Free A Piece of Heaven by Sharon Dennis Wyeth Page A

on my every move.”
    “Let’s save up all the money we make and surprise her,” I suggested eagerly. “When she gets out of the hospital, she won’t have to worry about paying any bills. She’ll be so proud of us.”
    “Think she’ll be proud of me, too?” Otis asked skeptically.
    “Of course she’ll be proud of you,” I assured him. “She always wanted you to get a job, and now you have a really good one. Ma is doing better,” I reported. “Last night she wasn’t crying.”
    Otis let out a little sigh. “That’s a relief.” He gave me a toothy smile. “Thanks for taking over like that for me with Ma. I’m older, so I guess I should be the one going to see her and calling her on the telephone. But it kind of bothers me when she acts like a nut.”
    “She’s still our mother, Otis,” I reminded him quietly. I swished past the stack of clothes toward the window. Rain-drops splashed off the fire escape and onto the windowsill. “Guess I have the day off,” I said, breathing in the misty coolness. “How about you, Otis?” I called over my shoulder.
    “Oh, we’ll be out of the rain, down in the subway station,” Otis assured me. “This should be a big day for us. Most people have Saturday off, so they’ll be looking to buy stuff. And my man Reggie and I will be there to sell it to them.”
    “Here comes another working man,” I announced, spying Dill McCoy running up the block.
    Otis peeked out and chuckled. “Ol’ burger flipper! The way he wears that restaurant uniform, you’d think he was in the military. And look at that tore-up umbrella he’s carrying,” my brother scoffed. “The dude doesn’t have any style.”
    “I like him,” I said, pushing Otis out of the way. “Hey, Dill!” I cried, poking my head out the window.
    “Hi, little chick,” he called up. He was coming to our building, just as I’d suspected.
    “Tell Nirvana to stop over,” I yelled down.
    “Okay,” he said, ducking inside.
    “Why did you have to do that?” Otis grumbled. “All I need is them two over here.”
    “Don’t be so grouchy,” I countered. “I want to show my monkey and the candlestick holders to Nirvana.”
    “What monkey?” he demanded. “What candlestick holders?”
    “That monkey,” I said, pointing to where I’d placed the little stuffed animal at the top of my bed. “I got it from Jackson’s,” I explained. “He let me have some candlestick holders, too,” I added, crossing to the shopping bag I’d left by the door.
    There was a tap at the door. I opened it. Nirvana and Dill stood in the hallway.
    “Grandma sent over some fresh muffins,” Nirvana said, holding out a plate. She did a double take.
    “Child, where did you get that dress? You look like a princess!”
    “Thanks,” I said, blushing.
    Otis reached over me and grabbed a muffin. “I’ll take one of those.”
    “Can we come in first?” Nirvana said pointedly.
    “Of course,” I said, opening the door wider.
    Otis skulked across the room. “How much you want to bet there ain’t no butter in this house?” he muttered. “Ma bought everything but the important stuff.” He bit off half his muffin. “Tastes good,” he said grudgingly.
    Nirvana stepped inside and presented me with the plate. I took a deep sniff. “Smells like banana-nut muffins,” I murmured. “Would you and Dill like one yourselves?” I asked.
    “I’ve already eaten,” said Dill.
    “They’re for you, Haley,” Nirvana said graciously.
    I put the muffins down on the table and picked one out. They were still warm. “Yum,” I exclaimed, biting in. “It’s delicious. Tell your grandma thank you for us.”
    “I will,” said Nirvana.
    Dill sauntered across the room to Ma’s alcove, where all the clothes were stacked. He eyed Otis.
    “Y’all opening a department store?” Dill muttered.
    I laughed. “It looks that way, doesn’t it? Those clothes don’t belong to us. They belong to the incense stand.”
    Dill lifted an