Page 27 of My Redneck Baby Daddy

I got the faucet finished because my hands needed something to do.

"Listen to me," she said while I was tightening it down. "If that girl's people don't want you because of what you did, that's yours to carry. You sold what you sold. You can't stand there and demand a man forget it just because you'd rather he did."

"I know that."

"But her being Black and this town being what it is?" Mama shook her head. "That's not a reason. That's a weather report. It's gonna be ugly some days and it ain't gonna kill either one of you."

"It might get ugly for her."

"Then you stand where she can reach you." She waited until I looked at her. "If you love that girl, don't you let me, or her people, or this town, or one soul in it decide whether she's worth it."

I turned the water on and the drip was gone, and I stood there watching it not drip and did not say anything for a second too long.

"Oh, shit," Mama said.

I looked over. "What?"

"You love her."

"I didn't say that."

"You didn't have to."

Somebody knocked on the front door at four, which was my fault, because I’d told Rue to come by around four and hadn’t mentioned it to my mother in case the afternoon went sideways.

Mama's whole face changed and blossomed into a huge. "Is that her?"

"Mama, don't."

"Don't what?"

"Just be normal."

"I'm opening my own damn door, Bobby Jo."

She was out of that kitchen before I got my hand off the counter.

Rue stood on the porch in a yellow cardigan with her purse held in front of her with both hands like a shield, wearing the look she gets right before a room full of parents on conference night.

"Mrs. Maddox. I'm Rue."

"I know who you are." Mama already had the door wide. "Get in this house."

"Mama!"

Rue got two steps in before my mother hugged her, and she went stiff for a half second and then hugged her back.

"Mama, you're gonna scare her."

"I'm okay," Rue said into my mother's shoulder.

"See?" Mama let her go and patted her face like she was one of hers. "She likes me better already."

"She's known you ninety seconds."

"And she's already got better manners than you." Mama turned Rue toward the kitchen with a hand on her back. "You eat pound cake?"

Rue looked back at me over her shoulder with her glasses crooked, and I watched my mother walk my woman off into her kitchen, and I had to put my hand on the door frame for a second.