Her Mother’s Grave

Chapter Thirty

JOSIE – NINE YEARS OLD

Josie dragged a piece of blue chalk across the sidewalk outside of her grandmother’s home. A series of squares stretched from one end of the pavement to the other in a pattern: two squares, then one, then two, then one, and so on. They played hopscotch at school all the time, but Josie had never drawn the boxes before. She’d squealed with delight when her grandmother presented her with a pack of colored sidewalk chalk. There were four colors: blue, pink, yellow, and green. Josie liked blue best of all, so that’s what she started with. Once the boxes were all complete, she went to one end and started jumping. One foot, two feet, one foot, two feet—all the way to the end.

“Josie,” her grandmother called from the front door. “Time to get ready.”

Carefully, she put her chalk back inside its cardboard box and skipped up the front walk and inside.

“Wash your hands,” Lisette told her.

Josie ran to the kitchen and did as she was told. “Do you think I’ll fall, Gram?” she asked.

Lisette smiled as she pulled their jackets from the closet in the front hallway. “Probably. Everyone falls their first time roller skating. It’s unavoidable.”

Josie dried her hands on the dish towel and ran to Lisette so she could slide her jacket on. “How long does it take to get to the skating rink?”

“Oh, not long,” Lisette told her, picking up her purse and keys. “Maybe ten minutes.”

“Did you remember the present?” Josie asked.

Lisette picked up a brightly wrapped birthday present from the foyer table. “Of course, dear.”

“I can’t wait!” Josie exclaimed. “I never got invited to anyone’s birthday before. Especially not at a skating rink!”

A bright smile stretched across Lisette’s face. She knew Josie had been looking forward to this for two whole weeks. It was all they talked about. Lisette had even said that she might put skates on.

Her smile died the moment she opened the front door. Josie’s mother stood on the stoop in a pair of torn jeans and a dirty blue T-shirt that hung off one shoulder. A cigarette smoldered in one hand. Her cheeks were sunken, and her long, black hair looked dull. She smiled a mirthless smile that sent a chill all the way down Josie’s spine.