“Remember what we was just talking about? I believe Miss Fannie’s getting ready to ask Miss Vidrine about Ibby living in this here house with her. Why else would she have a smile on her face? Miss Fannie only smiles real big like that when she wants something from somebody. And she must want it awful bad, from the look of that big grin.”
“Well, Fannie, how long has it been?” Vidrine asked icily.
Doll was expecting Fannie to say something like not long enough.
“A pleasure to see you again, Vidrine,” Fannie said cordially, extending her hand.
Vidrine lurched back and raised her hand in the air as if Fannie had just pointed a gun at her. “I just came to drop off Ibby’s suitcase, not to make amends. She forgot it in the car. I have to go.” She started toward the door.
Fannie hurried after her. “Wait a minute. Please. There’s something I’d like to talk to you about.”
“I don’t have time.” Vidrine opened the front door, the suitcase still in her hand.
Fannie grabbed her arm. “Where are you going, anyway?”
Vidrine yanked it away. “None of your business.”
Fannie grabbed her arm again, this time harder. Vidrine struggled against her grip.
“Ohhhh . . . we gone have a catfight,” Queenie said excitedly to Doll.
Fannie let go. “Just hold on a minute. I’m not asking because I care where you’re running off to. You can go to India as far as I’m concerned. I’m asking because I wondered if you would let Ibby stay here with me.”
Vidrine rubbed her arm. A bruise was beginning to form where Fannie had grabbed it. “Now look what you’ve done!”
“I’m sorry.”
“Sorry? You’re sorry all right. What are you prattling on about anyway? Ibby is staying with you, like we agreed. Now, if you don’t mind, I’ve got to go.” Vidrine opened the door wider.
Fannie closed it with her foot.
Vidrine turned toward her. “What are you doing? Are you crazy?”
“I mean for good. I want Ibby to come live here.”
Vidrine put her hand on her hip. “I asked if Ibby could stay with you for a while. I didn’t mean forever.”
“I know,” Fannie said. “But I think she might be better off here. With me.”
“With you? And just what the hell do you mean by that, better off with you? I’ll be the judge of who Ibby’s better off with, thank you very much. And if you hurl any more insults like that, we’re leaving and Ibby is coming with me.”
“I just thought you might like your freedom now that you’re a widow,” Fannie said. “I can take care of Ibby. You can visit whenever you like.”
“Are you out of your mind? Look at you. What’s that bump on your head? You fall down drunk again? You been drinking this morning? Is that it? Is that where all this is coming from? You think that’s the sort of environment to raise a child?”
“No, I haven’t been drinking. I’m perfectly sober.”
“Then that just proves you’re even crazier than I thought,” Vidrine said. “Graham always said so, you know. He hated you from the time you sent him away to boarding school. Why do you think he moved so far away after we were married?”
“That was your doing,” Fannie said. “Not Graham’s. He was perfectly happy to stay here in New Orleans.”
“Then why did he never come back to visit?” Vidrine put her hand on her hip. “He hated you. You think he’d want his daughter to live with a mother he hated? I don’t think so.”
“Why don’t we let Ibby decide?”
Vidrine glared at her. “This was a mistake. I should never have brought Ibby here in the first place. Liberty Bell, come on down here! We’re leaving!” Vidrine screamed so loudly, the chandelier tinkled above her head.
Ibby appeared at the top of the steps. “What is it, Mama?”
“Oh, no. Miss Ibby’s coming down,” Doll said to her mother.
“How long you think she been listening? Poor thing,” Queenie said. “We got to do something.”
Doll shook her head. “Nothing we can do now but watch and see what happens.”
“Come on. We’re leaving.” Vidrine picked up Ibby’s suitcase from the floor.
“But I just got here,” Ibby protested.
“I’m sorry, Vidrine,” Fannie pleaded. “We can talk about this later. Let Ibby stay.”
“Did you hear me, Ibby? Get down here. Now!” Vidrine yanked at the doorknob and kicked the door open with her foot.
Ibby came bounding down the steps.
Fannie grabbed Ibby and pulled her toward her. “Let her stay.”
Vidrine looked from Fannie to Ibby, then at her watch. She threw the suitcase at them. It landed just in front of Ibby’s feet. Then the front door slammed. Doll could see Vidrine rushing toward the car. She never looked back once.
Queenie came away from the kitchen door. “I hope that’s the last time I ever see that woman.”
“I wouldn’t bet on it,” Doll said.
After Vidrine left, Fannie grabbed Ibby’s arm. “Come on. We’re going for a ride.”
Chapter Seven
Doll and Queenie stood by the back window and watched Fannie back the car out of the driveway.