I never saw Mama so heartbroken as when I told her where we were going. She tried her best to be happy for us. Deep in her heart, she knew this was the best thing that could’ve ever happened to us, but that mighty part of her that simply clung to me and Eileen would not release us gently, and she was constantly in tears until the cab came to get us that Monday morning. “You keep her close to you on that plane ride,” she said, tugging Eileen’s blanket snug under her chin. “And don’t let nobody hold her until you get to know them a little. “Call me when you get there so I’ll know you’re okay--" “I will, Mama.” “Don’t forget,” she said sternly. “I’m goin’ ta worry myself sick here until I hear from you.” “I know, Mama, I will.” “Don’t go wanderin’ off without Roger until you get to know the place. There’s no tellin’ what could happen to a beautiful woman like you in a strange country.” “It’s not another country, Mama. It’s still part of the U.S.” “Oh, I know that,” she grumbled. “But it might as well be. It’s certainly not Roe.” For that, I was thankful, but I didn’t say so. Mama stopped and looked at me, her cheeks slick with tears. “I’m gonna miss you, Daughter,” she said tenderly. “I never imagined your carefree spirit would take you halfway around the world. I know you’ve wanted this all your life, and I’m sorry if I’ve held you back.” “You haven’t, Mama,” I interrupted, taking her hand. “Don’t do that, Rita,” she said gently. “Now you just listen to me. I know you weren’t made for Roe, and I’ve never had any intention of tryin’ ta keep you here. I just thank God for the time He gave me this past year.” She touched Eileen’s face. “I got to see my grandbaby born. That’s all I’ve ever asked for. That, and for you to be happy.” All my life, I just knew I’d never miss Roe. I just knew, when I got the chance, I’d leave Roe and never look back, and now that it was happening, a large piece of me was being ripped apart from the rest of me, and I’d leave it here with Mama, here in the bland little farmhouse I grew up in. Even at that moment, I wouldn’t have chosen to stay on. But as much as I couldn’t wait to take that first step out of Louisiana, the last thing I wanted to do was leave Mama. My tears came hot and fast. “I’m gonna miss you, Mama.” We embraced, with Eileen pressed between us. I wished I could carry that moment with me like a letter in a scented envelope. Mama shivered and pried away from me. She kissed Eileen, then kissed me, and nudged me into the cab. “Do call me the minute you land,” she sobbed. “I’ll be waitin’ by the phone.” “I will, Mama, I promise,” I said through tears. “God go with you, child!” The cab meandered down the drive and turned left onto Cavanaugh Lane, and out the back window, I watched Mama stand waving until she disappeared in a cloud of Louisiana dust. # The cake was just a bit brown when I took it out of the oven, but when I stabbed the center of it with a knife, I saw it was still moist. I’d planned to trim the cake with white icing and pretty pink and yellow roses, but after the phone call with Roger, I decided all I’d do was slather the icing on thick and top it with a plastic carnation I had in the drawer. Eileen played in the living room, and I remembered the anxiety I’d been trying to ignore; oh, how I didn’t want to take her to that darned nursery. I thought for sure Eileen would throw a hissy fit when she saw I was leaving without her, and I just wasn’t prepared to walk away from that. I stuck my finger in my mouth and began to chew on the nail until I realized I was revisiting that nervous habit after almost ten years of breaking it. Instead, I stepped out into the backyard for a breath of fresh air while the cake cooled. “Hi there, Rita!” Angel called from next door. I looked over to see her sunning in a lawn chair, shoulders bare and eye hidden behind a pair of stylish red sunglasses. “Hi, Angel.” She stood and walked over to me, slipping her arms back into her bathing suit straps. “You getting ready to go to the coffee? Oh, are you baking? It smells divine.” “Thank you,” I said, wondering at the red patent heels Angel wore. “You like ‘em?” she asked. They were, to my surprise, incredibly racy--and they looked incredibly flattering on Angel. “I do,” I gushed, in spite of myself. “Can’t buy these here,” she grinned. “I got them through the mail-order catalog. Here, try them on.” I blushed and looked around to see if Corinne were anywhere in sight. “Oh, I don’t know if they’re quite my style.” “Oh, nonsense,” she said, slipping out of the shoes. “You’ll never know unless you put ‘em on.” I kicked my brown shoes off to the side and carefully slid my foot into Angel’s heels. My bare toenails peeked out through the open-toe, and the sole of my foot arched high and sharp as the heels raised me a full three inches in height. My calves tensed, elongating my lower legs. Even in my beige day dress, those red shoes made me feel like a movie star. I wobbled off balance and reflexively grabbed Angel’s forearm. “Careful now!” A boisterous laugh leapt from wide, red mouth. “Those shoes are dangerous!” “I can see that!” I laughed, too, and the tinge of embarrassment I initially felt instantly evaporated. “Walk in ‘em,” she encouraged. She stepped back but did not release my hand. I cautiously put one foot in front of the other and slowly and stiffly crossed the tiny square of concrete patio. “Honey, you have gorgeous legs,” she said. “You got those from your mother, too, didn’t you.” “Tell ya the truth, I wouldn’t know,” I said honestly, floundering again. Angel righted me again, laughing still. “It takes practice to walk in heels like that, but once you learn, it’s like riding a bike--you never forget.” “Where on Earth do you wear shoes like this?” I gushed. “Anywhere!” she said excitedly. “Grocery shopping, to the post office, sunning in the backyard.” “I guess so,” I chuckled as I made the careful U-turn back toward the door. “Next time we get together, I’ll have to bring my catalog with me. Maybe there’s something in there that suits you.” “Oh, I just don’t know,” I said, withdrawing my feet from Angel’s high heels and shoving them back into my own shoes. “Even if I did have a pair o’ shoes like that, I just don’t know if I’d ever have the courage to wear ‘em.” Angel peered at me through the sides of her eyes with a knowing expression I’d never seen on anyone before. She paused before putting her heels back on, then she slipped her sunglasses back down over her eyes. “Whatcha gonna do with Eileen while your gone?” she asked. “I ‘tend to drive her over to the nursery. Corinne said that’s where all the ladies take their children for these coffees.” Angel scoffed. “Don’t you dare,” she said, starting back toward her house. “You leave that baby with me, you hear?” I stepped off the patio to follow her, mildly protesting. “Angel, that’s not necessary,” I said. “I don’t mind driving her--" She waved her hand behind her, making it clear she was done with my protests before I even got them all out. “I’ll be over in a jiffy!” Back in the house, I found Eileen in the same spot I’d left her in. Her bag was packed and ready to go by the front door. The cake was cool, and as I heaped heavy layers of icing onto it, I wondered how it could be I felt better about leaving Eileen with Angel than I did with women who spent their days caring for other women’s children. I didn’t know Angel from Adam, really, having only met her the day before. I didn’t know what kind of woman she was. Corinne seemed to think Angel was less than trustworthy. There were a couple qualities about Angel that I found annoying, yet intriguing. But all in all, there were far more things about Corinne that rubbed me the wrong way, and I decided I’d rather Eileen be in Angel’s care than Corinne’s, if ever given the choice. Angel knocked on the door just as I was putting the finishing touches on the cake, and when I let her in, I saw she was dressed in a pretty blouse and dungarees. “That’s some wardrobe you have,” I remarked, surprised she was dressed in something that wasn’t sexy. “There’s a time for everything,” she said. “Especially when it comes to a woman’s closet.” “If she gets hungry--" “Then I’ll feed her,” she grinned, plopping down on the floor next to Eileen. “I’ve taken care of a child or two in my lifetime,” she said. “More than that, I’ve taken care of a man or two. I can handle an Army.” I couldn’t help myself. My eyebrows shot up, but she was too interested in Eileen to notice. “Alright,” I said, loitering in the middle of the room. “Go on,” she said. I slipped my handbag onto my arm and set my hat on my head. “I’ll be back as soon as we’re done.” “Take your time.” “Bye, now,” I said, pushing the door open. “Rita,” she said quickly. “Yes?” “Forgetting something?” I touched the hat on my head, checked the snap on my handbag. “The cake?” “Oh!” I said. Cake in hand, I backed out the door, blowing a kiss to Eileen. “Bye-bye, Sweetheart!” I called. “Be good for Miss Angel!” The door closed behind me. I stepped onto the sidewalk, and I could already see ladies walking in pairs up Minnie’s drive. A wave of nervousness pooled in my stomach, but it was eased by the cheer I felt at having made my first friend.