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SHE WAS WORTH IT ALL 85 was waiting right there for her to enter so he could tell on Lacy for teasing him and about Shirley. Marcel was speaking a mile a minute so the Abba Zabba woman told him to wait until she got in and to slow down. He couldn’t slow down because he started crying all over again. The Abba Zabba woman said, “Marcel, wait! I have to go to the bath- room so come with me and tell me what you have to say.” “Uh, huh, uh, huh, uh, O, O, okay,” Marcel said in his crying voice with tears running down his face. As they headed for the bathroom, Randy and Horace began their quiet comments toward Lacy. They spoke softly because they knew the Abba Zabba woman would come out of the bathroom quite angry after listening to her most favorite children tell her how they were wronged. If she heard Randy and Hor- ace joking about the situation she would yell frantically at the top of her lungs, not at anyone in particular, but as a way to release her frustra- tions. Randy, Horace, and Marcel could never handle her indiscrimi- nate yelling without breaking down. As Randy and Horace told Lacy how he was going to get it, they could all hear the Abba Zabba woman sounding like a hissing snake as she peed while Marcel was trying to gain his composure and tell his version of the story a mile a minute. Alexandra and Odessa stood next to Lacy and told him to stay calm and not to worry because they would explain what happened and how wrong Shirley was. Just then, the toilet flushed. They never knew what the Abba Zabba woman’s mood would be when she came out from the bathroom after working all day, but silence was never good, especially after someone complained like Marcel did. “Where’s Lacy?” she asked, as she approached the living room from the hallway. “In here,” Odessa said, as she looked at Lacy with concern. As the Abba Zabba woman entered the living room, she saw Lacy and put her hands on her hips and before she could say anything, Odessa said, “We found out that Shirley encouraged Lacy to do what he did and she’s old enough to know better. Shirley said it’s all her fault and they were just playing.” The Abba Zabba woman said, “You call that playing?”

86 LACY WESTON Odessa said, “No, I don’t, but that’s what Shirley said they were doing and she made it into a game so Lacy thought he was playing a game.” “He thought rubbing Shirley’s ass was a game?” the Abba Zabba woman asked. Alexandra said, “Lacy likes playing games more than any of us, so if Shirley called it a game, I could see how Lacy would have thought it was a game.” “Is that what you thought Lacy? That it was a game?” the Abba Zabba woman asked him. “Yes,” Lacy said. The Abba Zabba woman said, “Since you thought it was a game, why don’t you tell me how the game was played?” Lacy looked at the sisters, and the Abba Zabba woman looked at him with her hands on her hips and said, “I didn’t ask you to look to them for answers, I asked you to tell me what happened.” Lacy fixed his glasses and as he was about to speak, Marcel said, “Yeah, tell her how you played with Shirley’s panties.” “Yeah,” Horace said, “we all want to hear this.” Randy just played with his yoyo while staring at Lacy with a huge grin on his face. “You boys hush up,” the Abba Zabba woman said, “now go on Lacy.” Lacy said, “Shirley and I were folding her clothes like we do when- ever I go to her house.” “What? Folding clothes at her house? You don’t fold clothes here, so what are you doing folding clothes at their house?” she asked. “Yes. That’s why I was doing.” Lacy said. “I know what you were doing dummy, I’m asking why you were do- ing it.” “Shirley washes clothes all the time and she asked if I wanted to help her fold them after they dried and I said sure.” Just then, the Abba Zabba woman let out a big HUUHH! “Go on,” she said. “When we folded the clothes, I saw her panties and…” “STOP!” she said. “How do you know what panties are?”

SHE WAS WORTH IT ALL 87 “Shirley told me when I saw them on the bed with the rest of the clothes.” “THAT DERN NASTY TRAMP! Keep talking,” she said. “One day Shirley got upset when I was waving her panties around, then later she let me hold them. I said okay.” “Why did you want to hold them?” she asked. Lacy said, “Because they felt different and had neato colors.” “Neato isn’t a word, so stop using that word,” she said. “So you thought they were pretty?” she asked. “Yes,” Lacy said. “Keep talking,” she said. “I asked Shirley what color panties she was wearing and she said, “that’s private” and she couldn’t tell me that.” “So you wanted to see under her dress?” she asked. Lacy said, “No, I wanted to see what color her panties were.” “YOU’RE A DAMN LIE! YOU KNEW WHAT YOU WERE DOING AND WANTED TO LOOK UP UNDER HER DRESS! DIDN’T YOU?” she yelled. “No,” Lacy said. “I just wanted to know what color she was wearing.” “STOP LYING!” she shouted. “Yeah, stop lying,” Randy said. “Quiet Randy,” the Abba Zabba woman said. There were giggles in the background from Horace and Marcel. “I’m not lying,” Lacy said. “Oh, so you’re calling me a liar then?” she asked. Lacy looked at the sisters because he clearly didn’t understand how she thought he was calling her a liar. “STOP LOOKING AT THEM WHEN I’M TALKING TO YOOOUU!” she shouted. Lacy began to shake a bit. “Okay! Then what happened?” “We kept folding clothes and talking, then she asked if I wanted to see her panties and I said yes, then she turned around and lifted her dress and showed me her panties.” The Abba Zabba woman’s mouth opened wide and her eyes got wider as she asked, “Then what happened?”

88 LACY WESTON Lacy said, “Then she said I could touch her panties so I did.” “How did you touch them?” she asked. “I put my hand on her panties like this,” he said, as he showed her his open hands. She said, “So you were feeling her butt? You didn’t want to feel her panties, you wanted to feel her butt the whole time. You don’t fool me.” Lacy just looked at her as if she was the strangest person he had ever spoken with. “I oughta tear your black ass up and hang you by your thumbs,” she said. Lacy just looked at her because he had no idea why this woman was yelling and screaming at him and not listening to a word he was saying. He was thinking when’s Esta coming home? The Abba Zabba woman stormed off to the kitchen as she said, “I haven’t even eaten yet and I’m starved. Lacy, you stand right there and don’t you move until I get back and figure out how to deal with you.” Lacy just stood there. “Is there something in there for me to eat?” she asked. “Yes,” the sisters said. Randy, Horace, and Marcel just grinned and made snickering noises at Lacy while the sisters looked upset at the Abba Zabba woman’s reaction and were very concerned for Lacy. The sisters told Lacy they had to do their homework but they would get their books and do their work in the living room. Lacy said okay, as he stood in that same spot while the brothers mocked him and tried to make him move from the spot where he was standing by pushing him and putting their hands in his face. Marcel said, “You better not move or you’ll get into worse trouble.” The sisters came back and the boys ran off. As the Abba Zabba woman ate her food, Lacy could hear her occasionally setting the fork down on the plate as it made a clanking sound, so he knew she would be down soon. Moments later, Lacy heard the front door being unlocked and he knew who it was. He did not move from where he stood but he turned his head to watch the front door open.

SHE WAS WORTH IT ALL 89 Esta opened the door and said, “Hiiiii Lacy!” Lacy gave a partial wave and said a soft hello, hoping the Abba Zabba woman didn’t hear him. Esta asked, “Don’t you want to give me a hug? You usually run to me.” Lacy whispered, “Yes, but I’m in trouble.” The sisters told Esta what hap- pened and Esta started tearing up and threatened to break Shirley’s neck. When the sisters told Esta that Lacy might get a beating, Esta went into the kitchen to try to soften things with the Abba Zabba woman. As the conversation started, the Abba Zabba woman raised her voice and said, “If you were here this would not have happened, and now you want me to be understanding!?” Esta pleaded and pleaded until the Abba Zabba woman said, “Then you handle this, I don’t want to hear any more about it. Get him out of my sight, I don’t want to see him again tonight, ya hear?” “Yes,” Esta said. Esta grabbed Lacy by the hand and said, “Come with me.” Lacy said, “I was told not to move.” Esta said, “You can move now.” She took Lacy into the bedroom and told him she was sorry for not being there when this all happened and said he should not be treated as if he was a crook. “What’s a crook?” Lacy asked. “A person that steals things.” “Oh, you mean a thief,” Lacy said. “Yes,” Esta said. “How do you know what a thief is Lacy?” she asked. Lacy said, “I heard Odessa call Randy a thief because he takes peo- ple’s things.” Esta smiled and said, “You’ve got a very good memory Lacy, but I hope you can forget what happened today and not let it bother you.” “I don’t think I’ll forget it Esta,” Lacy said, “but I won’t let it bother me.” Esta said, “That’s a good start,” as she hugged him. Esta told Lacy he could watch TV or go to sleep because he had to stay in the room for the rest of the night to avoid getting into trouble. Lacy wanted to watch TV and hoped there would be a good old movie on. Esta said, “Okay. Then let’s get your pajamas on first and brush your teeth so I

90 LACY WESTON won’t have to wake you up if you fall asleep watching TV.” “Okay,” Lacy said. After he got cleaned up and ready for bed, Esta turned on the TV and found a good movie to watch. She sat with Lacy for five to ten minutes before she headed to the kitchen to eat dinner. She wasn’t gone long, but when she returned, Lacy was almost asleep and was hugging her sweater. Lacy opened his eyes wide and sat up since he noticed Esta staring at him with tears in her eyes. “What’s wrong Esta?” Lacy asked. “Nothing,” Esta said. “You’re just a wonderful little boy, and I love you Lacy.” Lacy said, “I love you too Esta,” then he lay back down and hugged her sweater. Esta sat near Lacy, caressing his head with a sad look in her eyes, and that worried Lacy because he thought maybe the Abba Zabba woman was mean to Esta. As he thought about why Esta might be sad, he fell asleep.

A TABLE WITH THREE LEGS The next morning, Lacy heard everyone getting ready for school so he got up and looked for Esta. Alexandra said, “Good morn- ing Lacy. You looking for Esta?” “Good morning,” Lacy said. “Yes. Do you know where she is?” Alexandra said, “Yeah. She had to leave early because needed to meet someone before school.” “Who did she have to meet?” Lacy asked. Alexandra said, “I don’t know but she left in a hurry and told me to tell you she loves you and will see you later today. I have to keep getting ready for school so you can watch TV or play.” Lacy looked a little confused because Esta never left without saying goodbye. He said okay, then stood still for a moment, looking around thinking about what he should do. He went back into the bedroom and sat on the bed because he didn’t want to run into the Abba Zabba woman, especially if she was still upset about yesterday. When it was time for the others to go to school, Lacy stood in the doorway of the bedroom and peeked out, lis- tening to everyone getting ready to leave. “See you later Lacy,” Gus said. Lacy said, “Goodbye Gus.” Horace said, “Have fun watching Underdog, four-eyes. Maybe you’ll touch Polly’s panties. Hahahaha.” Marcel said nothing and just gave Lacy an angry stare as he was leaving, and Lacy stared right back, smil- ing. When the others saw that smile from Lacy it meant one of two