Dessi sniffs and wipes away a tear. Cal walks over and takes her in his arms.
CAL
Don’t cry, baby. You know I can’t deny you a thing when you cry.
DESSI (SMILING TEARFULLY)
I’m counting on it.
CAL
I just got a bad feeling about it. Like if we leave, we won’t ever come back. We live a good life here, don’t we?
DESSI
Of course, we do. When we left Harlem, I couldn’t have even dreamt half the stuff we’ve done. The places we been. But I miss my family. When your people need you, you go.
I know we have our music, but is it really home if you don’t have the people you love?
CAL
I love you and Kitty.
DESSI
You and Katherine are my whole world. You know that, but we can’t just hide here when people we love are suffering. In her last letter, Mama told me all about the Montgomery bus boycott, but didn’t even mention that she was sick.
CAL
It’s only getting worse there, but it’s gonna get much worse before it gets better, especially in the South. At least Negroes are standing up for themselves.
DESSI (SMILING WRYLY)
Or in Rosa Parks’s case, sitting down.
CAL
I was talking with the editorial staff atThe Defender. They love my expat report from Paris. If we did go home to see your mama in Alabama, maybe I could send them some photos and stories on the boycott.
DESSI
That would be so good, Cal. Who knows how we could help while we’re there?
Cal turns and holds Dessi, kissing her cheek.
CAL
When your people need you, you go. Maybe you’re right, but can we talk about it after tonight’s show? We ’bout to be late.
DESSI
That’s all I ask.
CAL (CHUCKLING)
All you ask, my foot. You always asking for the world, Odessa.
DESSI
