I glanced at Maggie and winked as Mama, still carrying Layla, disappeared into the little kitchen in the back of the store.

“Oh fun, more of Mama’s special tea!” I quipped.

Maggie giggled and said, “Remember the last time you drank it!?”

I laughed. “Yeah, I was stoned all day!”

Mama emerged from the back with Tonya, who was holding a tray with a tea kettle, tea cups and a monstrous pile of cookies heaped inside a pink Tupperware container.

Just as Tonya placed the tray on the table, the bell above the front door clanged, announcing a customer, and Mama said, “Off to work now, Tonya, and we’ll be needin’ some privacy for a little while, so will you mind the front of the store while Mama visits a bit with these folks?”

We’d never met Tonya but, with the 80 or so people in Mama’s extended family, I wasn’t surprised.

“Okay, Auntie,” Tonya said, and turning as she left the room she said, “Sure was nice meetin’ y’all and baby Layla!”

We nodded and smiled as Tonya left the back of the store to greet the new customer.