UnEdited: THE Interview with Karah

Let me inform you that I did this interview at the Avayah residence. This large, lavish estate that was aesthetically designed by Karah’s mom Crystal.
I pulled up to the large Mediterranean home and parked. My car, an old Lincoln Town car, compared to the ones that circled the pebbled drive, was an eyesore. There was a bright white Mercedes G Wagon, Grace’s. A cranberry BMW 745, Crystal’s. A blacked out Yukon that belonged to the Aunts, and an old school SS Implala, black with white racing stripes along the top from the hood to the trunk, which belonged to Nathaniel, Karah’s uncle, who is also Tala’s father. I had the liberty of parking behind Karah’s beautiful smoke gray Bentley GT. Trust me when I say, it’s more beautiful in person. Pictures don’t do it justice.

The cold weather had not stopped all of Crystal’s flowers from throwing out subtle aromas and roll up my nose. The oak trees seem to cradle the large home and the others lingered, taking their place as part of the scene. I heard a creaking noise from behind and there, in the huge door jamb stood Anduele, Karah’s grandmother. She smiled and motionsed her hand for me to come in. As I walked up the red-orange brick, the many scents of spices and foods breezed by her and out of the door into the air, mingling with the fresh air and flowers.
Once I got to Anduele, I saw that for her age she appeared very young and from the info I was given she was nearly in her mid sixties, early seventies, but this woman was not at all—

“I’m 68, liyala.” She answered my thought and just to let you know the term liyala means sweetheart or darling.

“Sorry”, I muttered, clamping my leather tote under my arm.

I grimaced as I realized that I had forgotten she was very strong in her telepathic ability. Still she did not look sixty-eight. Her bronze skin was smooth and her face looked that of a forty year-old. Very little wrinkles. Anywhere. Her hair caught just at the middle of her back in its black and white divide. The crown of her mane was a sharp silver, almost white, and the back was an ebony black, the light from the overhead crystal chandelier in the large ivory and yellow foyer made it sparkle a little. Crazy right? She had on a pair of blue jeans and a Miami Heat sweat shirt. I wondered, if grandma dressed like this, how did mom dress? Her bright hazel eyes watched me as I twirled around looking at the large home. There were family photos on the canary yellow walls, that were trimmed in ivory paneling and each was trimmed in an elegant frame. The warmth of her arm shocked me and she chuckled.

“Sorry, I’m a bit nervous.” I tried to smile and she laughed a bit louder.

“Well, if you’re nervous then think how my umeli feels.” Umeli means beloved. She walked across the black cherry floor, to the steps that led to the second floor and called for Karah. It wasn’t a yell or a shout just a soft roll of her granddaughter’s name.

I heard the muffled words “be down in a minute” and Anduele ushered me to the living room. The room was large and very extravagant. The floor-to-ceiling books shelves were stuffed with books and lovely artifacts that appeared to be a bit valuable.

“Sit here child, and I’ll get you something to drink.” Anduele showed me to one of the two large sherry colored sofas and disappeared around the corner. I took out my pen and paper, and my recorder, making sure everything was ready. The other side of the room looked like an office space. There was a large desk , neatly covered with papers a large HP monitor and frame photographs of family. Behind the aged woodened desk was an old studded rust-colored leather chair that seemed to have met its purpose and been used rather well. And a huge conference table where they held their—

“Hello, Nikki.” Karah’s voice was low but strong, just like her grandmother’s.

“Hi, Karah.” I nodded.

She had on a lovely black cashmere sweater, heavily distressed dark denim jeans and no shoes or socks. There was a glare from her middle toe. A toe ring. Simple but elegant. “Heated floors.” she held up her left foot. The one with the jewelry. “That’s the reason for no shoes.” Giving a half smile, she came in, and sat down across from me in the other large sofa, literally stuffing her little frame into the supple leather. Her brown skin glowed against the room’s soft lighting and she had her jet black hair pulled up in a messy ball but some shaded her face and I was not able to see her stare completely. Suddenly her head snapped to attention and there they were. The most stunning sapphire-blue eyes I’d ever seen on anyone especially a—“

“Black girl?” She laughed low and revealed her even pearly whites in the process. “I know.”

I cleared my throat. Not saying a word.

“C’mon Nikki, you’ve seen me before and we both know why you’re nervous right here, right now.”

Yeah, because there were parts of her story that had to be cut because of their nature. I couldn’t put that—

“Then don’t think of it then.” She said flatly and waved her hair from her face. “Now, let’s get on with this viewy, I have a movie date with Dee.”

I adjusted myself in the seat and placed my pen to the paper.

NF: So, Karah, how’s life?

KA: Well, it’s been lovely. I’m still up for valedictorian. I still have the opportunity to go to any college or university I want. I have a new car, did you see it outside?

Her eyes beamed like halogen bulbs as she spoke of her gift.

NF: I did and who gave it to you again?

KA: My Grandpa Teri. It was an early graduate gift. How they surprised me was funny.

NF: I know, and were you surprised at the how of it all?

She shook her head as she played with her toes.

KA: No, not really, I was surprised at the way it all came together.

NF: Ah, yes, Mr. Townsend. Can we talk about him for a bit?

Even through the uneasy expression on her face she nodded.

KA: Sure, why not. Does he know you’re here?

NF: In a way.

KA: Explain that one.

NF: He knew that I was going to ask you a few questions but not what about.


Karah’s head inclined.

KA: But I’m sure that we both know that he knows what about.

NF: At first, that was going to be my basis of this interview but I changed my mind.

KA: Why? What changed?

NF: I don’t want to give away everything about you before the books gets out there.

KA: Yeah, I want others to know about what’s coming to them.

At this point Karah is very forthcoming and honest. At one point she was very solitary and quiet.


KA: You can thank your boy for that.


She smiled as if she pictured him here with us.


NF: So, about Denille, are you in love or do you consider this a teenage relationship and that it will only last the typical high school relationship term?

Which was probably a few months max.

KA: I think that he and I have strong emotions towards each other, but I would not say love. Love is meant for people that know what to do with it. I’m not at that point yet. I’m very levelheaded when it comes to that type of emotion. I think that if you love someone, give that piece of your heart to another, they have to be worthy of it, don’t you think? I mean if that was the case then every guy Tala has been with would have been love right?

NF: So you’re just a strong like right now?

KA: I mean there’s a connection there that neither one of us can explain but even the unexplainable aren’t always a good thing.

NF: Have you two kissed?


She cleared her throat and her bronzed cheeks flushed red. Really red. But she didn’t answer

NF: Was that the answer?

I noted the flush of her face.

KA: You got it.

Together, we laughed, and I noted Tala.

NF: Does Tala know about it?


She nodded.

KA: And she’s not too fond of this viewy either.


Karah flicked her hand between the both of us. Tala was very personal but not. She wants to tell things on her own terms.

NF: Then I’ll have to talk to her about her right?

KA: Right.

She flashed those eyes of hers at me and smiled.

NF: But you’re still mad at me about parts of the book right?

KA: I am sorta.


She shrugged.


NF: Sorta? Do you get why I had to take out those parts?

KA: I do but, I can say this. If after you post this someone asks me what we’re talking about I’m going to tell them, deal?

NF: Deal.



Karah’s eyes sparkled against the lights and it made me wonder.



NF: Tell me, about your eyes. Where ever did you get them?

KA: Pearl Vision. Where do you think?

NF: But your mom has brown.

KA: But supposedly my father…



She allowed that sentence to fade and I didn’t push.



NF: Why do you hide them?

KA: Um- yeah…



She pulled the band from her hair and let it fall down to her shoulders and it looked like a black sea of waves.



KA: …you know what they say, “you don’t like what you don’t understand”?



I nodded.



KA: Well that’s the reason. I always caught people staring at me when I was little and if that wasn’t enough I’d catch their thoughts and trust me when I say not all of them were compliments, you get me?

NF: I think that I like that say ‘ignorance is bliss’.



She smiled.



KA: Maybe.

NF: So your family is close yes?

KA: A bit too close sometimes.

NF: How so?

KA: Well, like right now, they are all in the kitchen right now wondering what we’re talking about and I can guarantee that they’ll ask me what we talked about after you left.

NF: Does your grandmother always read everyone’s mind like that?

KA: No, she sometimes can’t help but hear, but I think she’s trying now not to hear us. Her hearing is extreme, like mine. And sometimes she pulls that CIA thing and taps into their heads.



I lifted my eyes to her.



NF: But not yours?



Karah laughed loudly.



KA: No, she has to ask my permission to enter my head. It’s weird because she is so strong and the one mind she can’t break into is of an 18 year-old. She only sees what I want her to see and then I have to open my mind to hers. I know what she knows. It’s eerie.

NF: Are you stronger than her?



Her eyes grew into narrow blue slits.


KA: I don’t know about that, we match on so many levels but I…I won’t go into detail.

NF: Save it for the book?

KA: Yeah, for the book.



NF: So your mom?



She ran her fingers through her thick hair and took in a deep breath.



KA: Yeah?

NF: How did she cope with you when you were little?

KA: She did really well. I don’t think that she thought so but I’m not dead so I’d call that a great parent wouldn’t you? Besides, she’s my friend and I love her no matter what. She’s done so much for me that I’d never be able to repay her, not even if I had a lifetime to try.

NF: And what does she think of Denille?

KA: Oh, God, (she laughs) She loves him, along with everyone else here. They took to him (she snapped her fingers)like that.

NF: So does your mom date?

KA: Nah, but we know why.

NF: Yes, yes we do.

KA: Can’t say that I blame her though. To be in love, it seems, makes you…

NF: Love?

KA: Yeah.

I chuckled at how surprised she is about the subject of love. She loves her family but when it comes to the opposite sex she is still a babe.

She looked me with those high-beam Sapphires glowing, and she smiled, then checked her watch.

NF: What time is Denille supposed to come by?

KA: Around seven.

I checked my watch. It was fifteen till.


NF: So let me hurry and ask this. Do you feel more comfortable, you know, now that you are more sociable with others?

KA: I do, but I also feel that there’s something coming. I feel that the more I open up and take in everything, you know, the things I always ignored, that there is something big that’s going to replace it.


Her well-arched eyebrows drew closer as she thought.

KA: Like and impending storm about to wreak havoc on the world and I’m not gonna be able to stop it. It’s a crazy rumble in my stomach.


Then she laughed it off.


KA: Or maybe I’m just hungry.


I noted the ‘impending storm’ comment. I knew that it meant something but if she had no idea how could I?


NF: Okay Karah, I’m gonna let you go and get ready for your movie date. What are you going to see?


She smiled shyly.

KA: We’re not going anywhere. We’re gonna watch the movie here, in the theater room. Down that way.

She pointed in the same direction that her grandmother had went earlier for my drink. The drink I never received.

KA: Anduele does that. But she said that knowing you weren’t thirsty. She used that as an excuse to leave because she heard me coming. She’s quirky that way.

The doorbell rang and Karah like the speed of sound, shot to the door. I shoved all of my things into my tote and slung it over my shoulder.

When I got to the door there he stood. Denille stood like a giant to my 5’5 height. He was a foot taller than me and poor Karah looked so sweet on her toes hugging him around his neck. His black-brown hair fell over into his face and he quickly pulled it back. He looked up and his vivid gray eyes froze me in my place, then he smiled a perfect smile and those lip-biting dimples, on both of his olive colored cheeks, showed up. Man he was a great specimen of male.

“Hi Nikki” his voice was deep and soft as he let Karah’s waist go and her feet caught solid on the floor.

“Hi Denille.”

“You’re leaving?”

“Yeah” I held up my bag, “Gotta an interview to post.” I made my way past them because the door was still open.

“Hey,” he called and I turned around to him, “You know you gotta interview me next right?” He laughed.

“Maybe.” I quickly nodded at Karah, she returned the gesture and smiled, gripping Denille’s large hand.

I shut the door, got into my…car, and headed home.

This interview was not editied in any way and I want to thank Karah, and The Avayah Family for allowing me to visit.

-Nikki Frierson