“We on the way home and at the corner
near school where the boys hang it
was like this stretch limo just pulled up
and they was like two men jumped
out and grabbed the babies and I was
like trying to fight them and they like
pushed me away and like picked up the
babies and like throwed them into the
limo and I was like hey stop and they
was like shut up and they slammed
the door and like drove away.” Cherie
inhaled, shivered. “You believe me,
don’t you, Daddy?”
“Black or white men, baby.”
“Wide? Yeah, they looked wide like
uncle O’Page in the body, with splits in
they chins and square heads. They just
snatched the babies and drove away.
Two wide men in a gray stretch limo.”
Daddy Peaceful saw the sorrow in his
granddaughter’s even tearstained,
beautiful face. “Did they say anything?”
“Now who the hell would want our
kids?” Nana-Lily came from the
doorway and put her arms around
Cherie’s shoulders. “Come on, honey,
don’t cry. Tell me all about it.”
“Did they say anything else?” Daddy
Peaceful still had trouble getting his
mind around the idea that anybody
would want to kidnap his
grandchildren. “Did they say anything
about a price to get them back?”
“O yeah, I forgot. They was like, take
this.” From the shelter of Nana-Lily’s
arms, Cherie thrust a folded quarter of
a sheet of paper at him. He took it,
opened it and read:
10000 paid
“Ten thousand paid,” Daddy Peaceful
read aloud. “I guess they want ten
thousand dollars for them.”
“Just like shut up and get away—”
Nana-Lily laughed sardonically.
“Who the hell would think we had ten
thousand dollars?”
“Cherie, this better not be one o your
little jokes.” Nana-Lily stood in the
livingroom doorway, fists on her hips.
“You always acting.”
“I’ll have to think about that.” He
sighed, aware of his indecision. “I guess
we should wait until Tulip and Jasmine
and O’Page get here.”
“You wouldn’make a joke like this,
would you, Cherie?”
“You really think somebody took our
kids, Peaceful? For real? Damn.”
Nana-Lily continued to hug the silently
crying Cherie. “Come into the kitchen
and drink some water, Cherie. Tell me
all about it. We’ll wipe your pretty face,
honey.” Nana-Lily guided Cherie out
of the livingroom.
8
Cherie lowered her eyes in respect.
“No, Daddy. They did it, they took the
babies.” Tears poured now, silently,
without sobbing.
BRN-FALL-2012.indb 8
Alphrah had begun to roll her credits.
Daddy Peaceful found the remote by
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