That evening, the sun set like a big orange ball. There were no clouds to reflect its fading light. Maggie stood in the yard and watched for the first star. The first star appeared filling her with deep sadness. She had a lot of wishes but she was sure none of them would come true. Unable to bear her own company she went inside. From Daniel’s bedroom she heard the voices of Aunt Betty and Grandma Marcy. She went to them.

Betty stood in front of a small mirror propped on Daniel’s chest of drawers. She had on a tight black dress with skinny straps, black hose and gold pumps. With a tiny brush she was making the most amazing swirls with her gold eye shadow. She said, “Hey girl, I got me a date with one of Woody’s friends. Want me to fix you up.”

From the bed Grandma Marcy growled, “Leave the child be.”

Aunt Betty laughed, “Mama, I meant make up not a man.” She held out a tube of lipstick. “Want some?” With a glance at Grandma Marcy she added, “This is supposed to make your lips kissably sweet.”

Embarrassed Maggie said, "No, thanks." She didn’t like lipstick. It tasted funny when she had to lick her lips.

Aunt Betty brushed out her thick curly hair until it glistened. She put a wide gold belt around her thin waist. Maggie could see her thigh muscles move through her tight dress. She glanced at Grandma Marcy. By the twist of her mouth, Maggie could tell she was not pleased. Aunt Betty tossed her thick hair to one side. She pouted her lips and applied a fresh coat of lipstick. Then she kissed a piece of toilet paper. She spun around and asked, "What do you think?"

What Maggie honestly thought was that Aunt Betty looked like the hooker she'd seen on a TV movie last week. She lied, "Uh, real nice." Grandma Marcy did not say a word but her every feature spoke what she thought.

“Oh Mama stop making that face.” Aunt Betty laughed. Her eyes filled with mischievous light. A horn honked outside. She kissed Grandma Marcy and flew out the door. Grandma Marcy wiped the lipstick kiss off her face and shook her head. "All I can do is pray that girl grows up before Annie does."

Maggie left Grandma Marcy and went out to join the kids on the front porch. June bugs crashed into the naked porch light bulb. Three boxes of dominos were dumped out on the wooden floor. Don and Skeeter were carefully standing them up in long rows. On the couch, Earl was studying a book of illustrated Bible stories. Bee Bob sat beside him. From time to time, he'd yank his thumb out of his mouth and say, "Turn the page." Annie was on the floor beside Skeeter. She stared at him with rapt intensity. Skeeter didn't seem to notice, but Corey Jean did and she was jealous. She jumped up and started skipping round the porch.

Don said, "Cut it out."

Corey Jean stuck her tongue out and started hopping up and down.

"Stop it before you knock down our dominos." Don took a swipe at her.

Corey Jean spun around and glared. "You best not hit me Don Woodrow. You know you’re not supposed to 'cause I'm a,” she jumped up to emphasis the word, “girl.” She took another bounce and said, “Besides I'm littler than you."

The dominos trembled on the floor. Annie looked up at Corey Jean and said, “Please stop."

"No." Corey Jean jutted out her chin. With each word she spoke she accentuated it with a hop. "I can do anything I want to on my OWN front porch." The floor boards rattled as her plump little body bounced up and down. The first domino fell, striking the next one. Corey Jean stopped and stared in wicked fascination as the dominos cascaded on the floor. When the last one fell, Don jumped up and grabbed Corey Jean's hair. He yanked it hard.

She screamed and started to bawl.

The front door swung open. Bill glared at Don. "Let go of her this minute. What's a big boy like you doing picking on a little girl?" Don let go. Bill went back inside.

A slow smile spread across Corey Jean’s face. Triumphantly she said, "See I told you."

Don glared at her. "You are such a weenie.” He plopped down and started to rebuild what Corey Jean had destroyed. He asked Maggie, "Will you help us?"

She nodded and sat down beside him on the floor.

*

At ten thirty and eleven John Carl and Billy returned home from their girlfriend's houses. Neither of them entered the house through the front porch where Maggie was trying to sleep. Around midnight she finally dozed off, but she didn't get to sleep long. A strange truck roared into the drive. Maggie sat up and looked out. She saw Aunt Betty stumble out of a truck and slam the door.

"Thank you for the ride home, Chester." Aunt Betty clamped her hand over her mouth to stifle a giggle. Aunt Betty was drunk. She blew the man a kiss as he pulled out of the drive. Unsteadily, she lurched and stumbled onto the front porch. When she saw Maggie was awake she said, "Hi, kid," and dropped onto the couch right on top of Maggie’s legs. The moon illumined Aunt Betty's face. Her perfectly applied make-up was now smeared and blotchy. She reeked of booze and cigarettes. She opened her purse and pulled out her cigarette case and lighter. After a few bumbling attempts she finally got the thing lit. She took long slow drags on her cigarette. Maggie's legs were falling asleep.

The front door creaked open. Grandma Marcy peered out. Her eyes rested on Aunt Betty. “Betty you promised me.”

Aunt Betty said, "I'm sorry Mama. I know I did.” Her voice broke, “I just had to go off and forget."

Grandma Marcy’s body stiffened. "How many times have I told you, drowning your sorrows in booze only makes them worse later on. Get in here and leave this child alone. You ought to be ashamed." Grandma Marcy had to help Aunt Betty get up off the couch.

Even though Aunt Betty was inside, the smell of alcohol lingered on the porch. It made Maggie feel queasy. She wiggled her legs trying to get the feeling back into them.

From the house she heard Grandma Marcy’s muffled voice as she put Aunt Betty to bed. After awhile a heavy silence filled the darkness. Maggie pressed her eyes closed. She tried to will herself to sleep. Minutes, maybe hours passed she didn’t know and still sleep would not come.

In the stillness she heard a low moan. Next came an awful sound. A sound like she had never heard before. It was the sound of a mother grieving. Maggie crammed her fingers into her ears. Garnet's tears until now had been silent and controlled. There was no control in the wild, grief stricken sobs that penetrated the wall. Was anyone else awake to hear her? Did they all hear her? Garnet's shuddering breath tore through Maggie. It scared her. She couldn't bear it. Garnet went on and on and on.

Maggie threw off her sheet and went to the end of the sidewalk. She called, "Patches." He appeared from beneath the porch. The old dog's eyes were liquid in the moonlight. She hugged him to her.

The vast sky was too big. It would swallow her up. She hid her face in Patches' coat. She wondered what it was like for Daniel up in heaven. It was pretty awful on earth right now. Did he know? Did he care? Did God? Patches whined deep in his throat.