Violated

Now, at age four, as she sat under a tree in the approaching darkness, Peggy was telling her that she could afford travel to the United States. She would be sending for Kasha as soon as she could work and make the money.

Henri’s flirtation with politics and his subsequent exile had ended all hopes for the Pouchot children to continue their education. It was now up to Peggy to find a new way.

Kasha swallowed and tears filled her eyes. She blinked hard, peering at the surrounding darkness, fearing that if her eyes filled with too much water, she would miss unknown and unspeakable horrors hidden by or approaching from the viscous darkness.

"Don't cry, you little macaque. I will send you lots of new bows, panties, money and baby dolls."

Kasha struggled against her hug, and sniffed, "Will I be staying with my manman?"

"I am your manman. I hope Mimi hasn't been telling you stories about how she fed you from her own breasts again," Peggy admonished, brows furrowing. "That was only because I had to work and go to school and Nani was still nursing when you were born. Besides, Yolette told me I would stay younger if I didn't let a child suck the life out of my breasts."

Peggy arched her back, sitting proudly, braless in the hot tropical night.

"I am your manman," she repeated.

"And you'll be taking Antoine with you," Kasha ventured.

"Oh, so that's it. You'll be missing Antoine! No, he'll be with you for a couple of years until I can send for him." Kasha sobbed and strangled on tears and phlegm. She coughed spasmodically, her tiny frame trembling.

Peggy looked at her daughter's downcast eyes. "There's no pleasing you, is there, little monkey? There's no understanding you either."

A fleeting panic threatened to break through to Peggy and unbidden concern rooted in her heart cautioned a caveat as she scrutinized the little girl and realized that Kasha, like Antoine, a habit of stuttering. Strange, since Kasha was, of course, Henri’s child. She looked at the tiny pants that Kasha wore and reminded herself that Antoine truly liked the child. After all, he was always taking her to his shop to be measured for one outfit or another.

Peggy remembered that she herself never had more than one or two hand-me-down dresses at one time before the age of sixteen, and she inhaled resolutely, pursing her lips.

She shivered, looking around her.

"Come inside, Kasha. It's getting dark, and the lougarous will be looking for little girls to eat tonight."