Chapter 3

“Oh, that’s right,” she said. “I wasn’t sure. That hair is solong.”

“Mom,” Jackson said in a tight voice.

“The thing does look like a girl,” Mrs. Ledbetter said.

“The thing?” I said, incredulous.

“Hello!” Noah exclaimed in his awkward voice. He tugged on Mrs. Ledbetter’s sleeve to get her attention.

She frowned rather imperiously as she looked down at him.

“Hello!” Noah exclaimed again. “I love you!” It came out sounding like, Ai of ewe!

“Oh,” Mrs. Ledbetter said. “That’s nice, dear.” Inexplicably, she reached into her small clutch purse and produced a twenty, which she handed to him as though giving him a tip. “Spend it wisely,” she said.

“He’s deaf,” I pointed out.

She bent down and spoke to him very slowly and very loudly: “Spend it wisely!”

Mr. Ledbetter hurriedly stepped forward. “Very good to meet you at last,” he said to me, putting out his hand, grasping mine like it was a turnip he intended to squeeze blood out of.