Family Ties. Ernest Hill

to side. “I just graduated from ULM a few days ago.”

      “Get out of here!”

      “I’m serious,” I said.

      “Boy, this is a small world.”

      “Tell me about it.”

      I stared at her for a moment. “And you’re really a teacher?”

      “I am a teacher.”

      “And you teach here.”

      “Yes,” she said. “I teach at Brownsville Elementary.”

      “Do you like it?”

      “I love it,” she said.

      “Really!”

      “Yes…this little town is the best thing that ever happened to me.”

      “What!”

      “I mean it. I was able to reinvent myself here. Now I’m Miss Lewis—Peaches does not exist.”

      “No Peaches,” I mumbled. “That just doesn’t seem right.”

      “Aw, she wasn’t real anyway. She was just a frightened little girl who found herself on the streets of Jackson. And if she had not been fortunate enough to stumble upon a wonderful soul who took her under his wing and guided her through that terrible nightmare, I shudder to think what would have become of her.” She hesitated and looked at me again. “You saved me. And I came here to say thank you and to let you know that I owe you big-time.”

      “You don’t owe me anything,” I said.

      “I owe you my life.”

      She paused and I remained silent. Then she looked at me with quizzical eyes. “What finally brought you back here anyway?” she asked.

      “The same thing that took me away,” I said.

      “And what’s that?”

      “Death.”

      She paused again. My answer baffled her.

      “I don’t understand.”

      “I’ll tell you about it sometime,” I said. “But right now I have to go. Someone’s waiting for me.”

      “I understand,” she said. “Maybe you can give me a call when you have a moment.”

      I looked at my watch. “I’ll do that,” I said. “But right now, I really have to go. Are you in the book?”

      “Yes,” she said. “I’m in the book.”

      “Good.” I turned to leave.

      She stopped me. “Don’t keep me waiting.”

      “I won’t,” I said.

      “You promise?”

      “I promise,” I said. “I’ll call right after I see Mama.”

      Suddenly, her expression changed. “Are you going to see her now?”

      “Yes,” I said. “Why?”

      “I got so caught up in seeing you again that I didn’t ask if you had heard.”

      “Heard what?”

      “About Curtis.”

      “What about Curtis?”

      “He escaped last night.”

      “Escaped!”

      “Yes,” she said.

      “From where?”

      “The parish jail,” she said, then paused again. “I guess you didn’t know he was locked up.”

      “No,” I said. “I didn’t know. I didn’t know anything.”

      “Well, the cops are looking for him. They say he’s armed and dangerous. They even closed the schools early. They said they didn’t want anyone on the streets until he’s caught.”

      “My God!” I said. “What did he do?”

      “He was convicted for burglary and assault.”

      “What!” Suddenly, my head began to whirl. “I’ve got to go talk to Mama,” I said. “Maybe she can tell me what’s going on.”

      3

      I raced out of the shop and climbed into the truck. As I settled on the seat, fumbling for my keys, I could feel Miss Big Siss’s eyes on the side of my face.

      “Lawd, child, what’s wrong?” she asked.

      I turned and looked at her. Her mouth was agape, and her jittery eyes danced with concern. “It’s my brother,” I said, pulling the key from my pocket and inserting it into the ignition. “He’s in trouble.”

      “Trouble!”

      “Yes, ma’am.”

      Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her turn on her seat and face me. “What kind of trouble?” she asked me.

      “He broke out of jail last night.”

      “Jail!”

      “Yes, ma’am. And now they’re after him.”

      “Who’s after him?”

      “The police!”

      “My God!” she said, then paused. “Maybe you oughtn’t go over there right now. Maybe you ought to wait.”

      “No, ma’am,” I said. “I need to find out what’s going on.”

      I pulled the truck into gear and stepped on the accelerator. The tires screeched, the truck lurched forward, and Miss Big Siss fell back against the seat. After a moment or two, she raised herself upright, and I knew she was trying to think of something to make me turn back. But I did not; instead, I concentrated on the highway, seeing before me an image of Little Man held up somewhere, hiding from a police force that was closing in on him. I closed my eyes and opened them again. Yes, I had to hurry. I pressed the accelerator and raced toward the old neighborhood. At the railroad tracks, I slowed, then rounded the corner and turned down the street to my mother’s house. When I arrived, I parked the truck on the shoulder and jumped out.

      “I’m coming in with you,” Miss Big Siss said.

      “No, ma’am,” I said. “Under the circumstances, it would probably be better if you waited in the truck.”

      I turned toward the house again. There were two cars and a truck parked in Mama’s yard, and though I did not recognize either of them, I assumed they had something to do with Little Man’s escape. I studied them for a moment, and then I looked at the house. The front door was closed and the curtains were drawn. Yes, they were home, but they were hiding behind locked doors and closed windows. I crossed the yard and climbed up on the porch. Then I raised my fist and pounded on the door. I waited. No one answered. I raised my fist to knock again, but before I could, I heard a woman’s voice calling to me from the other side of the door.

      “Who is it?” she whispered.

      “It’s me!” I shouted. “D’Ray!”

      Suddenly, I heard chains rattling. A moment later, the door swung open; it was Aunt Peggy. She looked at me and her eyes grew wide.

      “Sweet Jesus!” she exclaimed, raising her trembling hands to her mouth. “Sweet Jesus in heaven. What are you doing here?”

      “I just heard,” I said. My comment seemed to alarm her. I saw her look past me with jittery eyes.

      “May I come in?” I asked.

      “Yes,” she said. “Hurry.”

      She stepped aside and I walked in. Behind me I heard her fumbling