Plus, some of the things you make are downright pretty. So think about it. And stop judging your success by everybody elses. Appreciate the talent you got and work from there. Make a good living, don’t live to make it big. Happiness ain’t got no Ph.D. or no certain amount of zeroes behind it. Have some fun. Pretend like the rest of your life is a emergency and you might find a whole lotta happiness right now, which is all I want for you and your sisters and brother. I ain’t got too much else to say, other than please don’t run and try to find a replacement for George. You can survive without a man, baby, believe me. And let one pick you this time. And be picky. Do a background check if you have to. Please take good care of my granddaughter cause she gon’ have some problems. She gon’ have some rough times and I hope you know she gon’ need somebody who specialize in this problem but try to make sure you get somebody that’s been through it theyself and didn’t learn how to cope from no book. Help her learn to be comfortable with herself. Help her understand that this was not her fault and try to get her to realize that George was just one sick man, that most men ain’t like him. Tell her there’s some Cecils in the world, cause your daddy is a good man. Oh yeah, and y’all try to accept Brenda. She ain’t taking my place, she just picking up where I left off, and ain’t nothing wrong with that. Anyway, I’m cooking some chili for me and Shanice and I think it might be sticking. Hey! Maybe you should learn how to become a psychic? I saw a few ads in the back of my Star or Globe, where you can go to school to learn this stuff. Even shuffling them tarak cards. Seem like they make damn good money and pick they own hours. I don’t know about benefits but think about it. Hell, this way you can predict your own damn future. How about that?

“Love,

“Mom

“(P.S. Janelle, I been meaning to tell you this for years. Get a new hairstyle cause the one you been wearing for the past five years done played out.)”

Now everybody is cracking up. Even Charlotte. This is good. This is real good.

“Thank you, Mama!” Janelle yell at the top of her lungs.

“Okay, I’m ready now,” Charlotte say. “And Mama’s right about the hair, Janelle.”

“Shut up, I heard her. It seems only fair that I should read Lewis’s letter to him now. What do you think, Daddy?”

“I ain’t in it. I’m loving every minute of this. Hell, it seem like Viola right in here with us. Maybe we should just ask her.”

“WHO SHOULD GO NEXT, MAMA?!” Janelle scream while pushing Charlotte against the couch, and she starts reading anyway.

“April 15, 1994

“Dear Lewis: