She goes to the cabinet and pulls out another mug. “Put those down,” she says, pointing at Caitlyn’s things. She fills the mug with coffee, carries it to the kitchen table, sits in a chair, and pats the seat next to her. “Sit down and tell me everything.”

“Mildred, I don’t think—”

She pats the chair, again, and repeats with a little more insistence, “Everything.”

There’s no escape.

“Fine.” I sit in the chair and take the coffee. “But you have to promise not to tell Caitlyn because it could cause a lot of problems at her school.”

She blinks. “Caitlyn? Why would I tell Caitlyn? What does this have to do with her school? What problems?”

Oh, Goddamnit.

I try to hide my face by looking at the table. “Well … you know, I don’t know how she would react if she knew I had dinner with … umm … another woman.”

She’s not buying a word of it. “Daniel?”

I reluctantly raise my eyes to meet her stare.

“What does this have to do with Caitlyn?”

I sigh. “It was her teacher.”

I’m worried Mildred’s jaw is going to crash through the table.

“But, Mildred, please. I’m serious. It wasn’t a date. It was a very pleasant dinner and Caitlyn can never know, because it could get her teacher in a lot of trouble at school.”

She ditches the teasing. “You don’t have to tell me everything. Just what you want to.”

I recount the evening, except the part about my lunatic detour into the supernatural. I tell her how we connected and about Denise’s son, which I know there’s no danger she’ll repeat to anyone.

Once I’m done, Mildred sits back with her coffee.

“You going to see her, again?”

“I hope so. I wouldn’t mind us having dinner from time to time.”

“Think it might grow into something more serious?”

“No. Just friends.”

“You sure? You don’t think it might grow into something a little more ‘naked’?”

“Mildred!”

“I’m kidding! I’m kidding!” She laughs.

I sip my coffee and wait for her to settle down.

She wipes her eyes and catches her breath. “Daniel, I’m so glad. I can’t tell you how much better you look.”

“I feel a lot better.”

“Good.” She shrugs. “And I’m just saying that if nudity should happen—”

“Mildred, stop.”

She smiles.

*