“If you need to talk. About anything at all, darling, please come see me. You know where I live, and most afternoons I’m at the library.”

I got woozy in my head. My brain turned into clouds. I could hear Gloria stomping around upstairs.

“You best put that in the fridge,” she said. She pointed at the food. Then Mrs. Spooner turned around and walked up the driveway. The dish in my arms got heavier and heavier, but I watched until I couldn’t see her no more.

When I went inside, Gloria was coming down the stairs. She had on a polka-dot dress and her hair was combed neat. She was holding her purse.

“I just got to get out of the house, Bids. I got to do something.”

I shook my head.

“And I figured, my teeth are so gritty these days, I’m going to go in and get them cleaned.”

“At the dentist?” I said.

“No.” She looked at herself in the mirror. “I don’t got no cavities. I just need to see a hygienic person. I think that’s what they’re called.”

“Oh,” I said. I opened my mouth. My heart started going tak-tak-tak.

“Apparently there’s an excellent one just across from your father’s garage. Belinda’s lending me her car, so I won’t be late. I had no trouble getting an appointment. They don’t seem very busy.”

I swallowed. “Can I go to Shar’s?”

“Of course you can. Erma already invited you over,” she said. “You can play with Sharlene. And I don’t want you twiddling your thumbs while you’re there.” Gloria tied a rope to Chicken’s collar and then pushed open the screen door. “You can take him with you and snip the burrs out of his fur.”

“Okay,” I said.

“That’s my good girl. Go and get changed. Erma’ll give you breakfast.” I hurried and got out of my nightgown and into a sundress that was bunched up on the floor. Then Gloria walked me and Chicken over to Erma’s house. Shar was already gone swimming with Darrell because no one knew I was coming, not even Erma. Erma asked if I wanted to come in, but I stayed on the front porch. Gloria walked next door and got keys from Mrs. Murtry and drove away. I watched, but she forgot to wave. Aunt Erma gave me a grape Popsicle. “It’ll be okay, love,” she said. “Your mom needs to clear her head.”

She gave me tiny scissors to cut all the sticky burrs out of Chicken’s fur. Then Aunt Erma gave me a peanut butter sandwich. I waited and waited, and I took the metal bit from Carl out of my pocket and rolled it around in my fingers.