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“Yeah,” he agreed. “It kind of was.”

Nana went to see Sampson before his court appearance. She brought him my church clothes: gray pants, blue blazer, white collared shirt, and a tie.

“John bigger,” Nana said. “Arms out. Ankles show.”

“Height of fashion now,” Sampson said, laughing. “Don’t forget the sneakers.”

“No. Big. No rope.”

I frowned, trying to parse what she meant, then got it. “His shoes had no laces.”

She smiled. “No. Trip.”

Sampson said, “I tripped on my way up to see the judge and face-planted right there in juvie court.”

My grandmother said, “Judge want throw book.”

Willow was wide-eyed again. “The judge threw a book at you?”

“No, no, it just means he wasn’t going to go easy on me.”

“Oh, like that episode of SpongeBob where Judge Angry Jack was going to throw the book at SpongeBob.”

“Same that day,” Nana said. “What I… do?”

Sampson said, “Nana walked right over to me while I was on my knees trying to get up and started walloping me on the head with her purse and yelling that I was an idiot.”

I knew the story, but my aunts did not, and they were horrified.

“How could that have helped the situation, Regina?” Aunt Hattie said.

“Didn’t the court officers stop you?” Aunt Connie said.

“They didn’t have a chance to interrupt the show,” Sampson said, grinning. “She grabbed me by the ear, hoisted me to my feet, and hauled me right up to the judge’s bench.”

Nana Mama had looked the judge in the eye, apologized for her outburst, and explained that she was the vice principal of a local school and that John would be living with our family from now on.

Sampson said, “And then she called me an idiot a few more times.”

“What did the judge do?” Ali asked.

“He loved it—the idiot stuff, the pulling me up by the ear, the whacking me with her purse. Judge Adams just ate it up.”

Willow started laughing. “That is so funny. You are so little, Nana, and you are holding Dad’s ear. The judge, he was afraid of you.”

My grandmother chuckled. “No.”

“No, Willow’s right,” Sampson said. “Judge Adams was convinced I’d have it tougher with Nana than I would in juvie.”

“Mmm,” Nana said, sobering.

Sampson said, his voice growing hoarse, “You saved me that day in court and every day afterward, Nana. I would not be the man I am without you.”

“Not true,” Nana said, wiping at tears in her eyes.

“It is true. Getting me through high school. Getting me into the army. Your constant friendship all these years.”

He went to her, kissed her cheek. “Nana, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.”