Page 50 of Sugar and Skulls

She smiles brightly. “What should I draw?”

“Most of the time I draw my secrets,” I whisper to her like we are sisters sharing a private moment.

Her tiny hands spread over the paper. “Do I have to show anyone?”

“Nope. That’s the best thing. You can keep your drawings all to yourself if you want to.” I tap the end of her nose.

She starts to draw, her tongue sticking out between her lips in concentration. I chuckle and go back to my own drawing.

When the guys begin to tote food out to set the table she turns her drawing over and slides it under my sketch book. “You can look at it if you want,” she says sadly then she looks longingly at the group of children who are gathering at the “kids” table. Biker wives and girlfriends are getting them set up with watermelon and hotdogs. “Would you like to sit with the other kids?”

She nods shyly. I walk her over and introduce her to the other children. “This is my friend Katie. Can she join you guys?”

They all nod and a girl close to her age scoots down the bench and pats the spot beside her. “My name is Ally,” she tells Katie.

Katie smiles at me like she can’t believe the other children are letting her sit with them. Ally grabs her hand and pulls her down beside her. “After we eat you should come on the treasure hunt with us. It’s going to be so fun. Uncle Bill even made us a treasure map.” She pulls it out of her pocket and all the kids huddle around to study it, Katie included.

My heart warms. At home Katie is shunned. For being dirty. For her clothes. For her mom. For things Katie has no control over.

As I’m gathering my art supplies the guys start to crowd around me. “Damn, I’m fucking hungry,” Raffe says. I chuckle but as I turn Katie’s drawing over I stop mid laugh. A bought of nausea rolls through me. Of course, Raffe notices.

“You okay? Here let me get you a plate, you need to eat.” He hops up but I stop him.

“No. I just remembered something. I…I have to go back to town.”

Raffe studies my face closely. “I’ll go with you.”

“Don’t be silly. I forgot I have a project due and was supposed to work on it with a classmate. I’ll run over finish it up and get back before Katie has to go to bed.”

He waves Bill over to the table. My eyes dart to Katie. She is laughing with the other kids. I take a deep breath.

“What’s up?” my dad asks.

“Raffe is making a big deal out of an assignment I need to finish for school. I’m just going to buzz back over to town and finish it with a classmate. I’ll be right back.”

“You’re just remembering this now?” he asks.

“I was a little distracted with Katie. Can you keep an eye on her? I’ll be back before she goes to bed.”

He turns and looks at Katie sitting with the other kids. “Yeah, I can do that. I’m sorry I forget you are still in school. You seem so much older.” He tucks a stray hair behind my ear. He wraps me up in his arms. I bite the inside of my cheek hard to keep my emotions in check. “Drive safe, okay?”

I nod, tightening my squeeze on him.

“Get something to eat first.” He motions towards the table of food then becomes distracted by one of the guys and turns away from me.

Raffe narrows his eyes. I shrug my shoulders. Looks like I won this one.

Katie smiles as I approach. “We are going on a real-life treasure hunt,” she tells me, full of excitement.

“That sounds like so much fun.” I run my fingers through her curly hair. “Hey, I need to go to town quick to finish some homework but, I’ll be back before bedtime. My dad is going to keep an eye on you. So, if you need anything you ask him. Okay?”

She nods, her curls bouncing around her face. “I like your daddy. He’s nice.”

My dad comes over to the table. He places his hands on Katie’s shoulders as he talks to the entire table of kids. “Get eating kids. There’s treasure to be found in them there hills,” he says in his best pirate voice.

They all laugh. “Are you going with us, Uncle Bill,” a little boy with red hair asks, crumbs falling from his lips.

“Sure am.”

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