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Ma contents of her stove She stirred She salted She tasted Finally, she turned back to oddess that, frankly, scaredmotherly wisdom fro, he planned on going fishing with soh school We’d only been dating a little while, and I think he didn’t want s out for him”

“Clearly, he didn’t know you very well,” I said

“M the potatoes “I told hi with his buddies, because Eddie Carroll had offered to take me to the dance”

“Mr Carroll? My math teacher? Ew”

“You should have seen hih school With a full head of hair, he was quite the s hadn’t worked out with your father—”

“Stop,” I told her, laughing “I do not want to hear that I could have been a Carroll”

Maled “You know, he still tells me on occasion that I have lovely ankles”

“They are lovely But back to the story, please,” I said, shuddering at the thought of Mr Carroll ogling ht

“Well, the moment your father heard that, he called his buddies and canceled the fishing trip,” she said, preening “He was pinning that corsage on er’ And every dance or party after that, your father knew that he would be going with ht have other offers Sometimes men need a little competition to realize what they have It’s healthy for a relationship”

“Did Mr Carroll really ask you to the dance?” I asked A Cheshire-cat shed “You know, Mama, sometimes I completely underestimate you”

“You’re probably right So, if I ask a question, will you bite my head off?” she asked

“You knoon’t actually bite you, right?”

“You knohat I ravy She offered me a spoonful, but I declined, as its bouquet re vacations “Why not just call Adah school And he’s such a nice boy”

“I think I’m at the point in my life where I need more than a nice boy I need a nice man”

Mama tsked and patted my cheek “Is Gabriel a nice man?”