Augustown: A Novel

After the fateful night, Ma Taffy ran her fingers over the baby. She discovered he is mixed race and part white, but still, Gina named him Kaia, the Zulu word for “home.” Gina and Ma Taffy no longer talked like they used to before she hid her pregnancy, so Gina couldn’t explain that she named him a traditional Rasta name not to diminish his whiteness but to forget his father.

Kaia’s father is Matthew, Mr. and Mrs. G’s son. Gina met him after he offered her a ride to school. He had already graduated from the more prestigious Campion College and was heading off to Harvard, while Gina attended Mona High School. He started driving her to school every morning, and they spent the time talking and growing closer. Matthew was shocked by her intelligence. He was surprised she chose Mona over Campion, but it was where her sisters attended. Still, despite their differences, they continued spending time together.

One day, Gina told Matthew she did not want to go to school, so they went to the Garricks’ house in Beverly Hills. As they looked over the view of Kingston, Gina shared her