I done a neck roll so extreme, it made my shoulders ache. “You think this is a man’s world, huh? Where would you men be without us women? And, if it wasn’t for us, y’all wouldn’t exist in the first place.”

“Um, you got a point there.” Milton giggled. He stopped abruptly and got serious again. “I didn’t make the rules, sugar. The truth is, women and business don’t mix. Some men don’t think a woman is sharp-witted enough to do it proper. That’s why there ain’t no women running big businesses in this town.”

I looked upside Milton’s head, wondering what made his brain function. Whatever it was, it wasn’t doing too good of a job. I didn’t want to punch him again because it wouldn’t do no good. And I didn’t want to reopen none of his wounds. “Humph. What about Aunt Mattie? She got more tricks coming to her place than all them other colored whorehouses put together. And Mosella Cramden been running her restaurant without no help from a man as far back as I can remember. And . . . and what about Joyce’s mama? She helped Mac make MacPherson’s a big success. Them three is the most successful colored businesswomen in Branson.” I was talking so fast, I almost lost my breath. That was the main reason I hushed up when I did.

“Pffft.” The way Milton waved his hand in my face, you would have thought he was shooing a fly. “They don’t count. Husky old gorgons like them lost their female appeal so long ago, they might as well be men now.”

I rolled my eyes. “All right then. You go talk to Odell without me. You just better make sure you lay out a good enough story about how we have to pay Lamar back for getting us out of jail. You have to make him feel sorry enough for us, he can’t say no.”

“Baby, I already got my speech ready.”

“Okay, we’ll see.”

“You worry too much. You ought to know by now that I ain’t going to let you down.”

“I know you won’t, and that’s why I love you so much.” We ignored the other people standing at the bus stop, and we kissed long and hard. My lips felt so good after he pulled away. But then he stared at me so hard I got nervous. “Why you staring at me like that? My breath stink?”

Milton sniffed and looked me up and down as he licked his lips. “Girl, if your breath smelled like cow dung, it wouldn’t stink to me. I’m staring at you because you so beautiful. Look at them big baby-doll eyes, that long black hair, your flawless, high-yellow skin tone, and that tight little body.”