Blood Is Thicka' Than Water

[ Two ]

  Daisy and I sat on the stairs, devouring the pot pies my mother had prepared. The flaky crust, the tender chicken, and the seasoned vegetables highlighted my taste buds beyond belief. I missed this cooking.

  " Yo' mama put ha' foot innis'. " she spoke through a stuffed mouth. I laughed.

  " That she did. " I nodded. " What changed since I left? "

  She swallowed her food before answering. " Orleans is still tha' same, but the Zanabi different, chi'. "

  " Is that what the meetin' 'bout? " I asked curiously. She nodded, peeking around the corner to see if anyone was around. " I ain't 'sposed ta' tell you this, but they been workin' on a ritual to getcho' uncle. "

  " My uncle? "

  " You don't remember yo' Uncle Sid? Jesus. " she moaned lowly, dancing a bit before taking another bite out of the pie. " That'a fine ass witch right thea'. "

  I thought back to the picture and everything that was on it. I rushed upstairs, grabbing the photo from under my pillow and treading lightly back down. I flashed it in front of her eyes as she pointed the fork at it.

  " That the man. " she assured me. " How you get that? "

  " It jus' popped up. When I was lookin' at the pictures, then when I was unpackin'. "

  " Must be yo' fortune tellin' Auntie, cause' yo' mama burned all them pictures. "

  " Why she do that? " I was shocked. In our house, burning pictures of somebody is not a common thing, and I never knew my mother to be a vindictive person.

  " Vee, they ain't tol' you s**t, did they? " she clicked her tongue just as my mother called for order.

  " Thank you all fa' gatherin' hea' fo' this feast tonigh'. We got much on the agenda, and we 'on have tha' time. Anybody been in contact with Kelz or Sid? "

  " Gir' please, ain't nobody make it close to Sid. Kelz say the treaty still stands with the vampires and the witches, but Yolanda ain't make it to see it. " one of the women spoke. I recognized her voice as Gertie, another senior witch of the Zanabi.

  " That wanch is due whateva' she get. How tha' spell comin', Ruth? "

  Ruth was always quiet and very reserved. She didn't say much and when she did, the faintest breath could drown her out.

  " It's complete. It allowed me to see what your mother did wrong when she performed the spell on Sid. The spell never cleansed him, he somehow absorbed it. " everyone gasped, including Daisy.

  " That mean Sid was a witch fo' she tried ta' cleanse 'em. " Lilah added. She was one of the younger witches, thirty-two to be exact. The only white woman to be further exact.

  " But that ain' possible. Only way is you gotta' be birthed a witch. " my mother wondered.

  " Sid was boan' a witch. " Gertie confirmed.

  The ladies began to bicker and their concern loudly filled the house until my Aunt Triece called order.

  " Aight, listen, I kno' we all scared, but I got a solution. We gotta' make peace wit' Sid. "

  " The hell we don't. " my mother was the only one who objected. " Sid gone' kill all us, you kno' how vengeful he get. "

  " Truth be told, I ain't heard 'bout Sid killin' nobody. " Gertie sassed.

  " Really? August twenty-ninth, two thousand and five mean nothin'? " their thoughts grew quiet. " We all lost family that day and it was 'cause of Sid. It was all Sid. Na', the only way it's gone' change 'round hea' is if we get rid of 'em. "

  Everyone silently agreed with my mother. I looked down at the picture at the three happy children wondering what could have possibly happened between them. How was this man, who was supposedly my Uncle, born a witch and seemed to be the most powerful one at that? They made him seem like a murderer. A killer. And August twenty-ninth was his day. I had to figure out who this man was. I had to go see him.

  " I wanna' see 'em. " I whispered to Daisy. She returned a sly smile in my direction, sending a chill running up my spine.

  " Don't speak 'bout it, dont think 'bout it, and don't dream 'bout it: these witches smell errthang, and they will catchu'. "

  " Okay. "

                                                                              ____________________

  The next morning after breakfast, Daisy and I were headed out to see Sid. I held the picture in my hand as she drove through the city. The architecture. The people. The technology. It all melted once we hit the bayous. The marshy land and still water frightened me. There were trees everywhere and not that much light around. I looked at Daisy, wondering how could she be so unphased by this.

  " You ain't scared? " I looked at her like she was crazy.

  " Fa' what? I done seen worse than this, trus'. " she shrugged. " I even lived out this way. "

  The sun suddenly poured into the car as we drove up the dirt way and up the hill to the house. It was beautiful. It was painted a dark grey with white trimmed windows. The wooden railing that lined the stairway to the front door, tracing the top floor which was heavy with vines of rosebushes and magnolias. There was a certain aura about this place that made you feel at home.

  " You sho' this the right place? " I looked over to Daisy who smiled widely.

  " Yo' mama out here deceivin' people. " she excitedly rushed out of the car as I followed her.

  " Whatchu' mean by that? "

  I trailed behind her as we stomped up the stairs and to the front door. She did a patterned knock, dancing with anticipation as we waited for the door to open.

  " Who dat? " his lazy Cajun accent made me laugh.

  " Sid, open tha' doe'! " she yelled back.

  The locks turned over and my heart dropped. The door slowly opened, revealing the caramel-colored man. This king. His toned, curvy body fascinated me. Those hazel eyes against his glowing skin: hell his whole damn body. There was no doubt he was my Uncle. All of my grandfather's kids favored him, and Sid looked just like him.

  " Well ain't you pretty as yo' mama on the outside. " he smiled at me. I didn't know if I should be insulted, or to blush at what seemed like a double-edged compliment. " Come on in hea'. "

  We walked inside as Daisy followed him and I just marveled at the house. I could feel how comfortable the carpet was through my shoes. The white walls were covered with beautiful pieces of art, some of them classics and some of them modern. I walked along the way until the white wall was replaced by bits of gold and royal blue wallpaper. I walked down the four steps and into what looked like a den. The windows stretched from the floor to the ceiling. The large royal blue sectional was accented with gold furniture pieces, and on the grey brick wall hung the large television and two paintings of Sid and another man.

  " Kelz, you ain't funny. " Daisy complained.

  I looked towards her and noticed the man sitting between my Uncle's legs, munching on the food he just stole from Daisy's plate. Sid was intricately weaving his fingers through his long hair, which was black at the roots and brightened into an orange-copperish color. He reminded me of the rapper Jidenna. Naw, he looked better than Jidenna.

  " I just saged tha' house, don't be wit' that stuff, na'. " he pointed the end of the comb at Daisy. " And Vee, you righ'. My man look betta'. "