Free as a Bird Read Online Free PDF

a’tall. Instead she walked over to Darlene who was starin out the window.
    â€œHello, Darlene. Say hello to Mommy.”
    Darlene dint look at Mommy. So Mommy took Darlene by the hand an tried to pull her away from the window. But Darlene dint wanna go an started moanin.
    â€œOkay, okay,” Mommy said. “Don’t get excited. Let’s just talk here by the window then. So how are you? Is everything going well?”
    Darlene dint answer.
    â€œWell, that’s nice dear.” Then Mommy pulled out a candy bar from her purse. “Look, Darlene, Mommy brought you something.”
    She dangled the bar in front of Darlene. I said to myself, if she doesn’t take the candy priddy soon I think I will go over an get it myself. Finally, Darlene took the candy bar from Mommy, but she still dint look her in the eye. After a liddle bit Mommy kissed Darlene’s cheek an patted her back.
    â€œWell, dear, I’m off. I don’t have time for a long visit today. I just wanted to pop by to say, hello.”
    Darlene’s mommy never had time for a long vizzid — nobody comin to Ward 33 did. Even when her mommy was bout to leave, Darlene still dint look at her. Dint wave goodbye neither. She jus looked out the window an held the candy bar close to her till the uniforms came an took it away. Then she cried an messed herself. I wondered bout that candy bar — bout who was gunna get to eat it.
    Mom an Harold use to vizzid me when I was liddle. One day, after I was at Woodlands for a while, they came to see me. Mom wore a white dress an she had a bracelet of flowers — maybe that’s why she smelled like a garden too. Harold looked jus the same as always, cept for his shirt — it was clean an dint smell like cigars. I cried when I saw Mom.
    â€œOh, come on, Ruby Jean — don’t spoil things. Harold and me came around so you could see how nice I look. Today’s my wedding day, Ruby Jean. You should be happy for me.”
    I guess I was jus too liddle to care bout weddin days an dint knowed why I was spose to be so happy bout it. I told Mom I dint like livin in Woodlands. “Please take me home,” I begged her.
    â€œI wish I could, Ruby Jean. But it’s my honeymoon. Me and Harold are going to Reno for a while. Can’t say when we’ll be back.”
    Mom got one of the uniforms to take a Polaroid picture of us. When the picture was done Mom put it in my hand.
    â€œHere, Ruby Jean. You have it so you can look at your pretty momma and new daddy whenever you like.”
    Mom dint come again for a long time after that. Then one day she arrived an had a baby in her arms. She told me that he was my baby brother. “His name is Harold, like his daddy.” She dint look so priddy or smell like a garden any more. Instead her eyes were dark an that baby was spittin up brown stuff all over her. I dunno why I did it, but I hit the baby. I hit him as hard’s I could. He screamed so loud I had to cover my ears. After that the uniforms came an pulled me down the hall. With the baby screamin an everybody yellin at me I never gotta chance to say goodbye to Mom.
    I dint see Mom hardly ever after that day. I member she came once with a balloon an said, “Happy Birthday, Ruby Jean.” That was the last time I saw her — mus be cause she was awful busy lookin after the baby.
    â€œRuby Jean … it’s time to go out.” Millie was standin side a priddy lady who had long red hair like Rosemary. “This is Grace. She’s going to take you out for the day. She’s going to teach you some new things. Are you going to be a good girl for her?”
    â€œHello, Ruby Jean,” said Grace. “It’s very nice to meet you.” She reached out to shake my hand, but Millie pulled it away.
    â€œI have to warn you — Ruby Jean’s a biter.” I got hot all over my face when Millie said that. “You never know what will set her