Chapter 79

“Control,” Edwin answered. “A car has always meant freedom in America. If you have a car, you can go anywhere you want. Do whatever you want to do.”

“Right. The fight that night…The four of us huddled up on my bed and cried. We couldn’t even breathe. I remember looking over at Stevie, the baby, and his face was flaming red and he had cried himself breathless. It sounded like the end of the world downstairs. Papa had tried to hit Cooper, but Cooper defended himself. So, Papa…went after Mama. And Cooper lost it. That was when I ran upstairs and gathered up everybody. And we could hear them, for what felt like hours. Shouting. And crying. And punching. It seemed like they were breaking every glass in the house, and Mama was screaming and begging for them to stop. Then…Cooper just left. I—” She caught her breath.

“Mrs. Milk…”

Hazel waved Edwin off. “I watched him from the window. He pulled out of the yard like a bat out of hell. And that was it. He was gone.”