Waiting and Watching Read Free Page A

family in town? I mean, talk about uncomfortable.”
    â€œYes, but they’re just like everyone else. Once you start making money, you want to move to a nicer, safer neighborhood. Upscale black neighborhoods and clubs were scarce back then. They probably moved there hoping other blacks would follow, and that’s what the neighbors feared. Both of Andrew’s parents were scientists at the University. They wanted a good life for themselves and their son, just like everyone else, and you know how Mom and Dad loved them. Andrew and his parents were always welcome in our home. Our parents were very special and saw people for what they were, not for the color of their skin.”
    â€œLuckily, Andrew was smart and athletic, so he was accepted at school pretty quickly. Let’s face it; if it hadn’t been for him, our football team would have stunk. He was the nicest and best looking guy I’d ever seen with the exception of my precious little brother.”
    â€œI’m glad you made that exception, Sis.”
    She gave him a wry grin. “Anyway, I think about him a lot. He was my first love—only love—and I’ll never forget him.”
    â€œI always liked him too. He was my idol because he was different, like me, and I watched how he handled that. He seemed comfortable in his own skin, and he always talked sports to me like a real person. Once I came home from school crying after some kids called me names because of my dark skin. I fought back the tears all day until I saw Andrew, but then I started to cry because I knew he would understand. He told me I was better and smarter than the rest of those idiots. He said to work hard in school and someday I would be richer and more successful than any of them. I asked him if he ever cried and he said, yes, especially when kids made comments about him being different.
    â€œAndrew could always say something to make me feel better. It makes me sick to think of him being accused just because he was black and hung out at our house. I would love to see him sometime. I can't imagine he would consider coming to your reunion.”
    â€œWould you come back if you knew the whole community thought you were capable of murder?”
    â€œI doubt it.”
    â€œI’m so sorry because I never realized how much Andrew meant to you, Julio. I remember you following us around when he came over, and I always chased you away. Sorry I called you a pest and told you to go away and leave us alone.”
    â€œThat’s okay. I never really left. I would hide and spy on you guys all the time. I learned some of my best moves watching Andrew trying to romance my sister.”
    â€œYou’re a shit, Julio. I had no idea you were spying on us.”
    â€œI know. I spied on a lot of people.”
    Some of the tension melted away as they finished their meal, paid the bill and walked back to the car.
    â€œBesides facing our ghosts as you put it, what else is on your agenda while we’re here in the land of the Big Red Machine?”
    Connie sighed and said she wanted to talk to Nola about their parents and see their old house. Julio reiterated that he was not particularly fond of Nola, but was curious to see his old home again, too.
    With that, they drove over to their old neighborhood and parked several streets away from their house. There was the fall smell of chimney fires in the air and the crunch of dried leaves under foot. As they walked through the neighborhood and saw people going in or out of their homes, they wondered if any of them had known their parents.
    The neighborhood looked prosperous with all the Tudor homes still maintained to perfection. Each had a manicured lawn and lots of big shade trees. Connie felt a lump in her throat. It was hard seeing old sights and remembering how happy she had been living here.
    They walked by their church, which hadn’t changed at all. Melancholy struck Connie as she recalled all the youth