motion to lock her lips and toss the key behind her.
“Done,” I assured her. “I have a treat. Where’s May? I brought her one.”
With the word treat, Heidi beamed again. All seriousness suddenly gone. “Treat! Sweet treat! What kind? What kind?”
“The best kind in the whole world.”
“Oh boy,” Heidi said, clapping. She then called down to the nurses’ station. “Beulah brought me a treat!”
They all smiled and affirmed her excitement. Heidi then grabbed my hand, tugging me towards the activity room, saying, “May is making paper dolls. I was waiting on you.” We walked into the large spacious room, full of small round tables, the large banquet covered, everything filled with projects. They’d have this up for another hour, and then for two, it would change to board games before becoming coloring sheets. At the end of the day, they would bring out instruments for everyone to play. Currently, soothing classical music invaded the room as the residents talked while working on their projects. May was over at a round red table studying the paper doll she was building and bringing to life.
“I see her,” Heidi exclaimed as if that was the best news of the day.
May lifted her chin and saw me. Her smile was as bright as my sister’s. Heidi got to her and whispered in her ear, knowing better than to announce to the room that I possessed a treat. Everyone would want their own. I wished I could afford to bring them all treats. One day, I’d get my degree, have my own career, and Heidi would move back into her own room in our house. We’d come visit, bring them all treats. That was my goal at least.
May dropped her paper doll and they both came running. “I told her,” Heidi said. “Let’s go see the ducks.”
I let them lead the way. First, May gave me a shy smile and a hug. She was quieter than Heidi, and her life was shockingly different from my sisters’ in the past. May wasn’t sure how to receive love the way Heidi did from others. She was nervous, confused, and apprehensive. I tried to show her with every visit that it was okay to trust me. May was beginning to learn that I would accept her hug and return her affection with my own.
The sun was beautiful and warm today. We found a nice shade, and the girls got comfortable. Then, I handed each of them a cupcake before taking mine and joining them. They both giggled with delight at the sight of the cupcakes. I’d used ingredients from Portia’s to make them. Ms. Charlotte left a lot of baking supplies, and Portia never requested baked goods. Instead of letting all the ingredients go to waste, I made things to bring to Heidi, May, and the nurses and staff at the home. I hoped I could make enough money to restock by the time the supplies ran out. They loved the cookies and occasional cupcakes. One week, I made Rice Krispy treats and then expanded my options to brownies. Now we were out of chocolate. Sugar cookies with sprinkles became my staple, their ingredients were bountifully abundant. Though, whatever I brought, they enjoyed it.
“This is the best cupcake in the un-i-verse,” May told me, licking her lips.
“Beulah’s the best cooker,” Heidi bragged. “Momma taught her and me to cook a lot. I can cook too. Really can.”
May’s eyes went wide with amazement. Heidi has told her this story many times. And it was true, Momma let us help her with dinner at night and lunches. When there was extra money, she’d make us sweets. I’d learned more from her than just baking and cooking. I’d learned how to love, she’d been the best teacher, and now the lessons she cared enough to share rested with Heidi and me.