In Front of God and Everybody Read Free Page A

said.
    Here is something you should know. Mama is prettier than anyone in all of Zachary County and maybe in the entire state of Arkansas. She has shiny, curly red hair that touches just below her shoulders, and her eyes are green and sparkly. Everyone says her freckles are adorable. Not only is Mama beautiful to look at, but she’s beautiful inside. Everybody says I look like her, but I don’t see it. And my inside sure as the world isn’t as pretty as hers. She never says anything bad about anyone, and she doesn’t like us to talk bad about someone else, even if we don’t know them personally, even if it’s just somebody on the TV.
    â€œI’m sorry, Mama,” I said, “but it kinda hurt my eyes to look at her. Her face looks like the edge of a butcher knife, and her nose is so long . . .”
    â€œEnough, April Grace, or leave the table,” Mama said.
    I looked down at my fried okra. “Yes’m.”
    â€œWere you rude to them?” Daddy asked. Daddy is all strong and muscle-y from working hard on our farm every single day of his life. He has dark hair, and his eyes look real blue because his face is so sun-browned.
    â€œNo, sir, Daddy,” I said at the same time ole Myra Sue said, “Yes, sir, Daddy. She was plain hateful.”
    â€œI was not!”
    â€œWas so!”
    â€œStop it,” Daddy said in that Tone of Voice that makes us quit whatever we’re doing. Like Mama, he’s real nice, and he’s soft-spoken, but he can get riled sometimes.
    I took a deep breath, looked first at Daddy, then at Mama.
    â€œI was not being rude,” I said. “They were fighting and screaming at each other—”
    â€œOh, you are such a liar,” Myra Sue butted in. “Mother, they had to raise their voices because she was in the car and he was on the porch, and Daisy set up such a ruckus—”
    Well, that was too much for me to take.
    â€œDaisy barked two measly little times.” I jabbed my pointy finger in the air to emphasize my words. “Just two little woofs. And anyway, even if she did set up a ruckus—which she didn’t, Myra Sue, and you know it—don’t you want her to let us know when a stranger drives up?”
    â€œApril Grace,” Mama said in a tone that made the hair on the back of my neck prickle, “were you rude to those people?”
    â€œYes, she was,” Big Mouth answered. “She just walked off and left poor Mr. St. James out there, pitiful and confused.” Suddenly my sister was Mother Teresa, but she lost the effect when she said to me, “You are so rude and crude wearing that ugly ratty T-shirt and shorts. I bet when you grow up, you’ll be nothing but trailer trash.”
    â€œMyra Sue, leave this table,” Daddy said.
    She stared at him with her mouth hanging open. We all got a good look at her new braces, which she dearly hates.
    â€œBut April Grace is such a big, fat pain!”
    Daddy leaned back in his chair and narrowed his eyes at her.
    â€œOne more word, Myra Sue, and you’ll be helping me muck out the cow barn tomorrow. Right now you can get started on the supper dishes.”
    She pooched out her lower lip but didn’t say anything else. Her sigh nearly heaved the shoes right off her feet. And the way she dragged herself toward the kitchen, you would’ve thought she was going to her own execution.
    As soon as we heard water running in the kitchen sink, Mama slowly wiped her lips with her napkin. She and Daddy both looked at me for a minute or two. My food settled in my belly like a big, hard lump.
    â€œApril Grace, honey,” Mama said, “there is no excuse for rudeness to strangers or to family.”
    â€œBut Myra Sue just opened the door right up to that man and went right out on the porch. Mama, he could have been an ax murderer or a kidnapper or something.” I looked at Daddy for a little backup on this