I heard Violet’s voice in my head: “Ronni, you are so pretty. You should see yourself the way I see you.” I never believed her, mainly because any boy who’d ever gotten close enough to see the real me had disappeared. I responded every time by growing a protective layer of fat. It was very effective.

I went and plopped on the bed, swept my writing paraphernalia aside, and wiggled my toes for Halle to attack. She obliged and I rested my head on the pillow, where I must have fallen deep into a sleep abyss. I woke to find her paws gripping the side of the mattress, staring me awake at six a.m. The clock screamed at me to hurry. Halle obliged by running to the kitchen and prying open the louvered doors concealing cat food and Pop Tarts.

I arrived at work five minutes late wearing one Reebok and one Nike, wondering if I should be allowed to dress old people when I rarely managed to do the job properly for myself. At least both shoes were white. I took a little consolation in that.

“Ronni,” Donna waved me into her office, “a Mr. Sobel’s office in Birmingham called this morning, looking for you. I told them you’d return their call on your break. Is this about Herb Andrews’ lawsuit?”

“Um, I don’t know, Donna. I don’t think so.”

She looked deeply concerned. Donna was always deeply concerned when litigation loomed, and it often did at nursing homes. Attorneys practically perched like vultures in the oaks by the driveway, though Fairfield had never been found guilty of negligence.

“How did she get in that room, Ronni? You’re going to be deposed, you know, and I need to hear the truth. We have to take this very seriously.”

I opted for semi-honesty. “She got there all by herself, Donna.”

Donna offered her most skeptical look but relented into a nod. “Okay, then. Call this number and let me know what Mr. Sobel wants if it’s work-related.”

“I will, Donna.” I put the scrap of paper in my pocket and went to pull charts. Kait caught my eye and waved as she adjusted Mrs. Nealy’s glasses for the first of a thousand times for the day. A minute later she joined me.

“Nothing much going on,” she informed me, “other than Aronson’s office moved Mrs. Ledbetter’s exam up to eight fifteen this morning.”

“Well, at least that will shut her up.”

“Not if she needs pruning,” Kait said.

“I think she’s pruning quite well on her own.”

“That she is, Ronni.” Kait grinned and handed me a tray of meds. “Let’s hand out goodies and offer cheerful encourage-ment.”

“You’re chipper this morning, Kait.” I eyed her up and down, looking for clues. “Did you see Kyle last night?”

“Saw him, did him, said bye this morning.”

“You’re such a delicate flower.”