“Tully! Tully! Where are you? Tully!” I rush through the house, calling out for him, convinced he’ll pop his head around a corner any second. He must be here. He’s always here.
When I catch sight of myself in the foyer mirror, I smile; the pregnancy suits me. But there’s still that distance in my eyes—the haunting memory of Clifford, the baby I lost who was his, and Othella, the girl who died in a sinkhole in Jamaica after saving Zinzi and me.
Later, we learned that the Haitian hurricane or Jérémie, as some called it, hit the eastern coast of Jamaica, causing widespread devastation. In the Cockpit, the heavy rain and hard wind felled trees and created sinkholes.
It took a while, but eventually we made it back to Accompong, bloodied and bruised, almost unrecognizable after our ordeal. Losing that young girl devastated me; even though she had saved our lives, the tragedy of her sacrifice continues to weigh heavily on my heart. It may always linger. After pulling Zinzi to safety, I watched her try with all her heart tosave Othella, but the collapsing sinkhole made it impossible to reach her. We stood in silence, unable to move, unable to accept that such a young girl, such a brave girl, was no longer with us. Those moments will remain with me for the rest of my life. We saved her once; she saved us in return. We tried to reach her, but couldn’t. So, there’s no guilt in losing Othella, just grief—another loss to mourn.
Othella left this earth with a defiance that I can only dream of. She was a hero.
Robbie was inconsolable. How could he not be? He and Othella had fallen in love, and it was new and promising—they were so young. But then he said something puzzling. “She tried hard to change, but the bad things wouldn’t let her be.”
I wanted to ask him why he thought that. What did he mean? The girl I knew was sweet, kind, and so smart. But Zinzi took my hand, sensing I had questions. She said, “Let it be. Let’s just remember how she saved us.”
So, I have. I hugged Zinzi hard then. Not only was I grateful for her and Othella, but also Katherine, Zinzi’s mother, and Robbie—they saved Tully’s life.
We all had someone to whom we owed a debt.
Tully and I arranged for Robbie to catch the next ship back to Chicago. We stayed a few more days at the Constant Spring Hotel to recover. Unsurprisingly, my father showed up and asked to join us for dinner. I declined. I had learned enough about him and his crimes at the Tynesdale Estate to last me a lifetime. A dinner with him felt pointless. I didn’t feel the same about Maxi, though. I telegrammed her that Tully and I would be coming home soon, and I looked forward to her being there.
Katherine may never return from the Caribbean. It’s been over a year, and she’s still traveling, continuing to explore the history of ancient Africans through the dances and rituals of our descendants. She is in Haiti now, the longest stretch of her expedition. I can’t wait for her to return, and to hearabout everything she’s seen and done—and to watch her dance again.
“I’m here, Vivian Jean,” Tully shouts, coming into the parlor where I’ve taken a seat, to rest my swollen feet.
He kneels in front of me and takes my hands into his. “We received a telegram from Kingston,” he announces. “It’s from Zinzi, and the news is glorious.” He reads it aloud:
We did it! The union is no longer just a dream but a reality for Jamaican workers. Love and be happy, Zinzi and Byron.
“That’s wonderful. I’m so happy for her.”
“And for Jamaica, too.” Tully stands up and kisses me on the cheek. “Silly question, but are you hungry? I picked up some sandwiches on my way home from the ballpark.”
“What kind?” I ask wistfully. He knows my cravings.
“Italian beef. We can eat them in here.” He hurries off. “I’ll be right back.”
I sigh and settle back into the chair. Contentment brings a calmness I can barely describe. I don’t count on life to be perfect. I’ve lived through enough sadness to know better. But life does have stretches of unmatched happiness, laughter, and achievement. What’s important to me is that I keep my heart and mind ready to receive those blessings. There’s nothing sadder than missing out on the good when it comes for you.
