“I’m sorry to hear that. How did Ellamae treat you?”

I groaned as we sat down on the couch. “Same old, same old. She even went fishing with us Friday evening. Just when the fish started biting, a daddy longlegs spider crawled up her leg and she almost fainted. A few minutes after that, a frog hopped into her lap while she was sitting on the ground baiting a fishhook.” I threw my head back and laughed. “That was enough for her. She got so hysterical, we had to leave right away. Me and Daddy couldn’t stop laughing. When we got back to the house, she cussed a blue streak at us for putting her life ‘in danger.’ When it was time to go to bed, she made me sleep on the living-room couch instead of in their spare bed.”

“I’m not laughing because there is nothing funny about a woman being attacked by a spider and a frog. I’ve had my share of encounters with weevils and lizards, so I know how traumatic things like that can be. It sounds like Ellamae was really mad at you.”

“Well, I guess she was. She wouldn’t have been spooked by them creatures if I hadn’t took her and Daddy fishing. Me and him laughing about it made it worse. But she claimed I had to sleep on that rickety couch because they was airing out the mattress on the spare bed. Long as my legs is, I had to lay with them hanging over the top of the couch arm. My legs is still stiff,” I complained.

Joyce caressed my cheek. “You poor thing. It sounds like you had the weekend from hell.” She finally laughed. “I’m glad I didn’t go with you, and I don’t plan on going anytime soon. I hope you don’t mind.”

“Sugar, I don’t care if you never go back out there with me. Daddy understands.”

“Well, I can’t overlook my responsibilities as a Christian. I need to be a little more tolerant, but I don’t want Ellamae to ruin my holiday spirit. I’ll go out there with you after the first of the year. Now remember, I’d like to spend Thanksgiving alone with you like we planned. And I told Mama and Daddy we’d spend Christmas with them.”

“Let’s talk about all that later. I’m too tired and wore out to deal with it now,” I protested, patting her knee.

“I hope you’re not too tired to go next door for a little while.”

I froze. Bile rose in my throat so fast, I had to hold my breath for a few seconds. “Next door?”