“You heard me. Don’t act so surprised. This ain’t the first time, but it’s damn sure the last. It’s been a long time coming. I been sick of him.”

“Daddy moved out?”

“That’s what I just said, didn’t I?”

“When?”

“Around New Year’s.”

“What?”

“Stop yelling in my damn ears, girl.”

“Why didn’t you tell any of us before now?”

“ ’Cause it ain’t no big deal.”

“No big deal? The man you’ve been married to for almost a half-century is gone and it’s not a big deal? Come on, Mama.”

“I just had a damn asthma attack, what you want me to do, have a heart attack and drop dead over your stupid-ass daddy?”

“No, Mama.”

“I do not miss him.”

I don’t believe her, not for one minute. “So, then, you’re there all by yourself, Mama?”

“Not exactly. Lewis just got here.”

“You’re kidding.”

“I wish I was.”

“Did you ask him to come?”

“Do birds fly north for the winter?”

“How long is he staying?”

“Not long. Lord willing.”

“Is he standing right there?”

“Yep.”

“Has he been drinking?”

“Yep.”

“Is he getting on your nerves yet?”

“Yep.”

“Is he moaning and groaning about Donnetta?”

“Yep.”

“Does he know she got married?”

“Yep.”

“Did you tell him everything, Mama?”

“Yep.”

“Did he get mad?”

“Yep.”

“Why’d you tell him?”

“He made me mad.”

“How? What did he do?”

“Guess.”

“He came with no money and now can’t get home.”

“You guessed it. Plus, he was gon’ find out sooner or later. Anyway, you all set for Easter?”

“Easter? I’m not thinking about anybody’s Easter right now, Mama. You’re getting me confused with your other daughter.”

“You going to church or not?”

“Easter’s a tough one for me, Mama. Too many hats and new clothes, like a Paris runway or something . . .”

“Okay! You made your damn point!”

“Anyway, would you like to come and spend it with me and Dingus?”

“It depends on how I’m feeling. That’s too close to my birthday. Unless of course you planning something special.”

Does she think she’s slick or what?

“First of all, I put a three-hundred-dollar deposit down on this cruise that Loretta talked me into. It’s in June, late June, but I just did it to be doing something.”

“A cruise?”

“Yeah, they go to about five or six islands all over the Caribbean. Don’t ask me where. And don’t ask me how much. Not right now. Plus, me and your daddy gotta get our taxes in order before I do anything, or we gon’ be in big trouble. Anyway, I’ll let you know. Hold on a minute. Your brother wanna say hi.”

“Hello there, sis.”

I switch ears. “Hi, Lewis.”

“I’m fine,” he says, but did I ask him how he was doing? He always does this. “How’s Dingus?”

“He’s fine. How long’re you staying in Las Vegas?”

“Just a few more days, even though I think I like it here. If I could find a decent job, I’d consider staying.”