I must have talked for at least thirty minutes and, while Mama sat across from me with rapt attention, her eyes never left mine, she didn’t move, she didn’t say a word. Neither did Maggie, and the entire time Layla lay in my arms fast asleep.

When I finally finished, Mama took a deep breath and then sighed and said, “So it has begun!”

“What has begun?” Maggie said with a slight quaver in her voice.

“It’s so soon, our angel is still just a baby. What is she now, ten months old? How could this be?” Mama said as if she was speaking out loud to herself.

“What is happening, Mama?” I asked as Layla stirred in my arms.

“She is starting her healing. She is coming into her power. She’s in a hurry and I’m not sure why, but the answer is in the dream,” Mama said.

“What does the dream mean, Mama? It was so strange, like we were really there,” I said.

“You was there, Mr. Jim, you and Layla was there. Just as sure as I’m here with you now, you was there with her, there in that other world. You was there.” And then Mama said, “I’s gotta show you somethin’ now, somethin’ that very few folks have ever seen.”