Part 25 (1/2)
”That bird speaks the truth,” said Ms. Cyn.
The door opened again and Jake walked inside. ”Morning, everyone,” he said. He stayed rooted just inside the door.
”Half the day is gone, lazy bones,” said Tiger.
”You talk too much,” said Jake, but he was smiling.
”Lazy bones! Lazy bones! Look what Ive done today already-”
Zavion watched Papa. His face was still sharp. ”Please, Papa-”
”Gabe is family,” said Papa, but he wouldnt even look at Zavion when he spoke.
Gabe was family, but Zavion barely knew him. Where was he? Why wasnt he here?
Jake and Henry were here.
Zavion walked up a few rungs of the ladder and grabbed at Papas ankles. ”Please,” he said again.
Jake cleared his throat. ”Im-uh-guessing this has something to do with a visit to Vermont?” He looked at Henry.
”Yup,” said Henry.
”Henry talked with me about it. Im happy to bring you and Zavion with us.”
”Thank you, but no.” Papas voice was firm.
”Youre welcome to come stay with Annie and me, Ben,” said Jake.
”Im not your d.a.m.n charity case!” Papa slammed the paintbrush into the can of paint.
”I know youre not.” Jake spoke quietly.
”No! No, you dont seem to know it at all! What do you think? That you can come down here with a few s.h.i.+rts and a few cans of soup and save us? Well, you cant! Its too little! Its too little and its too late! Where were you before the d.a.m.n levees broke? Where were you when they were cracked and needed to be fixed? A thousand cans of soup arent going to build a wall high enough to keep that water out-”
Papa spun around and kicked the can of paint with his foot. It tipped and spilled. Green paint poured down on Zavion.
Zavion sputtered and gagged- A flash- Thick, cold- ”Oh, Zav-” Papa rushed down the ladder.
Oily, wet- He closed his mouth. The paint tasted bitter.
Papa put his hands on his shoulders and guided him down the last few steps.
”Come on over here,” said Ms. Cyn. She handed Papa something, and he wiped Zavions face.
”Tighty-whities!” squealed Osprey.
”Papa-” said Zavion. The paint burned his eyes. ”It isnt Jakes fault.”
Paint dripped from the platform of the ladder to the ground. Drip, drip, drip, like rain.
”It isnt-” Papas voice was quiet. He wiped his nose with the back of his hand. ”But its complicated.”
”I dont understand.”
”Cant live with em, cant live without em!” chimed in Tiger.
”Shhhhh-” whispered Henry. He sat on the floor with Osprey and Tiger on his lap.
Papa hugged Zavion to his chest.
”I dont know what to do,” he said.
”I do,” said Zavion through the paint that was still in his mouth. ”We need to go to a mountain. I thought we needed to go to Mamas mountain, but now I think we need to go to theirs.” He looked at Henry and Jake. ”Thats why I met them. Thats why I went to New Orleans. Thats why I found this-”
Zavion reached into his pocket and pulled out the marble-
chapter 58.
HENRY.
Henry gasped.
Wayne.
There was Wayne.