When I got outside, I stood in front of the store and stared in the window at the Christmas decorations next to the new frocks Odell had put on display. There was a black-and-white striped suit with a double-breasted jacket that would have made me look as sharp as a tack. I was tempted to go back inside and tell Odell to give it to me so I could wear it at the Christmas party me and Yvonne was thinking about hosting. But that five hundred dollars felt so good in my pocket, I didn’t want to go back and take a chance on him saying something else to upset me and ruin my mood even more. This was probably going to be the last time I visited MacPherson’s, so I focused my attention on that suit for another minute. I wanted to savor the moment.

* * *

Willie Frank picked me and Yvonne up after work and drove us home. We was going to use his truck to take Joyce out, and he was going to stay at the house and hold down the fort for us.

Me and Yvonne took turns peeping out the window until we seen the car that belonged to the lady Joyce rode to and from work with. After she piled out and went in her house, we didn’t waste no time going over there.

“I’m sorry I’m running late,” she said as she beckoned us in. “Just as Patsy and I were leaving the school, she remembered she had hung some clothes on the line yesterday evening and forgot to get them off this morning and bring them inside. She tried to call her husband to tell him to do it, but he didn’t answer the phone. Anyway, she had to rush to her house before she brought me home and take them down before they got too stiff. I told her she shouldn’t be hanging clothes on the line outside this late in the year in the first place. It’s way too chilly, and it looks like rain is on the way. This time of year, I hang my clothes on the lines Odell hung up in the attic.”

I was in no mood to listen to her mundane comments about laundry details, so I prodded her along. “Um, me and Yvonne didn’t eat much lunch, so we’d better get going before we get too weak,” I said with a grin as I rubbed my belly.

“Oh, okay. I ate one sandwich for lunch so I’m pretty hungry myself.” Then she started grinning. “Y’all have a seat while I run in the bathroom and splash on one of my smell-goods and change into the outfit I bought just to wear for this evening.” She abruptly stopped talking. “Are we still going to an out-of-town restaurant?”