“There’s not a single black housemama on this whole campus. Probably not one on any other SEC campus. That’s the real reason Lilith Whitmore is against me. She’s worried about how it would be perceived if Alpha Delt had a black House Director.”
I know she’s right. I’ve lived in Mississippi my whole life, and there are many, many people who still care about that kind of thing. “I hate that, Miss Pearl.”
She pats my knee, then pushes herself up from the wall. “I better go on over there.”
I stand up, look into her eyes. “I know we haven’t known each other all that long. But this is my great loss. I’m actually jealous of all the girls who have known you longer.”
“That’s so sweet, baby. Thank you. You remember what I said. We can still get together.”
“Will you come by for visits?” Honestly, I feel like crying, because I’m so very sad right now.
“Of course. That woman can’t keep me from my babies.” She stretches her arm around my shoulders. “You get on back now. I’ll be okay.” When she hugs me, I do not want to let her go. It feels like I’m losing a mother. Not just any mother. Certainly not one with rotten teeth and dreadlocks who abandons her daughter. A real one.
SIXTY-THREE
CALI
Ellie will die when I tell her. I’m pretty sure she’s in class, but I text her anyway.
Me: OMG, Miss Pearl just quit.
Ellie: Wait, WHAT?
Me: Where are you?
Ellie: In class.
Me: Meet me at the House when you’re done.
Ellie: Be there in fifteen minutes.
I’m in the foyer waiting on her when she hurries in the front door. She’s out of breath from running the entire way from Lamar Hall to the House in ten minutes. For privacy we dash over to the side stairwell, and I fill her in on all the details. Once we’ve had a chance to think it through, we make a joint decision to beeline it to Selma James’s room. But when we get upstairs her door is locked. So we sit down and wait.
After twenty minutes Ellie decides to go downstairs to see if Selma is somewhere else in the House. While waiting, my mind drifts back to Miss Pearl.The way her face brightened when I told her about our pledge-class philanthropy project and how we wanted to change things. Then I think back to how forlorn she looked after telling me all the mean things Mrs. Whitmore said to her, and I get mad all over again. Joining Alpha Delta Beta sorority, with all the love among her beautiful sisterhood, has been the best thing that ever happened to me, but I never thought I’d encounter someone with the evil character of Lilith Whitmore.
The sound of Ellie’s text yanks me away from my thoughts.Found her. We’re in Mama Carla’s apartment. Hurry!
I grab both Ellie’s backpack and mine, sling them over both shoulders, and haul butt down the staircase. When I poke my head in the apartment, Selma is in tears. Mama Carla’s not crying, but it sure looks like she has been. She sees me and waves me in.
There are no chairs left, so I drop both of our backpacks on the floor and sit on my knees behind the coffee table.
“I’ve just started filling them in,” Ellie says.
“Miss Pearl called me fifteen minutes ago,” Mama Carla says. “She had just left the University employment office.”
“We can’t let her quit. Not when we’re this close to change.” I hold up my fingers an inch apart, to show how close we really are.
“Change?” Mama Carla asks. “What kind of change?” Selma shifts in her seat, then goes into all the details of our plan for staff benefits. When she’s done, Mama Carla presses a hand to her heart. “That’s the loveliest thing I’ve ever heard. When were you planning on telling the rest of the staff?”
“Next Monday before chapter meeting,” Selma says, then glances at Ellie. “Ellie’s dad has been a rock star. He’s put tons of time and research into this.”
“He’s a lawyer, right?” Mama Carla asks.
“Yes, ma’am.” Ellie’s playing with her hair the way she always does, twisting it up in a bun. “He’s always looked out for the little guy. Both my parents have. They’ve taught my brothers and me to carry the torch, I suppose.”
“Okay,” Selma says, moving to the edge of her chair. “I have a new plan. I’m calling an emergency chapter meeting. Tonight.”
We all look at one another. This is good news.
