I looked over at Maggie again and back at Mama. “What do you mean, Mama?” I said.

Mama closed her eyes again and said, “Layla’s been comin’ to Mama to get everybody ready for her.”

I could hear Maggie breathing and as Maggie gripped my hand she said, “Mama, how do you know? How can you know these things about my baby?”

Mama was rocking back and forth again in her chair and after a few moments she said, “Mama can see into the other side, and baby Layla she already knows Mama.”

Feeling confused now and seeing Maggie’s blank expression, I said, “Mama, are you sure? Can you tell us anything else?”

Mama said, “Layla’s been comin’ to visit Mama with her grandparents, Betty and Gary. They’s such nice folks, been so nice to Mama.”

Frozen, Maggie was as white as a sheet. I could feel my hands sweating as Maggie said, “Those are my parents’ names. They died when I was just a baby, Mama.”

Tears running down Maggie’s cheeks, Mama slowly opened her eyes and looked at Maggie and said, “I know, child, I know.”

It was a long slow walk in a light rain from Mama Vermillion’s. My arm around Maggie, we barely spoke. It was dark now, and I couldn’t think of anything to say that would make any sense of what had just happened. It was just big, too big, all of it.