Part 31 (1/2)

Those people are looking at us.

Never mind.

Noah busied himself with his cheeseburger, smiling mischievously as he enjoyed his guilty treat.

”Aren't you going to do something?” Jackson asked in a hiss.

”There's nothing to be done, just ignore it.”

Just then the woman turned her chair to face us.

”Excuse me,” she said in a heavy drawl. ”We couldn't help but notice that y'all were signing. I don't mean to be rude, but I was wondering if I might ask you about our daughter. We think she might be deaf.”

”Of course,” I said. ”We could scooch together, if you'd like.”

We put our tables together.

”This is Jackson Ledbetter,” I said, making introductions, ”and my son Noah. My name is Wiley Cantrell.”

”I've seen you,” the woman said. ”But I don't know where.”

”FoodWorld?”

”That's right!” she exclaimed. ”Where are my manners? I'm Stella Hood and this is my husband Lloyd Hood. Very nice to meet y'all.”

”Same here,” I said.

”Y'all sure this is all right?” she asked, glancing nervously at Jackson, who was not nearly as scruffy-looking as I was.

”No problem,” I said. ”How old is your daughter?”

”Becky is two,” Stella said, suddenly frowning. ”See how quiet she is? She's not talking yet, doesn't seem to hear anything we say. Doesn't seem to hear anything at all.”

”She's just a little bit too young for tests,” I said.

”That's what the doctor said. He made an appointment for us to see someone down in Jackson, but that's not for another two months. We just don't know what to do.”

”You've been doing your own tests?” I asked.

”We can't help it,” Lloyd admitted. ”I'll try coming up behind her where she can't see me, talking, snapping my fingers. One time I beat on a pan with a spoon. She doesn't pay any attention. But when I walk around in front of her, she comes to life right away.”

”I did the same,” I admitted. ”Noah was about the same age when I realized something was wrong. He had other problems, so I wasn't really sure.”

”What kind of problems?” Stella asked.

”Don't be nosy,” her husband said.

”It's all right,” I said. ”Noah was a meth baby. He had birth defects and other stuff, so I wasn't sure what was going on with him. He used to cry and carry on like no one's business. 'Meth baby rage' and all that. But I noticed that the only time he made any noise was when he was unhappy. When he got into one of his rages, he'd just open his mouth and howl and carry on like he was dying. But the rest of the time, he never said a word. He never vocalized or did any of the goo goo gaa gaa stuff. And when he was about two years old, I began to realize he couldn't hear me. He'd respond to me if he saw me, but otherwise he didn't seem to be aware of me at all.”

”That's just like Becky,” Stella said.

”Could very well be,” I said.

”But what are we going to do?” Lloyd asked, his voice full of worry. ”What if she's deaf?”

”She'll manage,” I said. ”Every child has special needs. Some are a little more extreme than others, but you manage. And I think you're doing exactly the right thing-talk to people, get as much information as you can, because you're going to need it. I wouldn't treat her any differently than any other child.”

”Your boy seems to be doing well,” Lloyd offered.

”He is,” I said.

”You adopted him?” he asked.

”No,” I said. ”I'm his father.”

”And his mother?” Stella asked. ”Where is she?”

”We're not together anymore,” I said.

”I'm sorry,” she said.

”Don't be,” I said.

”But I thought y'all were... together,” Lloyd said hesitantly, glancing at Jackson.

”We are,” I said.

”So he has two dads?” Lloyd asked.

I could tell by the way he asked this question that he was curious, nothing more. ”We're dating at the moment,” I said. ”Who knows?”

”Your boy is all right with that?”

”I don't think he gives it much thought, actually,” I said.

”I've never met....” Lloyd said.

Then his voice trailed off as though he feared he might have said too much.

”You've never met a gay couple?” I filled in.

”Well, no,” he said with an embarra.s.sed grin.

”I'm afraid we're just as boring as any other couple,” I said.

”It's just strange,” he said, ”but I reckon folks will get used to it. It's a free country, ain't it?”