Another toast and we both laughed as we finished the wine, and then Maggie said in her best English aristocratic accent, “Onward to the bath, James, onward to the bath!”

I laughed as I leaned over the table and kissed her and said, “That sounds like a damn good idea!”

* * *

It didn’t take long for the appraisal and survey to go through, and after a quick meeting with the bank everything was set.

Maggie and I had decided to make our offer to Mama over dinner at our house. We wanted Layla to be a part of this too. Even though she, in her mind, didn’t understand what buying a house even meant, I think she already felt like she lived there and it was her other home. She loved Mama like a grandmother, which really is what Mama had been for Layla since day one.

So with dinner time approaching, Maggie had me set the table as she put the finishing touches on Mama’s favorite meal. Fried chicken with gravy and mashed potatoes, corn on the cob, cornbread and a salad, pecan pie for dessert, à la mode, of course!

“It’s ‘Mama’s Special’ for dinner tonight. What a feast,” I said as I set the kitchen table. “I can hardly wait!”