The sound of pattering on the roof took their attention away from the dramatic family dilemma playing out in the dining room. Moments later, the pattering turned into full blown rain, and Cuppa exclaimed, "Right. More tea, anyone?"
This was followed by a unanimous yes.
"I'll put the kettle on."
Later that night, Barbara lay on her bed, snacking on macadamia nuts and watching Netflix. Barbara popped a nut in her mouth, her mind wandering to her family as her eyes roamed her room and the shelves her dad put up years ago when he and her mom were still married. Her dad had made a little nook for her computer and tech appliances and built the shelves for all her books, gifting her with a box-set of the Dune series, saying that he and Grandma Barbara had read them all and used to discuss them. He often talked fondly of her namesake, and sometimes Barbara wondered what it would have been like to know Grandma Barbara. Her father always added that she was nothing like Ramani. Nobody was, Barbara thought wryly. The other room that Cuppa now lived in had been a guest room back in the day. Barbara remembered when Erica started coming over a lot, spending the night sometimes. Pausing her show, Barbara walked over to her bookshelf and skimmed her books until her eyes fell on the tatty paperback copy of American Murder. She pulled it out, flipping to the pictures in the middle. The photo of Barbara's mom and dad and their friends in front of the house was the same picture in the folder titled “Us” on the office computer.
As she stared at the picture, an idea came to her. Barbara went downstairs to her mom and Erica's room and knocked softly on the door.
"Yes," Erica said. They were sitting up in bed with their nightlight on, looking over a wedding magazine. They smiled tiredly at Barbara. "Come on in."
Barbara took a seat on the bed and held out the book to Erica, whose eyes widened when they read the title.
"Where did you get this?"
"At the library."
Erica sighed and set aside the magazine. They took the book from Barbara's hand, flipping through it, and then shook their head, part of their mouth rising up in a grimace. "The police came by and questioned my sister's boyfriend, Sweetness." They told Barbara the story of being pulled over in Culver City. "The Culver City police had his information and, you know, thought it was suspicious that he'd slowed down to pick up a white girl."
"Really?" Barbara felt indignant.
"The detectives weren't getting anywhere with how Taylor was murdered, so they came sniffing around our neighborhood and got that busy body, Keisha talking. She told them Sweetness had mentioned several times how skimpy Taylor's clothes were that day. The detectives thought Sweetness might have raped her and then come back to murder her."
“I thought Darpan's semen was found in Taylor.”
Erica rolled their eyes. “Right.”
"So, what happened with Sweetness?"
"Nothing. They brought him in, grilled him hard. But he had too many alibis. Plus, he'd gone to the liquor store on the corner that night, and there was footage of him going into the store around ten. Then he went to his friend Marcus’ and there were at least five other people at Marcus' house who vouched for Sweetness being there. So unless Sweetness drove like a demon to get to this side of town in time to murder Taylor, there was no way he could have committed the crime." Erica sighed and rubbed their eyes. "The lengths white people will go to find a black man guilty. Erica handed the book back to her. "You read this whole thing?
"Yeah," Barbara said.
"I've never even read it, and I'm sure Dora hasn't––I mean Serene."
"What?"
"Your mom, she hasn't read it."
"You called her Serene."
"She wants to go back to her old name."
"Since when?"
"Since today."
"Barbara sat silently with this new bit of information. "Do you think she'll get her memories back?"
"More than likely," Erica patted her hand. "We just have to be patient."
"Mom told me a few times that she used to get along okay with Ron and Maggie when she was younger. I was thinking maybe we ought to have them over for dinner with Dad and Carrie. It might help if she saw people from her past that she used to interact with a lot."
"That seems like an explosive situation for so many reasons. You know how Ron is."
"I can tolerate him for a night."
Erica traced their finger over the wedding magazine, the skin puckered at the knuckles. "When do you want to have them over?"
"I can go over there tomorrow and see about their schedule."
"We saw Carrie earlier. She was on her way to make them soup and talk them out of taking a cruise," Erica said.
Barbara perked up. "Is she going to be staying a bit?"
Erica shrugged.
"So you don't mind?"
"Let's just say I'm willing to put up with some unpleasantness if it might help."
Barbara stood. "Good night."
"Good night, honey."
Barbara closed the door quietly behind her. As she passed the office, she heard a sound from her mom that she hadn't heard in a while: a hearty laugh. Barbara paused. The laugh was different, though, more girlish and a bit flirtatious. Heart hammering in her chest, she leaned toward the door.
"Why did you buy that big old house then?" More laughter. "I can come over again? It's okay with Tera?"
Silence.
"They're okay. Yeah. They're okay."
Her parents were talking. Barbara assumed her father was asking her mother about them. She stepped away from the door, her mother's girlish laughter ringing in her ears.
48
Serene - March 2020
Ramani's husband John was a short man with a full head of white hair and sharp, bony, gnome-like features. His mannerisms were very similar to Aarav’s. The quick steps he took when he walked, how he moved his hands a lot when he talked, standing a little too close during conversation. John greeted Serene when she arrived, informing her that Ramani was running a
