“Then why are you taking two?”

“Because I need two. Now shut up,” I say, and dial the store number. “Yes, hello, my name is Paris Price and I’m calling on behalf of Viola Price, she’s my mother, and I understand she has a dining-room set on layaway.”

“Yes, I waited on Viola. She practically lived in our store. She’s such a character! We just adore her. Is someone coming to pick her set up, or is she ready to arrange for delivery?”

“I wish I could say yes to one of those, but my mother just passed away, and my sister and I are going through her things and we found the receipt, and we’re not sure what to do about it.”

“Oh my. I’m terribly sorry to hear this. The other salespeople are going to be just crushed when I tell them. She even brought us some sweet-potato pie once because we’d never tasted it. What happened?”

“She had an asthma attack.”

“I’m so sorry. Please let us know where her service is being held so we can send flowers—or if she had a favorite charity, or if there’s anything else your family needs, do let us know. She was our friend.”

“Thank you.”

“And as far as the furniture is concerned, whatever you want us to do, we’ll do. We can refund the money. It wouldn’t be a problem.”

“I hadn’t thought that far ahead yet.”

“Well, I’m Nolene. I can get a refund check out to you in three or four days if you like.”

“That would be fine. And thank you. Thank you very much.”

I hang up the phone and look at Janelle. “They’re giving Mama her money back.”

“But Mama’s not here, Paris, and it was your money.”

“Whatever. We can use it to help pay for her . . .” and the phone rings again.

“I’ll get it,” Janelle says. “Hello. Oh, hi, Charlotte. Yeah. Paris and I are here. Yes, Lewis will be there. Yes. Everything’s going fine. What about there? Well, we just looked in Mama’s junk drawer and found out she had a cherrywood dining-room set on layaway at Thomasville and had put two thousand dollars on it and owes a little more than three. . . . What? They’re refunding the money. What? Wait. Hold on a minute.” Janelle covers the mouthpiece with her hand. “Charlotte says she wants the dining-room set.”

“What?”

“You heard me.”

“She can’t have it.”

“Paris said you can’t have it. Hold on a minute.” She covers the phone again. “She wants to talk to you.”

I take the phone. “Charlotte, what would make you think you should get this dining-room set?”

“ ’Cause it was Mama’s, that’s why.”

“It isn’t Mama’s. It’s not even paid for.”

“She was paying for it.”

“But it’s not paid for, Charlotte. It’s still at the store. It’s not even in the house.”

“Me and Mama had the same taste, and I don’t see why I can’t have something to remind me of her. If I wanna finish paying for it, that’s my business, not yours!”