Page 24

"Go on, honey. Just spit it out," Mama said. "Best way to get something bitter and distasteful from your mouth is quick," she assured me.

I took a deep breath and sucked back my sobs. Then I raised my head and took my hands from my face.

"He had his way with me in the canoe, Mama. I couldn't stop him. I tried, but I couldn't."

"That's all right, Gabriel. That's all right,"

"What?" Daddy said, stepping closer. "Who did this? Who had his way? I'll--"

"Hush, Jack. You'll frighten her."

"Well . . . no one's gonna . . ."

"Gabriel, did this happen at your swimming hole?"

"Yes, Mama."

"Who was it, honey, did this to you? Someone we know?" I nodded. Mama took my hand into hers.

"These young bucks, these worthless, good-fornothing . . ." Daddy rattled,

"It was Monsieur Tate," I blurted, and Daddy stopped ranting, his jaw falling open.

"Octavious Tate!"

"Mon Dieu," Mama said.

"Octavious Tate done this?" Daddy fumed. He stood there, his eyes widening, his face a magenta color from his rage. Then he frightened both Mama and me by slamming his fist into the wall so hard he bashed in a hole.

"Jack!"

"Gabriel, you get up out of that bed, hear? You get yourself dressed and out of that bed right now," Daddy directed, jabbing his right forefinger at me.

"Jack," Mama cried. "What are you going to do?"

"Just get her dressed. I'm the man of this house. Get her dressed!"

"She's not--"

"It's all right, Mama," I said. "I can get up." I never saw Daddy so full of fury. There was no telling what he would do if he didn't have his way.

"Well, what's he planning to do?" Mama cried. She looked at me. "My poor baby. Why didn't you tell me this all before?"

"It happened right before graduation, Mama. I didn't want to start anything then and . . . I wasn't sure whether or not it was partly my fault."

"Your fault? Why?"

"Because I . . . swim without my clothes," I said.

"That still don't give no man the right to do what he done," Mama said.

"Get her up and dressed!" Daddy screamed from the other room.

"I will not," Mama replied.

"No, Mama. I'll do what Daddy wants. I made this trouble worse by not telling you about it." I rose and began to dress, my hands trembling, my legs shaking, feeling as if I were sinking, drowning, going under in a pool of hopeless despair, and not even thinking for the moment that there was a baby growing inside me.

"Where you taking her, Jack?" Mama demanded. After I was dressed, Daddy took my hand and led me out and to his truck, practically dragging me along. Mama followed to the