“What she want?” Robyn asked with a smile.

“Cake.”

“Did you have some dinner?”

“No, but we want some cake.”

“Okay,” Robyn said, “but jes’ this one time now.”

“Okay.”

“You wait here with your sister and I’ll get Big Mama Niecie to bring you some’a the cake Auntie Andrews brought us.”

She held out her hand and Ptolemy took it. They walked down the hall, back into the crowded room where people had come to mourn and laugh, give their condolences and eat and drink. Ptolemy’s skin hurt as he passed through the confused and confusing mob.

When Robyn told Niecie that Nina had left with Alfred Gulla, the older woman sucked her tooth.

“The kids said they want some cake,” Robyn added.

“I get it. Poor angels. Did you get somethin’ to eat, Pitypapa?”

“I have to go to the toilet,” he said.

“I’ll show you. After that you want me t’get Hilly to take you home?”

“I’ll take him,” Robyn said. “I gotta get outta here anyway.”

Niecie kissed the girl and smiled.

“You are a blessing, child.”

They walked down the street together, hand in hand. The sun was hot and Ptolemy had so many thoughts in his head that he couldn’t say very much. But Robyn, once she was out of the house, talked and talked. Ptolemy heard some of what she’d said. She’d come from down south somewhere when her mother died. Robyn’s mother and Niecie were good friends and so Niecie offered to take the orphan in. They weren’t related by law but Niecie felt like they were blood and let her sleep on the couch in the living room.

“Who’s Alfred?” Ptolemy asked after a long spate of listening to the calming words of the child.

“He’s Nina’s boyfriend.”

“But I thought she was Reggie’s . . . I mean, I mean . . . his wife.”

“He did too. But Nina kep’ on seein’ Alfred from back when she went out with him years ago. I think he went to jail or sumpin’ an’ Nina met Reggie an’ got pregnant with Artie an’ so she stayed with Reggie, but when Alfred got outta jail she was still seein’ him too.”