“You don’t have to tell me to. Let me get my shirt on, for God’s sake.” I pulled it over my head and walked into the next room and picked up the baby.

“He’s hungry,” Malcolm said. “You need to feed him, Rhoda.”

“I know he’s hungry. Jesus Christ.” I sat down cross-legged on the bed, pulled my shirt up, and gave the baby a breast. “Oh, God, I love him so much. Look at him, Malcolm. Look how hard he sucks. Isn’t he wonderful? Isn’t he the prettiest baby you ever saw in your life?” I bent over him, caressed his head with my hand.

“Then how can you talk about killing one? Goddamn, Rhoda. Sometimes I think you’re crazy.”

“I’m not crazy. I just don’t want to die. You try getting your stomach cut open sometime and see how much you like it. I’m scared to death I’ll get pregnant.”

“If you do, you’ll have the baby. I’m telling you that much. You aren’t killing any baby of mine.”

“Stop being mad. Don’t be mad at me. Look, he can’t eat now. He’s getting the hiccups because we’re fighting.”

“Well I guess he ought to get used to that. I’m going out. I’ve got to get out of here.” He was at the door. He had the car keys in his hand. I got up from the bed, carrying the baby, and moved in his direction. “Leave me alone,” he said. “I’ve got to be alone for a while. Your family’s driving me crazy, Rhoda. You aren’t the only one who’s going crazy. I can’t wait till we leave for Atlanta. I don’t know if I can take another week.”

“Then go on,” I screamed. I went into the other room and put the baby back into his bed. As soon as I put him down he started screaming. I went back into the other room and stood in front of Malcolm. “Goddammit. Leave if you hate it so much. I can bring the furniture alone. I’ll bring Fannin to help me. Go on. I don’t care. Pack your clothes and go on now. Leave today.”

“Okay, I will. But don’t leave the baby in there crying just because you’re mad at me.”

“You’re going?”

“Yes, I am. I need to start getting ready for school.” He was back in the room. He pulled a suitcase out of a closet and started throwing clothes in it. He threw in three ironed shirts, two pairs of ironed and folded khaki pants, some underwear and socks and T-shirts, and went into the bathroom for his shaving kit.