The Invention of Wings

Now 25 years old, Handful mourns her mother on the sixth anniversary of her disappearance. Sarah has returned ownership of Handful to her mother, Missus, refusing to own another human being. Still mourning her mother, Handful refuses to believe that she’s dead or that she ran off and left Handful. Handful knows that Charlotte would never have left her there alone.

In the marketplace, Handful hears of a new African Methodist Episcopal church, with a member named Denmark Vesey, who is always talking about how Charleston is Egypt, and Moses is going to come and free the slaves. Hoping to question Denmark about what happened to her mother, she manipulates Sarah into getting a pass for her to go to this church three days a week. She begins attending the church, where the preaching consistently speaks of the many people God delivered from bondage. Denmark Vesey is a prominent speaker and leader at the church.

Nina, age 14, refuses to be confirmed in the Episcopal Church, and nothing can convince her to change her mind. Though Sarah has embraced religion, Nina shuns it. Their mother is angry and offended; she believes that Sarah’s terrible influence has led Nina to reject her parent’s wishes.