"You’re her only daughter. She hasn't seen you in months and now you're finally here, you bring a guy with you. She's bound to be a little resentful. I guess she thinks he's the reason you refused to come home."
"As you well know, I'm never happy to come home." When he didn't respond, I slid him a glance. "One day, you should ask Anna-Lise what I'm talking about. After all, she looks more like Kofi than us."
This time he sighed. "Come on, Gee-Gee. I'm sure you're wrong. Give Mom a chance."
Shaking my head, I said what was on my mind. "I don't see how this is going to work. Frankly, I don't think I'm going to stay here."
"Does Kofi know this?"
"No, but I'm sure he'll be happy to have me."
"Maybe you should talk to Dad privately before you pick up and leave. He's the one who's going to have to deal with Mom, 'cause she'll be in a state over this."
"What's new about that, anyway? She's always in a state over something or other."
I got to my feet because the longer I sat with Garth, the more likely it was that he'd convince me to stick it out at home. The problem was, I didn't know if I had the strength to fight with my mother all day, every day.
When Garth got up, he hugged me. "Welcome home, Little Bit. Things may not be exactly as you want them, but try and find a way to make them work for you."
I patted his back before releasing him and then tugged the handle of my suitcase. Garth took it from me and wheeled it behind us to the living room. He parked it near to the doorway we came through and squeezed my shoulder, his way of encouraging me.
Our living area reflected both my mother and father's taste. My father liked uncluttered surroundings and my mother was all about showcasing the oriental side of her ancestry. The huge fans, paintings and urns reminded me of the set up in a Chinese restaurant and would have horrified my mother if I expressed any such thought. My father's liking for simple, comfortable furniture was the reason they owned the huge, midnight-blue behemoths they sat on to watch television.
Both Daddy and Kofi looked away from the set on the wall when Garth and I approached them. Anna-Lise wasn't in the room.
I sat next to Daddy and took his hand in mine. His half-smile said everything was right with the world and his quiet presence was like a tranquilizer. He'd always had that effect on me and I wondered again, how on earth he'd married someone like my mother. Hurricane conditions and fair weather. That's what they were in terms of their temperament.
I was about to tell him I wouldn't be staying at home when Anna-Lise came in and sat on the arm of the sofa where Garth lounged. She curled her arm around his neck and said something in his ear.
Garth looked at Kofi, then me before nodding.
"Kofi, we have to leave now, so we'll drop you off at the hotel."
He stood and put out a hand to my father. "It was good meeting you, Mr. Chu."
Daddy got up and shook Kofi's hand. I didn't hear the rest of their exchange because I walked away to get my suitcase.
When Kofi realized I wasn't with them, he turned to find me but I was in the middle of pulling my case to where they both stood.
I didn't look my father in the eyes while I spoke. "I'm not going to stay, Daddy. I'll talk to you on the phone. I may swing by tomorrow."
Daddy frowned and his gaze shifted toward Kofi.
"He's not to blame," I said, "Mom is."
She walked into the room. "What are you blaming me for?"
"I've changed my mind about staying here."
She frowned and directed her words at Garth. "You need to talk some sense into your sister."
Quietly, I sucked my teeth as I bent to kiss Daddy who'd taken his seat again. "I'll call you."
"Regina, we need to talk," he said.
"I'm sorry, Daddy. I can't do that now." I hugged him around the neck, then swished past Mom, Garth and Anna-Lise, dragging my suitcase.
Kofi stood by the front door looking at me as if I had stripped naked and was in the middle of dancing around the room. When I stood in front of him, he let his breath out through his mouth and took hold of my suitcase. As he walked me through the door to the verandah, he held on to my arm. When we stood on the outside, a few yards from the front door, he parked the luggage and gripped my upper arms.
