“Your mother and I could take care of them while you get your lives straightened out,” Daddy said. “I don’t mind Sister going off with you again, son. I’m glad you want to get this straightened out, but don’t go taking the boys off. You haven’t even got a place to live.”

“We’re going where he goes,” I said. “That’s it, Daddy. That’s settled. They’re our babies. They belong to Malcolm and me.”

“My new boss is finding us a house,” Malcolm said. “His wife found us a brick duplex with a fenced-in yard. He said they’d have it ready. All we have to do is move in. I talked to him again this afternoon.”

“When are you leaving?” Daddy looked very old suddenly. Fannin and Ifigenia were serving vegetables and roast beef. Mother was passing biscuits. My brothers were talking to each other and fighting with their forks under the table. In Daddy’s desk were the adoption papers signed, sealed, and delivered. Malcolm had signed them and I had signed them and old Judge Butts had put his stamp on them. They said that Mother and Daddy had custody of my children in case I was incompetent. Neither Malcolm nor I had the slightest idea what we had done or what had been done to us.

But this night, at this dinner table, Daddy was sad and suddenly old. It was clear he had lost a skirmish. I was going to pack up my babies and go off and live anyway I liked in a place where he could not control me. I was going to go off and ruin his grandchildren. His hope of renewal, his survival, the survival of his genes. Manning boys, he was always saying when he showed them off. They’re perfect little Mannings.

“When do you have to be there?” he asked Malcolm.

“We need to leave tomorrow. I have to start work on Monday.”

“I’m going with him, Daddy,” I said. “I’m going where he goes.”

“Well, you’re going to need a bigger car. We’ll go out in the morning and get you a station wagon.” He cut a very small piece of his roast and chewed it. He took a sip of tea. Malcolm sat up very straight and ate my mother’s food. My mother looked grim but also happy. She was going to get rid of me. She was always glad of that. My little brothers began to fight above the table. She ordered them to go outside. The babies began to fuss and squirm in their high chairs. I got up and took them out on the porch. I was leaving this goddamn place. I was going to get the hell out of here. There was one good thing about moving around all my life. Packing up and leaving meant nothing to me. I could do that all day long.

Chapter

28