a purple bottle filled with water and colored stones on the bottom , a cheshire cat , aquamarine , menacingly perched on the mantle , mommys hands on the piano , back and forth , creeping across pearl white keys like the crabs across the sand , smells of black-eyed bean soupsimmering , mommy laughing , nice mommy , throwing her head back , her hair cascading like a fountain over dark stones , down her back .