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my groin and traveled into my stomach and around to
my back, but I didn't say anything about it because it
wasn't as bad as the early ones were yet.
"Well," Octavious said, looking from Gladys to
Mama, "maybe I should bring something up for you to
eat and drink. This may take a while, eh?"
"Bring some ice tea," Gladys ordered, "and
make sure the front door is locked. Draw all the
curtains closed, too. And don't answer any phone calls
or make any."
Octavious closed his eyes as if he had a terrible
headache and then opened them and turned to Mama. "What can I get you?" he asked.
"Just cold water," Mama told him. She had
brought along what she wanted for herself and for me. He nodded and left, and soon after, the pain
began to build.
"Mama," I said, "it's starting again."
"Okay, honey. Just squeeze my hand when you
hurt. I want to know how bad it really is."
She pulled Grandmere Landry's silver pocket
watch out of her bag and put it beside me on the bed. "What's that?" Gladys demanded, looking over
Mama's shoulder.
"Just a watch to tell me how long her
contractions last and how much time between them.
That's how I know how close we are to the birth." "Oh," Gladys said, and placed her palms over
her fake stomach. "It tightens, doesn't it? It gets as
tight and as hard as a rock."
Mama just looked at her, nonplussed, which
caused something in Gladys Tate's eyes to snap. A
crimson tint came into the crests of her cheeks. "I've got to know every detail, don't I? People
ask questions. I want to be able to describe the birth as
