JJ’s eyes were almost as big as the pancake he stabbed. “You’re sure you slept all right, Caleb?” Mama passed him the platter. “Yes, ma’am. It’s a nice room.” I sighed. He sure was working on winning Mama over and it almost made me sick enough to pass on breakfast. But the pancakes smelled good and it had been so long since anything good-smelling had come from our kitchen that I ended up eating two. The phone rang and Mama answered it. I carried my plate to the sink and turned to go, thinking that Mama and Aunt Maureen would be on the phone for a good hour, but she put her hand over the receiver and said, “Ivy, wait. It’s for you.” I took the phone and said, “Hello?” Ellen said, “What are you doing this morning, Ivy League?” Ellen using my nickname was just like old times. “Just going to Ellen Waite,” I said. I should explain about our nicknames. There’s a sign at Jonsey’s Hardware Store that says, “Helen Waite is our manager. If you don’t like our service, go to Helen Waite.”
