She smiled at her and Baby Celeste nodded her head as if she were commenting on Mama's statements, Mama stood up. lifted her out of her booster seat, and set her down. She immediately ran around the table to me and crawled up onto my lap. I held her and waited for Mama to continue.
She returned to her seat.
"Naturally, people will be surprised and will wonder how she could simply just appear. There are so many busybodies, so many snoops. It could bring us undesirable attention.
"Therefore, we have to prepare for that day, prepare for the questions and the curiosity, especially when people see her and see how extraordinary she is."
Baby Celeste lay back against me and listened to Mama attentively.
"At first, the community, the gossips, people with no lives of their own. I should say. will obviously conclude that she is my child, the product of some illicit affair. Accusatory eves fall on each and every male who could possibly be her father. There will be noisy chatter all around us. Wives might even suspect their husbands, especially those who have come here for one reason or another. I'm sure you can see that it would not be nice for us."
"What will you do. Mama?" I asked. How I wished she would reply with "Why, tell them she is yours, unmask you, permit you to be who you are, to return."
But to do that, she would have to admit that Noble is gone and she would have to bury him for real this time.
"I have been told what to do. I want you to understand that whatever I do now, it is for us all. and I must ask you to be cooperative," she replied.
I nodded and waited, holding my breath. What was it she expected me to do? She smiled and rose.
"Take Baby Celeste into the living room. Noble.Ill clean up myself tonight."
I started to shake my head and stopped. I couldn't believe she wasn't going to tell me any more.
"When will all this happen?" I blurted. "You'll see." She started for the kitchen.
"But..."
She turned and looked at me with those piercing dark eyes. I had learned a long time ago that when and if I ever contradicted her or challenged anything she said, her first assumption was that I had been compromised by something evil. Our protective wall had been broken somewhere and it was my fault. I wanted to dispute that. but I was afraid, even more afraid now that I had Baby Celeste to care for as well as myself,
I picked up Baby Celeste quickly and left the dining room. For the next hour. I sat quietly and watched her play. Then I heard Mama go upstairs. She was gone so long. I couldn't help but wonder what she was doing. It was close to Baby Celeste's bedtime anyway, so I had her put away her toys and I took her upstairs. I heard Mama in her bedroom and I went to the doorway.
She was unpacking cartons and bags, taking out some of her prettier dresses and shoes, things she had put away for what I thought was going to be forever and ever. I also noticed that her vanity table, which normally had little more than some of her herbal creams on it, was now covered with makeup and brushes, tubes of lipstick, eyeliner pencils and pads. She had brought down the full-length mirror from the turret room. too.
"What are you doing. Mama?" I asked.
She stopped and blinked as if she just remembered us. "Oh, is it that late?" She glanced at the clock. "Yes, get her washed and changed. Ill be right in to put her to bed."
"But why did you take out all those cartons? What are you doing with all that?"
"I'm picking out what is still nice."
"And the makeup and the mirror?"
"Don't stand there cross-examining me., Noble. Just do what I ask."
"I'm not cross-examining you, Mama. I just wondered. That's all."
I thought full-length mirrors made our spirits feel uncomfortable. Why had she brought it out and put it in her room of all places, a room our spiritual family visited more frequently than any other in the house?
"I'll let you know when to wonder." she replied, and returned to her inspection of her wardrobe. Some of the clothing she hadn't worn since Daddy's death. She hadn't even worn it for Taylor Kates.
She held up one dress and looked at it as if someone were in it.
That expression 'it's so old it's new' certainly applies to my wardrobe," she muttered, turning the dress. "Besides, a woman who wears classic things will stand out in this world. She will catch the eyes she wants just like some fisherman catches the fish he wants."
Was she talking to me or to herself or perhaps someone I couldn't see?
She stopped talking, so I quickly left her and took care of Baby Celeste. Afterward, she came to the room and put her to bed. I waited, hoping to hear more of an explanation, more details about what had to be done.