Free Tomato Girl by Jayne Pupek

“we would have to stop speaking to each other, at least in public.”
    I may have made better grades, but Mary understood all the things that really mattered. She knew about God, the blood curse, lesbians, and even how to tell if two people were in love. I guess when your mother doesn’t have moods, she has time to tell you things.
    While we ate, I watched the two teachers share a pizza and laugh. Miss Wilder reached across the table and wiped something from Miss Franklin’s face. Maybe a hair, or smeared tomato sauce? Did that mean they were in love?
    I nibbled the last of my fries, my mind full of questions about Tess. I knew so little about her really. Where in Granby did she live? What about her mama and daddy? Did she have any brothers and sisters? What was she like when she had seizures? I had a lot of things to ask her, and with her sleeping in my bed I’d have a chance to ask her.
    Music played from the jukebox in the far corner, a country and western song. A boy in jeans danced with a girl near the jukebox, his hands holding her close as he rested them at the small of her back. Nobody else in the diner was dancing, but they seemed not to care. They were what Miss Wilder would call “oblivious” to the rest of the world.
    While we waited for the waitress to bring the tab, Daddy twirled a toothpick between his lips. Tess dabbed at her mouth with a napkin, then put on more lipstick. Blotting her lips on the folded napkin, she explained how that was a trick to keep lipstick from smearing on your teeth.
    Daddy put a wad of money on the table and asked if we were ready to leave. Just then a man wearing coveralls and a plaid shirt walked in the door. I wouldn’t have thought anything about him except for Tess. She squinted when she saw him and said, “Shit!”
    I didn’t know the man, but both Tess and my father recognized him. Tess said more curse words. Daddy patted her arm, told her not to get upset, that he would handle everything. I wonderedif the man had stolen from Daddy’s store or if he was one of the cripples who live with Mildred Rogers.
    The man saw us and threw up his hand. He walked over and greeted us with a wide grin. He seemed friendly. “Well, hello there, Rupert, how’re you doing?” he said, his voice harsh and loud.
    Daddy extended his hand, just as he did to his customers. “I’m doing all right, Mason. Just brought the girls out for dinner.”
    â€œAnd the little wife, she’s on the mend, I hope?”
    â€œYes, Julia’s much better. We saw her today.”
    â€œAnd how’s my Tessy darling?” He touched her shoulder. The grooves in his fingers were dirty, and his thick yellow nails were dirty, too. Maybe he had been in the store and I just couldn’t remember him.
    Tess gave a half smile. “I’m fine, Papa.”
    â€œYou taking your medicine, girl?”
    Tess nodded and folded her arms across her chest. Her shoulders curled forward a bit, and she lowered her head. It was like watching a flower wilt.
    I couldn’t believe this man was Tess’s father. It seemed impossible. He was nothing like Tess.
    Daddy introduced me. “I don’t think you’ve met Ellie. This is my daughter. Ellie, this is Mr. Reed, Tess’s father.”
    â€œHi,” I said.
    He leaned over to shake my hand. He smelled like the men who slept on the bench by the post office. I couldn’t believe that this dirty, smelly man could be kin to someone as beautiful as Tess. I shook his hand and pulled back as quick as I could, wiping my hand on my napkin under the table where no one could see. No wonder Tess wanted to be near my daddy, who smelled as clean as soap.
    â€œYou sure are a pretty little thing,” he said as he grinned at me. His teeth were small and dark, like kernels of dried corn.
    â€œWe were just getting ready to leave, Papa,” Tess said.
    My father pushed back his chair and stood