Part 16 (1/2)

My mother kissed them on the cheek and stroked their children's heads. They looked curiously at her cerise jumper, ballooned around her small frame.

My grandmother was trembling on the spot where she was standing. Tante Atie put her hands on her hips and stared ahead. She did not look the least bit surprised.

A plantain green scarf floated in the breeze behind my mother. She skipped through the dust and rushed across the yard. Eliab circled around her like a wingless b.u.t.terfly.

My mother walked over and kissed my grandmother. Tante Atie moved slowly towards her, not particularly excited. My mother was glowing.

Tante Atie tapped her lips against my mother's cheeks, then went back to fanning the cooking sticks with my grandmother's hat.

”Sak pase, Atie?” asked my mother.

”You,” answered Tante Atie fanning the flames. ”You're what's new.”

I clung to the porch railing as my anchor. It had been almost two years since the last time we saw each other. My mother's skin was unusually light, a pale mocha, three or four shades lighter than any of ours.

Brigitte's body tightened, as though she could sense the tension in mine.

”I see you still wear the deuil,” my mother said to my grandmother.

”It is all the same,” answered my grandmother. ”The black is easier; it does not get dirty.”

”Mon Dieu, you do not look bad for an old lady,” said my mother. ”And you have been talking about arranging your funeral like it was tomorrow.”

”Your skin looks lighter,” said my grandmother. ”Is it prodwi? You use something?”

My mother looked embarra.s.sed.

”It is very cold in America,” my mother said. ”The cold turns us into ghosts.”

”Papa Shango, the sun here, will change that,” my grandmother said.

”I am not staying long enough for that,” my mother said. ”When I got your telegram, I decided to come and see Sophie and take care of your affairs at the same time. I plan to stay for only three days. This is not the visit I owe you. This is just circ.u.mstance. When I come again, I will stay with you for a very long time.”

I watched her from the railing, waiting for her to look over and address me personally.

She looked very young and thin, but for the most part healthy. Because of the roomy size of her jumper, I couldn't tell whether or not she was wearing her prosthetic bra.

”Sophie, walk to your mother,” said my grandmother.

They were all staring at me, even Eliab. My mother put her hands in her pockets. She narrowed her eyes as she tried to see my face through the sun's glare.

Brigitte began to twist in my arms. She sensed something.

”Sophie, walk to your mother.” My grandmother's voice grew more forceful.

My mother looked uncomfortable, almost scared.

I did not move. We stared at each other across the yard, each waiting for the other to yield. As her daughter, I was expected to walk over and greet her first. However, I did not trust my legs. I wasn't sure I could make it down the steps without slipping and hurting both myself and Brigitte.

”Walk to your mother.” My grandmother was becoming angry.

”It is okay,” my mother said, coming towards me. ”I will walk to her.”

She climbed onto the porch and kissed me on the cheek.

Brigitte reached up to grab a large loop earring on my mother's right lobe.

”You didn't send word you were coming,” I said.

”Let me see her,” she said, extending her hands for Brigitte. Brigitte leaned forward. I let her slip into my mother's grasp.

”How old is she now?” she asked.

”Almost six months.”

She made funny faces at Brigitte.

”I got all the pictures you sent me,” she said.

”Why didn't you answer?”

”I couldn't find the words,” she said. ”How are you?”

”I've been better.”

She went back to the yard to pay the cart boys and took Brigitte with her.

”You're not staying here, are you?” she asked when she came back to the porch.

She tickled Brigitte's armpits as she spoke, giggling along with her.

I reached for my daughter. She pressed Brigitte's body against her chest and would not give her back.

”Manman asked me to come here and make things better between us. It's not right for a mother and daughter to be enemies. Manman thinks it puts a curse on the family. Besides, your husband came to me and I could not refuse him.”

”You've seen him?”

”Oh, the flames in your eyes.”

”How is he?”

”Worried. I told him we would be back in three days.”

”You can't make plans for me.”