“Not a bad idea some days.” Jody laughed with her, but her expression changed when her phone rang. “Speak of the devil.” She put it on speaker and kept sewing beads on a veil. “Hello, Mama.”

“I heard that you and Paula moved into the upstairs of that house y’all bought for a shop, and that Mitzi is living with Graham Harrison. I’m glad her mama has done passed and don’t know that her daughter ain’t no better than mine,” Wanda said.

“You are on speakerphone,” Jody said.

“Good. I ain’t sayin’ nothing I wouldn’t say in church. It’s a cryin’ shame the way young people today just live together without a marriage license. Society might accept such things, but I don’t.” Wanda’s voice got higher with each word.

“I assure you, ma’am, I’m not living with Graham,” Mitzi said in a tight voice. “Paula and I talked about moving in here when we bought the place, but we wanted to keep work and our private lives separate.”

“What changed your mind? Graham Harrison living just down the road?” Wanda asked.

“Space changed our minds,” Jody said. “And finances. We don’t have to pay rent here, and besides, after the way you’ve treated me, I don’t owe you an explanation.”

“I treated you?” Wanda screamed. “You disgraced me by living with Lyle. Now look where that got you. I called to invite you to supper Friday night, but after that comment I’m not going to. Goodbye!”

Jody tapped the phone screen and left it lying on the table. “Well, ain’t that nice.”

Paula frowned.

Mitzi reminded her that was the punch line from an old joke where a country girl told her rich city cousin that her husband had sent her to finishing school to say “Ain’t that nice” rather than “Screw you!”

Paula remembered the joke and giggled. It soon turned into laughter and a guffaw that had her snorting. Then Mitzi and Jody joined in, and the twins came in from the kitchen.

“What’s so funny?” Dixie asked.

“Mothers,” Paula said.

Tabby raised a hand. “Testify, ladies.”

That set everyone off on another bout of laughter. When Paula snorted again, Dixie got tickled, and soon all five of them were wiping tears.

“Our mother ain’t funny,” Dixie finally said.

“No, she’s downright crazy.” Tabby nodded.

“Join the crowd.” Jody took another tissue from the box and then tossed the whole box toward Tabby.

“Oh, yeah,” Paula said.

“What about you, Mitzi?”

“Her mama was a saint,” Paula said. “She loved Mitzi just the way she is, took up for her when anyone said a word about her size, and told her every day that she was beautiful. Me and Jody weren’t so lucky.”