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could take notes on salient points and pass them on to Hazel Marie. I wouldn’t dream of attempting to counsel Mr. Pickens, even from a safe remove.
    I turned over and scrooched down, ready for sleep. “Well, okay, but I’m taking it one Monday at a time. You might end up going by yourself and see what kind of model that would be.”
    Sam laughed and put his arm across my waist. “I’ll risk it.”

Chapter 6

    As I walked down the stairs the next morning, I heard a chorus of voices and laughter coming from the kitchen. I glanced at my watch, thinking I was running late. But no, if anything I was a little early, but obviously others were already up and stirring.
    Pushing through the kitchen door, I saw Mr. Pickens, Lloyd, Latisha and Lillian filling plates, looking for backpacks, laughing and carrying on as if they were in Grand Central Station.
    “Hey, Miss Lady,” Latisha sang out. “I’m gonna go to school today, ’cause I had to go to a wedding yesterday an’ couldn’t make that ole school bus.”
    “Good morning, Latisha. I’m sorry you missed the first day of school, but we were glad to have you with us. Aren’t you in the first grade this year?”
    “No’m, I’m goin’ in that ole kindygarden, an’ it don’t matter if I miss a day or two, ’cause I already know everything they gonna say, anyhow.”
    Lloyd laughed and helped her pour milk on her cereal. “Just wait, Latisha. Next year, you’re gonna blow that first-grade teacher away.”
    “Miss Julia,” Lillian said, “you want eggs this morning?”
    I nodded and drew a chair out from the table. Mr. Pickens came over with a heaping plateful and sat beside me.
    “Sam not up?” he asked.
    “He’ll be down in a minute.” I cast a careful eye in his direction, trying to read his expression to determine just what, if anything, had taken place during his wedding night. “How’s Hazel Marie this morning?” I asked, then could’ve bitten my tongue off. Knowing him, he’d put the worst possible spin on my question.
    And he did. He looked up at me from under those black eyebrows, grinned, and said, “Blooming like a rose. I think married life agrees with her. It sure does with me.”
    I rose from my chair like it had a spring in it. “Here, Lillian, let me take that.” Meeting her halfway across the kitchen, I practically snatched a platter of scrambled eggs from her.
    Hazel Marie, in another sweat outfit, came in then from the back hall at the same time that Sam entered from the dining room, their appearances adding to the noise level but relieving me of responding to Mr. Pickens. The man was beyond belief, giving me that smug, self-satisfied grin of his, as if all Hazel Marie had needed was him.
    From the looks of her, though, he may’ve been right, for she did seem more at peace than I’d seen her in a long time. Her eyes were clear and her complexion had lost the blotches that all that crying had etched on her face. Mr. Pickens gave her a kiss as she sat down beside him, then they whispered together for a few minutes, a rudeness that I overlooked given the circumstances.
    “Well, I’m on my way,” Mr. Pickens said, getting up from the table. “Come on, kids, I’ll drop you off at school.”
    He shook Sam’s hand, thanked him again for all his help, then came around the table to me. “Look after her for me, Miss Julia. I’ll be back sometime Friday.”
    He picked up his suitcase and hanging bag, which had been in the corner, kissed Hazel Marie again and herded the two children out. As he, Lloyd and Latisha left, the kitchen began to return to its peaceful state. I smiled at Sam, poured coffee for him and gave thanks in my heart for what was looking like a good beginning to Hazel Marie’s marriage. Except, of course, for the fact that the groom had left after one day of it.
    “Miss Julia?” Hazel Marie said, as she took another piece of toast. “I have got to go shopping and find something I can wear besides these sweat