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“Where you live in Georgia son?”

“Atlanta”

“The south, ain’t that where they lynch black people, boy is you crazy?”

“They don’t do that any ornery

“Says who? Just because they don’t broadcast it anyht out a mind”

“Well I’ve lived there all my life and I’ve never seen or heard of one”

“You live in an all white neighborhood don’t you?”

“No, it’s mixed” She cackled at that and slapped her knee

“And you wanna take me down there? Lawd love a duck” She hopped up froently

It was as though she’d long come to accept her mother and her…quirks, and made no excuses for them I liked that

“You two got married, did you have cake?”

“No mom, there wasn’t any time”

“I’ll call Mabel right now and get a cake, you need the top layer to save for your first anniversary”

Dauess that was so the neell I’d expected at least so or even maybe suspicion on her part

“Here I’ll pay” I reached for my wallet

“Boy put that away, it’s the bride’s parents supposed to pay for the wedding ain’t it? Hell if I know, I don’t think anyone in my family’s ever been married before We’re not exactly hos but we like to keep our options open”