Love: A Novel

Heed thinks about her arthritis and how it has destroyed her hands and made caring for herself difficult. She realizes that bathing herself has become dangerous because of her disease and hopes that Junior will help her. She believes that Junior is a thief and up to no good but thinks that she is smarter than Junior and can see through her schemes. She knows that Junior is in a relationship with Romen but is pleased because she believes that he will help keep Junior around for longer.

Heed reminisces about her wedding to Cosey, whom she calls “Papa.” She believed that May and Christine objected to her wedding because she was poor. Her family was not allowed to attend the wedding, except for two of her sisters, Solitude and Righteous Morning. After the wedding, Papa took her to the beach and into the ocean where he caressed her. The ocean also holds memories of Christine and their early days of friendship. The two met on the beach for the first time as small girls and Christine offered Heed ice cream with peaches in it. May found them and tried to send Heed away, but Christine called after her and brought her into the kitchen.