The Truth About Twinkie Pie Part 11

I squirmed. I was pretty sure that Allie and Haven each had private baths they didn't have to share with anyone. Not to mention separate guest quarters for any guests lucky enough to have to pee at their house.

"Last chance!" DiDi winked and then clicked the door shut.

We heard the shower start.

"What's Double G?" Allie asked again.

Haven put a hand on my arm. "Did you and Trip break up?"

"Is he going out with Mace now?" Allie said.

I pulled away. Then regretted it. "No. We're just friends and Mace is just a friend. I mean, they've known each other since they were little and... and..."

Haven reached out and patted my arm. And I started to think that even if she didn't know how I felt, maybe she really wanted to.

"Do you-do you still want to make some plans for Stargazers while we're waiting for DiDi?" she said.

I nodded. I didn't know what else to do. I tried my best to sound involved in everything the girls were saying, but truth is I didn't hear a word. Which was just as well, because after a few minutes, Allie and Haven gave up and started talking about other things.

"Will your mom bring back goodies from the conference?" Allie asked.

"Yes!" said Haven. "I'll bring you a goody bag. Do you want a goody bag, too, Leia?"

I came out of my fog. "Goody who?"

"Goody bag. My mom is at this huge conference, looking at all the new colors coming out next year. You know, for the city store? She's always bringing back loads of awesome new stuff. But some of it's gross, too-Al, do you remember when she brought all that purple-y lipstick home last year? Ew!" She and Allie screamed.

"Lipstick," I said.

"It totally made you look like you'd been eating dirt, Leia. It was the worst."

Allie sighed. "I hope this year is more a sparkly pink year."

"Yeah, or I don't mind purple-just more for nail polish than lips."

I looked at the two of them, happy and chatting away.

I pictured DiDi happily listening to Mace talk on the phone all night.

Then I took a breath.

"Does your mom-would your mom know if a company decided to bring back an old lipstick?"

Allie made a face. "Old?"

"Like colors they don't make anymore."

Haven shrugged. "I'll ask. I remember this one time there was a color that they brought back for, like, an anniversary or something. There were signs all over the place."

Allie looked at me. "Is there a lipstick you can't live without, Leia? You don't seem like the makeup-y type."

"No... I just had this idea...." I glanced at the bathroom door and lowered my voice. "For a special birthday gift for DiDi... a surprise."

The girls looked excited.

"Tell us!" Haven whispered. "Let us help!"

"Really?" I said.

"Yes! What can we do?" Allie was jumping up and down.

I guessed this was what it was like to have girlfriends. So I put away my agenda for the Stargazers. The girls and I huddled together on our old sofa, and I told them about Mama and Cherries in the Snow.

You know, it's funny how you never really know how special any occasion is going to be till you're in the middle of it. Like, in all honesty, I had really only invited Haven and Allie over so I'd have an excuse not to go to that stupid tailgate with Trip and his future rock star girlfriend, Mace. And here, for the first time ever, I was talking to someone other than DiDi about Mama's lipstick.

And for the first time, I started thinking that maybe-just maybe-impossible wishes really did sometimes become... possible.

If you ask me, that's pretty special.

Special-Occasion Fancy Tea Sandwiches

I say no occasion is special until you personally put a little effort into it.

Now, my mama was a real Southern Lady and knew how to do a nice afternoon tea.

First of all, make sure you use only thinly sliced white bread with the crusts cut off. (I save the crusts in a plastic bag in the freezer for stuffing.) The recipes here are enough for two people to have two pieces of each sandwich. Double as necessary.

Cuc.u.mber Sandwiches

* Mayonnaise * Cuc.u.mbers, thinly sliced * Salt and pepper * Parsley, chopped fine Spread each slice of your sandwich bread with the thinnest bit of mayonnaise you can spread. Pile 8 to 10 slices of cuc.u.mber on one side. Salt and pepper. Top with the other slice of bread. Trim off any cuc.u.mber sticking out over the edges. Then cut the sandwich into 4 triangles. Spread very thin mayo on one edge of each of the triangles and then dip that into your chopped parsley. Arrange on a plate, standing up like little sails with the parsley side showing.

Pepper Jelly Triple-Decker Surprise Sandwiches

* Pepper jelly * Cream cheese Spread pepper jelly on one slice of bread and cream cheese on the other. You know what to do-put them together. Now spread cream cheese on the top of that sandwich. Take another slice of bread and spread pepper jelly on that and put it on top. You should now have a triple-decker sandwich with pretty stripes. These get sliced into 4 long fingers.

Pimento Cheese and Tomato Sandwiches

* Pimento cheese (I know I put my pimento cheese recipe in here somewhere. Just look it up because I am not writing it down again.) * Cherry tomatoes This is a real pretty open-face sandwich. Spread your pimento cheese on a slice of bread all the way to the edges. Cut the bread into quarters. Slice 2 cherry tomatoes in half. Top each bread quarter with a tomato half, cut side up.

If you have a wait before you start eating, cover the sandwiches with a wet paper towel that you've wrung out till it's just damp. I like to arrange them all nice and fancy on my pressed-gla.s.s plate that I got from my mama. Then I call a girlfriend over for a chat and some sweet tea. What occasion could be more special than that?

Serves 2.

twenty-four.

When DiDi was finally all showered up and squeaky clean and had her hair pulled back so tight not one curl could even think about getting out, we headed down to the street, where our car was parked.

You can probably guess that I was just about thrilled at the idea of Mace, Trip, and all the parents at the soccer game getting a look at the Blue Bomb. Like I said before, I figured with a million dollars, it was time for an upgrade, and it wasn't like I was asking for a solid-gold limo with a diamond steering wheel.

Back home, Lori had this really cute little car that I loved. She called it The Bug. It was bright yellow, and whenever we needed to start it, I'd sit in the front and start her up while Lori and DiDi pushed from the back. When the engine caught, they'd scream and run, run, run to catch up with me. I was never supposed to brake or we'd have to start all over again. Then I'd slide over to shotgun (which is what you call the seat next to the driver) and DiDi or Lori would jump into the driver's seat. After we won that million dollars, I begged DiDi to get us a bright-yellow convertible-just like The Bug. Only a brand-new one, so she wouldn't have to push it every time we wanted to go somewhere.

"The Blue Bomb got us here and we're going to keep her," DiDi announced. "Besides, have you seen the price of gas? We don't need a new car. The Blue Bomb is just for emergencies."

I didn't really think a soccer game and tailgate party was an emergency.

"Good stuff coming through!" DiDi winked at the girls. "And I'm not talking about the fancy tea sandwiches! C'mon and pile in, little chickadees-kick the door. Don't worry, Haven, honey-just haul back and really kick it! Allie and Haven, meet the Blue Bomb!"

"It's so cool!" said Allie.

"I wish we had a car like this," Haven said. "Ours is so... boring."

"Really?" I said. It was just the Blue Bomb. Though I guess it was pretty cute with those headlight eyes and silver smile.

"Why are you so surprised?" said DiDi. "The Bomb is a real cla.s.sic, and these girls have taste. Now, if you all will hold on to the basket with the goodies, we're off! Allie Girl, you are in charge of the music!"

Allie started trying to figure out the b.u.t.tons of the radio, pus.h.i.+ng them in and hearing all these funny stations.

Then a tw.a.n.gy voice came on, sounding like it was backed up by a whole church choir.

"Stop!" I said. "DiDi, that's your song-that's Mama's song." I couldn't see DiDi's face, because I was in the back, but her eyes met mine in the rearview mirror.

It's funny how sometimes eyes don't match voices.

"It sure is, but the girls don't want to hear it-Allie, sweetie, find something you like."

"No," I said. "I want to hear Mama's song. Allie, turn it up."

Haven looked a little uncomfortable, but Allie reached for the volume. "Was your mom famous? Is this her singing?"

"No, honey," said DiDi, "it's just the song that Mama and I were named after. It's called 'Delta Dawn.'"

The Blue Bomb hummed along as we sat and listened.

We listened as that girl sang sweet and sorrowful.

Clear and true.

Yodeling out the curly tips of the notes till you were just about ready to cry.

Afterward, we were all quiet.

Haven sat back as the song ended. "She sounded pretty, but also sort of lonely."

"Is that what D.D. stands for, DiDi?" asked Allie. "Delta Dawn?"

"Mmm-hmmm."

"Why'd you change? Don't you like your name?"

"Well, a name like Delta Dawn is a lot to live up to, honey. Top country song and all. Sometimes it's just easier to go by a good old regular name."

Allie c.o.c.ked her head a little to the side. "I liked the song and I like the name Delta Dawn, but I think I like DiDi better."

In the rearview mirror, I noticed that DiDi's eyes matched her voice again when she said, "You know what? I like DiDi better, too."