“Miss. Clementine, you are lookin’ quite… extravagant, today!” Odea says with a giggle and a simple gesture to my outfit. I look down to the thigh length purple skater tutu that fluffs up over my black skull leggings, gripping to my legs like a sweet bodice. My hands clench the zipper of my black leather jacket, my eyes hover over my silver sequined tank then glide down to my purple scuffed combat boots… perfect! I keep my lips sealed shut, scared I will cry, scared my voice will betray me.
“You’re here for the puddin’ ne’er her to keep Miss. Odea comp’ny, no-no always too busy, needy.” She teases shaking her head causing few strands of silver curls to fall around her face. I suck in a long full of air, “Someday Ms. Odea, just not today, I promise, someday.” Ms. Odea frowns and glares at me. “Now Clementine Jade Murray, don’t you ‘round makin’ promises you cannot keep! I will do just fine knowin’ you are always too busy to be here wit’ me, you get that puddin’ and go on your way, and don’ you forget Ceda.” She presses her lips to my cheeks then shoves the red bowl into my arms. That was Odea Surkov for you, a sharp-tongued Russian with the accent of a southerner from Harper Lee’s world of ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’. Her skin the color of the lightest chocolate, swirls covered her cheeks bones, our gift… our pasts showed somewhere on our skin, the swirls like that of a cakes mixings. I sigh, kiss her cheek back then turned and made my way to the door of the kitchen only to be stopped by Ceda.