It was Millicent. Not the Millicent of the night before at the Redneck, but an older, tired version with no makeup and uncombed hair, wearing the same outfit she had had on at the Redneck, which had obviously been slept in.

“Good morning, y’all. I’m sorry Fairchild bothered you. I had a couple of drinks and I’m not used to it, and I just plain went to sleep in the parking lot at the Redneck.” Millicent smiled wanly. “I’m real embarrassed about it.”

“Don’t worry your head about it, Millicent,” Sister said. “It happens to all of us sometimes. We’re just happy to see you’re okay.”

“Thanks.” Millicent looked relieved.

“You want some coffee?” I asked.

Millicent shook her head. “I’ve got to go calm Fairchild down. Did you know he was about to call the sheriff?”

“He was scared,” Sister said.

“I know. I’m sorry.”

“Her eyes were tragic pools of brimming tears,” I said as Sister closed the door. I scooted down the hall out of her reach.

“Hmmm,” Sister said. “Hmmm.”

“And what was that ‘it happens to all of us’ bit? I’ve never gotten drunk and passed out in a parking lot.”

Sister looked at me, looked through me. “What have you done, Patricia Anne?” She walked into her bedroom and shut the door.

Oh, God. I walked back heavily to Sister’s balcony where the sweetrolls I had acted a fool about cooking stared at me accusingly. What had I done? Had I ever been as kind, as generous, as much fun as Sister? I sat down wearily while angst and existentialism covered me like a blanket.

“You okay, Mama?” Haley was dressed in pink shorts and a white T-shirt. Her strawberry blonde hair and olive skin seemed to glow in the sunlight reflected from the beach. Well, I had done this, I thought. I had produced this golden woman.

“I’m okay,” I said. “Just thinking.”

“You look sad. You’re sure you’re all right?”

“I’m fine. What time is it?”

“About ten. What was all that commotion early this morning?”

I was explaining Millicent’s disappearance when Mary Alice walked out onto the balcony and handed me several sheets of paper. “Here,” she said, and went back into the apartment.

“You and Aunt Sister have a fight?” Haley asked.

“Not really. I think I’d better read this right away, though.”

“I’ll go get some cereal.”