按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
think sideways or in the past。 All I can let myself think about
is going to work every day and fixing meals and Baby's
future。'
That's the right attitude。'
'I been giving Baby finger waves down at the shop。 But they
come out so quick I been thinking about letting her have a
permanent。 I don't want to give it to her myself— I think
maybe 111 take her up to Atlanta when I go to the
cosmetologist convention and let her get it there。'
'Motherogod！ She's not but four。 It's liable to scare her。 And
besides； permanents tend to coarsen the hair。'
Lucile dipped the comb in a glass of water and mashed the
curls over Baby's ears。 'No； they don't。 And she wants one。
Young as Baby is； she already has as much ambition as I got。
And that's saying plenty。'
Biff polished his nails on the palm of his hand and shook his
head。
'Every time Baby and I go to the movies and see those kids in
all the good roles she feels the same way I do。 I swear she
does； Bartholomew。 I can't even get her to eat her supper
afterward。'
'For goodness' sake；' Biff said。
'She's getting along so fine with her dancing and expression
lessons。 Next year I want her to start with the piano because I
think it'll be a help for her to play some。
107 Her dancing teacher is going to give her a solo in the
soiree。 I feel like I got to push Baby all I can。 Because the
sooner she gets started on her career the better it'll be for both
of us。'
'Motherogod！'
'You don't understand。 A child with talent can't be treated like
ordinary kids。 That's one reason I want to get Baby out of this
common neighborhood。 I can't let her start to talk vulgar like
these brats around her or run wild like they do。'
'I know the kids on this block；' Biff said。 'They're all right。
Those Kelly kids across the street—the Crane boy。
'You know good and well that none of them are up to
Baby's level。'
Lucile set the last wave in Baby's hair。 She pinched the kid's
little cheeks to put more color in them。 Then she lifted her
down from the table。 For the funeral Baby had on a little white
dress with white shoes and white socks and even small white
gloves。 There was a certain way Baby always held her head
when people looked at her； and it was turned that way now。
They sat for a while in the small； hot kitchenette without
saying anything。 Then Lucile began to cry。 'It's not like we
was ever very close as sisters。 We had our differences and we
didn't see much of each other。 Maybe it was because I was so
much younger。 But there's something about your own blood
kin； and when anything like this happens'
Biff clucked soothingly。
'I know how you two were；' she said。 It wasn't all just roses
with you and she。 But maybe that sort of makes it worse for
you now。'
Biff caught Baby under the arms and swung her up to his
shoulder。 The kid was getting heavier。 He held her carefully as
he stepped into the living…room。 Baby felt warm and close on
his shoulder； and her little silk skirt was white against the dark
cloth of his coat。 She grasped one of his ears very tight with
her little hand。
'Unca Biff！ Watch me do the split。'
Gently he set Baby on her feet again。 She curved both arms
above her head and her feet slid slowly in opposite108
directions on the yellow waxed floor。 In a moment she was
seated with one leg stretched straight in front of her and one
behind。 She posed with her arms held at a fancy angle； looking
sideways at the wall with a sad expression。
She scrambled up again。 'Watch me do a handspring。 Watch
me do a'
'Honey； be a little quieter；' Lucile said。 She sat down beside
Biff on the plush sofa。 'Don't she remind you a little of him—
something about her eyes and face？'
'Hell； no。 I can't see the slightest resemblance between Baby
and Leroy Wilson。'
Lucile looked too thin and worn out for her age。 Maybe it was
the black dress and because she had been crying。 'After all； we
got to admit he's Baby's father；' she said。
'Can't you ever forget about that man？'
'I don't know。 I guess I always been a fool about two things。
And that's Leroy and Baby。'
Bill's new growth of beard was blue against the pale skin of
his face and his voice sounded tired。 'Don't you ever just think
a thing through and find out what's happened and what ought
to come from that？ Don't you ever use logi