Nyumba Ndogo

The warm glow from the cottage windows gave us such an inviting welcome after the long, sometimes loud, car ride. "I call the master" my sister Taya shouted unnecessarily, breaking the silence in the cramped space. "I do feel that would be best suited for me since I'm the oldest and I drove all the way here with no help", I stared at her to drive my point home and smiled slightly with satisfaction that my authoritative voice still worked on them. She had already "called shotgun" to sit next to me and control the music during our ride.

We had arrived in Georgia, our mother's home state, after driving for 36 hours from California where we all grew up. My three sisters and I had never been to the south where our mother was "bone and razed". The sound of her voice in my head saying those words are comforting.

"Tia?" my baby sister Tara asked as I searched my bag for the keys to the cottage. "Do you think there are animals out here?" She looked around trying to focus her eyes in the darkness. She gripped her cardigan as if it could shield her in the event of an animal attack. I chuckled softly as I turned the key and said "sure". She ran through the door behind me as I entered.

Tika, who's closest in age to me, was still sitting in the car as Taya and I unpacked it. Tara refused to return to "the wilderness". I tapped on the window lightly, "sis, your help would be greatly appreciated". She closed her eyes and mouthed words my ears could not detect. I refused to allow either of them to ruin our weekend at Mommy's childhood home.

Growing up we had heard stories of warmth and endless love that was happily provided at this place. This is where we need to be and we will be rejuvenated from the residual warmth and love found here, per Mommy's letter. "There are four bedrooms Tia" Tara announced happily as we brought in the last of the luggage. Tika closed the door quietly and sat heavily on the couch nearest the door. "Who made the fire for us?" she asked as she lifted one leg to rest on the arm of the couch. Mommy hated that. "Baby, that's so unladylike" I could hear her say.

"Dad said" I cleared my throat to finish my answer "that Uncle Willie was going to prep the place for our visit".

The sound of a falling pot startled us, it was Taya searching for coffee. "Thanks Tay!" Tara said as she rolled her eyes and removed her hand from her chest. Tika headed for the kitchen to join her, "whatcha cooking" she asked as she casually searched the fridge.

I didn't hear her response I was climbing the stairs with my bags headed for the master bedroom, formerly our grandparents' bedroom.

Our mother's last wish was for us to go visit her birthplace and find our love again. She was so disappointed with our bickering and petty fights.

Tika was the first to move away from San Francisco, where we grew up, to live in LA. She said "I get tired of being compared to Tia, Mommy!". I didn't care, my thoughts were, "bye girl, good riddance". My Mom cried and acted like it was the end of the world.

Taya left home after her high school graduation. I found out via phone call from Mommy during my lunch break. "She's gone and doesn't even know where she's headed!" Mommy nearly screamed in terror. "Who Mommy?" I asked, not knowing if I wanted the answer. Why hadn't Dad called? He's the calm one.

Taya called from San Diego to tell our mother she was going to model and do movies. Mommy fainted in the kitchen from the news. "These gals will be the death of me, lawd" she had began to say regularly. Dad agreed that raising girls was difficult but he didn't think it deadly.

I moved to Noe Valley and Mommy was pleased. "Thank you lawd, some of these youngins got good sense" she said gratefully. She was happy because it was not far from Sunnyside where she lived. I had decided that I would not hurt Mommy by moving far away.

Tara followed my lead and stayed in San Francisco as well, she bought a townhouse in Glen Park with her college roommate. They are both tech nerds and prefer minimal adventures.

Though Tika is the most traveled, and the only mother among us, this is our first time in Georgia. Her son happily stayed with his Dad and our Dad in Cali. "Mom" he pleaded after we read our mother's letter "please don't make me tag along on a girl's trip". She reluctantly agreed. Tara, whose always got answers, interjected "you shouldn't smother him, he's going to..." Tika gave her a look that silenced her immediately.

"Tia come quick" Tara burst through the door interrupting my thoughts. I slowly sat up on the bed, which was so soft, I mean really soft. She looked puzzled at me, her eyes looked huge with that pixie cut. "What Tara?" I asked in a mean tone unable to pretend to care. "I am tired!" I screamed and threw myself back on the bed.

"Taya found a photo album" she said excitedly. "Mommy's in it!" She didn't wait for my response she dashed back down the stairs. I quickly pursued her.

"OH wow look at Mommy's afro" Tika laughed and pointed as Taya looked on. "Let us see" I said as we joined them on the pallet they had made on the floor. "Here's your hot cocoa Tia" Taya handed me an obviously hand-made mug. "There is no coffee here" she said as her voice trailed off and her focus shifted to our grandparents' wedding photo. We hadn't been all together since our nephew was born twelve years ago. I felt happy. This was nice I thought as I slid closer to Tika to see better. When Taya closed the photo album I stood to search for more like it.

"Wow" Tara said in a muffled voice, she was lying on Taya's back and getting more sleepy by the minute. "Its almost 2 am" she announced, "let's get some rest". We all obliged her, amazingly, I smiled as Tara hopped on Tika's back as we all ascended the stairs. Mommy may just have been correct, I thought to myself "there's magic in the nyumba ndogo" she had said.