When we pull in the driveway, some white man in a beige suit is getting out a white Saturn in front of my house, but I ain’t got a clue who he is. “Can I help you?” I say.

“Are you Viola Price?” he asks.

“Yes I am, why?”

“I have something for you,” he says, and walks over and hands me a envelope.

“What’s this?”

“I’m not sure. But could you sign here for me, please.”

“Okay,” I say, and sign on the line next to my name.

“Did I win something?”

“Could be a trip or something,” he says, and gets back in his car and drives off.

It’s kinda obvious that this ain’t no trip or no Clearing House Sweepstakes kinda win. After I get in the house, I sit on the couch and even without my glasses I can see this envelope is from Family Court. I open it. It’s divorce papers from Cecil. “Shanice! Get Granny’s spray, would you?”

“Where’s your purse?” she asks.

Shit. “I left it in the car. But it should be one by my bed. Hurry up.”

My chest is getting tight again. Shit. I ain’t in the mood for this right now. Cecil want a divorce, huh? Well, good-goddamn-riddance. You just beat me to the punch, buster. Save me a whole lotta money. You can have a divorce all right.

“Here, Granny.”

After two puffs, I feel better.

“Are you all right?”

“Yeah. Look in the second kitchen drawer on the left and get your granny a pen and then go in my bedroom and pull out that night-table drawer and get me some envelopes, the writing tablet with the birds on the front, and one twenty-nine-cent stamp. And see if we got any messages on the machine while you in there. Paris been in London for damn near a week and I ain’t heard a word from that huzzy. I asked her to buy me one of them Princess Di hats. She could call some-damn-body.”

“Okay, Granny. You sure you’re all right?”

“Yeah, I’m just wheezing. Too much excitement. Fresh paint and gas kinda gets to me. I just need to sit here and relax, do a breathing treatment, and I’ll be fine. Damnit! I missed my stories today! Would you turn on Oprah for me? Wait a minute. On second thought, I don’t feel like listening to her ass today. Put it on BET.”

“Okay, Granny.”

“And could you run and get the mail?”

“Okay, Granny.”

I hear Paris’s voice: “Hi, Mama. Hi, Shanice. I’m having an amazing time over here. And don’t worry. I got your hat. Shanice. I got you something cute, too. Hope everybody’s doing fine. I’ll be home in a couple of days. It’s been a very fruitful trip. All around. Call Dingus at his friend Jason’s house if you feel like it, Mama. I left you that number, remember? Anyway, I love you. Call you when I get home.”

When Shanice comes out with what I asked her to get, I pick up them papers and sign ’em so fast it makes me laugh out loud.