“Thank you.” Paula shot a dirty look toward her sister. “It’s nice someone will stand up for me.”

“Hey, don’t go shootin’ daggers at me. I’ve stood up for you lots of times,” Selena said.

“Name one, please.” Paula could hear the coldness in her own voice.

Gladys tipped up her chin and looked down her nose at Jody. “Young lady, don’t you use that tone with me or Paula’s sister, who was good enough to drive up here. So watch your smart mouth.”

“I’m pregnant,” Paula spit out.

Gladys turned her focus to Paula. “You are what? And you didn’t even invite me to the wedding or tell me that you got married? What kind of daughter are you anyway?”

“I’m not married. I’m not getting married. I will be a single parent. And now that I’ve told you, I’ll be leaving.” Paula’s hands knotted into fists as she glared at her sister.

“I knew it was terrible news.” Selena hopped up and went nose to nose with Paula. “You’re ruining the family name. We’ll never be able to hold our heads up in Celeste again. God almighty, Paula, don’t you even know how to use birth control?”

“Well, I expected it years ago, with the friends you ran with. Do you even know who it belongs to?” Gladys screeched.

“I do, but I’m not marrying him,” Paula said.

“If you’re going to raise up a bastard child, I’d just as soon you didn’t bring it around here,” Gladys snapped. “Matter of fact, why don’t you just stay away from now on. Selena, I’ll need you to sit with me to be sure I don’t have a heart attack over this. Oh, sweet Jesus,” Gladys moaned. “They might even throw me out of my church. Girl, get me an extra nerve pill right now.”

“Look what you’ve done,” Selena spat.

Gladys pointed at the door. “You can go now. And don’t come back. You are dead to me.”

Paula had expected her mother to yell at her, but to disown her completely cut to the center of her heart. “But Mama—”

Gladys sighed dramatically as if it were her last breath. “Just go. Selena will take care of me.”

“If you change your mind, you’ve got my number.” With tears in her eyes, she started outside.

“Just get out,” Selena yelled. “You’ve done enough damage for one day. If Mama dies, this is on you.”

Paula could hear her riffling through the multiple pill bottles on the cabinet. She could have told her what the “nerve pills” were called, but instead she kept walking.