Cracking a yawn, Corinne answered without hearing the choices. “Coffee. How much coffee she’s had.”
Malika laughed. “I thought you were supposed to have more time for sleep since clinicals were over.”
“I was delusional.”
Mama Pearl set down a tray carrying three cups and a pot of coffee before sliding into the opposite side of the booth with a sigh that had Corinne wondering if she’d been on her feet more than she’d claimed. “Drink up.”
“Bless you. But I could’ve done that.” She reached for the pot, expertly pouring a cup for each of them. “How’s your ankle?”
“Fine.”
Which had been her stock answer since the incident had happened.
“So what’s
the plan for this here test?”
“I’m waiting on school to send transcripts to the testing center so I can register.” And there went a couple hundred bucks she didn’t really have to spare. She couldn’t afford to screw up this first attempt. “Meanwhile, we’re studying.”
Mama Pearl took a slow sip of coffee. “Can’t have much time for that, while pulling double shifts and practicing for the competition.”
She’d hit the nail on the head, so Corinne didn’t argue with her. What was there to say?
“Competition?” Malika asked.
“I’m the diner’s representative for a local fundraiser.”
“I’m pulling you off second shift,” Mama Pearl continued.
“What?” No. She needed the money, needed to make up for the hours she hadn’t been able to work during the semester. “But Mama Pearl, I—”
The older woman waved a hand. “Hush now. I’m not finished. I’m the one got you into this competition. It’s for the diner, so it counts as work. I’ll be paying you for all the time you’re putting into it.”
Corinne bristled. Had Tucker said something? He knew how worried she was about fitting everything in.
“I don’t want a handout.”
Mama Pearl sniffed. “It’s no such thing. I’ll get more mileage out of this competition than a whole passel of newspaper or radio ads. I want the publicity, which means I want my team to win. Which means y’all need time to practice. So hush yo’ mouth and deal with it.”
There was no arguing with The Tone. Greater men and women than she had tried and failed.
“’Sides, you need to be spendin’ some time with your youngin. I got no intention of taking you away from him any more than you already are.”
Corinne’s throat went thick with gratitude. Mama Pearl Buckley was the other person who’d been unfailingly kind to her since she’d come home. Direct and prone to sharing hard truths, maybe, but at the root, always kind. She’d given Corinne a chance to show she was no longer the misguided girl she’d been. And Corinne had to believe that eventually, hopefully, others would follow her example.
“I don’t know what to say.”
“Ain’t nothin’ to say. You just put your all into this competition. I got a side bet with Cassie over at The Grind and I want bragging rights, damn it.”
Corinne huffed a laugh. The coffee shop was the other primary gossip center in town. The owner, Cassie Callister, was in a permanent competition with Mama Pearl for the crown of Gossip Queen. “Yes, ma’am. Thank you.”
Mama Pearl shoved to her feet and picked up her coffee. “I’ll let y’all get back to your studying.”
Corinne watched her shuffle back toward the counter and realized she wasn’t limping. At all. “Your ankle.”
“It’s better.”
At that level of improvement, Corinne wondered if it had been sprained at all in the first place. Had she been played? “Then you could dance.”