Part 34 (1/2)
”He never had a chance to know her,” I said.
”He knows her in his mind,” she said. ”And, that's just as real.”
”What happened, Wiley?” Mrs. Humphries asked.
I explained about the phone call from Mrs. Warren.
I knew no more than that.
”Her people is First Baptist,” Mrs. Humphries observed.
”Yes,” I said, thinking absently about the odiousness of Baptist funerals.
”I'm going to take him home,” I said.
”Call if you need something,” Tonya said.
I promised I would.
48) A mother-like person
NOAH SAT SAT on the sofa in stony silence. on the sofa in stony silence.
I called my mother and told her the news.
”Can you find out which funeral home they're going to use?” I asked her ”You're not going!” she exclaimed.
”Mrs. Warren asked me to,” I said, ”and Kayla was Noah's mother, after all.”
”Oh, Wiley,” she said, sighing heavily. ”I suppose you're right. I'll call around and see what I can find out.”
”You might consider going with me,” I said. ”It's not like I want to go and face all those b.a.s.t.a.r.ds by myself.”
”I'll go with you,” she a.s.sured me.
”It's almost like you're my mother or at least some mother-like person in my life.”
”Knowing you, I'll take that as a compliment and leave it at that,” she said. ”How is Noah?”
”Not so good,” I said, glancing at him.
”Do you want me to come over?”
”No,” I said.
”Why do you always push me away?”
”I'm not.”
”Every time you're in trouble, you hole up over there and won't let anyone see you or help you. Then you complain and accuse us of not being supportive.”
”I do not.”
”You most certainly do. I'm coming over there.”
”Mama, no.”
”I'm coming over there to see my grandson.”
”Mama!”
She hung up.
I frowned.
She was right about me holing up and dealing with stuff by myself, but I had my reasons.
Grandma is coming to see you, I said to Noah. I said to Noah.
Why doesn't my mother love me? he asked, his face screwed up with emotion. he asked, his face screwed up with emotion. I'm not dumb! I'm not dumb!
You're not dumb, I agreed. I agreed.
Why? he demanded with an angry gesture of his hands. he demanded with an angry gesture of his hands.
She did love you, I said, lying. I said, lying. But she was sick. She had problems. She didn't know how to be a mother. But she was sick. She had problems. She didn't know how to be a mother.
But why?
I don't know, I admitted. I admitted.
Is that why she wouldn't come to see me?
I don't understand.
She died. Is that why she wouldn't come visit me?
She was sick, I repeated, not wanting to answer his question. I repeated, not wanting to answer his question.
She was sick and she died?
Yes.
Where is she now?
She has to go to heaven and talk to Jesus.