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‘Oh, certainly, some at least. Donald, I don’t mind that Priscilla chooses to skip
breakfast this morning, as I need to talk with you without having her hanging over
you and putting words in your mouth. When do you two plan to leave? And where do you
plan to go, if you don’t mind telling me?’
‘Shucks, Mama, that was never serious. How can we leave? No money, and no place to
go. Except back to Aunt Marian and we won’t do that. We’ll never go near her again.’
‘Donald, just what is it you find so poisonous about Aunt Marian? Six years ago you
both elected to stay with her when you could have come with me. What happened? Did
she punish you endlessly? Or what?’
‘Oh, no! She hardly ever punishes anybody. Sometimes she would have Pop work us
over. Like this last hooraw with Gus.’
`What happened there? Gus is a year older than you are and bigger… or was the last
time I saw him. You said, “He had her down and was giving her a bad time.” How bad a
time? Was he raping her? Or trying to?’
‘Uh… Mama, I’m in a prejudiced position. Jealous, I guess.’
‘So I would guess, too. Was it really rape? Or – What is it you young people call it
today? They were “getting it on”?’
He sighed and looked hurt. `Yeah, they were. I – I got sore.’
I patted his hand. ‘Poor Donald! Dear, are you beginning to realise that you aren’t
doing yourself any good by falling in love with your sister? Or doing her any good?
You are probably harming her even more than you are harming yourself. Do you see
that, dear?’
‘But, Mama, I couldn’t leave her there. Uh, I’m sorry we didn’t come with you six
years ago. But you were so strict and Aunt Marian wasn’t, and – Oh, I’m sorry!’
‘How was Marian about housework? I am about to assign each of you your share of the
work. But Priscilla seems to be clumsy in the kitchen. Yesterday she filled the
freezer, dumping stuff in any which way, then didn’t turn it on. I just happened to
catch it or we could have lost the whole load. Did she take her turn at cooking
along with Mildred and Sara and whoever is the right age now?’
`I don’t think so. No, I know she didn’t. Granny Bearpaw does all the cooking… and
doesn’t like having anyone else in her kitchen.’
‘Who is Granny Bearpaw?’
`Aunt Marian’s cook. Black as coal and a hook nose. Half Negro, half Cherokee. And a
swell cook! Always willing to fix you a bite. But you had better ask for it from the
door. If you step inside, she’s likely to wave a frying-pan at you.’
‘She sounds like quite a gal. And it sounds like I’m going to have to teach
Priscilla to cook.’
Donald made no comment. I went on, ‘In the mean time we must get transcripts and get
you two into the city school system. Donald, what would you think of going to
Westport High instead of Southwest? Say yes and we might find you a jalopy, four
wheels of some sort, so that it would not be too difficult. I really don’t want you
in the same school as Priscilla. She hasn’t any judgement, dear; I’m afraid she
would get into fights with other girls over you.’
‘Yeah, she might. But, Mama, I don’t need to go to Westport.’
‘I think you do. For the reasons I named.’
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‘I don’t need to go to high school. I graduated in June.’
I had lived-with children all my life; they had never ceased to surprise me.
`Donald, how did I miss this? I had you tagged for next year, and I don’t recall
receiving an announcement’
‘I didn’t send out any… and, yeah, I was classed as a junior this past year. But
I’ve got the required hours and then some, because I took summer session last year
to make sure I got all the maths they offered. Mama, I figured on being ready to go