Page 239 of The Sun Sister

‘She did, yes. She was one incredible woman and I miss her to this day.’

So many questions that I wanted answers to were jostling for priority in my brain.

‘What about the maid that you grew up believing was your mother?’

‘Lankenua? Oh, she stayed right here in New York with us. She met a man through her church and they married a year after we left the house on Fifth Avenue. They moved into a small apartment here in Brooklyn and she carried on working for Cecily, caring for me.’

‘And her son?’

‘Kwinet was almost sixteen when we left Kenya. Lankenua asked him if he wanted to come and join her but he refused. He was happy enough taking care of Paradise Farm.’

‘Are they dead?’

‘Sadly yes,’ Stella sighed. ‘Most everyone is, except for Beatrix. She’s eighty-five and still going strong. I’d love to introduce her to you one day. Could you turn on a light?’

‘Sure.’ I reached for the lamp on the table next to the couch. The glare of the light somehow broke the spell and we were both shot back fully into the present.

‘Oh my, it’s past two in the morning,’ Stella commented, looking at her watch. ‘I must go home.’

‘I’ll call you a cab.’

‘Thank you, dear. That would be most kind.’

I went to the concierge phone and organised it as Stella stood up and walked rather unsteadily to the bathroom. I went to grab some water from the kitchen and saw that Lizzie’s bedroom door was closed. She must have crept back into the apartment at some point during the evening.

Stella came out of the bathroom and went over to the chair to collect her purse.

‘Are you going to be okay here alone tonight?’ she asked me gently. ‘I can stay...’

‘I’ll be fine. I have a friend here with me, but thanks for the offer.’

‘Electra, I know there is so much more to talk about...that you want and need and have every right to know about your momma. But I hope you understand why it was so important for you to hear about how I came to America. It can’t ever excuse what subsequently happened, but—’

‘I get it, Stella. You go home and get some rest.’

‘When would you like me to come back? I have things on, but you’re my priority now, I swear.’

‘Can I give you a call in the morning once I’ve had some sleep?’

‘Sure. Goodnight, dear, and I am so very sorry to have upset you.’

‘That’s okay,’ I said as I opened the front door for her. ‘At least there’s one thing that’s cheered me up.’

‘And what is that?’

‘That I really am descended from a line of princesses,’ I smiled at her. ‘Goodnight, Stella.’

‘You guys were certainly having a long conversation,’ Lizzie commented as I walked into the kitchen the following morning feeling like I’d done a few lines and a whole bottle of Goose last night.

‘We sure were, yes,’ I agreed as I walked across to the coffee machine to pour myself a strong shot.

‘So, are you all sorted with your grandmother?’

‘I wouldn’t put it like that, but I think we’re getting somewhere now, yes.’

‘Good, good. Well, you know I would never want to interfere, but I’m here if you ever want to talk about it, Electra.’

‘I know, Lizzie, thanks.’