Off in the distance a shapely, dark-skinned woman leaves the restaurant dining room with a to-go bag, hips swaying. My heart leaps. Is that Tarah? I excuse myself to “use the restroom,” grab my purse and pursue her before she escapes onto the street. Too polite to budge through servers and patrons, I weave my head around to keep the woman in sight while I patiently make my way across the room. When I reach the exit she’s gone!
I trudge back to the table to rejoin my family, and slump in my chair. While Bo and Isa gush about the upcoming reception with Granmé, the guys fawn over Andres for earning a spot on the high school varsity team as an eighth grader. But I missed an encounter with my forbidden friend, so all this chipper chitchat is offensive. I’m itching to know if that was her.
I pull my phone from my purse to FaceTime with Cordelia, Tarah’s deaf mother. There are family members here speaking Haitian Creole, English, and Spanish but none of them know American Sign Language. I could have a private conversation right at the table and no one would be the wiser. Of course that would draw unwanted attention, so I bring my phone to the lobby. I’ve resisted calling Cordelia since me and Tarah’s blowup because I didn’t want to involve her in our issue. But I’m sick of waiting for time to heal things. Done hoping Tarah will finally submit to my demand for a family apology. I’m tired of searching for a sign she’s out there. All my attempts to lure her into communicating with Esencia through the blog have failed. Nothing has worked!
I tap Cordelia’s number and wait. In a moment she’s on my screen waving. Her broad cheeks stretch a wide smile across her ebony face, giving me a pseudo glimpse of my long lost friend. I curl into a club chair, prop my phone on the table beside me and sign with unabashed excitement.
“Hi Cordelia! How are you?”
“I’m good. It’s been a long time. How are you?” she replies.
Her silent hands, rich with meaning, open a doorway I’ve been desperate to walk through for months. I waste no time getting to the point.
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