was going home to go through her books and games so she could give some to Lizzie for her new room. The announcement was quickly followed by the slam of the front door.
Without being asked, Janya began removing the few dishes in the cabinets. “I think Herb would be glad Dana and Lizzie were moving in. I will ask Dana if she wants some of his plants to put near the windows. I have many.”
Herb, who had died the past summer, had nurtured a full-fledged garden in pots. After his death, Janya had appointed herself to watch over them. She had been certain his heirs would claim them, but in the end, she’d inherited them for herself. Now she spread them around when she could. Tracy thought the generosity was an unconscious memorial to the old man, a way of keeping something he had enjoyed alive.
Wanda finished filling the sink with soapy water and found a sponge. “I know she’ll want plants. Dana told me she likes to dig in the dirt. I think she was hoping she’d get a discount on the rent for doing some gardening around here.”
“I gave her the best break I could.” Tracy dipped a cloth in the soapy water and hoisted herself to the counter to begin wiping shelves. “But she knows she’s welcome to do any gardening she wants.” She didn’t add that Dana had made it clear she would do some landscaping just as a thank-you. For Tracy, getting a reputation as a do-gooder was too strange to contemplate.
“So,” Wanda said, head now in the refrigerator, “tell us about getting pregnant, Janya.”
Janya sounded disgruntled. “I should not have said anything.”
“Sure you should have. Who else would you talk to about this? You’ve been to the doctor to see what’s what?”
Janya looked as if she was contemplating a change of subject, although she had to know that would be like heading off a hurricane with a paper fan.
Finally she shrugged. “The doctor says it is too soon to worry, that we will talk again when a year has passed.”
“I’ve been reading up on this,” Wanda said.
“Along with my mother. Do you, perhaps, have a fertility statue to give me?”
Wanda came out of the refrigerator at that. “A fertility statue?”
“A really cool red stone bull that anyone would be proud to have,” Tracy said. “And aren’t you being a little bit nosy?”
“It’s my job to make Janya happy.” Wanda pulled out the vegetable bin and brought it to the sink. “If she wants a baby, it’s my job to help.”
“No, I think that’s Rishi’s job,” Tracy said. “He’s better equipped for it.”
Wanda narrowed her eyes. “I did some reading, as I started to say. And there are ways to help things along.”
“This is a personal matter,” Janya said.
“Not since the moment you brought it up to the whole crew, it’s not. So I went to Wal-Mart, and I got you something.” Wanda abandoned the bin on the counter and left, returning with her purse. She removed a small bag and thrust it in Janya’s direction. “For you.”
“I think it is the second time today I am afraid to look.”
Tracy was curious now. “Janya, after the bull and the butter, how can that hurt?”
Janya carefully spread the bag wide and took out a CD. “‘Country Love Songs,’” she read out loud. “‘Your Favorite Songs by your Favorite Stars.’” She looked up. “This is very kind, Wanda, but—”
“See, the thing is, you’re more likely to get pregnant if—” Wanda lowered her voice, although Olivia was at home sorting through her belongings “—you have an orgasm,” she finished, hissing the s. “And we all know that’s a lot easier if there’s some romancing going on first. So you just put that on in the evening and sit close to Rishi on the sofa, or better yet, get him to dance with you—”
Janya covered her ears. “Stop.”
“Oh, please, if you’re that shy, maybe there’s your problem,” Wanda said.
Tracy couldn’t help herself. She giggled.
She glanced at Alice to see how the older woman was taking this, and saw that Alice’s eyes glistened mischievously behind her glasses.
“Janya could dance for Rishi,” Alice said. “Like she did…for us. He would like that.”
Now Tracy hooted. With Janya’s brown skin, it was hard to tell if she was blushing, but Tracy thought if she wasn’t, she should be.
“Good idea,” Wanda said. “Some sexy Bollywood dancing. Just the thing. After a little country snuggling.”
Despite herself, Janya was smiling. “Now you are finished? We can