"What?" I demanded, my own anger rising like boiled milk. If he dares to say I'm too young. I thought, I'll...
"Nice," he said instead.
"What?"
"You trust everyone. I don't even trust myself," he said. He went to the cartons and began piling them in his arms.
"What's that mean? I'm too nice? You're right. Harley. I don't understand. Why does my being trusting make it impossible to understand my uncle and you and your mother?"
"Let's not talk about it today. Summer," he pleaded. "It's your special day. I'll help with what's left to be done, and then I'll go home and wait until it's time to go swimming, and then I'll go in and I'll put on the clothes you picked out. and I'll sit quietly with my hair neatly brushed and eat and..."
"And dance and have fun." I insisted.
"Okay." he said. "Put one more carton on top." "That's too many. Take those. I'll get the rest."
"Why is it everyone is so bossy here?" he moaned and started out.
I piled up the remaining cartons and followed him. Sometimes. Harley could make me feel just like a wire about to snap. I wished I could just scream and scream until the feeling was gone.
When we got to the tables, we opened the cartons and started to put the favors on the tables. Beside the printed napkins, cups and plates. Daddy had a company make a pocket makeup mirror for the girls with the date of my birthday on the top; T- shirts with a picture of the lake and today's date under it and a pen and pencil set for everyone with my dates on them as well.
"Not bad." Harley said as he unloaded the cartons. "It pays to be a friend of Summer Clarke. All the mushy kids will be in their glory."
"I told you to tell me who you wanted to invite from your school. Harley," I reminded him. "It's not my fault you didn't give Mommy and me any names and addresses."
"Right."
"Well, didn't I ask you?"
"Look. Summer. anyone I'm friendly with. Roy thinks is one step away from the gas chamber."
"Even the girls?" I pondered.
He looked at me a moment and then went back to setting out the favors.
"Harley?"
"The girls I talk to don't belong here," he said.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"There's nobody I know who's good enough," he replied.
"Harley, don't make me sound stuck-up. You could have invited anyone you wanted, isn't that so? Well, isn't it?"
"Let it go, Summer. Please," he begged. I actually saw tears in his eyes.
"Okay. I'm sorry. I just wanted to be sure you had a good time."
"I'll have a good time,Ill have a good time. If I don't. Roy will see that I'm turned into horse meat"
"Harley."
"I'm kidding,"
"I don't want you to have a good time because Uncle Roy ordered you to. I want you to have a good time because ifs my birthday and..."
He fell to his knees and clasped his hands. "Please, your majesty. Mercy." he begged.