They both looked at me as if they really did just realize I was there.
"She's right, Order for me. Draft beer. too. I'll go use the pay phone," Brenda said, and rose. She looked at me. "You want to talk to her. too?"
"Of course. I do," I said.
"What do you want to eat?" Celia asked.
"I'll have the same salad you're having," I told her, and followed Brenda to the rear of the restaurant, where the bathrooms and the telephone were located. Brenda dug into her pocket for a coin and began to punch out our home number. She told the operator to reverse the charges and gave the operator her name. I stood by waiting.
A woman with a very closely cropped head of black hair, an earring dangling from her right lobe, and a tattoo of a necklace made out of what looked like snake-skin around her neck stepped out of the bathroom. She had to brush by us and literally pushed me. back. Brenda glared at her and then turned back to the phone.
"Mama. We won!" she said. "By two points. I made the final basket," she added, and listened. "Are you all right? You sound sleepy. Oh. Well. I couldn't have called you much earlier. She's with me. She's fine," she added, looking at me. "She's right here. I'll call you in the morning. Yes. Okay, Mama."
She handed me the receiver and walked away. "How are you. Mama?" I asked quickly.
"I'm fine, April. So it was very exciting?"
"Yes, it was, and Brenda was the star," I said. I watched her returning to the table, where the waitress was bringing them mugs of beer.
"I'm so happy you were there for it, honey, so happy." "I wish you had been here. Mama."
"Me. too. But it was important that you were," she said. "Be careful driving." she added.
"I'll talk to you in the morning after we get up. I'm leaving right after breakfast."
"You don't have to hurry home on my account. April."
"I want to. Mama."
"Okay, honey. Have fun. Good night. Mrs. Panda." she said, and hung up.
I stood there holding the receiver. Mrs. Panda? Why did she call me that?
Brenda and Celia were laughing when I returned. They toasted with their glasses, and I sat.
"You want a Coke or a lemonade or what?" Brenda asked,
"Just a glass of cold water," I told her. She raised her eyebrows and turned to Celia. "I guess you're having a better effect on her than I've had. She orders a salad and a glass of water?"
"No one's having an effect on me," I said sharply. "It's all I want."
They both looked at me, at each other, and then laughed. I wished I were home.
"Mama said a strange thing to me." I blurted to stop them. "What do you mean?" Brenda said, winding down her laughter.
"What did she say?"
"She said. 'Good night. Mrs. Panda.'"
"Mrs. Panda? What's that?" Celia asked.
Brenda lowered her mug. "That's something my father called her when she was little, his little panda bear. He bought her a panda bear, and she treated it like a little friend forever," Brenda explained.
"Oh, how cute."
"But why did she call me that?"
"I'm sure she was just being sentimental and loving," Celia offered.