“Bacon and ham in one day,” Frankie says to Gracie. “Not yet a vegetarian?” “Nope,” says Gracie. “I was once,” says Mama. “I remember,” says Frankie. “You were lots of things.” Mama sighs. “I was going to be lots of things. Coming back here reminds me of all those things I meant to be.” “And you came to Boston to go to school, and you met me and fell in love, and look at you!” says Boots. “Look at me,” repeats Mama. There is a small silence at the table. “And you have Boots, and Grace, and Lucy, and Teddy,” says Frankie. “And Langhorne Slim,” I add. Mama gets up, taking her plate to the sink to rinse. She goes out of the kitchen, through the hallway, and out to the porch. “Maybe I shouldn’t have said that,” I say. Boots gets up. “No, it isn’t you. Mama needs something all her own, that’s all,” he says. He goes out to where Mama is. “Mama needs more than us,” I say. “Not really,” says Frankie. “She just doesn’t quite know what she has.
