“Are you all going home or will you be visiting in Charlotte?” she asks with a friendly smile.
“We’re going to visit relatives,” I reply as I wipe my face.
“Oh, well then, why such a long face?” she asks. “Charlotte is wonderful in the summertime. I think you’re really going to enjoy it, maybe even have the best time of your life.”
This lady has obviously never met my cousin Sally. If she had, she wouldn’t assume it’s going to be fun hanging out with her. I crack a smile to be polite. At this point, all I can do is close my eyes and dream of being back in Brooklyn, but all the hope in the world isn’t stopping my tears. The best time of my life? I seriously doubt it.
I jump out of a deep sleep, hoping all of this is a bad dream. But, no, the plane just made a hard landing in blue-skied North Carolina. I can’t believe we’re here already! I probably dozed off while the little old lady was still talking to me. Where is she? She must have changed her seat. I look around the rows, but I still don’t see her. Maybe she was a ghost? Maybe she was some kind of fairy godmother telling me I just might have the best time of my life. Ha! I can only wish. Cameron slept the whole way too, and now I have to practically drag him off the plane.
At baggage claim, I look around for familiar faces, but I don’t see anyone. Until I hear a voice that sounds like my mother’s. It’s my aunt Jeanie.
“Well, hello there, lady!” Aunt Jeanie says, ever cheerful. She hugs Cameron first. “Look at you! So big! And, Ms. Kayla, my, how you’ve grown into a beautiful young lady. You’re looking more and more like your mother.” Really? I don’t think I have half the beauty of my mother.
“Hi, Aunt Jeanie.” I smile, still groggy from the plane ride. I forgot how nice she is.
Aunt Jeanie and my mom are like night and day but equally pretty. She’s tall and always so put together, and for some crazy reason she always has a smile on her face. I admire her happiness. Okay, I admit, it really is good to see Aunt Jeanie. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I see the rest of my relatives. As they approach, Sally stares me up and down. I return the grit and the same tired wave she gives me. She’s still short. Still wears her hair in a bun. A bun-head ballerina, I’m guessing. Okay, she’s gotten prettier. Whatever. I still can’t stand her. The last time I was here we didn’t get along, not even for a minute. When she wanted to play with dolls, I wanted to climb trees. When I wanted to play hide-and-seek, she wanted to play on the swings. When I wanted to build a clubhouse out of cardboard boxes, she said she didn’t play games that made her look homeless. Huh? Whatever. But when I did convince her to play in my uncle’s old car and act like we were driving, she pulled a lever around the steering wheel and the car rolled right out into the street with us screaming inside it. We smashed into the neighbor’s rose garden, which scratched the paint on my uncle’s classic car. I thought his head was going to pop off his shoulders, he was so mad. Sally took the blame for everything, while I went back home. She’s hated me ever since.
After grimacing at my hat-to-the-back and all my Brooklyn style that she has none of, Sally just walks ahead with her arms crossed as if she hates that I’m here. If I could catch the next thing smoking back to JFK, I would.
My uncle Larry says quick hellos and loads our bags onto a cart. Uncle Larry is quiet at times, but he seems happy that way, and he’s the only uncle who doesn’t treat me like a child. He has a way of treating everyone like they have some sense about everything, like he does, and he expects everyone to be smart or at least act like they are. Maybe that’s why he’s a successful businessman.
Cameron is ecstatic to see my younger cousins, Michael and Eddie. Michael is only one year older than Eddie, but he looks like he’s growing bigger and way faster than little Eddie. To Cameron, it doesn’t matter that they are about two and three years older than him. They take him in like they’ve known each other since diapers. Boys. I’m sure at some point the three are going to get on my nerves, but since our parents haven’t paid much attention to Cameron lately, it’ll be good for him to forget what’s going on back at home. At least he’ll have a good time. As for me…hmm, I don’t know.
“It’s going to be an interesting summer,” Uncle Larry blurts out to Aunt Jeanie.
“It’s going to be a perfect summer.” Aunt Jeanie smiles sternly. I’m glad somebody’s optimistic.
—
It’s dark by the time we pull up to their house, but I can tell it still looks like something out of a magazine. It’s large and white, with a green lawn and flowers for days. All the houses in the area are just as pretty. I feel like we’ve driven up to a neighborhood out of some movie about the burbs. Just as we arrive, the lights come on, making the house look like a majestic castle. And of course, my cousin Sally is the princess. The only thing that’s missing is a gate, but I guess crime isn’t an issue here, like it is back
