SWNOVELS Reel: Chapter 66
INTERIOR – PARIS – NIGHT — 1956
In their Paris apartment, Cal is dressing for the evening, tying his tie in the mirror. Dessi sits on their bed wearing only a slip and stockings, hair and makeup done, a sequined evening gown laid out on the bed beside her. She’s reading a letter, and a diamond wedding ring glints on her ring finger. A young girl rushes into the room and crawls into Dessi’s lap.
DESSI (STROKING HER DAUGHTER’S HAIR)
Hey, kitty-cat. Shouldn’t you be in bed?
KATHERINE
I wanted a glass of water, and Madame Charbonnet said I could say goodnight before you and Papa leave. Where are you singing tonight, Maman?
DESSI
The band’s playing at Le Caveau de la Huchette. Go drink your water and then bed, you hear me, little girl? We’ll be home when you wake up in the morning.
KATHERINE
Oui, Maman.
DESSI (PATS HER BOTTOM)
Tell Papa goodnight and go to bed.
Katherine walks over to Cal at the mirror and he scoops her up, tickling her and making her laugh. A plump, dark-haired woman comes to the door.
MADAME CHARBONNET (WITH A HEAVY FRENCH ACCENT)
Katherine, ma cherie. Leave your parents to dress. They must leave soon.
Cal kisses Katherine’s hair and sets her on the floor.
KAHTERINE
Bon soir.
Madame Charbonnet and Katherine leave the room. Dessi picks the letter up again and starts to read.
CAL
That little girl don’t know if she coming in French or going in English. Dessi, you can read that letter later. The band’ll be waiting.
Dessi lays the letter on the bed, but doesn’t move to put her dress on.
DESSI
Mama’s sick, Cal.
Cal pauses in pomading his hair.
CAL (LOOKING AT DESSI IN THE MIRROR)
What kind of sick?
DESSI
The letter is from my Cousin Dorothy. It’s cancer. Mama wasn’t gonna tell me.
Cal walks over to sit beside her on the bed and picks up the letter.
CAL
She need help with medical bills? We can send more money.
DESSI (HESITANTLY)
What would you say if I said I want to go home?
He gestures around the beautifully appointed bedroom.
CAL
I would say we are home. Look at where we live. How we live, Dess. Sold out crowds every night. More money than we can count. Respect. I get treated like a man here in France. Not there. They treat dogs better than they treat Negroes, and that’s the God’s honest truth.
DESSI
Cal, I’ve barely seen my mama at all for the last fifteen years, and now she’s sick. She needs me.
CAL
Ain’t nothing in the States for us, Dess. Sidney Bechet is here in France with the world at his feet. One of the greatest to ever pick up a horn, and you know what he was doing in America before he came here? He was a tailor. Last time Josephine Baker went home, the Stork Club wouldn’t even serve her. The toast of Paris. One of the most famous women in the world refused service in her home country. Why would we go back?
DESSI
Because my mama needs me. She may be dying, Cal.
Dessi stands up and puts on the dress as they continue the discussion.
DESSI
We could just go until she gets better or . . . until she . . .
Dessi sniffs and wipes away a tear. Cal walks over and takes her in his arms.
CAL
Don’t cry, baby. You know I can’t deny you a thing when you cry.
DESSI (SMILING TEARFULLY)
I’m counting on it.
CAL
I just got a bad feeling about it. Like if we leave, we won’t ever come back. We live a good life here, don’t we?
DESSI
Of course, we do. When we left Harlem, I couldn’t have even dreamed half the stuff we’ve done. The places we been. But I miss my family. When your people need you, you go.
I know we have our music, but is it really home if you don’t have the people you love?
CAL
I love you and Kitty.
DESSI
You and Katherine are my whole world. You know that, but we can’t just hide here when people we love are suffering. In her last letter, Mama told me all about the Montgomery bus boycott, but didn’t even mention that she was sick.
CAL
It’s only getting worse there, but it’s gonna get much worse before it gets better, especially in the South. At least Negroes are standing up for themselves.
DESSI (SMILING WRYLY)
Or in Rosa Parks’ case, sitting down.
CAL
I was talking with the editorial staff at The Defender. They love my expat report from Paris. If we did go home to see your mama in Alabama, maybe I could send them some photos and stories on the boycott.
DESSI
That would be so good, Cal. Who knows how we could help while we’re there?
Cal turns and holds Dessi, kissing her cheek.
CAL
When your people need you, you go. Maybe you’re right, but can we talk about it after tonight’s show? We ’bout to be late.
DESSI
That’s all I ask.
CAL (CHUCKLING)
All you ask my foot. You always asking for the world, Odessa.
DESSI
And you the man who gives it to me.