Pleasant goose bumps formed on her arms as Sherry breathed into her ear. Get a grip! She had gotten so good at ignoring the effect Sherry had on her. At least that’s what she told herself many times a day. Then she became aware of Sherry’s words. Melancholic? That description would never have crossed her mind.

“Stop whispering like two teenagers,” Grandmother Eileen said. “What kind of role model are you for the boy?” She rolled her eyes. “It’s time to say grace.”

Jake looked from Sherry to Rita Mae, who took a seat beside him.

Grandmother Eileen stared at Rita Mae. “You’re eating with us at the table?”

“She’s part of the family,” Sherry said.

“Madison, you won’t allow your kitchen help to—”

“That’s exactly what I intend to do, Grandmother. We always eat together, and I don’t plan to change that today.”

Rita Mae stood. “Maybe it would be better if I—”

“No.” Madison stood as well. “Please sit down again. Grandmother, you’re our guest. We are…” She took a deep breath and tried to sound at least halfway honest when she continued. “…glad to have you with us tonight. But that doesn’t change the fact that Rita Mae is as welcome at this table as you are or me.”

Grandmother Eileen pressed her lips together and held out her hands to say grace.

Rita Mae was still standing, obviously unsure what to do.

“Please sit down,” Sherry said, and to Jake, “We’ll hold hands now to thank God for our dinner.”

Jake frowned. “But Rita Mae prepared dinner. Shouldn’t we thank her?”

Madison burst out laughing. She tried to hide it with a cough. “You’re right, but if not for God, we wouldn’t have had the money to pay for—”

“What has that to do with God? Mom and you work to—”

“Enough,” Grandmother Eileen snarled. “Good grace, this child doesn’t know about the most basic things.” She leaned over to him. “Before we eat, we have to say grace to thank God. That’s just how it is.”

Jake’s expression showed his confusion.

Madison would have bet a thousand bucks that he would ask more questions, but instead he just took Madison’s and Rita Mae’s hands and waited to see what would happen next.

With a polite nod, Madison signaled Grandmother Eileen that she could say grace before taking Sherry’s warm hand in hers.

“God our Father, Lord, and Savior, we thank you for this meal you brought to our table and that Madison has managed not to shame her family name in recent weeks.”

Sherry squeezed Madison’s hand as if trying to tell her that she should ignore this part.

Grandmother Eileen never said grace without a dig in her direction. That would never change and almost didn’t hurt anymore. Madison squeezed back to let Sherry know she had nothing to worry about.