After Mother Died, the Don Followed Her

For the kindergarten field trip, both Daddy and Mommy came.

But Auntie Benita came too, and I didn’t understand why.

The teacher had only said parents could come.

When we lined up, the rowdy boys circled around me.

“Isabella’s got two mommies! One takes Isa, one takes Bella.”

The teacher stopped them, but I was still sad.

Mommy wasn’t like Daddy. Daddy was the Don, and everybody was scared of him.

Mommy only had me. She only had two more months with me, and I couldn’t let anyone take Bella away.

I buried my face in her chest and whispered, “Mommy, can you make Auntie Benita go home?”

Mommy shivered and held me tighter.

Her face was wet, and it stuck against mine.

I licked it, and it was salty and bitter.

Mommy carried me over to Daddy.

“Marco, send Benita home. Just our family today. Please?”

Daddy gave a cold laugh and looked at her out of the side of his eye.

“What? The house is signed over, the money’s in your account, and now you’re backing out?”

Auntie Benita came closer, a cigarette between her fingers.

“Charlotte, you’re not well. The Don only brought me along just in case.”

She blew smoke at Mommy.

“If you collapse, the Don can only see to you, and I’ll be the one looking after Isa.”

Mommy’s body went stiff. It took her a while to say, “I’m doing fine today. I don’t need you.”

“Marco.” She looked at him, her voice low. “Send her home. Let’s have one day together. It might be the last one.”

When he didn’t answer, her voice started to shake.

“Please? Just take it as my last request.”

Daddy shrugged, his tone hard.

“Don’t try to bargain with me. Did you forget? I already bought out your right to say no.”

“What?” He stared at her. “Regretting it? Too late. You made your choice, so live with it.”

Mommy swayed and slowly closed her eyes.

When she opened them again, she had steadied herself.

“Fine. Have it your way.”

Then she carried me off.

The whole way, she kept soothing me, pointing out scenery in the distance.

But I wasn’t happy.

I had been looking forward to this trip so much.

When Mommy told me Daddy was coming, I had been happy for a long time.

Why did it have to turn out like this?

The sky was as unhappy as me, gray and heavy, and then it started to rain.

The rain came down harder and harder.

I saw Daddy put up an umbrella, and Auntie Benita stood under it.

Mommy didn’t have one. She gathered me into her chest and used her body to keep the rain off me.

I waved at Daddy. “Daddy, come get us.”

Daddy heard me and started to come over, but Auntie Benita caught his arm.

Her makeup was running, and she said something to him.

Daddy looked up at the umbrella, then looked at us, then turned and walked off into the distance.

A gust of wind blew, and the rain got colder.

Mommy ran with me, looking for somewhere to shelter.

She was breathing hard, harder and harder, and then she couldn’t stop coughing.

Her throat made a dull, muffled sound, and her chest heaved so violently that it made my head ring.

I looked up and saw blood seep from the corner of her mouth, and then the rain washed it away.

Finally Mommy got us under an overhang.

Auntie Benita was already there.

She had a little mirror out, fixing her makeup and complaining. “Don, what were you spacing out about back there? My whole face got rained off.”

Daddy ignored her. He looked at the two of us, soaked through, and opened his mouth, but no sound came out.

He took out a handkerchief and came over to wipe my face, his voice thick.

“Why didn’t you even bring an umbrella? Is this how you take care of your daughter?”

Mommy didn’t say anything. The rain dripped off her hair onto the ground, as if her hair were crying.

“Daddy, there was only one umbrella in the car. Mommy packed it, but Auntie took it.”

Daddy froze and shut his mouth.

Auntie Benita leaned in. “Oh, sorry. The umbrella was too small. It only covered two people, so we couldn’t come get you.”

Then she reached for the handkerchief in Daddy’s hand, to wipe my face.

I snatched it away and used it to dry the rain from Mommy’s hair.

I didn’t want her touching me, because I hated her.

Daddy should have held the umbrella over Mommy, and Mommy should have held me, and that would have been just right.

It was Auntie Benita who didn’t belong.

While I wiped Mommy’s hair, I said, “Mommy, this isn’t fun. I want to go home.”

Mommy kissed me.

“Okay. I’ll take you home. I’ll take you to see Grandpa.”