Silver Sparrow

by Tayari Jones

I didn’t feel right. “Didn’t she want to know where I came from?” Raleigh said, “Dana, lower your voice. Miss Bunny is sick. She doesn’t need to hear all this fighting. She’s in a bad way. Just let her go in peace.” “Raleigh,” I said, shrugging off his touch. He pulled back and for a moment I regretted hurting him. “I am not fighting with anyone. I am just trying to find out what all James told Miss Bunny. I want to know what he told her about my mama.” James said, “I t-t-told her about you. You are her kin and I want her to lay eyes on you before she goes.” “But what about my mama?” I said. “She’s important, too.” Raleigh seemed on the verge of tears. “Please stop fighting. Let’s just go inside.” “You didn’t make my mother out to be a whore, did you?” I asked. “No,” Raleigh said. “James wouldn’t say anything like that to Miss Bunny. Tell her, Jimmy. Tell her what you said.” “I told her your mother was dead,” James said. “I told her you were raised by your grandmother.” “Did you at least tell her you loved my mother? That it wasn’t just a quick thing?” James nodded. “I told her that I love you, Dana. She knows if I love you, then your mama must be special.” I shook my head. That wasn’t how it worked. “Dana,” Raleigh said, “don’t waste Miss Bunny’s time. She doesn’t have much left.”