Page 225 of The Sun Sister

‘Maybe they are, but I don’t think that I have ever seen a white woman wandering around Bloomingdale’s with a black child. Have you?’

‘Times are changing, dear,’ said Walter. ‘I was reading in theNew York Timesonly last week that the number of black male entrants to both Yale and Harvard is on the rise.’

‘What about female students?’ Cecily muttered under her breath.

‘What was that, honey?’ Dorothea asked her.

‘Oh, nothing. Has Mary made up the spare room next to mine for Stella? If not, I can do it.’

‘The spare room is always made up, as you well know, Cecily. Though why it’s necessary to move her downstairs, I really don’t know.’

‘Because of the risk of infection, Mama. Dr Barnes told me I should keep Stella away until her mother is better,’ Cecily lied. ‘Anyway, if you’ll excuse me, I must go and check on Lankenua.’ Cecily rose from the table. ‘Oh, and I thought I’d call in to the Stanhope Hotel where Kiki is staying. I want to take her a gift for Christmas.’

‘I called them today, but her mother said Kiki wasn’t seeing visitors.’

‘Well, I can at least leave my gift at reception for her. Goodnight, Mama, Papa.’

Cecily left the table and went upstairs to the attic, where she was pleased to see that Lankenua was sleeping peacefully and her forehead felt cooler. She’d wake her at ten o’clock for the next dose of medicine.

Stella, whom Cecily had left in her own room whilst the adults had dinner, was now sitting on Cecily’s bed in her nightdress, engrossed in an old picture book called’Twas the Night Before Christmas.

‘How is Yeyo?’ Stella looked up anxiously.

‘Oh, she’s getting better already, honey. Let’s take you to your very own bedroom now.’ Cecily offered her hand to Stella and led her to the room next to hers where she had asked Mary to light the fire earlier so it was toasty warm. ‘Into bed you get,’ Cecily said, tucking Stella in.

‘Can Yeyo come down here when she’s better?’

‘We’ll see. Now, do you want to try reading me a story tonight?’ she said, indicating the old book and sitting down on the bed.

Lankenua was definitely better the following morning. Her fever had abated, and even though the cough still sounded vicious, Cecily was pleased that she was able to sip a little water.

‘Sorry, Missus Cecily, I big trouble,’ Lankenua sighed.

‘Not at all,’ Cecily comforted her. ‘Now, I’ll be back to give you your next injection this afternoon. Meantime, I’m taking Stella off shopping.’

‘I good,’ Lankenua nodded. ‘You go.’

‘Rest now,’ said Cecily, putting some more coal on the fire. ‘And we’ll be back to tell you all about it later.’

Cecily and Stella’s first port of call was the children’s clothes department at Bloomingdale’s. Stella’s eyes widened at the racks of dresses and pinafores that she could choose from. An assistant – who’d given them a strange look when Cecily had approached her – was following them closely along the aisles as the two of them picked out things for Stella to try on.

‘Don’t you look a picture,’ Cecily smiled as Stella twirled in front of the mirror, wearing a pale orange dress, the skirt made up of layers of net and tulle. ‘It’s perfect for Christmas Day and sets off your colouring to perfection!’ Cecily clapped her hands together, not caring about the shop assistant’s disdainful expression. ‘Now, let’s choose some sensible warm clothes, shall we?’

Having arranged for the two large bags of new clothes to be sent down to Archer and the car, Cecily and Stella – now dressed in a red Harris Tweed coat with a velvet collar and shiny brass buttons, complete with a matching beret – left the clothes department to head for the toys. The queue to see Santa was a long one; it seemed every parent in Manhattan had had the same idea.

‘Look, Mama,’ said the little boy standing in front of them. ‘She’s black like a pickaninny!’ The boy pointed at Stella.

‘Jeremy! Please, hush now,’ the mother reprimanded her son, but nonetheless turned to stare at Cecily and Stella.

‘And you are white like Kuyia,’ Stella said, pointing back at him, not in the least perturbed. A few seconds later, mother and son had left the queue. Cecily held her breath, waiting for any more comments, while Stella amused herself by pointing out the dolls on the shelves and the life-sized bear that sat against a pillar with a Santa Claus hat on its head.

‘Look!’ exclaimed Cecily. ‘It’s a lion, like the ones at home!’ Stella broke away to run towards the toy. ‘It won’t bite, will it?’ she said as she approached it with Cecily following in her wake. ‘It’s only pretend, isn’t it?’

‘Of course it is,’ Cecily said, as Stella threw her arms around the head of the life-sized lion.

‘Oh! I’ve always wanted to hug a lion,’ Stella giggled as all the other mothers and children in the queue looked on at the display.

‘Tell you what, honey, let’s not wait in this great long line to see Santa right now. Let’s go and buy some gifts for Lankenua and my mama and papa, then go home and put the note to Santa up the chimney as we normally do, okay?’