LeOmi's Solitude Read Online Free PDF Page A

would ask to be excused and she would go to her room
which is where she spent the rest of the evening, reading library
books, studying for school assignments, or thinking.
    But the dinners were infuriating. Her goal to
“be the best” was always something that she strove for whether it
was at dinner, school or at the gym. She didn’t make friends easily
even at the best of times and Grand-Mère didn’t make it easy or
even a working possibility. After Henry was gone there was only
Hannah--who tried to be all rough and tough on the outside but was
really a behind the scenes ally for LeOmi, in her own way.
    Tonight, as dinner was served, LeOmi said, “I
have a few questions that I would like to ask you.”
    Grand-Mère just sat there and continued
eating her soup. Spoon down, gently ladle, spoon up, slightly
sip—no noise, head erect and back straight. Again, spoon down,
gently ladle…LeOmi watched. Grand-Mère said nothing. It was as if
she were deaf.
    Hannah came in with the rolls; Grand-Mère
didn’t look at either of them. She just continued…spoon down,
gently ladle…
    LeOmi shook her head. “Grand-Mère, my mother
is dead.”
    Still, gently ladle, sip.
    Hannah also stood there watching Grand-Mère
and then as if she had realized what she was doing, she turned and
abruptly left the room.
    “Grand-Mère, do you know anything about my
mother’s death?”
    Grand-Mère took a roll and gently buttered
it.
    LeOmi lost her patience and prepared to get
up from the table, but first she slammed her spoon down. Grand-Mère
said, “It doesn’t feel good to be ignored does it?”
    LeOmi sat back down.
    “I know that your mother, --also known as my
daughter, is dead. But you may not begin a discussion with those
words. It would seem that I don’t even know you, and I certainly
will not begin to learn more about you by discussing the death of
your mother, my daughter.”
    Grand-Mère’s commanding voice was enough to
leave LeOmi dumbstruck and with no response at all. Grand-Mère
smiled her pleasure at putting LeOmi in her place.
    “Now we will discuss what has brought you to
me, here in New Orleans in the first place. Let it be known that I
know that all...all things happen for a reason. I had not known the
reason for your presence here before this past week. Still it is
not completely clear.”
    “Hold on Grand-Mère, are you telling me that
all this has happened because it was supposed to happen?”
    “Why yes, of course.”
    How can she be so calm ? LeOmi felt her
left leg start to twitch and then suddenly the muscles had a mind
all their own, her leg started almost vibrating up and down. LeOmi
grabbed the muscle above her knee; she almost gave herself a
Charlie Horse she grabbed it so hard.
    Grand-Mère looked down her nose at LeOmi.
“Why else would your mother have left New Orleans and married your
father, a man far below her means.” Grand-Mère seemed to be
speaking to herself, “Going off and having a house full of
sniveling children, forgetting about her Ma-Mère who had given her
everything that she could desire.” At this, she got up and started
to pace the room.
    Hannah quietly came into the room and removed
the soups, replacing them with the second course—rice, buttered and
still steaming with the most wonderful herb aroma. LeOmi inhaled
deeply. — Saffron?
    Hannah did not look at either of them—only
kept her head down and quietly left the room.
    LeOmi picked up her fork and Grand-Mère
stopped abruptly beside her—she uncharacteristically placed her
hands on her hips and gave LeOmi the most silly and childish
grimace. Grand-Mère always so ladylike and so prim and proper—now
there was nothing that LeOmi could do but place her fork gently
back down on the table. That is when the aroma reached Grand-Mère’s
nose. Her face seemed to fall back into its normal shape. She
turned and went back to her chair, all else forgotten. She picked
up her fork and began to eat.
    “You hate my father