"They Might Need Some Hugs"

Melvina, Edna, and Aunt Myrtle---aka Aunt Mip---had been in Melvina’s kitchen drinking hot tea with hunks of the german chocolate cake that Aunt Mip baked from scratch the day before.  Melvina collected their empty cake plates and stacked them in the sink.  

     Aunt Mip had been staying at Edna’s, but in the last month had divided much of her time between the Smalls’s and Tompkins’ households:  cooking, looking after young folks, and being in everybody’s business as much as they would allow.  

  

“Now, I know its none of my business but I’m surprised you let Sukie go and get Leslie all by herself.”  Aunt Mip’s upper body softly rolled in a 360 degree circle,  centering on her haunches as she said this.

“Oh, she’ll be okay.  I walk her up to Oakland and watch her cross the street.  Besides, there’s safety guards on the corners between here and the school.  It makes her feel like a big girl.”

Aunt Mip made a face.  “It doesn’t make you nervous having your little girls crossing big streets with all these cars and things?”  

By things Aunt Mip was referring to slick-talking people walking down the street wearing loud clothes, listening to transistor radios, drinking wine, signifying, and tipping ashes off their cigarettes.

Edna and Melvina gave each other the briefest of glances before Melvina replied, “There’s lot’s of children out after school, Aunt Mip.”

“Mmhmm.”

Melvina looked at the clock only to realize that it was a bit later than when her daughters usually bounded up the porch steps and clattered through the front doors bringing in all kinds of sweet and sour smells, gusts of cold air, conversation, dirt and leaves; as well as the treasures of awesome wonder which so excited them:  pieces of a robin’s egg shell; a dead butterfly; an empty cola bottle; a well-worn leather glove; and maybe a few coins.  

“In fact, they should be getting here any minute, now.”

All three women gravitated toward the front of the house with Melvina going straight to the door and Myrtle seating herself in a chair at one end of the oblong coffee table.  Edna lingered to gaze at a photo of Melvina’s mother dressed to the nines and posing in front of a parked car with her new husband---her super-red lipstick looked so real that Edna touched her finger to it with the unconscious hope that it would leave a stain. 

“Melvina, how’s your mother doing?” she asked but Melvina had opened the screen door and was stepping out onto the porch. 

Nearing the house was a woman she knew by face from around the neighborhood---they always waved---with Sukie, Leslie, and Sharalynn in tow.  47 degree winds had ruddied their faces and watered their eyes.  They were holding hands and looked as if they might need some hugs. 
“Hey, there.” Melvina welcomed them with a voice to test the waters as she came down the steps.  “Everything okay?” 

Sukie nodded yes and Leslie said “No!” while Sharalynn thought about her need to use the bathroom.  Mrs. Metrey gave Melvina a tiny smile.  “Hi.  I’m Gladys Metrey.  I live over on Cameron Street.”  She threw her hand in the direction of her house.

“Oh---Mrs. Metrey!---all this time I never knew your name....I’m Melvina---” as she offered her hand with an awkward shrug, Sukie lunged forth and wrapped her arms around Melvina’s legs.  “Hi Mommy! We didn’t do anything bad.”  She hugged her mother reassuringly.  Frowning, Melvina crooked a forefinger at Leslie.  “Why is your lip poked-out? Come here.  And Sharalynn, what’s wrong with you? Are you sick?”  Leslie tried to hang back a little.