When I seen that the coast was clear, I snatched one of the biggest bottles off the shelf. I needed to be prepared in case Yvonne and Milton needed more than a few doses. All I had to do now was figure out how I was going to get it in them devils’ vile bodies.

* * *

When I got home from work, Joyce was in the kitchen cooking fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, mustard greens, and hush puppies. “Hi, honey,” she said when I kissed the back of her neck. When she spun around, I kissed her on the lips. “I’m cooking enough in case Yvonne and Milton decide to come back this evening.”

My chest and stomach got tight and I moved a few inches away from her. “Why would you think they’d be coming back over here this evening? They told you that?”

“Not exactly. After I got supper started, I decided to go sweep off the back porch. Yvonne was in her backyard hanging clothes on the line. I tried to get back inside before she saw me, but I didn’t make it. First, she wanted to know if she could borrow some clothespins. When I brought them to her, she told me they might see us later. I told her we wouldn’t be coming over tonight. Before I could stop myself, I said how sorry I was we hadn’t been able to keep company with them when they came over Thanksgiving evening.”

“Why did you apologize? She should have apologized to you for them showing up uninvited when you had already told her we wanted to be alone. Shoot.”

“Odell, don’t make a big deal out of nothing,” Joyce insisted. She wiped her hands on her apron and started walking toward the living room with me close behind. “I’m really looking forward to that supper they offered me. If we upset them, they might change their minds.”

We plonked down on the couch. Before either one of us could speak again, the telephone rung and Joyce grabbed it. While she was chatting with her mama, I went to use the toilet.

When I got back to the living room, she had hung up. “Baby, that was Mama. Mervis and Jubal got back home from visiting their son in Mobile. They want Mama and Daddy to come to Lexington this evening to eat supper with them.”

“That’s a long drive,” I commented, sitting back down on the couch. “The way your daddy drags along, it’ll be pitch-black by the time they get there. Why don’t they wait and go in the morning?”

“Mervis is cooking ribs, collard greens, and spoon bread for supper. Mama and Daddy are afraid everything will get gobbled up if they don’t get over there this evening. They’re going to spend the night.”

“You going with them?”