times? Sweetie, do you really need to go? Can you hold it?
Florence shook her head.
Jim, go downstairs, Grace said. We’ll meet you in the lobby.
The diner was busy, full of families on vacation like them. Red plastic tables curled around the kitchen in a half circle; tall windows looked over a bright blue pool, its surface gilded with broken sunlight.
Maybe we should have chosen someplace else? Grace said, looking around.
It’s fine, Harrison said.
Yeah?
She’ll love it.
Sure is noisy, Grace said.
She don’t hear too good, Harrison said.
That’s why I’m worried.
It’ll be fine, he said.
Florence was holding her mother’s hand. I’m tired, she said.
Do we just sit down? Grace said.
Guess so, Harrison said. Look, over there.
They walked over to an empty table, nested in a horseshoe-shaped booth, and slid in.
Who is coming? Florence said, sitting between them.
An old friend of Daddy’s, Grace said.
Her name is Annie, Harrison said. She’s very old.
Old? Florence said, scrunching up her nose.
She’s eighty-one years old, he said.
She’s very old, Florence said.
Yes she is, Grace said, but it’s rude to say so.
Your mother’s right, he said.
I’m very old, Florence said, resting her head on the table.
Jim, that’s her, isn’t it? Grace said.
Harrison looked up toward the door, smiled, and said, yes it is.
He slid out from behind the table to greet her.
Annie walked slowly, with a stick. She was short, hair sewn up in a tight bun, her dress a deep indigo. When she saw Harrison, she smiled, dark skin folding softly like a newspaper.
Jimmy, she said. They embraced. Several people at nearby tables stared. Harrison ignored them and brought her back on his arm.
Gracie, Florence; this is Aunt Annie, he said.
You’re very old, Florence said.
Florence! Grace said. I am so sorry, Annie.
Annie laughed.
Don’t be, she said. She’s a precious one.
Annie smiled at Florence and said, and who might you be?
Florence hid her face in her mother’s arm. Annie chuckled.
I’m only teasin you, Annie said. Your daddy told me all about you!
It’s so great to finally meet you, Grace said.
It sure is good to meet you too, Annie said. And little Jimmy here! My goodness! Ain’t he turned out handsome?
That’s a matter of opinion, Grace said.
Haven’t seen your daddy since he was nine years old, Annie said.
Why are you a funny color? Florence said.
Jesus, Harrison said.
That’s enough , Florence, Grace said.
That’s all right, Annie said, let her be; nothin more beautiful or true than what comes from the mouth of a child.
Annie dipped her head toward Florence and said, I do look different to you, don’t I; but you look different to me!
She chuckled and continued.
God made us all different colors and shapes! Be pretty borin if we was all lookin the same now, wouldn’t it?
Florence nodded.
Aunt Annie was a good friend of my mother—my mommy—Duck, Harrison said.
Your grandma was a very beautiful woman, Florence, Annie said. You have her nose.
Her nose?!
Yes. And I miss her a lot , Annie said.
Where is she? Florence said.
Harrison glanced up at his wife.
Why, she’s in heaven, sweetie, Annie said.
Heaven? Florence said. With Billy Horner’s dog?
Uh, yeah, sweetheart, Harrison said.
Who told you that, Duck? Grace said.
Aunt Pancho did, Mommy. Is Aunt Pancho going to heaven?
Grace and Jim exchanged another look.
Let’s get Aunt Annie a drink, shall we? Grace said.
Aunt Annie wants a drink, Daddy, Florence said. Cause she’s thirsty.
Why, thank you, Florence, Annie said. I am thirsty. Annie chuckled. Ain’t she a precocious little thing!
Tell me about it, Grace said.
Well, Duck, Harrison said, guess I’d better call someone over.
He looked over his shoulder toward the kitchen. Women wearing white dresses with red frills milled about, carrying drinks, taking orders.
Be right there, hon, one of them said as she passed, carrying two plates of hot
Florence shook her head.
Jim, go downstairs, Grace said. We’ll meet you in the lobby.
The diner was busy, full of families on vacation like them. Red plastic tables curled around the kitchen in a half circle; tall windows looked over a bright blue pool, its surface gilded with broken sunlight.
Maybe we should have chosen someplace else? Grace said, looking around.
It’s fine, Harrison said.
Yeah?
She’ll love it.
Sure is noisy, Grace said.
She don’t hear too good, Harrison said.
That’s why I’m worried.
It’ll be fine, he said.
Florence was holding her mother’s hand. I’m tired, she said.
Do we just sit down? Grace said.
Guess so, Harrison said. Look, over there.
They walked over to an empty table, nested in a horseshoe-shaped booth, and slid in.
Who is coming? Florence said, sitting between them.
An old friend of Daddy’s, Grace said.
Her name is Annie, Harrison said. She’s very old.
Old? Florence said, scrunching up her nose.
She’s eighty-one years old, he said.
She’s very old, Florence said.
Yes she is, Grace said, but it’s rude to say so.
Your mother’s right, he said.
I’m very old, Florence said, resting her head on the table.
Jim, that’s her, isn’t it? Grace said.
Harrison looked up toward the door, smiled, and said, yes it is.
He slid out from behind the table to greet her.
Annie walked slowly, with a stick. She was short, hair sewn up in a tight bun, her dress a deep indigo. When she saw Harrison, she smiled, dark skin folding softly like a newspaper.
Jimmy, she said. They embraced. Several people at nearby tables stared. Harrison ignored them and brought her back on his arm.
Gracie, Florence; this is Aunt Annie, he said.
You’re very old, Florence said.
Florence! Grace said. I am so sorry, Annie.
Annie laughed.
Don’t be, she said. She’s a precious one.
Annie smiled at Florence and said, and who might you be?
Florence hid her face in her mother’s arm. Annie chuckled.
I’m only teasin you, Annie said. Your daddy told me all about you!
It’s so great to finally meet you, Grace said.
It sure is good to meet you too, Annie said. And little Jimmy here! My goodness! Ain’t he turned out handsome?
That’s a matter of opinion, Grace said.
Haven’t seen your daddy since he was nine years old, Annie said.
Why are you a funny color? Florence said.
Jesus, Harrison said.
That’s enough , Florence, Grace said.
That’s all right, Annie said, let her be; nothin more beautiful or true than what comes from the mouth of a child.
Annie dipped her head toward Florence and said, I do look different to you, don’t I; but you look different to me!
She chuckled and continued.
God made us all different colors and shapes! Be pretty borin if we was all lookin the same now, wouldn’t it?
Florence nodded.
Aunt Annie was a good friend of my mother—my mommy—Duck, Harrison said.
Your grandma was a very beautiful woman, Florence, Annie said. You have her nose.
Her nose?!
Yes. And I miss her a lot , Annie said.
Where is she? Florence said.
Harrison glanced up at his wife.
Why, she’s in heaven, sweetie, Annie said.
Heaven? Florence said. With Billy Horner’s dog?
Uh, yeah, sweetheart, Harrison said.
Who told you that, Duck? Grace said.
Aunt Pancho did, Mommy. Is Aunt Pancho going to heaven?
Grace and Jim exchanged another look.
Let’s get Aunt Annie a drink, shall we? Grace said.
Aunt Annie wants a drink, Daddy, Florence said. Cause she’s thirsty.
Why, thank you, Florence, Annie said. I am thirsty. Annie chuckled. Ain’t she a precocious little thing!
Tell me about it, Grace said.
Well, Duck, Harrison said, guess I’d better call someone over.
He looked over his shoulder toward the kitchen. Women wearing white dresses with red frills milled about, carrying drinks, taking orders.
Be right there, hon, one of them said as she passed, carrying two plates of hot
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