“But there are things Nathaniel wanted her to hear plainly, in front of everyone.”
Naomi sat straighter.
Vivian hated the whole arrangement.
Then James opened the blue envelope.
Nathaniel’s letter began with no greeting.
If James is reading this before I am in the ground, one of you ignored my instructions.
James stopped.
The room remained quiet.
Walter almost smiled.
Vivian did not.
James continued.
If he is reading it after burial, good.
First thing:
Naomi Jean Carter is my granddaughter.
There is no dispute.
There has never been a dispute in my mind after January 1966.
Anyone who tells that child otherwise is correcting my life with information they do not have.
Vivian’s face went pale.
Ruby started crying.
Naomi looked toward James.
“What happened January 1966?”
James lowered the letter.
“We'll explain that part in a minute.”
Vivian said:
“No.”
Everyone looked.
“What does he mean?”
James stared at her.
“Let me finish.”
“No.”
She stood.
“My father spent three years telling me Leon had never proved—”
Ruby’s face hardened.
“Proved what?”
Vivian stopped.
Ruby stood too.
“Say it.”
Walter whispered:
“Ruby.”
“No.”
She looked at Vivian.
“Proved what?”
Vivian’s voice lowered.
“That Naomi was his.”
The child froze.
Every adult in the room changed.
Ruby closed her eyes.
Naomi looked toward her mother.
“Mama?”
Ruby crossed the room immediately.
She knelt beside her.
“You are your daddy’s child.”
Naomi stared.
“Yes?”
“Yes.”
“Did Grandpa think no?”
Ruby’s face crumpled.
“For a while, he had questions because your daddy made a mess of explaining things.”
“That was grown-up confusion.”
“Not you.”
Naomi looked toward Vivian.
“Aunt Vivian thought no?”
Vivian had no prepared answer.
For the first time in years, she had nothing.
James stepped in.
“Naomi.”
The girl looked toward him.
“Your grandfather had papers proving exactly who your father was.”
“Okay?”
She nodded slowly.
James looked toward Ruby.
“Would you like to take her outside for a few minutes?”
Naomi surprised them.
“No.”
Ruby looked at her.
“You sure?”
Naomi nodded.
“Grandpa said listen.”
Vivian looked away.
James resumed.
Nathaniel’s letter continued.
Leon was foolish about paperwork.
That is not a crime.
He was also proud.
That caused more damage.
In June 1964 he told me he intended to marry Ruby Jean Reed.