After a while she will get used to you and you will get
used to her."
He shrugged again, but I saw from the
expression on his face that he wasn't very hopeful. "I'm sorry you're not happy about your brother's
marriage, Troy."
"I'm happy! You're here now, right?" "Yes. I'm here now."
"So, I'm happy," he repeated, clapping his little
hands. "I'm glad about that," I said. "In fact, that's the
thing that makes me most happy, too." I knelt down
and hugged him.
"Come on," he said heading for the door. "Let's
get back to the party. We'll miss the cake."
I glanced back once more at the mountains of
gifts and then returned with him to the ballroom. A special table was rolled to the center. On it
was a sky-high wedding cake with the figures of the bride and groom dancing under the word
CONGRATULATIONS. Momma and Tony were brought to the cake for the traditional cutting of the first piece. Momma sliced it carefully and fed it to Tony, who tried desperately to maintain some dignity as Momma stuffed the extra-large slice into his mouth, but the creamy icing splattered down his chin and over his tuxedo jacket. Everyone laughed and cheered. I was going to join Grandma Jana to have my
piece, but suddenly Momma took hold of my arm. "It has gone well, hasn't it?" She looked about
proudly. "These people will never forget it. They'll be
talking about it forever. How's your grandmother
doing?" she asked, gazing at Grandma Jana, who was
in deep conversation with another woman her age. "She seems to be having a good time." "I'll rest easier when she goes back to Texas.
Who knows what she's saying to these people." I
wondered if Momma feared Grandma Jana would tell
me the truth about her past. She turned back to me.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing, Momma."
"You look sad. How can anyone look sad at an
occasion like this?" She paused and sighed. "Still
worrying about everything, aren't you? Can't help but take after your father, I suppose." I couldn't help wincing. She could lie with such sincerity. Maybe because she had been doing it for so long, I thought. But how long could I keep what I knew to myself?
"Come with me," she said suddenly.