Everlasting Nora by Marie Miranda Cruz

Author:Marie Miranda Cruz
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Tom Doherty Associates

Chapter Sixteen

Mama lay on the woven mat in our grave house, still as death. The only sign of life was the gentle rise and fall of her chest. A single candle burned in the corner. It gave the grave house and everything in it a comforting, warm, orange glow.

Jojo had sat by the door all day, answering questions for the curious and concerned in my cemetery neighborhood. He had his head down on his arms now, probably as exhausted as I was. My eyes ached but I couldn’t sleep.

“Jo.” His head shot up, startled, when I placed my hand on his arm. He grabbed hold of it; his bloodshot eyes darted between me and where Mama lay.

“Is everything okay? What happened?”

“She’s sleeping.” My hand twisted in his and held it. I remembered how at first I hadn’t even wanted to be his friend. Now, it was like having an older brother. More than I deserved, considering how mean I had been to him when I first came to live in the cemetery.

Jojo rubbed his eyes and fought to stay awake. I squeezed his hand again. “Hey, why don’t you go home? Mama and I will be fine for now. Your grandmother must be worried sick about you.”

“No, she’s not worried. I sent little Ernie with a message for her. She knows I’m here. I’ll go home if you want me to.”

“Oh, no. It’s just—well, I’ll have to help my mother with—uh, you know.” My hand waved toward a bucket in the corner.

“Say no more!” He stood up and smoothed his shirt down, his eyes darting away from the bucket. I didn’t mean to embarrass him, but I would need a little privacy later on. For Mama and for myself.

“Do you think you could come back tomorrow? With your grandmother?” I glanced at Mama’s hollow face, her sunken eyes and cheeks. I was going to need his grandmother’s help in case Mama got worse.

“We’ll be here.” He gave me an encouraging smile, patted me on the shoulder, and then left. I hoped they would come back, though a little voice inside of me told me not to depend on it, that I had to try and figure out what to do on my own.

It was nearly dawn. My eyes and my body ached, but I was too afraid to go to sleep. With my chin resting against my knees, I listened to Mama breathe.

I couldn’t take my eyes from her, too afraid to look away and find that I had imagined her. She is home. She didn’t leave me.

It had been a long time since I had felt Mama’s embrace. I had the sudden urge to touch her, to feel close to her again. Under the kulambo, I curled into a ball and snuggled against her back. Mama’s warmth filled me with longing for what we both had lost, and what we both needed to have once again.

My eyes drifted to the shadowy outline of my sweet potato plant and its drooping stems.

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