Read Online Mama Cracks a Mask of Innocence by Nora Deloach - Free Book Online Page B

left a note for Abe with Queenie saying that she had some information for him.

    When we pulled into our driveway we were surprised to find Sarah, Annie Mae, and Carrie on ourfront porch. The fierce rocking back and forth told us that our three visitors weren’t happy campers.
    I was so hungry, I was beginning to get a headache. The sight of these women added insult to misery. “Oh, no!” I moaned.
    Mama looked at me sympathetically. As usual, she seemed to read my mind. “There are slices of pot roast, and sweetened iced tea in the refrigerator. Slice a tomato and have a cup of orange sherbet. That should hold you over until dinner.”
    I moaned again, but Mama ignored me this time and slipped out of the car. “Ladies,” she said in greeting to her three confidantes.
    “Where in the world have you been?” Sarah Jenkins snapped. “We’ve been sitting here more than an hour waiting for you. You know I suffer from high blood pressure. Sitting and waiting could make it go up in no time at all.”
    “I didn’t know you were waiting for me,” Mama said smoothly.
    “It’s about the clothes drive,” Annie Mae jumped in forcefully. “You are supposed to distribute those things to people, you know. Clothes ain’t doing nobody any good sitting up in the community center.”
    “You’re using our space at the center,” Carrie continued in the same agitated tone. “We can’t get in to do our sewing, or have our lunch, or to play bingo until you get rid of those things from the middle of the floor!”
    “Besides that,” Sarah interjected, “Ray Raisinbeen looking for you. He told us three or four times that he’s prepared to deliver those things to people if you just tell him who to give them to.”
    “And we promised to help him and he’s anxious for our help.”
    “Can’t help the poor folks of Otis or Ray Raisin if the clothes that were given for their use are locked up in the center, now, can we?” Carrie demanded.
    Oh, boy
, I thought as I put the key in the lock and opened the front door.
Those three are here to lynch Mama
.
    “Why don’t you ladies come in and have a glass of iced tea?” Mama invited graciously. The sound of her voice made me conclude that she had already come up with a plan to defuse their anger. “I’ve got a sour cream pound cake that hasn’t been touched.”
    That’s it
, I thought.
She’s going to seduce them with something she’s baked
.
    The women immediately got up from their rockers and followed us into the kitchen like puppies who had been to obedience school.
    Mama walked over to the sink to wash her hands. I headed for the refrigerator. Mama reached into the cabinet and took out three large drinking glasses. Then she slipped three dessert plates down, took the top from her Tupperware cake plate and revealed the prettiest sour cream pound cake you’d ever want to see. It was perfectly golden brown. When Mama cut the first slice, the moist cake looked as if it beckoned you to it.
    Now, you know that I was hungry, so you might think I’m going overboard in coveting this beautiful piece of baking. And whether Sarah, Annie Mae, and Carrie shared my hungry state, I don’t know. I do know that all three pairs of their eyes zeroed in on that cake.
    Mama served the cake and iced tea then she went to check on Agatha, who had evidently gotten up, made her own lunch, and had gone back to bed because when Mama came back to the kitchen, she carried a tray with dirty dishes on it.
    Sarah, Annie Mae, and Carrie ate the cake and drank the iced tea in absolute quiet, no more sniping at Mama.
    I made myself a sandwich, then offered to make Mama one. She accepted.
    As soon as the three women finished, Mama left her own food to cut them another piece of pound cake.
    Annie Mae spoke first, since her plate was the first to be emptied. “Candi, ain’t no use asking you for your recipe, is it?”
    Mama smiled. “If you’d like it, Annie Mae, I’ll give it to you.”
    Sarah looked