The screen door had just slammed behind her when Angie saw a car pulling up to John’s garage. It was beautiful and sleek and expensive, as was the older woman who was getting out of it. She saw Angie and raised a hand to wave, her perfectly made-up face breaking into a genuine smile. As if Lucy Ogilvie saw nothing odd in the fact that her son’s old girlfriend was coming out of his door early on the morning of the day before he was supposed to be marrying somebody else.

“Why, Angeline, is that you? Love becomes you, sugar. You are all aglow. Now come here and give me a hug.”

John stood at the kitchen window with the phone in his hand listening to it ring.

“Chair’s office.”

“She’s here. I’m looking at Mama and Angie at this very moment, and I don’t think they’re talking about me getting married tomorrow.”

Rob drew in a sharp breath. “Okay, let me explain.”

“You caved.”

“I caved. You know Mama, she’s half bloodhound when it comes to affairs of the heart. But listen, she was delighted to hear that the wedding’s off. She was never so crazy about Caroline.”

“Rob, the wedding isn’t off, not officially. Not yet.” He almost said, not for sure, and stopped himself.

There was a small silence on the other end of the line. Finally Rob said, “She might be a help, if you let her. Things could be worse.”

“It could also be a hell of a lot better,” John said, and hung up the phone. Angie had managed to extract herself and disappear, and now his mother was coming toward the porch. His mother, his beautiful, impossible mother, looked up at him standing in the window and threw him a kiss.

EIGHTEEN

Louisa McCleod Bragg. 1890, Daytona, Florida–1953, Ogilvie, Georgia. Graduated 1910 magna cum laude, Bethune-Cookman College, an institution founded by her aunt Mary McCleod Bethune. Teacher, Ogilvie Colored School, 1910–1945. Married Martin Bragg 1920. There were three children of this marriage: Abraham (1925–1952), Zula (1930–); Maddie (1932–). Mrs. Bragg was arrested twice, in 1950 and 1951, for refusing to leave the polling place when the election board denied her the right to vote. Memberships: Mount Olive African Methodist Episcopal Church (President, Ladies’ Society, 1927–1953; President, Missionary Works, 1926–1953); southeast Georgia chapter NAACP (secretary, 1950–1953); Delta Sigma Theta; Jack and Jill. Profiles in Leadership: The Civil Rights Struggle in Ogilvie

You’re late,” Tony said. “Hey, I don’t think I’ve ever said those words before, but there is a certain ring to them.” He deepened his voice to announcer mode: “Angeline Mangiamele, you are late.”

“So I am,” Angie said, falling into her chair. She avoided Rivera’s gaze and opened her logbook. “Shall we get started?”

“No,” Rivera said.

Angie looked up, closed her eyes in supplication, and opened them again to see that Rivera was unmoved.

“You’ve been crying,” Rivera said. “Spill it, Mangiamele.”