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down in the Averys’ basement apartment.
    â€œShe’ll be comin’ round the mountain when she comes …” Loud. The same verse over and over again.
    When they came into the apartment, she stopped.
    â€œI’ve been looking for that,” she said, pointing to the laundry basket.
    â€œLook who’s here to see you, Queenie,” Mr. Avery said. “Your favorite friends.”
    â€œThey took that from me.” She jabbed a finger at the laundry basket. “My mother gave me that.”
    â€œThat’s our laundry,” Mr. Avery said. “Ain’t that nice?”
    â€œWell, I don’t know why they keep taking it when I told them to stop.”
    Althea slapped her hands over her mouth and hunched her shoulders up, trying to stifle a giggle.
    Queenie picked at the tiny balls of lint on the sleeve of her sweater. Randall wondered how she could stand wearing a sweater in the summer, but she didn’t seem to mind.

    â€œWe’ll take Queenie to get Hershey bars,” Althea said.
    Queenie stopped picking at the lint and looked up. “I’ll go,” she said, and hurried into the bedroom.
    She came out with her purse.
    â€œYou have to wear shoes,” Althea said, pointing at Queenie’s feet.
    Queenie leaned over and looked down at her sagging black socks. Then she straightened up and frowned at Althea.
    â€œWho told you that?” she said.
    Althea looked at Mr. Avery.
    â€œHang on, now, Queenie,” he said. “Don’t run out of here yet.”
    He disappeared into the bedroom and came back with a pair of beat-up moccasins. He put them on the floor in front of Queenie. She slipped her feet into them and said, “Thank you, mister.”
    Mr. Avery tucked two dollars in her hand and kissed her on the forehead.
    â€œBring me a candy bar, okay?” he said.
    Queenie pushed him away and hurried out the door.
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    On the way home from the Winn-Dixie, Althea and Queenie sang. Every now and then Queenie would stop and take a bite of her candy bar.

    â€œShe sure likes chocolate, huh?” Jaybird said.
    â€œYeah,” Randall said. He watched her eat the candy, and thought about how she used to bake. Cupcakes and cookies and pies. And always with chocolate in them. One time she made a giant chocolate chip cookie for all the children in Vacation Bible School. But then she started making mistakes. Like leaving out the flour or putting in a dozen eggs instead of two. When she left cupcakes in the oven so long they caught on fire, Mr. Avery had to make her stop baking. She got so mad she didn’t say one word for four whole days. But then Mr. Avery brought home Hershey bars with almonds and Queenie stopped being mad.
    â€œCome on, Queenie,” Randall said. “We got to get home before dark.”
    â€œWhere’s Lavonia?” Queenie said.
    Randall felt his face grow hot. “Come on, Queenie.”
    â€œWhere’s Lavonia?” Queenie repeated.
    â€œWho’s Lavonia?” Jaybird said.
    Randall shrugged. “Who knows? Probably somebody from a long time ago.”
    â€œYou know Lavonia,” Queenie said to Randall. “That one with the hat.”
    Randall tried to make his face look relaxed, but he could feel a little twitch by his right eye.

    â€œOh, that Lavonia,” he said. “She’s gone.”
    â€œWho’s Lavonia?” Althea said.
    â€œThis lady that used to live around here,” Randall said. “But she moved away.”
    â€œI saw her,” Queenie said.
    â€œNaw,” Randall said. “You didn’t see her. She’s gone.”
    â€œI saw her and that box,” Queenie said.
    â€œWhat box?” Althea said. She crumpled up a candy wrapper and licked each finger with loud smacking noises.
    They all stood there, watching Queenie. Randall tried to think of something to say to make Queenie stop talking about Lavonia.
    But before he could think of