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all ’bout why she was Cath’lic and I wasn’t, and how she and her folks had some kinda special tie to God. I never let her nonsense bother me too much on account I was able to make pacts with God, and I bet myself Theresa didn’t know nothing ’bout that. Usually I’d go to her house early in the mornings and eat whatever her mama’d cook b’fore making our way to school—so her folks knowed me pretty good. Plus, they’d seen this sort of thing b’fore with me. Not too long ago, Lula had tore me up good, but not as badly as now. That time, I’d gone to the Perezes’ to be with Theresa, and Mrs. Perez had cleaned me up pretty good, shaking her head and cryin’ all the while. Today I looked way worse—the traces of Lula Mae’s hate was clearer than witch hazel; and if she hadn’t stopped when Big Mama’d said, I’d maybe been beat to death. I didn’t wanna make Mrs. Perez cry again, but I didn’t see that I had anywhere else to go.
    By the time I reached the Perezes’ front yard, I could barely breathe. I had run the whole way without stopping once. I sat down on a tree stump at the edge of they yard and tried to catch some air. My chest was so tight I used the butt of my hand to rub back and forth ’cross the place that hurt. I was real thirsty and wanted a drink, but more than that, I wanted to have Ruby, my mama, come and see what that mean hussy of a woman had done to me. I knowed Ruby would take up for me if she’d seen how I looked right then. Plus she would be madder than hell if she’d heard all them mean and nasty things Lula’d said ’bout her. Whoever heard of a mama leaving her child in a motel by themselves. Anybody could see that those hateful sayings she was telling me ’bout my mama was all nothing but works of evil. And what ’bout her calling me a whore; Lula was just mad that she wasn’t high-spirited with pretty eyes with a man to dote on her.
    All lies, that’s what they was. All lies. I couldn’t wait to the day that I’d see Ruby to tell her ’bout all that wickedness ole Lula said. Anyway, it wasn’t my fault, what my mama did. I sho’ felt sorry for Lula Mae and her kids, but Lula had no call to take out on me what was done b’tween grown folks. I had nothing to do with they problems. I’d get back at that Lula Mae some day, when I got grown.
    As my breathin’ calmed, I got to studyin’ my body. Lula had whooped me like she was beating down the gates of hell. My arms and legs had dried blood all over ’em; it must’ve dripped when I was running. In some places I saw the pink and white of my inside flesh, and in others there was swollen welts. It reminded me of the time my stupid sister Doretha went and teased a German shepherd dog, and it damn near bit her thigh off. That dog’s teeth dug so deep in her skin that she had to go and have ’em sew her leg meat back together. And since nobody knowed if the stray animal had the rabies or not, she had to take a hundred shots in her belly so that she wouldn’t foam at the mouth. I kinda wondered if Lula Mae had rabies and if so, would I need to get them rabies shots too.
    “Oh no, not again.
¿Niña, niña, qué pasa?”
    Mrs. Perez must’ve seen me sittin’ on the tree stump through her kitchen window. She came hurrying towards me yelling,
¿Niña, niña, qué pasa?”
I only knowed a li’l Mes’can, but I understood what she was asking me. She wanted to know what the matter was. I tried to tell her, but I choked on the tears as I spoke.
    ¿Niña, qui ente hizo esto?
Who make this happen?” Mrs. Perez asked me again.
    “Donna Janine lied and told Lula that I was trying to kill her baby, so Lula beat me with a water hose.” As I ’tempted to let her know my side I couldn’t help but think how crazy it all was. Lord knows I loved that baby like she was my own kin. I took care of her best I could, and I’d never try and hurt her. The place behind my eyes started to puff up with water again, and I didn’t