Fighting Words

Della thinks about how she wants to fight for others because Suki fought for her and she fights for herself, which is why Clifton is in jail. Della notes that it will be scary to testify against Clifton in trial but that “[she] got off easy. What he did was the worst few minutes of [her] life up until that time. But it only lasted a few minutes” (126). She says that she is getting closer to telling the hardest part of her story but is not quite ready yet.

Della explains that she will not have to testify in person because of her age, and Suki takes her to a place where they will film her testimony instead. Both Suki and Della are anxious, but Della draws strength from knowing Suki is just downstairs. She begins to answer questions about “the photograph [...] from Teena’s phone” of the events of that night (127). She explains to the woman filming that she and Suki lived with Clifton and were supposed to keep it a secret that he was not really their father. The interviewer asks why Della kept this a secret and she explains that Suki said they had to, and that they had nowhere else to go. The woman tells Della that she was very brave and the sick feeling in Della’s stomach subsides a little.

The woman tells Suki that it is her turn and Della sees her face go completely white, as Suki was not expecting to have to testify. The woman explains that Suki needs to testify because she is the one who took the photo. She assures Suki that she will only need to talk about the photo and what she knows about that night. Suki asks if Della can come with her, and Della goes back upstairs with her sister. When Suki finishes, the woman thanks Suki and tells her that it must have been so difficult for her to take care of Della while being alone so much of the time. Della realizes that she has never thought about their situation as being more difficult for Suki than for her.

That night at dinner, Della asks Francine how long she thinks Clifton’s sentence will be. Francine says that if everything goes well, he should get a couple of years, which upsets Suki, who cries, “That’s ALL?” (130). Francine explains that it’s what their lawyers expect, especially because “[i]t was only the one time, right? And only what [Suki] caught in the photo?” (131). Della responds affirmatively, but notices Suki’s face fall when Francine says, “I meant for both of you” (131).

Della explains the events of their last night in Clifton’s house. She begins by saying that it was a Thursday, and Clifton usually came home Friday nights. Suki and Teena are preparing to go to the movies with some friends. Suki wants to bring Della along, but Teena insists they can’t take her; Della, who occasionally likes time for herself, assures Suki she’ll be fine. Suki leaves, promising to be home by nine.

Clifton arrives home at 8:30 pm and Della explains that she still does not know why Clifton came home on a Thursday instead of Friday. Clifton startles Della when he enters the house, asking whether Suki is home. When Della explains that Suki will be home soon, Clifton responds, “You owe me [...] That’s what I tell your sister. You owe me, living here” (133). Clifton then approaches Della, grabbing her by the neck and pulling down her pajama pants and underwear. Della begins crying, yelling for Clifton to stop, and then she hears the click of a photograph being taken. Clifton and Della turn to see Suki standing in the doorway taking photos. Clifton lunges at her, grabbing her phone and stomping it to pieces.

Suki yells for Della to run to Teena’s house, and they do. Teena swings open the door, asking Suki, “What the snow did you just text me?” (135). Suki begs Teena to resend the photo in case Clifton comes to destroy her phone too. Teena’s mom calls 911 despite Suki begging her not to. Della recalls that the rest of the night went much like the night their mother was arrested: “Clifton went away in one police car, handcuffed. Suki and I went away in another, holding hands” (135-36). From there, they went to their emergency foster placement and then Francine’s. Della ends the chapter by stating that while what she has just written is disturbing, it is not yet the worst part of her story.

At school on Thursday, Nevaeh invites Della to sleep over the next night. Della is excited, having never been invited to a sleepover before, and tells Nevaeh that she thinks she will have to ask Francine. Nevaeh asks for Francine’s phone number and explains that her mother will call Francine later to discuss details.

When Della asks about the sleepover, Suki immediately says no: “We don’t know anything about these people” (138). Francine tells Suki that it is her decision to make, not Suki’s, and that she will speak with Nevaeh’s mother to make sure it is a safe environment. Suki tells Della that she did not know Della was “desperate to be away from [her]” (139). The two argue, and Francine tells them to stop. That night, Della comforts Suki by singing “Skinnamarinky” when she wakes from a nightmare.

Nevaeh’s mother picks them up from after-school care and takes them to Food City for dinner. Della and Nevaeh go say hello to Suki when they arrive, and Suki smiles and reminds Della that she is on the clock and cannot talk. They also see Maybelline at the deli. Della thanks her again for the conditioner and apologizes for not being able to stay and help.

At Nevaeh’s apartment, they make dinner and have popcorn while watching television. Della and Nevaeh sleep in the living room, and they stay up talking until Nevaeh falls asleep. Della notes that no one screams in the night, and that while it is her first night ever away from Suki, “[she feels] fine” (145). Della leaves the next morning thinking about how much fun she had.

Suki is in a bad mood when Della arrives home. She tells Della that Teena came to Food City looking for her again, so Della asks to borrow Francine’s phone to text her. They send a few messages back and forth and Teena promises to text Francine’s number to check on Della.

Over the next week, Della does not use bad language at school and continues attending after-school care at the Y, falling into a routine. She notes that Suki, on the other hand, grows thinner and continues to wake up each night screaming. Francine calls their caseworker again.

On Friday, Francine asks if Della will be alright at home with Suki while she goes out. Suki stays in their bedroom. Della asks if Suki wants to make macaroni and cheese, and Suki yells at her, asking if she must do everything for Della: “When is somebody going to take care of me?” (149). Della tries to make a box of macaroni and cheese herself, but it comes out poorly.

Later that night, she hears Suki crying in her room. When she goes in to check on her, Suki admits that she hates Fridays, an allusion to it being the night that Clifton always came home. Della tries to cuddle her, but Suki states that she does not want to be touched and asks Della to leave her alone. Della goes back to the living room and reads a book about wolves she got from the library at school. She eventually gets into bed, thinking that things are mostly okay, not realizing yet how wrong she is.

Della wakes up in the middle of the night and realizes Suki is not in her bunk. She realizes that Suki did not wake her with her screams, so she goes to the kitchen and sees Suki sitting at the kitchen table with a large knife in front of her.

Della feels panic rising in her as she watches Suki stare at the knife. Things begin “clicking into place” (152), and Della recalls all the nights Suki woke up screaming, all the pain in her face, all the sleeping she has been doing. With horror, Della realizes that “[t]he price of […] staying with Clifton was Suki” (152): Clifton had sexually abused Suki for years. Suddenly, Suki looks up and notices Della. Della screams Suki’s name as Suki reaches for the knife and brings the blade down on her arm.