Page 3 of Duke

“Never mind sugar, go to sleep.”

She moves off the bed going towards the door.

“Mama, will you sing my song?”

She pauses in the doorway. Under the light from the hall, tears show on her cheeks.

“Mama?”

She walks back, sitting on the edge of my bed.

“Blackbird fly away, you are grown you don’t have to stay. Blackbird don’t you cry; you don’t owe anyone a goodbye. Fly, fly, away tomorrow is a new day.”

My lids drop. Mama kisses the top of my head, humming the rest of the last verse.

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