Hush (13 page)
Authors: Jacqueline Woodson
Anna says she believes there’s a reason for everything that happens—even us coming here. Some mornings I think about what Lulu used to say about God having set our stage long before we were even in this world. I think about my own stage—how in the middle of the play, God said
Cut!
Cut!
I think in the middle of everything, God changed His mind. And, maybe, just maybe, came up with a better idea.
I smile and take my father’s hand, thinking
My life is a rewrite. I hope this is the last revision.
My life is a rewrite. I hope this is the last revision.
“Daddy,” I say, “tell me about when you first knew you wanted to be a cop.”
My father looks at me. He seems confused for a moment, but then his smile comes. Slowly. But it comes. The old smile. Daddy’s smile. It creeps up from his face like all those memories of our days before here and all those sweet promises
—a lot of promise—
of what’s ahead of us.
—a lot of promise—
of what’s ahead of us.
Me and Daddy stare at each other for a long time—two old, old buddies who knew each other when . . .
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Thanks so much to all the people who read this in its many stages and gave me amazing feedback, including Juliet Widoff, Toshi Reagon, Catherine Gund, Jill Harris, Catherine Mckinley, Gloria Fisk, Stacey D’Erasmo, Stephanie Grant, Teresa Calabrese, and Nancy Paulsen.
And thanks to Linda Villarosa for helping me with research.
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