Sherry grinned. “I think we should start this at the beginning.” She took a deep breath. “It all started with Danielle asking Madison for help about her expertise regarding women.”

“Expertise?” Rita Mae laughed.

“Hey, that’s not funny.” Madison stood when they were done eating. “I know plenty about women and I’m irresistible to them.”

“I have no problems resisting you,” Rita Mae said.

Sherry stood as well and collected the dishes. Leaning closer to Madison, she whispered, “Me neither.”

Madison liked the feel of Sherry’s breath on her ear, but her self-confidence had taken a blow. “However, Danielle has arranged to meet her sweetheart at the movies. Are you game for a lesbian double date?”

Sherry’s eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. “We’re going to the movies?”

“If you want.”

“Oh, I haven’t been to the movies in forever.”

“Can I come too?” Jake asked.

“Not this time, grasshopper, because it’s late in the evening.”

“Oh, c’mon.”

“Wait a minute,” Rita Mae said. “Danielle is a lesbian too?”

Madison picked up the almost empty plates when she realized what she was doing. What the heck? She was paying Rita Mae to do this. To make a point—even if just to herself—she put the plates back on the table. If Sherry thought she had to help, that was fine, but it had nothing to do with her. “I don’t know about her being a lesbian, but she’s very much into this hot and definitely female mechanic.”

“Mom, what’s a lesbian?”

Everybody froze.

Sherry paled and swallowed. “A…a lesbian is a woman who loves women instead of men.”

Jake pondered that for a moment while looking back and forth between Sherry and Madison. “So you and Madison are—?”

Rita Mae jumped up, took two bowls from the table, and went to the kitchen without commenting.

“What’s up with her?” Jake asked quietly.

Madison breathed a sigh of relief that Jake’s line of thought seemed to be interrupted for the time being. She feigned a lightness she didn’t feel and leaned over to him. “I think she’s jealous. She wants to go to the movies too.”

Jake nodded. When he didn’t ask more questions, Sherry’s shoulders relaxed visibly while she continued to clean the table.

The following evening, Madison and Sherry were arriving late to the movie theater.

After Madison had parked the car in the underground garage, Sherry stopped her from getting out despite the time. “It’s been a while since Lillian’s birthday party, so I wanted to remind you of what we talked about afterward back then.”