I took a deep breath and told them what I knew they’d been waiting to hear. “This Friday is payday for me and Odell. I’ll bring the hundred dollars when I come over that night.” I couldn’t remember the last time I saw them smile so fast and wide.

“Joyce, I am so glad to hear that.” Milton danced a jig and clapped his hands. “Tonight, you and Odell can drink on the house.”

“That’s nice of you and thanks. But we don’t mind paying for our drinks.” I sniffed and rubbed my nose. I didn’t like the way the room smelled, so I leaned over the pot on the stove and sniffed some more. “Ewww! I hope that possum tastes better than it smells.” Then I gave Yvonne a stern look. “Girl, I know I’ve mentioned it to you before, but don’t put the salt in that stew until it’s almost done. And the next time, before the water starts to boil, put in a few drops of vinegar to cut that unholy stench.”

“Thanks for giving me more cooking tips, Joyce.” Yvonne glanced toward the living room. Milton snickered again.

“And another thing,” I continued. “I don’t think y’all should trust Sweet Sue to pour drinks. She puts her mouth in some strange places, if you know what I mean. So there is no telling where her hands have been.” I lowered my voice. “By the way, I’d appreciate it if y’all didn’t mention to anybody about our cash gift. We don’t mind sharing, and we’ve loaned money to a lot of folks. But if they find out we gave y’all some money free and clear, they’ll come out of the woodwork with all kinds of sob stories so they can jump on the bandwagon.”

“Joyce, I swear to God, we ain’t going to say nothing. When I get a chance tonight, I’m going to let Odell know myself just how much I appreciate his help,” Milton declared.

“Good. You do that. One more thing, and please don’t take this the wrong way. Odell and I still think that we can lift y’all up to our level of class, spirituality, and sophistication. We know we’ve got our work cut out for us and it’s going to take a lot of time and effort on our part. But we are very patient.” I put the most caring expression I could manage on my face.

From the blank looks on Yvonne’s and Milton’s faces, I had no idea what they were thinking. Had I just offended them? I wondered. I realized that wasn’t the case when Yvonne smiled. “Joyce, I appreciate hearing that.”

Milton smiled, too, and said, “I am so pleased God led us to you and Odell. You just made our day.”