Can I ask you about the airplane? Immani on her stomach with a book did not look up. Zuri already told you. Zuri told me what happened. That's not the same as asking you about it.
Nothing. Ada had a whole plan. She had things she'd worked out to say about how it wasn't Immani's fault. About how the woman was wrong, about how brave she'd been. She threw all of it out and said the true thing instead.
You told the flight attendant you didn't want me to think it happened because I wasn't there. Imani's hands stopped on the page. Priya told me the lady from the airline, she read it to me off the report. Adday kept her voice completely level and I've been carrying that around for six days and I need to say something to you about it and I need you to actually listen instead of being nice at me. Can you do that?
A pause. Immani sat up. Okay, you're nine. Adise said it is not your job to manage me. Immani's eyes came up.
I'm the parent. I'm the one who's supposed to be carrying things. And on the worst day you've had in 2 years in a chair on an airplane with a stranger in your face, your first thought was how it was going to land on me. A's voice did not shake, which she was proud of. Baby, that is the kindest thing anybody has ever done for me, and I need you to never do it again.
Immani's chin went. I'm not mad at you, Adz said. I want to be very clear. I'm not mad. I'm She stopped, started over.
When you go quiet, I lose you. Not for a minute, for days. And I can't reach you in there. And I never know if you've put it down or if you're still holding it. I'm not doing it on purpose.
I know it just Imani's hands were doing something with the corner of the duvet. It's like if I say it out loud, then it's real and everyone else has to have it, too. And you already have a lot. Immani, what? Give it to me anyway.