Little Miss Somebody: A novel

Chapter Two

"Ma-ma!" Meechie called as she dropped her bag on the living room floor.

"She's not here," Uncle Lee yelled from the front porch.

"What time is it? Where's Erin?"

I listened to Meechie talk to herself while I relaxed on the couch. Meechie was busy looking in the fridge for something to eat.

"There's never nothing here to eat!" she announced.

I chuckled under my breath in agreement. "I know."

"My mama ain't went grocery shopping this month. I think she sold the food stamps again. That's probably why we ain't seen her in a couple of days. I hate when she does that."

Aunt TeeTee being on crack was embarrassing to Meechie. She tried to hide her hurt under her anger, but I knew it upset her to see TeeTee high.

Grandma told me Aunt TeeTee, whose real name was Lauren, started smoking crack when Uncle Lorenz died in a car accident a few years back. She said TeeTee and Lorenz were tight and she just couldn't get over his death.

I didn't remember much about Uncle Lorenz, but Mama told me when I was a baby he would take me out with him so he could pick up women. He would lie and tell them my mom left him to take care of me alone. Mama said he would come home with a pocket full of phone numbers, and I would have ice cream all over my face.

Meechie went to her secret spot to count her money, then came back with a crisp $20 bill in her hand.

"I'm about to order some Chinese food from Chang's. You want to walk with me?"

"Yeah, I'll go."

Meechie picked up the phone to order her meal. I sat there hoping she would order me something too. I was embarrassed to ask, so I sat in silence listening to my stomach growl. I knew Meechie would share with me, but I felt bad because she had to make sure Erin ate, too.

Instead, I went to the kitchen and looked through the cabinets. I was lucky to find a pack of chicken-flavored instant noodles hidden behind some empty boxes. I felt like I had won the lottery. I hid the noodles behind the toaster and waited for Meechie by the door.

"Are you ready?"

"Yep."

"Come on. Let's hurry up and get back before Erin gets home."

Grandma's street was quiet; however, a couple of blocks over it was a completely different story. Drug dealers and gang members were common characters in Grandma's neighborhood. We had to pass that block to get to Chang's, which was only a couple of blocks away on West Florissant. Grandma always told us to walk together.

Mr. Chang had been a staple in Grandma's neighborhood for years. He served up the best fried rice or "Chinamen" in the Northside neighborhood of St. Louis. "Chinamen" is what everyone in my family called the Chinese restaurant. I thought it was mildly derogatory, but everyone said it, so I felt it was okay. Although Chang's restaurant was a hole in the wall with three tables and a bench, everyone went to Chang's. Even the most unsavory characters: bums, gang members and local dope boys all looking to gain something. The dope boys were always flashing their sparkly gold teeth and harassing girls as they walked in.

"Hey, girl, let me holler at you for a minute."

Chang had a habit of telling everyone their order would be ready in 15 minutes, but we always had to wait when we got there.

Meechie and I didn't talk much on our way to Chang's. I mostly listened to the symphony happening in my belly and wished my pants had more than a buffet of ketchup on them.