“Dave Foster.” Pa extended his hand and she shook it.

“You sure are a purty Black woman,” Boss commented, his grin spreading.

“Thank you, young man.” Foxy’s lips curled into a slight smile.

“Boss!” Pa nudged him on the shoulder. “Mrs. Foxy, he didn’t mean no harm by that. Land’s sake. You probably thinking I’m raising a bunch of heathens with no manners.”

“No, I think you’re raising truth speakers. I am Black. A woman. And my Jinx says I’m beautiful, too.” Foxy discreetly tucked a stack of cards inside a wooden box when Boston reached for them. She handed him a beaded necklace and he instantly forgot about the cards. The rest of us were given necklaces as well. “Phoenix was trying to talk me into coming home with him. Said his mother can’t even get out the bed and that Ox doesn’t cook as good.” There was a little bit of tease tingeing her tone, but her sparkling face remained neutral as her onyx eyes found me. She winked. “I told him I’m not a good cook either.”

I expected Pa to scold Phoenix, gather us up, and move on. Instead, he grabbed a chair and struck up a conversation with the fortune-teller. “My wife is due soon with twins. We run a farm and Edie works enough for two grown men, but she’s going to have her hands full with the babies. You wouldn’t happen to be looking for a change from this, would ya?” Pa gestured toward the tent.

“Change is a part of life. I’m always looking for it.” She tapped a long purple nail against her dark-red lips. “But my Jinx isn’t one for change.”

When Foxy shared with Pa that her husband worked the petting zoo and livestock exhibit, he left the young’uns with me and took off like a shot. I couldn’t understand what kind of wild hair came across him to suddenly be looking for farm help. He was known for wild hairs, though, and it wasn’t out of character for him to offer up the guesthouse out on the farm to folks.

Later, Pa returned with a frowning man. Average height but skinny as a rail, Jinx Deveraux was opposite of his flashy wife. He smoothed the thick mustache above his lips while Pa tried selling him on the idea of farm living.

“My granddaddy and my daddy done an’ worked for the man. I ain’t gonna let my queen live oppressed.” Jinx bent and placed a kiss on Foxy’s cheek, then went back to rejecting Pa’s offer of food and board in exchange for helping out at the farm.