~ Making The Turn ~

by

Celia Yeary

Sunday morning, Sara sat at the kitchen table with one leg bent up and the heel of one bare foot propped on the edge of her chair. She spread the paper before her, but she couldn’t read anything yet because of the commotion down the hall. Instead, she sipped on coffee and laughed to herself. Dorothy stomped around, all in a tizzy, to use her own words, trying to dress for church and share the one bathroom with Laney.

Dorothy had risen early, as usual, and made pancakes and bacon, knowing full well Laney wouldn’t eat the meat, but she pushed her anyway to “just try some. It won’t kill you.” Laney quickly ate her pancakes and raced for the bathroom to shower and wash her hair. When Dorothy needed the bathroom to do the same, Laney was still in there using the blow dryer. Dorothy called out to her to hurry up, but either Laney ignored her or didn’t hear because of the noise of the dryer.

“Okay, Gran, it’s all yours,” Laney said. She scooted past Dorothy as fast as she could to go to her own room. Sara watched from her position at the kitchen table, and thought Laney looked a tiny bit fearful.

Before Dorothy closed the door to the bathroom, she stuck her head out and called, “Now, I’m running behind. Laney, tell your mama to wash the dishes. I’m not going to have time.”

Sara called from the kitchen, “I’ve already washed them! Just take care of yourself!”

“Well, whatever,” Dorothy answered instead of saying thank you.

Twenty minutes later, Laney emerged from her bedroom wearing a pale pink, sleeveless summer dress with a scoop neck and diagonal ruffles across the lower part of the ankle-length skirt. Her cherry red toenails glared because she wore sandals, and a tiny gold ring circled the second toe of her left foot. Three silver bangle bracelets graced the upper part of one tanned, firm arm, and three silver rings graced the middle three fingers of the other hand.

“Well, don’t you look pretty,” commented Sara. “I like your hair hanging loose like that. It’s become lighter, hasn’t it?”

She shrugged. “Maybe. I don’t know. You’re not dressed yet.” Sara still had on blue drawstring lounging pants and a matching crop-top. “Do you realize I rarely ever see you like this? You’re always up early and dressed for the day.”

“Well, honey, this is the new me. Have a seat. I think Mother’s still fussing with her hair. Anyway, I have no place to go today.”

“I like your outfit. Looks really comfortable.”

“It is and thanks,” she answered with a smile. “So, are you sure you’re ready to face the First Presbyterian Church congregation?”

Laney laughed. “I can’t even imagine. But I’m game.”

“I grew up in that church, you know.”

“I remember, and I’m interested in the…”

“Is that what you’re wearing?” Dorothy asked, as she hurried into the kitchen. She laid her pocketbook and Bible on the table to pat her hair on the sides and back, and while doing so, looked at Laney’s dress, the rings and the bracelets. “My Lord, people will stare at you. Tell me you’re not going like that. You don’t even have on panty hose.”

Laney threw her head back and laughed out loud. “Gran, you’re a firecracker.” She stood and hugged Dorothy around the shoulders. Whispering, she said, “Do you think you should be taking the Lord’s name in vain on a Sunday morning? Tut, tut, Gran, people will talk.”

“Well. Well,” Dorothy sputtered. “We’d better get going.” She looked at her watch. “Ten minutes is all we have.” She continued to talk as she gathered her things and walked to the back door. “If you hadn’t taken so much time in the bathroom, we wouldn’t be running late. Now, I bet somebody’s got my pew, and I’ll have to sit in the back. I hope those flowers haven’t wilted in this heat. With any luck…” and her voice faded away as she slammed out the back door.

Laney winked at Sara and hurried to catch up to her grandmother. Before she left the room, she turned and said, “I’m going to make her ride in the Pathfinder. She’ll have a fit.”

Sara laughed and replied, “Make that a hissy-fit.”