As Aunt Sondra took the lessons, Dr. Pat came into the room with Mama. Mama looked better.
“Ask her anything from those lessons,” Mama said. “I guarantee she knows more than children in public school first grade.”
Aunt Sondra sifted through Raven’s work. “What’s eleven plus ten?” she asked.
“Twenty-one,” Raven said.
“What’s three times three?”
Raven had no trouble visualizing three threes added together. “Nine,” she replied.
“Impressive!” Dr. Pat said.
Aunt Sondra looked at more of Raven’s lessons. “Your printing is very good,” she said.
“Mama says my spelling is good, too,” Raven said.
She nodded, scanning more of the papers. “What state do you live in?”
“Washington,” Raven said. “And the capital of Washington is Olympia. The state south of Washington is Oregon. Its capital is Salem.”
“Very good,” Dr. Pat said.
Aunt Sondra studied the list of books Raven had read. “You’ve really read all these books?”
“I have. But those Dr. Seuss books are baby books. I can read harder ones.”
Aunt Sondra smiled. She turned to some of Raven’s science lessons. “It says here you studied evolution last week. Can you explain what that is to me?”
“Sondra . . . ,” Dr. Pat said.
“What?”
“Even if she was told about it, explaining it would be too advanced for her age.”
“I can,” Raven said. “Evolution happens in a lot of years called . . .” What was the word? “Millennia?” she asked Mama.
Mama nodded.
“Plants and animals have something inside them called DNA,” Raven continued, “and in the millennia, it keeps changing and making them better at staying alive. That’s evolution. It’s how we became people from amoebas since the Big Bang.”
Aunt Sondra and Dr. Pat smiled. More importantly, Mama smiled. She was happy with Raven’s answers.
Aunt Sondra put the stack of lessons on the desk. She squatted to be as tall as Raven and put her hand on her cheek. “You’re very talented, Raven. I think you would like school. I hope you and your mother will consider it for next year.”
Raven wished she hadn’t said that. Mama was frowning again.
“I’m sorry I missed your seventh birthday,” Aunt Sondra said. “May I hug you to wish you happy birthday?”
Raven moved into her arms and hugged her. She smelled like strong flower scents, very different from Mama.
“I have a gift for you. Would you like to open it?” Aunt Sondra asked.
Raven looked at Mama. She nodded to say it was all right.
They went back to where Aunt Sondra had set down purple and blue paper bags. Inside the blue bag was lots of crumpled purple paper. Beneath it was a book about planets and stars. There was a second book called School Is Fun. It looked like My First Day of Kindergarten, another baby book Aunt Sondra had given her.
“And you accuse me of programming her,” Mama said.
The last thing in the blue bag was a little backpack with a blue, green, and yellow design of birds flying all over it.
“If you decide to go to school, you can carry your books and papers in here,” Aunt Sondra said.
Mama crossed her arms over her chest and pressed her lips together.
Raven hoped there weren’t more school things in the purple bag. She pulled the crumpled blue paper out. Beneath it was a pretty pair of tan boots that said UGG on them. And dark-blue leggings and a pale-blue sweater. When she unfolded the sweater, she saw it had a big black bird on the front.
“A raven,” Aunt Sondra said. “I had that custom knitted for you.”
Raven loved it, but she was afraid to say so until she knew if Mama liked it.
“It’s beautiful,” Mama said.
“It is,” Raven said, hugging it against her chest. “Thank you, Aunt Sondra.”
“You’re very welcome. I went a little big because I didn’t know what size you wear. I emailed your mother to ask, but she didn’t answer.”
“I don’t use email anymore,” Mama said.
“That’s too bad,” Aunt Sondra said. “I’d like to stay in contact with you and Raven.”
Mama said nothing.
“I have a gift for you, too,” Dr. Pat said. She opened her black doctor’s bag and gave Raven a little wrapped box.
Raven took the paper off. Inside was a necklace made of colorful smooth stones.
“Lovely,” Mama said.
“I like it,” Raven said. “Thank you, Dr. Pat.”
Mama smiled at her, happy with her politeness.
“Do I get needles now?” Raven asked when Dr. Pat took her stethoscope out of the bag.
“No, darling, you’re up to date on your immunizations,” she said.
She was relieved. Not because she cared so much about the needles. It didn’t hurt too bad. But Mama always got upset about the medicine.
“I’m only going to give you a wellness exam,” Dr. Pat said. “If that’s okay with you and your mother.” She looked at Mama.
“She’s very well, as you can see,” she said. “But go ahead, if you must.”
Dr. Pat led Raven to the couch. Aunt Sondra wanted Mama to leave the room to give the doctor and Raven a little privacy. Mama walked to the far side of the room with her sister but refused to leave.
The doctor made Raven take off everything but her underpants. Raven hugged her arms around her bare chest. She was a little scared. She hoped the doctor would find her to be very well. Because Mama had said she was.
“She’s a wonderful child,” Aunt Sondra said in a low voice to Mama. “And she looks very healthy. Does she like to walk around the property with you?”
Mama kept her eyes on Raven as the doctor listened to her heart with the stethoscope. “Yes,” she replied.
“Audrey . . . ,” Aunt Sondra said in a quiet voice.
Raven strained to hear.
“You’re doing a marvelous job with her schooling. I’m proud of you, but . . .”
Dr. Pat saw that Raven was listening and asked her if she liked playing outside. “Yes,” Raven said, her full attention on the conversation across the room.
“Please don’t teach her those things you do,” Aunt Sondra said.
Mama turned to face her. “What things?”
“You know what,” Aunt Sondra said, almost in a whisper. “The magic or whatever you call it.”
“I never called it magic,” Mama said.
“Your religion, your obsession—I don’t know what it is
