"Okay."
"I feel terrible about Uncle Palaver," she said. "I just didn't know he was drinking so much. Mama certainly didn't."
"I know. "
"What about his lady friend. Destiny? Where is she?"
"She died before I joined up with him," I said. I decided not to go into the doll and all that had followed, especially in front of Mrs. Westington.
"Oh. Well, maybe that was what drove him to drink so much."
"Maybe."
"April, are you really going to call Cousin Pete? Just stay with him for two months. and I'll deal with everything when I get back. We'll set you up in a school and..."
"Okay," I said. "I will."
"Promise?"
What did promises mean in the world we lived in? I thought.
"Sure."
"I'll call Cousin Pete's house in two days from Germany," she said.
"Okay, but I have to stay here until everything is taken care off."
"If I don't reach you there. I'll call this number again," she said. "I'm sorry about all you've gone through, April."
"Me. too." I said.
"I'll call you," she replied, and hung up.
I just stood there holding the phone.
"She coming to fetch you?" Mrs. Westington asked.
I took a deep breath. I was going to lie to her, but the moment I turned around and looked at her, I could see she would read right through me.
"She's about to go to the airport to fly to Germany," I said. "She wants me to call a cousin of ours."
"Where's this cousin?"
"In North Carolina."
She smirked. "And what are you supposed to do, drive that monstrosity back to North Carolina?" "I don't know."
"Well. I do. Finish the potatoes." she said, "You'll stay here until there's a sensible solution. Don't argue." she said before I could even think of doing so. "You'd be talking to the wall."
Not five minutes later, the phone rang again, and this time it was Mr. Weiss. Brenda had called him immediately after speaking to me.
"I'll get on the situation out there immediately." he said, "My secretary is placing a call with the police. After we spoke. I perused your family papers and found information pertaining to your uncle. He had made your mother his beneficiary and then you and your sister. I know what arrangements he wanted made in the event of his passing as well. You just take it easy. April. I'll handle the hard stuff from here. No problem. Now, what about this cousin? Brenda wanted me to be sure you called him. You want to do that, or do you want me to do it and have him call you?"
"I'll do it," I said.
Cousin Pete was just a little more than a stranger to me. I couldn't imagine throwing myself onto his doorstep. but I didn't want to think about it at the moment.
"Fine. All right, I'll be calling you at this number and letting you know what I've arranged."