"Black is black," Cade insisted,
"'Haitian?" Daddy asked. "A Haitian boy is going to your magnet school?"
"Yes, Daddy. He's a talented musician. He plays guitar and he writes songs. His father is a jazz musician who is presently working in New Orleans." I said. One thing I didn't want to do was describe his broken family situation.
"We heard he goes to school on some rusty old moped. What a sight that must be," Cade said.
"He wasn't born with a silver spoon in his mouth like some people," I snapped. "It's all he can afford."
"What's your mother have to say about all this?" Daddy asked as he patted his lips with his napkin.
She hasn't said much about anything that concerns me these days," I replied, almost under my breath.
Cade's smile spread from ear to ear. It suddenly came to me where he had gone to drink at the pool of gossip.
"If you're hearing things from Natalie Alexander. Cade, you can be sure they are full of exaggerations and lies and whatever," I said with fire in my eyes. "She's jealous of everyone because she is such a loser."
He shrugged and looked at Daddy. "You're always saying where there's smoke, there's fire, Dad. right?"
Daddy looked at him and then at me.
"How long have you been seeing this person, Hannah?" he asked.
"Not long at all. We're rehearsing an act," I added.
"An act? That's a new name for it," Cade said. and Adrian laughed hard.
"Cade," Danielle snapped. "That is rude, and especially in front of your mother."
"I'm not the one in rehearsal," he said, without a sign of remorse. I couldn't recall when I had ever seen either of them intimidated or even respectful of Danielle.
"What I meant is we're singing together." I told Daddy and Danielle.
"I bet," Cade said.
I threw him the most furious look I could, but he only widened his smile.
"You want to be careful about your friends and other people with whom you associate. Hannah." Daddy warned. "Unfortunately, too often we get labeled by the company we keep."
I looked down, "Heyden Reynolds is a very nice young man. Daddy. I am not ashamed of being with him and"-- I continued shooting darts of rage at my twin brothers-- The has never done anything at our school for which he had to be reprimanded. His father didn't have to plead with the principal to keep his son from being expelled. Unlike some people at this table." I added. Both of my half brothers had been suspended twice from their private school, and one time Daddy had to donate money toward the new gymnasium to keep them in attendance.
"Yes. Well, that's fine," Daddy said. "I think you are a sensible and responsible young lady. and I have full confidence in you doing the right things. Unfortunately. I can't say that yet for our guests of honor." he added, looking hard at Cade and Adrian.
They both took on the look of the wounded. Then Cade raised his eyes to me, his face fall of bloodred anger because he and his brother were getting the reprimand and not me. Adrian was a mirror image. It did amaze me how they not only shared looks and physical characteristics, but very often feelings and emotions as well,
"So tell us about the new baby," Danielle said, breaking the heavy silence that followed,
"He's very small, so he has to be watched carefully. They are afraid of SIDS," I added.
"Who's Sid?" Cade quipped.
It happens to be a very serious, often fatal illness that affects babies," I told him.
"What happens to them?" Adrian asked.
"They stop breathing and die."
"So they commit suicide." Cade said.