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these days. Their teammates had nicknamed Violet the Beauty Queen. But the woman standing beside her had scraped her auburn hair into a stubby, sloppy ponytail beneath the hairnet. Her violet blue eyes were dull, and her porcelain skin was devoid of makeup. The Violet she’d known for the past eleven years had worn cosmetics on the basketball court.
    Jaclyn glanced at the clock mounted to the wall across the recreation area. It was almost noon. One day a week for the past five years, she took a longer break to help the lunch crew at the chapel. She’d talked Violet into joining her almost two months ago. The activity wasn’t helping.
    She served an older gentleman a spoonful of vegetables. “Is Dawnie OK?”
    Violet had blamed her two-year-old daughter for her fatigue. The little girl had a truckload of energy. Violet’s parents claimed Dawn was payback for Violet having run them ragged until she’d been drafted to the WNBA.
    â€œEveryone’s fine.” Her friend served the older man mashed potatoes. “It’s me. I’m bored out of my mind and driving everybody crazy, including myself.”
    Jaclyn glanced at a young mother comforting her sobbing toddler daughter before returning her attention to Violet. Her friend looked bored and frustrated. And a little scared. “What do you want to do?”
    Violet shrugged again. “That’s just it. I don’t know. But I’ve got to do something.”
    Jaclyn’s shoulders tensed as she took on her friend’s frustration. “Something will come to you, Vi. You’ll figure it out.”
    â€œWhen?”
    She wished she had the answer. “Be patient. Maybe right now, you just need to get away from the house a couple of afternoons a week to just think. Dawnie can stay with your parents or Aidan’s.”
    â€œI hope you’re right.” Violet shifted her troubled gaze to Jaclyn. “But, Jackie, what kind of mother wants to be away from her own child?”
    Jaclyn shook her head adamantly. “Vi, just because you want a few hours to yourself doesn’t make you a bad mother.”
    â€œI love my daughter. I really do.”
    â€œI know.”
    â€œThen why do I want to be away from her?”
    Jaclyn continued to add vegetables to the plates of stewed chicken as guests moved down the serving line. “You’re not trying to get away from Dawnie. You just need a little time for yourself.”
    â€œI’m not being selfish?”
    â€œOf course not. A couple of hours away from you won’t hurt her. She’ll be with your parents. And it will help you relax so you don’t drive your family crazy.”
    Violet’s chuckle wobbled. “Thanks. I’ll take your advice. Maybe then Aidan will stop looking at me as though he thinks I need therapy.”
    Jaclyn smiled. “How is our favorite financial advisor?”
    â€œBusy taking care of his accounts.”
    â€œThat’s good to hear.” Jaclyn paused as the young mother with the sobbing toddler stopped in front of her. Jaclyn nodded toward the little girl. “Will she be all right?”
    The mother nodded. “She lost her teddy bear.”
    Jaclyn looked at the little girl. Silent tears streamed down her flushed, rounded cheeks. “I’m sorry, honey.” The little girl returned her gaze with wounded big green eyes. “I’m Jackie. What’s your name?”
    â€œTiff.” The watery whisper was barely audible.
    â€œTiffany.” The mother extended their two lunch plates.
    As she nudged vegetables onto each of the dishes, Jaclyn noted the two tote bags that dragged on each of the thin woman’s shoulders. Heavy makeup didn’t mask the bruises on her face, nor did the limp, honey-blond hair swinging loosely to hide her features. Tiffany’s mother moved on to Violet, checking to make sure her daughter kept up with her.
    Violet added mashed potatoes to both