“No problem,” he says, turning away, then stops. “Oh. I wanna call my granny later on to see if she wants me to bring her anything.”

“Okay,” I say.

“I gotta cheer her up. You know I have that power.”

“Yes you do,” I say. “Love you.”

“I love you more,” he says.

I watch him walk away. My baby. On his way to manhood. I like the effect of this pill. Now I feel like I can say exactly what I mean without biting my tongue. I wish I could feel like this all the time, is what I’m thinking as I dial Meagan’s phone number, and she answers. “May I speak to your mother, please?”

“She’s not home, Paris.”

“She doesn’t work. Why isn’t she at home?”

“Because she’s at the grocery store.”

“At seven o’clock in the morning?”

“It’s a twenty-four-hour.”

“Would you ask her to call me as soon as she gets in?”

“Would you mind if I ask why?”

“You figure it out,” I say, and hang up.

Simple bitch. Be nice, Paris. But right now I don’t feel like being nice. I’m nice all the time. To every-fucking-body. I need a break from niceness. So what do I do? Dial Nathan. He deserves a little blast from the past, too. Of course I get his machine, but that’s quite all right. “Nathan, this is Paris. How’ve you been? Good, I hope. The reason I’m calling is just to give you your annual reminder that YOU STILL HAVE A GODDAMN SON, who’ll be turning seventeen any minute, and if you are so moved, perhaps you might consider acknowledging his birthday by way of, say, a FUCKING BIRTHDAY CARD or a phone call. Something. That is, if it’s not too much of an inconvenience, or is your shit still raggedy, Mr. Sports Agent? Do you represent any ATHLETES yet? And did you ever pass the Georgia bar, or did you forget to take it again?”

The machine cuts me off, even though I was just getting started, but it’s okay. I’ve got another call coming in. I can’t imagine who this could be. “Hello.”

“Paris, are you there? Pick up. It’s me,” Mama says.

“It is me, Mama.”

“Oh. You sound just like your machine.”

“How’re you feeling? You’re not home yet, are you? Dingus and I are flying over tomorrow whether you like it or not.”

“Slow down, girl, damn. I go home in the morning. Thank the Lord. I done lost seven pounds I did not intend to lose so fast, being in this place. But I’m feeling much better.”

“Good. Where’s Daddy?”

“Me and your daddy ain’t been getting along.”

“What else is new, Mama? You two never get along.”

“He’s gone.”

“Gone where?”

“Living with some young girl with three kids on welfare in the projects.”

I reach in the desk drawer looking for my pills, but then I realize I don’t have a headache, so I push it shut. “What did you just say?”