American Street: Chapter 4 Summary & Analysis

The next morning, Chantal asks why Fabiola spun around with the mug last night. Fabiola explains that she was saluting the four directions and Papa Legba, and then she asks if they’re going to New Jersey after school today. Chantal assures Fabiola that Matant Jo is handling it, and then she asks who Papa Legba is. As Fabiola tells her that Papa Legba is the lwa of the crossroads who can help Manman “come to this side,” Donna barges into the room in her pushup bra and asks for a pair of tights. Surprisingly, Donna looks fine after last night. Pri comes in behind her and asks Fabiola if she knows how to braid. While Donna looks proud of her breasts, Pri wraps hers tightly in fabric to make them disappear.

Chantal asks where Donna’s new underwear came from, but Donna just says that everything will be fine. Through gritted teeth, Chantal says that they have to save money for Fabiola to buy clothes and school stuff, which leads to in an argument. Fabiola, meanwhile, is just happy that there’s enough money to fight over. She heads downstairs to find breakfast and as she eats alone, she wonders if this is a sign. When Fabiola is finished, she goes to the living room and looks out the window. Across the street, there’s a short building with a sign that reads “LIQUOR BEER WINE PIZZA CHECK CASHING.” On the other corner, a sign reads “HOUSE OF GOD.” The signposts at the corner read “American Street” and “Joy Road.” The empty houses look like missing teeth, and they remind Fabiola of tombs.

Pri comes downstairs dressed in baggy khakis and an oversized white button up. She asks Fabiola to braid her hair as Donna walks by in full makeup. When Fabiola asks if Donna is going out later, Pri explains that Donna “dresses like a ho.” Chantal announces that they have 10 minutes before it’s time to leave. Fabiola only remembers seeing one car out front, and she asks when Matant Jo is going to work. Chantal and Pri say that she’s working now—and she worked hard to get Fabiola here from Haiti. When Fabiola is done with Pri’s hair, Pri asks Fabiola to redo it. Donna quips that Pri wants them to look like boys’ braids. Fabiola asks why Pri wants to look like a boy, but Pri that she wants to look like herself—and it’s too cold to wear “short-ass skirts.”

Fabiola wants to twist Pri’s lips for using such foul language, but she takes her time with the braids. She needs Pri to like her. Fabiola mentions the fun phone conversations she and Pri used to have, but Pri just says that they’re adults now. Chantal suddenly turns up the TV. All three cousins gather around as a news anchor reads that a 17-year-old student died of a “lethal cocktail of designer drugs.” The cousins exchange stares, and then Pri snaps that the white girl did it to herself. Chantal points out that a Black girl was murdered last month, but it didn’t make the news. Finally, Chantal turns off the TV and ushers everyone to the car. Fabiola tries to finish Pri’s hair as she and her cousins argue on the drive. Later, Pri shares her story with Fabiola.