My Mother and Mercy

The death of a family member is never easy. Even if you are not close to that family member, there can be a powerful emotional release to their death. Sometimes, it fills you with regret. Jaquira Diaz has an estranged relationship with her mother and even more so with her grandmother, Mercy. Mercy is a prejudiced white woman, both racist and homophobic. She disapproves of her daughter marrying a negro, and places her hatred of the marriage on her grandchild. Mercy has always taunted Jaquira because she has "bad hair" and dark skin because of her father, while Levy "turned out just like [Mercy]". Jaquira is bullied at school because her grandmother ruins her hair by straightening and cutting it, resulting in a boyish appearance. The hair is used to show the development of their disconnect as family members. The neglect from her grandmother causes Jaquira shock when she receives a call from Mercy.  Knowing her temperamental spirit, Jaquira also is surprised when Mercy doesn't react negatively to the comment about a previous murder. Jaquira is left confused when she thinks about both the call and the suicide and wonders why her grandmother has changed so much. In the end, I think she is filled with regret for not realizing the sudden change in her grandmother's heart when she called.