LITMIR.BIZ

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went on as though she hadn’t heard her. “Oh, you don’t mind making a few phone calls to ask for donations or playing Mozart in front of the ladies to show off your skills as a pianist, if and when it’s convenient for you. But heaven forbid you have to actually open your home to some poor pregnant gal who has absolutely no one to turn to.”

      Marilee plopped onto the bed. “That’s not fair, Clara. You know I’d help if I didn’t have so much turmoil in my own life. I have to find a job. Do you know how long it has been since I’ve worked? All I know how to do is sing and play the piano. And bake cakes.”

      “Winnie won’t be any trouble. She goes to school every day, and she’s a straight-A student. Plans to attend right up ‘til the baby comes, and as soon as she graduates she’s going to the community college here.” Clara paused. “Marilee, Winnie has never been in trouble in her life. She’s a good girl. Her only mistake was getting involved with a smooth-talking man who hit the road the minute she became pregnant. And her parents—” Clara pursed her lips in annoyance “—God-fearing Christians they are, they kicked her out the minute she told them. Honey, she has no one.”

      Marilee pressed the palm of her hand against her forehead. What next? she wondered, half-afraid to ask the question in the first place, in case she was in for another shocker. Her family had left her, they’d been kicked out of the church, she’d missed playing for the benefit luncheon, Esmerelda Cunningham was threatening to send her to jail and now Clara wanted her to take in an unmarried, pregnant girl.

      And to think that a few days ago her life had been relatively normal.

      “Oh, Clara,” she cried, shaking her head.

      “Listen to me, Marilee. You know what it’s like to be rejected by those you love. That’s exactly what Winnie’s feeling right now, although she’d cut her tongue out before admitting it. She’s just a kid. Seventeen years old. Not much older than Josh.”

      Marilee wanted to hide her head under a pillow and not have to think about it. How could she help someone else’s child when she hadn’t been able to help her own? How could she not? “Well, I suppose I could take her in for a couple of days,” she said at last. “Until other arrangements can be made. You realize I can’t make any long-term plans right now.”

      Ruby appeared in the doorway. “Winnie said to thank you for the sandwich, but she had to be on her way. She took her sandwich with her.”

      Marilee looked up. “On her way where?”

      Ruby shrugged. “She didn’t say.”

      “And you let her get away?” Clara cried.

      “What was I supposed to do? She’s twice my size.”

      “She can’t just leave,” Marilee said, jumping from the bed. “She has no place to go.”

      Clara made a tsking sound. “I should have known something like this would happen. That girl can be downright ornery. Come on, Ruby, we’ll have to go after her.”

      “I’ll go,” Marilee said, hurrying out of the room. She slammed out the front door. A moment later, she spotted Winnie; it would have been hard to miss her considering her size. “Winnie, wait!” she cried. “You can’t go.” The girl continued on. Marilee sped up. “Winnie, please don’t go.”

      The girl turned as Marilee caught up with her and stopped so abruptly Marilee almost slammed into her. “What do you want?”

      “Please don’t leave.”

      “Look, lady, I may be black, broke and pregnant, but I’m not stupid, okay? I can tell when I’m not wanted.”

      “I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings.”

      “Hurt my feelings?” Winnie gave a snort. “You can’t hurt my feelings. Nobody can. I’ve got a thick skin, but I’m thin on patience. And I don’t feel like listening to some white woman bellyaching ‘cause her husband left her. I’ve got my own problems, thank you very much.” She turned and began walking again.

      Marilee stood there, aghast. Here she’d been trying to help the girl, only to be insulted. “Excuse me,” she called out, “but I am not grieving over my husband. I’m upset because my son left with him. And don’t talk to me like I’m some kind of wimp, because I’m not. I’m a lot stronger than you think.” She was only vaguely aware that the day had turned cold and a fine mist was falling. “Hello,” she called out angrily.

      Winnie turned. “Listen, I’d love to stay and chat, but I’ve got to be somewhere.”

      “Today? Right this minute?”

      “It’s important.”

      It was starting to rain. “Perhaps you could stay the night. You need to get out of this wet weather. It can’t be good for the baby.”

      The girl seemed to ponder it. “Okay,” she said with a great deal of reluctance. “I suppose I can stay one night, but I definitely have to be somewhere tomorrow.”

      “Fine. You can spend the night, and tomorrow I’ll drive you wherever you need to go.”

      “As long as you don’t start crying again. I can’t be around negative people in my condition.”

      Marilee tried not to take offense at the remark as they started back for the house. “Do you like hot chocolate? It’ll chase the chill away.”

      “Yeah, and may I have another sandwich? I’m not crazy about bologna, but I’m eating for two now, you know.”

      Marilee nodded. “Yes, certainly.”

      Winnie nodded. “Okay, then. I’ll sleep at your place tonight, but I’m outta here first thing in the morning.”

      “First thing,” Marilee agreed.

      “But not too early,” Winnie said. “Tomorrow’s Saturday, and I don’t have school. I’ll probably sleep till about ten o’clock.”

      “Ten o’clock then.”

      “And I like to drink juice and read the funnies before I start my day.”

      Marilee wasn’t about to tell her she didn’t get the newspaper and there was no juice in the house. Besides, she didn’t have time to worry about it; she had to concentrate on getting along with Winnie until another home could be found.

      It wouldn’t be easy. The girl had attitude.

      NELL BREWER TOOK A BITE of her spaghetti, gagged and spit a mouthful into her napkin. “Sam, this is the worst spaghetti sauce I’ve ever put in my mouth.”

      He regarded his mother. “Don’t beat around the bush, Mom. Tell me how you really feel.”

      “How can you mess up something straight out of a jar?”

      “It tasted bland so I added spices.”

      She was making faces. “Tastes like you dumped a cupful of oregano in it.”

      “You don’t have to eat it.”

      “Well, that’s a relief.”

      With a disgusted sigh, Sam stood. He picked up both plates and carried them to the kitchen sink, where he dumped the contents into the garbage disposal. He flipped on the switch and waited for the ruined dinner to disappear. The disposal ground to life, wheezed and died.

      Nell hurried over. “Well, would you look at that? Your cooking is so bad it broke the garbage disposal.”

      “My cooking has nothing to do with it. I just need to press the reset button and it’ll be okay.” Sam opened the cabinet door then reached beneath the disposal and located the reset button. He pressed it, but nothing happened.

      Peering over his shoulder, Nell gave a grunt. “I knew we should have ordered takeout.”

      Sam rose quickly

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