"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever."

Heloise eyes ran over with tears and a scorching pain ran from her throat into her nostrils. She turned and went inside as Astrid lead the congregation in singing "Amazing Grace"

Inside she sat in the foremost pew, downstairs staring up at the platform. The words of the songs reached her from the cemetery. Her grandfather was well respected in this town and would be missed but what pained her most was why he had died. His heart had broken seeing his beloved home burning. The home he and his wife had raised their son in. His inheritance. She ran her fingers over the faded words of the white Bible. Alifair had thought they should burry it with them but Heloise had objected and was glad that Miriam agreed. This Bible was the last they had of their inheritance. She hadn't been back by the house and no one had brought it up. It would only be ashes now.

She turned around when she heard the tapping of heals down the aisle and saw Mrs. Calico coming toward her. The woman sat down next to her on the bench and raised her black veil. Heloise smeared the tears from her eyes and the ones that had dropped onto the Bible.

"You grandfather was a good man," Mrs. Calico said though Heloise didn't need to be told. "Once when I was very small I fell and scrapped me knee. None of the children wanted to play with me. They thought I was weak and silly. But your grandfather picked me up and carried me around on his shoulder calling me a princess." She smiled. "I remember my blonde hair just a flowing!" She looked down at Heloise and her smile faded.

"It's not that much cooler down here than up in the balcony," Heloise said. "I used to want to sit down here during Sunday service. Now I don't care to ever see this church or this whole town ever again." She made a fist and sniffled.

"Oh, Heloise, I'm so sorry," Mrs. Calico said. "So very sorry. I...I wish there was something I could do."

Heloise shook her head. "Miriam says we're leaving. It's funny, if she had told me that a few days ago I would have refused; now I can't wait to get away. There is nothing left for us in this town."

"Heloise..."

"Seeing that house burn...it broke his heart...it killed him. And I want to get out of here before it kills me too. She bowed her head in tears and Mrs. Calico put her arms around her.

"Well, there ain't much I can do to stop you," she said. "Perhaps Miriam knows best. Oh and my husband found out a little about your parents. I think he's told Miriam..." She looked into the girls face. "Here," she suddenly said and opened her purse. "I know I couldn't do this if your father were here and my husband would be upset but...oh nevermind him." She pressed money into Heloise's hand. "I don't want to hear any objections. That there is for you. I'm sure Miriam and your other sisters have something tucked away but that there is for you in case of an emergency."

Heloise looked down at the money. There had to be near ten dollars there. "Mrs. Calico—"

"Na uh." Mrs. Calico held up her hand. "What did I say, Heloise? Now you mind your elders and tuck that away where no one can see it."

Heloise obeyed and tucked the money into her glove. "Thank you."

Mrs. Calico smiled. "I wish you all the best," she said. "And I pray that you will come back someday."

Heloise didn't care about the coming back part but she just embraced Mrs. Calico. She'd miss her of course but what she wanted most now was to be far away from this life that had suddenly turned against her.

/

"I'll have supper on the table in an hour," Miriam said as they entered the house. She tossed her gloves on the table and wiped the sweat from her forehead.

"I could do that for you," Taitiann said. "Miriam, you rest. You had to work all week."

"I'll help," Selene, said tying on her apron.

Miriam sighed then looked to the corner of the room where the anniversary present still stood. Hannah was standing over them sadly while Heloise sat on the couch and Alifair stared out the window. She didn't know what to do. She was the eldest child and she didn't know what to do.

"I'll be right back," Taitiann suddenly said touching Miriam's arm. "Mr. Johnston forgot to pay me for the week and asked if I could pick up the money today."

"Typical," Miriam scoffed. "Doesn't he know that Sunday's are holy to us too?"

Taitiann sucked her teeth. "Miriam, don't you start."

Miriam threw her hands up. "Well hurry on back. We need to pack yet."

Taitiann nodded and slipped out the door still dressed from her grandfather's funeral. As she walked she thought of how she would tell her father that he had died. That was if she ever had a chance to speak to him again. Mr. Calico had said he was in a prison in Mississippi which was bad and there was no news of their mother which was also bad.

The Johnston's place was about half an hour walk from their front door and Taitiann realized too late that she wasn't wearing proper shoes for walking. The house was pale blue with white porch rails and shutters. When she and Selene were little they called it the sky house and the name stuck ever since. Take this pie over to old Mrs. Johnston at Sky House. Meet me at Sky House. You know you've reached the north of Old Town when you've come to Sky House.

The windows were raised to let in the blessing of a clear Sunday. Avery Johnston and a few of his friends sat on the porch smoking and one spat on the ground as Taitiann walked up.

"Tia," Avery said as she climbed the steps. "Long time no see."

"Young Mr. Johnston," Taitiann bobbed her head.

Avery stood and leaned against the porch railings. "Come to see my pa? I didn't know he worked you on Sundays like poor Mammy." He nodded to her clothes. "Why all the black."

"My grandfather died," Taitiann said simply.

Avery's whole face changed and he took off his hat. "Old Man Fairchild is dead?" When Taitiann nodded he looked away. "Shoot, I sure wish I had known I would have been at the funeral. You know your grandfather was a respected Negro. You know he taught me how to make a fist, he did. I beat up one of the meanest kids in school thanks to him. Course I got my hide tanned for doing it, but nonetheless." He and his friends laughed. "It's a shame he died." He looked at the ground for a moment then looked up and smiled, suddenly reverting back to the Avery known best. "So pa works you on Sundays now."

"No, sir I'm just here to pick up my pay," Taitiann said.

"Sir?" Avery mimicked. "I'm junior in this house, Tia."

Taitiann sometimes understood why Miriam was so bitter. Avery Johnston had two faces. Ever since he was a kid he would want to play with the Fairchild girls but whenever his buddies came around he treated them like they were a step below. Avery could be polite but he could also be wretched. It all depended on the mood he was in. Matilda, the woman he called Mammy, had heard gossip that he had an Irish sweetheart out of town and old Mr. Johnston did not like the Irish.

"Might I go in now, sir?" Taitiann said looking only at Avery and not is sneering friends.

Avery waved her away like a king would a peasant. Taitiann shook her head as she went inside the house. Moments like that made her not regret abandoning him in the woods as a child or making up horror stories to get him to go home.

It was always dark inside Sky House. Mr. Johnston had lived in Old Town for as long as anyone could remember. He had ten sons and Avery was the youngest of these. He was fair but still on old southern man deep in his southern ways. 

She collected the pay from Matilda since Mr. Johnston hardly came down stairs of his beautiful house. It had stayed rather shut up after his wife died and Avery got into his wild ways. The son stuck around mostly because he hadn't made anything of himself like his brothers and stood, by his own reasoning, to inherit Sky House.

When she came out the house she nodded to Avery out of respect. Sometimes she swore his teasing was to get her back for all those years as children. It was easy to best him then but since those times he had grown up and realized he was a white man and that the world worked in his favor.

"Say, Tia!" Avery called after her when she was on the last step.

Taking a deep breath she turned around. "Yes, sir?"

"I heard about your father. Can't say I believe he'd murder anyone." Avery swung one leg over the porch railing. "That Callaway was a greedy man anyways. Say, you know I saw his ghost up at the old mill where they say he got drowned."

Taitiann wanted to roll her eyes but refrained. "Good day, Mr. Johnston," she said and hurried away before anything else stupid could come out of Avery's mouth.