"Yes, Gabriel?"
"I've changed my mind about my baby. I've decided Pierre should have the child and should bring him or her up in New Orleans."
"What?" She stepped back. "Why?"
"It'll be best all around, Mama."
"Are you sure of this, Gabriel?" Her expression changed quickly as an angry thought rippled through her face. "Your daddy didn't come around here threatening or haranguing you now, did he?" she asked.
"No, Mama."
"Because if he did . ."
"No, Mama. He didn't. I swear."
"Hmm," she said, still very suspicious. "And Pierre? Was he here?"
"No, Mama."
She thought a moment. "You've made up your mind on this?"
"Oui, Mama. I have," I said firmly.
She nodded. "Well . . . this has to be your own decision, Gabriel. If that's what you want." She opened the screen door. "Suddenly I feel twenty years older. That bed's looking better and better to me. You had better come up to sleep, too, honey."
I stood up. Mama's eyes washed over me quickly. "I know you're hurting something bad, honey, and I'm hurting for you."
"I know, Mama," I said. I went to her and she held me for a moment, kissing my hair and my forehead. Then we went inside together, holding on to each other until we ascended the stairs and went to sleep.
Two days later Daddy appeared on the front gallery late in the morning. Mama was in the kitchen cooking, and I was folding some pillowcases and linen we had woven to sell. The moment the screen door squeaked, Mama turned. When she saw it was Daddy, she left the ingredients bubbling in her black cast-iron pot and came charging forward.
"Don't you set foot in this house, Jack Landry," she cried, holding the ladle up like a club.
He hesitated. "Now, just hold on, Catherine. I come by because I heard you and Gabriel have come to your senses."
"What?" Mama turned to look at me as I approached. She tightened her eyes into slits of suspicion and fixed them on Daddy. "Who told you that?"
"The Dumas," he said. "Why? Ain't it true?"
"What's true is you're still the scoundrel you was before. Nothing's changed as to that."
Daddy shook his head. "I swear, Cajun women can drive you mad. I just stopped by to discuss the arrangements," he protested. "Or did you think you'd sidestep me somehow? Did ya?" he asked, turning to me, now with his own suspicions clouding his eyes.
"No, Daddy."
"All right, then. Here's what's going to be. I'm asking for half the money now and half the money on delivery. I'll have some for you in a few days' time," he said, nodding.
"Don't you bring any of that blood money around here, Jack Landry," Mama said.
"What are you talking about? You act like you don't know nothing, and you're the ones who've gone and fixed it," he protested, his voice rising in pitch.
M
ama bit down on her lower lip and stared at him. He got nervous and closed the screen door between them.
"All right. I'll come by another time and we'll talk about it again. But you're going to have to keep me up-to-date now, so I will know when exactly to tell them to be here, Catherine."
"Go back to the swamp, Jack, and sleep with your pack of snakes."