Melody Ellison 3-Book Set. Denise Lewis Patrick

opened the door and they sang “Happy Mother’s Da-a-ay…” together to Dwayne’s new tune.

      “That is wonderful!” Their mother clapped as Dwayne put the tray across her knees. “Thank you all.” She eagerly looked at her breakfast. “Will!” she said. “They found plum preserves. I didn’t know we had any left.”

      “Hey! I was hiding that for myself,” Daddy said.

      “I’ll share,” Mommy said. She broke off a corner of toast to feed to Bo.

      While their mother ate, Melody, Dwayne, and Lila crowded onto the foot of the bed. “This certainly is an improvement over last year’s Mother’s Day breakfast,” Daddy said, sneaking a bite of scrambled egg. “You delivered burnt pancakes.”

      Lila giggled. “That was Dwayne’s fault.”

      “Oh, no it was not,” Dwayne said. “That was Yvonne.”

      “Where is Yvonne?” Mommy asked.

      Before anyone could answer, they heard water running in the bathroom. Melody looked at the clock on her parents’ bedside table. “Lila! We have to get ready, too,” she said, jumping off the bed. “Miss Dorothy asked us to be there early, so we can get one more practice in!”

      An hour later, everyone was ready for church. Everyone except Yvonne. Melody tapped her foot and looked up the stairs anxiously, afraid they would be late. Both she and Lila had on the white blouses and navy blue skirts that the girls in the children’s choir wore whenever they performed.

      Dwayne came down wearing his dark suit and tie. Daddy called up the stairs. “Yvonne, this is not a beauty contest. This is church. We must go, or your sisters are going to be late.”

      “I’m coming!” Yvonne’s voice floated downstairs.

      Melody glanced at the living room clock and looked up the stairs again.

      “Hurry up, Yvonne!” Melody said.

      “On my way!”

      Then came the biggest Mother’s Day surprise. Yvonne walked slowly down the stairs. She wore a bright orange dress and heels. But as her entire body came into view, she was also wearing an Afro hairstyle. Her chin-length hair, which she usually straightened, was now a curly, crinkly globe standing out a few inches around her face.

      Mommy gasped.

      Dwayne chuckled.

      “What did you do to your head?” Daddy asked in disbelief.

      Melody looked at her mother and realized that for the first time ever, Mommy was speechless. No one they knew had ever worn an Afro. Melody and Lila and all their friends usually wore pigtails or braids so that their hair stayed neat, even when they ran around and played. Grown ladies like Mommy—and the Motown girl groups Melody admired—wore straightened hairstyles that were smooth and glossy and tidy. On special occasions, Melody got to wear her hair straightened, too.

      “I’m going natural,” Yvonne announced. “I’m honoring my African heritage. Happy Mother’s Day, Mom. Do you like it?”

      Mommy stared at Yvonne for a minute. “I—I don’t really know how I feel yet,” she said.

      “I feel weird,” Lila said.

      Melody reached up to touch her sister’s hair. It was tightly curled, soft, and springy. “It’s nice,” Melody said. “It’s like a crown.”

      When they got into the station wagon, Dwayne complained that Yvonne’s hair took up too much room. Daddy made him sit in the fold-down seat at the back.

      As the Ellisons filed out of the car in front of the church, Melody heard whispers from the prim and proper ladies with straightened hair and fancy hats. “What sort of a hairdo is that?” one of them whispered to the others, not at all quietly. Melody knew that Yvonne heard them, too, but she just smiled. She stands up for what she believes in, Melody thought. I’m so proud she’s my big sister.

      The service was long, but Melody didn’t mind. Pastor Daniels talked about how all people deserved respect, and how justice and fairness were ways of showing respect. Melody thought about her trip to the bank. Then the pastor talked about how important it was to respect, love, and obey your mother.

      After he finished, Miss Dorothy went to the piano and raised both her hands. The children’s choir stood up. As the music started, Melody looked out into the congregation and saw her mother in her usual seat right next to Big Momma. Both their hats were nodding in the air in time to the music. As Diane sang her solo, Melody kept her eyes on her mother and grandmother. When it was time for her to join in, she sang with love in every single note.

      When the song ended, the congregation clapped and cheered. Pastor Daniels gave a single red or white rose to each of the mothers. Melody and Yvonne had tied ribbons to each flower at Poppa’s shop yesterday.

      As everyone sang the final song of the service together, Melody noticed three people coming into the church. Who would show up now? Melody wondered. Then her eyes grew wide. It was Charles and Tish and Val! Melody hadn’t seen her cousin since last summer, but she knew it was her.

      Val was wearing a frilly pink dress and pink socks with ruffles at the edges, and her hair was in a poufy ponytail tied up in a white bow. There was Cousin Charles, tall and skinny, with a mustache and a beard like Poppa, and Cousin Tish, as tall as Charles. She wore a hat with a huge feather that made her seem even taller.

      Val looked at Melody and waved. Melody grinned. As soon as the song was over and Miss Dorothy gave the children permission to go, Melody pulled Sharon from her seat.

      “My cousin’s here. You have to meet her!” Melody said breathlessly. The two sped down the side aisle and zigzagged around chatting grown-ups to get to the back.

      “Val!” Melody squealed, crushing Val’s Sunday dress as she gave her an enormous hug.

      “Dee-Dee!” Val knocked Melody off balance as she hugged back.

      “You said you were coming when school was out,” Melody said.

      “I thought we were. But Mama and Daddy decided to start packing right after I wrote to tell you we were moving,” Val explained. “We left yesterday. Daddy drove all night so that we could get here in time for church.” Then she laughed. “I guess we didn’t make it.”

      Melody linked arms with her cousin. “This is my best friend in Detroit, Sharon.”

      Sharon gave Val a shy smile. “Hi,” she said.

      “And Sharon, this is Val, my best friend from Alabama, and my best cousin, too.”

      Val stuck out a white-gloved hand to shake, and when Sharon grabbed it, the glove slipped off. The girls burst into giggles.

      “Melody, I’ve gotta go—we’re taking my grandma out to dinner. See you tomorrow! Remember, Matching Monday is blue!” Sharon vanished among the suits and dresses.

      “What’s Matching Monday?” Val asked. She took off her other glove and stuffed both of them into her little pink purse.

      “Sharon and I wear the same color hair ribbons to school on Mondays. When we were in kindergarten, we pretended that we were twins,” Melody explained.

      “That’s funny! You don’t look anything alike!”

      “It’s our little joke.” Melody smiled. “Hey—I’ve got an idea. You can be part of Matching Mondays, too.”

      After hellos and hugs outside the church, everyone headed for their cars to ride to Big Momma and Poppa’s house.

      Melody didn’t want Val out of her sight for even a moment. “Daddy,” she called out, “can Val and I ride back with Poppa?” Her father nodded.