In Gloria Naylor's Mama Day, Mama Day and her sister, Abigail, share a strong family bond. Mama Day always greets Abigail with “You there, Sister?” Abigail always responds with “Uh, huh.” Let's look at this more closely.

When Mama Day, whose real name is Miranda, was five years old and Abigail was three years old, their sister, Peace, died. That night, Miranda crept into her sister's bed and woke up Abigail, asking “You there, Sister?” To which Abigail replied, “Uh, huh.” Miranda wanted to make sure that her surviving sister was still alive and well. The two girls then curled up under the quilt. They were “four arms and legs, two heads, one heartbeat.”

This unity remains throughout the sister's lives. They are soulmates, and they know each other so intimately that they can tell what each other is thinking even without speaking. Their bond is strong, yet they always seek the assurance that the two of them are present to each other with the question “You there, Sister?” and the accompanying response “Uh, huh.”