Hattie

I realized then that Hattie's face was the only one on which I'd seen the emotion called hope.

With Mother sleeping upstairs, Father at the factory, and Hattie fixed on her lesson book, I'd been the only one who had seen him.

I assumed he'd been forced here to meet Hattie, so I wasn't prepared when, with a little ta-dah! of her arms, Hattie presented me.

So when Hattie spoke to me again, her words were enough to loosen my grip and slide me with her off the mattress.

Hattie had seen and closed the book's cover with the tip of her finger, as if she could hardly stand to touch it.

I trail with perfectly placed backward steps, looking at the world after Hattie has passed it, which makes it a little friendlier somehow.

I'd expected to be punished, but I didn't realize that Hattie's anger would be such a formidable companion.

I envy Matthew that, at least, being able to look at the full of Hattie's face.

Especially for Hattie, who needed me to hate them for her, since she couldn't hate them herself.

Lena's manager persuaded her to try acting, and in 1942, she made her debut in the Hollywood musical Panama Hattie.

I rapped the bit of bone and skin that joined Hattie and me at the base of our spines.

That day, they were orange, a pallid fire that would soon flicker at Hattie's wrists, shoulders, and the insides of her thighs.

Before I knew it, he'd lifted Hattie up on her toes, and her breath escaped in a puff.

Hattie shifted to the side, so that both of us could look at him equally just by turning our heads.

He nodded at me, muttering, "Sylvie, " before ducking back into Hattie's caress.

Oblivious, Hattie would march steadily forward, and I felt like I was waving out the back window of an automobile that was bearing me away.

When we were little, Hattie and I would wake to a yard decorated with dead crows strung up by the mystics in the night.

Hattie had taken pains not to touch me, and when our hands bumped at the supper table, she'd gasped as though I'd hurt her.

Mother clucked her tongue and held the back of her hand to Hattie's forehead.

The midwives heaved us out together, for I could not let Hattie free, nor could she let me.

Perhaps I shouldn't have been surprised that, guileless as she seemed, Hattie had tricks too.

"It's true, " I said, before Hattie could answer.

When Hattie heard me suck in a breath, she broke away from Matthew's kiss and whipped her head round.

Hattie hid her face as I twirled the crow round and round, made it dance on its string.

"Slower, Hattie, " I said.

Aunt Hattie was white-haired, affectionate, active in an unhurried way, and an ample and accomplished cook.

You can find typical Hawaiian souvenirs such as aloha shirts or island-grown coffee at Hilo Hattie stores, which are all over the islands.

Hattie whipped the ends of her braids against my cheek.

You might ask in this moment: Did I consider what Hattie's life would be like with Matthew?

If we were cursed, then Hattie was my comfort against despair, and I was her protection against cruelty.

Hattie gasped, "Sylvie! " She dug her fingernails into my wrist. To the boys, "She says things. Please don't listen! "

Hattie still had a hold of my wrist, pulled it back toward us.

Stuck together like we are, Hattie and I often go without speaking for hours on end.

The midwives guessed that Hattie and I were twins who had gotten tangled on our way out.

Matthew ran his stained hands over Hattie's back and accidentally brushed mine.

At this, Mother would cry, which would make Hattie cry, both of them walking around town with swollen, red faces.

But Matthew pulled away from Hattie with an easy grin.

HATTIE AND I are identical right down to our freckled shoulders, fat pinky toes, and the comb-eating snarls in our hair.

"Toby! " Matthew said, glancing pointedly at Hattie, who dragged us both to our feet, almost tipping from my reluctant weight.

I'd looked through that book many times, whenever I could persuade Hattie to disobey.

I felt a sudden pang of sympathy for Hattie, who had the misfortune of being in love.

I gripped the edge of the mattress, keeping Hattie stuck fast to the bed.

At his brother's laugh, Matthew beamed, and Hattie loosened her grip on my wrist.

Hattie had fallen silent, her reflection in the pane of glass shuttered; she met my gaze with empty eyes.

HATTIE MARCHED ME away from the dye-factory yard, through a mile of forest, all the way to our land.

"I want to walk homeward, " I said, but Hattie ignored this, starting on again, slower this time.

Hattie leaned her head back against my shoulder.

Hattie must have gotten word to Matthew without my noticing.

I hated these women, hated the lot of them, for the sake of Mother, Father, and Hattie.

"By the dye vats, " I answered, earning a poke from Hattie.

He was afraid that the hattie would go against them.

"Orange, " Hattie hissed, nudging me hard in the ribs.

HATTIE MET HIM behind the dye vats, and me, I was forced to come along.

And so, Hattie stayed stuck, halfway down that jelly tunnel, no matter how forcefully the midwives commanded our mother to push.

"Yes, you have, " Hattie insisted. "At the picnic last month. I remember him fetching you lemonade. "

Just then, Hattie looked around from her lesson book. "What are you doing? "

Instead, I imagined Hattie and me forming in the womb.

Yo man, get smoked out, start thinking about Hattie McDaniels.

"Lena made seafoam frosting, " Aunt Hattie would say.

Behind him, I could see Hattie's face reflected in the window glass, painted with hope.

What color would yuh-you choose, Hattie?

Mother said that Hattie wanted out first.

And Hattie, she screamed too.

"But we didn't do anything, " Hattie whispered.

Hattie didn't slow until she reached our kitchen door.

"Please don't worry, " Hattie said to our father.

This is Mr. Hill's. Mr. And Mrs. Hill, Greg and Hattie are all at home.

The Summer of Aunt Hattie.

Hattie! Slow!

Hattie's bike is under the big tree.

Last year, when Hattie and I went out walking, Lester Byttle would sometimes circle around behind and tip his hat at me.

The Lonesome Death Of Hattie Carroll