Mystery of the Dark Tower (11 page)

“That's a good idea, Eddie,” Bessie said. “Then I could just act like I was going to Lillian's house. And her parents wouldn't really have to know anything about it.”

“Eddie?” Lillian said. “Eddie couldn't pretend to be my mother. It would never work. My mother speaks perfect English. Plus, your aunt could see that it wasn't her.”

“What if Eddie—I mean your mother—asked Aunt Esther over the back fence, while she's hanging out the wash this afternoon? Aunt Esther always does the wash on Saturday before she goes to church. I think it might work. Eddie could wear one of your mother's big straw hats and stand up on a box or something so he'd be taller.”

“Even if he is behind the fence and she doesn't see him, that is still not going to make Eddie sound like my mother,” Lillian said.

“Go on, show her, Eddie,” Bessie said.

Eddie cleared his throat. He closed his eyes and then opened them. “Lillian, please come in for dinner,” he said, making his voice sound high and sing-songy like Lillian's mother's. He didn't stutter at all. “You have to practice the piano before we eat.”

Lillian stared at Eddie. “That is amazing. How can you do that?”

“I-I-I d-d-don't know,” Eddie said.

“Eddie can sing without stuttering, too. He has a beautiful voice,” Bessie said.

Lillian stared at Eddie and shook her head. “That is incredible.”

Bessie stayed in the kitchen after lunch. Her job was to get Aunt Esther into the backyard at the right time.

“Aunt Esther, would you like me to help you hang out the clothes?” Bessie asked. “I always used to help Mama.”

“Lord, I thought you children didn't like doing your chores,” Aunt Esther said, eyeing Bessie suspiciously.

“No, ma'am. We just never had so many nice things to dust and clean like yours, Aunt Esther. We're afraid we'll break your things. Like the vase,” Bessie said.

“What vase?” Aunt Esther said. “What vase did you break?”

Bessie's throat tightened. Why had she said that? “The vase that was in the hall. Eddie broke it accidentally,” she said, realizing it wouldn't help to fib now.

“Oh. Now I see. Your papa told me he broke the vase. You children,” Aunt Esther said with a sigh. “You know, when your papa was a little boy, he was the clumsiest thing. I suppose your little brother is just like him, then?”

Bessie nodded her head.

“I always had to look out after them two, Little Ed and Baby Sister, back in North Carolina when we was growing up. Yep, just like they was my own. I ain't never had much childhood,” Aunt Esther said, looking off into space.

“I'm sorry,” Bessie said.

“Sorry? Sorry for what?” Aunt Esther asked.

“Grandma used to tell me that she always hated you ain't had much of a childhood,” Bessie said. “That's why she liked to see me and Eddie playing a lot. She never wanted us to do many heavy chores on account of it.”

“Are you saying that my mama knew I missed my childhood?” Aunt Esther said.

“Yes, ma'am,” Bessie said. “Grandma always said that's why she forgave you for not coming to see her much. She said you had a right to be mad at her for making you grow up so fast.”

Aunt Esther plopped down on a chair. She wiped her eyes with her apron.

Bessie could see she was crying. Now Bessie understood Aunt Esther better. Maybe Aunt Esther didn't want to tell them anything or worry them about Mama and Papa so
they
wouldn't miss
their
childhood. Maybe she did mean them well. Now Bessie felt bad about fooling Aunt Esther. But she had to find out where Papa was, and she didn't think Aunt Esther would tell her, even now.

Bessie heard a whippoorwill's shrill whistle coming through the window.

“Lord, is that a whippoorwill I hear?” Aunt Esther said. “No, it can't be. Ain't no whippoorwills in Harlem. Plus, they don't come out in the daytime. I must be hearing things.” Bessie flinched. She'd forgotten that whippoorwills only sing at night.

Aunt Esther dried her eyes and picked up her laundry basket.

“May I help you, Aunt Esther?” Bessie asked again. Then she noticed that the basket was full of white clothes, and she worried that Aunt Esther might say no. Even Mama didn't let Bessie help with the whites because she thought Bessie might get them dirty while hanging them on the line.

“You can help if you want,” Aunt Esther said. “Come on, then.”

Outside, Bessie said quickly, “I'll hold the clothespins for you. Let's start over here.” Bessie moved over close to the fence that separated Aunt Esther's yard from Lillian's yard. She knew Eddie was already in place. He was the Harlem whippoorwill. She handed Aunt Esther a clothespin and cleared her throat loudly.

“Good afternoon, Mrs. Henry How do you do this fine Saturday?” said the voice on the other side of the fence.

“I'm fine, Mrs. Moore. I do fine. And your family?” Aunt Esther said, craning her neck to see over the fence.

“My family is peachy fine,” the voice said.

Bessie grimaced.
Peachy fine?

“I'm glad you're outside,” the voice continued. “I wanted to ask your permission for Miss Bessie to spend some time with my Lillian this evening.”

“I'm sorry, but I have to go to church, Mrs. Moore,” Aunt Esther said, bending to pick up a shirt. “It's the beginning of revival at our church, and I wouldn't be able to fetch Bessie until after ten o'clock.”

“That would be perfectly fine,” the voice said. “We would be delighted to have Miss Bessie's company.”

“If you're sure she won't be any trouble?” Aunt Esther said, sounding her most proper.

“No trouble at all. She's no trouble. She and that fine young man Eddie are two smart children.”

“Yes, they are both very smart,” Aunt Esther said.

Then, to Bessie's horror, she heard a giggle.

“Are you all right, Mrs. Moore?” Aunt Esther asked, rising up on her tiptoes to see over the fence.

Bessie jumped in front of Aunt Esther. “There's something crawling on your face, Aunt Esther! Let me get it off,” she said loudly.

“What?” Aunt Esther said, slapping at her face. “What in the world is it, child? Where? Where?”

“Here, I'll get it for you, Aunt Esther,” Bessie said, reaching up and pretending to grab something. “Oops, it flew away.”

Aunt Esther walked to the fence and peered over. “Excuse me, Mrs. Moore,” she said. “Mrs. Moore? Mrs. Moore?”

“I think she went back inside, Aunt Esther,” Bessie said, sighing with relief.

“You know, Bessie,” Aunt Esther said, “that woman has the most elegant speech. Lord knows, I wish your brother could speak that well.”

“Me too, Aunt Esther,” Bessie said. “I think one day Eddie will speak that well. I truly believe so.”

After finishing the laundry with Aunt Esther, Bessie walked around to the front of the house. Eddie sat on the stoop.

“You did a good job, Eddie,” Bessie said. Then she noticed their neighbors' furniture outside on the curb. The Wades lived next door to Aunt Esther. They were a quiet elderly couple who knew Aunt Esther and sometimes came over to sit with her in the evenings.

Bessie rushed into the sitting room, where her two aunts were arguing. Eddie followed her into the room. “Aunt Esther, are the Wades moving?” Bessie asked.

“You're supposed to say ‘excuse me' when you interrupt grown folks, Bessie,” Aunt Esther said. “And boy, fix your shirt,” she added, glaring at Eddie.

“Excuse me, Aunt Esther,” Bessie said, “but are the Wades moving?”

While Eddie struggled to tuck his shirttail into his pants, Aunt Nellie blurted out, “They've been set out for not paying their rent.”

“You shouldn't be syndicating in grown folks' business, Bessie Carol Coulter,” Aunt Esther said. Then she turned back to Aunt Nellie. “What is wrong with you, Baby Sister, speaking out of turn in front of these children like that? We don't tell children in this family that sort of business, and you know it. Now, be quiet.”

Bessie could not believe what happened next. Aunt Nellie exploded like a shot from a gun.

“No, we don't tell them nothing. We let them worry themselves to death about what's happening to their parents. We don't tell them that if we don't find some money soon, we are gonna all be outdoors, because we're paying thirty dollars a month for a house that would cost ten dollars if we weren't colored.”

“Nellie!” Aunt Esther said, “don't burden the children. Now hush.”

“I won't keep quiet any longer,” Aunt Nellie said. “If I'd kept my job at Small's Paradise, we would have money. But you were the one who wanted me to quit, saying it wasn't fit for a Christian woman. Now look at us. Ed's run off, and we can't afford to stay here unless I get a job doing what you don't approve of me doing.”

Eddie's head shot up and he stopped fidgeting with his suspenders. Bessie gasped. Aunt Nellie's words ran around and around in her head.
Ed's run off
. She couldn't hold it in any longer. “Where is Papa run off to?” she interrupted.

Aunt Esther shook her head. “See what you've done, Baby Sister? Now you've gone and worried the children.”

“Bessie, I told you and Eddie your papa is away working,” Nellie said, stooping down in front of them, tugging her ear furiously. “That's all I meant. We don't want y'all worried, but—”

“If you say one more word,” Aunt Esther said, her teeth clenched, “I will put you out on the street right now, Nellie Coulter Johnson. And you're correct, I will not have you flouncing around dancing.”

“Do you know what?” Aunt Nellie said, rising up. “I'm a grown woman. And I don't mean you no disrespect, but you're my sister, not my mama. I'm gonna start dancing again because that's what I love. And if you can't accept that, I will move out.”

Aunt Esther walked to a chair and collapsed in it. She sat there holding her head and sobbing softly, as though she were all alone in the room.

“I'm sorry,” Aunt Nellie said. “I do love you. But you can't run everything, Esther. And you can't be responsible for everyone, either.” Aunt Nellie glanced at the clock. “I'm late. I've got someplace to go tonight.” And she rushed from the room.

Bessie and Eddie watched Aunt Esther. Bessie didn't know what to say to make Aunt Esther stop crying.

Finally, Eddie went over to Aunt Esther. He took the handkerchief from her pocket and began to wipe Aunt Esther's tears. He started to softly sing the hymn, “His Eye Is on the Sparrow.”

Bessie loved this song, so she sat down and listened while she thought of Papa and Mama and how things used to be back home. She could see Mama and Papa and her and Eddie sitting close together at church—Bessie leaning on Papa, and Eddie leaning on her, singing.

When Eddie was finished, Aunt Esther stopped and looked up. “Sweet Jesus, you have the most beautiful voice I have ever heard.” Aunt Esther grabbed Eddie. “Lord, boy, come here and give me a hug. You have touched my very soul.”

After supper Aunt Esther got ready for church. She was still talking about being amazed that Eddie didn't stutter while singing as she and Eddie headed toward the front door.

Eddie hung back and whispered to Bessie, “What if you're not b-back when m-me and Aunt Esther get back? Sh-she said she'd be b-b-back at ten.”

“I don't know. I'll try to be back,” Bessie said.

“Behave yourself at the Moores', Bessie,” Aunt Esther said as she pulled on her gloves. She took Eddie by the hand. Bessie couldn't help but smile. She decided Eddie's singing could melt ice on a frozen pond.

As soon as Aunt Esther and Eddie left, Bessie went into Aunt Nellie's room. She would apologize to Aunt Nellie later for going into her bedroom without permission. It didn't take Bessie long to put on Aunt Nellie's makeup from her dresser. She stopped for only a second to examine the notepaper on the dresser. She was right—this was the same paper that the letter from Mama was written on.

Downstairs in the sewing room, Bessie opened Aunt Nellie's trunk. She put on stockings and a shimmery scarlet dress with a ruffle at the top and a long, low waist. Bessie straightened the sash and smoothed out the big bow that was attached on the front. The dress hung on her like a sack.

Bessie took her hair out of the plaits. She combed it and pinned it up. Now she looked more grownup. Then she put on one of Aunt Nellie's flop hats.

Outside, Bessie checked under the bush. Lillian had not chickened out. Wrapped in paper were Lillian's mother's high-heeled shoes, better known as “spikes.” They were shiny gold. When Bessie slipped them on, she thought of Cinderella.

Bessie wobbled around for a while, trying to keep her balance.
How in the world do women walk in these shoes?
she wondered. She teetered down the street in the direction of the Dark Tower, following the street signs and checking the map Lillian had lent her.

The bottoms of Bessie's feet burned by the time she'd reached the corner of 124th Street. She stumbled and fell, lost a shoe, stuck it back on, and weaved some more as she made her way toward the Dark Tower. She looked in the windows of Loft's Candy Shop for only a second and continued walking as fast as she could.

On Lenox Avenue, almost everyone was dressed up. Men wore striped silk shirtsleeves and tan shoes with squared-off bulldog toes. A few women still had on uniforms and thick-soled shoes from day work. But many more wore bright gingham and low-scooped dresses. Others were dressed in silks and chiffons, with huge flowered hats on their heads and beaded purses over their arms.

Down the block, the words
Lafayette
and
Vaudeville
were lit up on signs. A crowd of people mingled outside the Lafayette Theater. The marquee advertised Bessie Smith in a musical revue called
Mississippi Days
.