“I’ll get it sent out in News Now.” That’s our Alpha Delt weekly email blast. It informs us of everything from meal menus to date parties to philanthropy happenings. “Y’all spread the word and I’ll make an announcement at dinner. No one will be happy about this. We’ll put our heads together and come up with a way to get Miss Pearl back.”
“But what about Lilith Whitmore?” I ask.
Everyone’s eyes turn to Mama Carla.
She holds her hands up. “Don’t look at me. I’m just the lame duck House Director.” Then she laughs. “I’m only kidding. I’d do anything for Miss Pearl even if it means a faceoff with Lilith Shitmore.” Mama Carla covers her mouth. “Excuse me, girls, I couldn’t help myself.” All of our mouths hit the floor at the same time. We look at each other thinking the same thing, I’m sure. Mama Carla is the freakingbomb.Ellie whips her hand up first, then we all give Mama Carla, and each other, high fives.
“I’ll call my dad. He can’t stand Lilith Shitmore,” Ellie says. “Plus, he’ll give us great advice.”
“Oh my gosh,” Selma says, holding her cheeks. “As House Corp President she’ll get the email blast. I’ll have to find a way to remove her.”
Ellie glances at all of us, crossing her arms in front of her. “If not, we’ll just plant our security guard at the chapter room door.”
“Have you taken a good look at the poor man?” Mama Carla asks.
We all laugh.
“We might as well put him there,” Selma says. “It can’t hurt.”
“What about Annie Laurie?” I ask. Ever since our confrontation, she has been much nicer to me—and Ellie. She’s never said she was sorry to either of us, but I sense she feels terrible about everything. Every night before bed now she stops by my room with some sort of treat and offers to share it with Jasmine and me. Ellie says she does the same thing for her.
“She’s in a tough spot,” Selma answers, shaking her head slowly. “Choosing to go against her mother is not easy. But this is her chance to show us what she’s made of.” I think back to what I said to Annie Laurie a few nights ago:It’s hard to go against your mother. But you don’t have to be like her.
“Maybe my mom could drive down,” Ellie says.
Selma leans toward her. “That’s a great idea, Ellie. We need an advisor with us. Especially one who thinks like we do. Would you mind calling her?”
“Of course not. I’ll call her right away.”
“Everyone loves your mom.” Selma’s phone is resting on the coffee table. She leans over and checks the time. “Okay. It’s four fifteen now. You call your mom; I’ll get the email going. See y’all at dinner.”
SIXTY-FOUR
WILDA
“Mom! You have to get down to Oxford.Immediately!” Ellie’s voice is high-pitched and utterly frantic. There must have been an accident.
“Oh my God.Is someone dead?” I yell into my cell phone, which is carelessly tucked in the crook of my neck. Then, from sheer panic, I trip over Haynes’s muddy hunting boots while trying to get in the back door. Our Chinese takeout goes sprawling all over the floor, and as I’m falling down into the middle of it, my cell phone flies off my shoulder and lands in a pool of duck sauce. Frantically trying to reach it, I step on the egg foo yong and slip again. Now I’m lying in our dinner.
When the phone is back at my ear—covered in sticky goo—I hear Ellie yelling, “Mom.MOM.Are you there?”
“Yes,Ellie, I’m here!Who’s dead?”
“It’s Lilith Whitmore!”
“LILITH WHITMORE ISDEAD?” I scream. At the top of my lungs… Then I scramble up, panting like a pug.
“NO, MOM,” Ellie screams back. “She’s notdead.She made Miss Pearl quit!”
“Oh for gosh sakes, Heart. You scared the life out of me!” My heart feels like it’s speeding down the Daytona 500 racetrack.
“Sorry.Selma James called an emergency chapter meeting for tonight after dinner, and she really wants you here. We’re coming up with a plan to get Miss Pearl back and we need you. Leave right now.”
I take a look at our dinner, which Daisy is quite happy about, incidentally. Kung pao chicken is one of her favorites. “All right. I’ll be there. But I have to change my clothes first.”
“Why? Just come as you are. No one cares what you look like.”
“And show up smelling like Peking duck?”
