The moment Paulette spotted the old woman, her face lit up.
She crossed the distance in two quick steps and slipped her arm through Grandma Joanna's, her voice soft and full of concern. "Joanna, what are you doing out here? The night air's cold, and your health isn't good. Go back and rest. I've got things covered here."
Grandma Joanna clutched her hand, gazing at her with gratitude. "Paulette, we owe you so much! If it weren't for you, who knows what state Susan's place would be in!"
Paulette patted the back of the old woman's hand. "Joanna, don't say that. You've always been so good to me, always sending things over. I've thought of you as my own mother for a long time now."
As she spoke, her eyes reddened at the rims.
Grandma Joanna was near tears, gripping Paulette's hand and refusing to let go.
Paulette saw the moment was ripe and put on an air of noble understanding. "Joanna, let's settle today's business like this. Susan and her family don't have it easy either."
"I'm willing to help cover part of their losses. I know money's tight for you two, and Phyllis just started working, she's not earning much yet. Whatever I can take off your shoulders, I will."
Grandma Joanna nodded and nodded, deeply moved. "Paulette, you have such a good heart!"
Then Paulette shifted her tone. "It's just, Joanna, you know how it is. I'm in the middle of divorcing that animal, and I've got nowhere to go."
She paused, watching the old woman carefully.
"Joanna, since you've been so good to me, would it be all right to add my name to the deed? Think of it as me helping Phyllis and her mother with the compensation, fair and square. I promise, I'll look after you in your old age!"
Grandma Joanna's mind had gone muddled with age.
After the years Paulette had spent sweet-talking her, she believed whatever Paulette said.
"Yes, yes, yes, add it!" She patted Paulette's hand. "You're even more devoted than Phyllis. If you're living in that house, I can rest easy!"
Something in my scalp went hot.
"Paulette!" I lunged forward. "Don't you dare take advantage while everyone's down! The gas valve was shut off tight when my mother and I left. You know exactly what happened with that fire, don't you?"
"You came to make a scene at our door in the daytime, and that night our place goes up in flames. Care to explain that?"
I hadn't finished when Grandma Joanna's cane swung around and cracked hard against my arm.
"Shut your mouth!" She was shaking with rage. "Phyllis, when did you become so unreasonable?"
My arm burned where she'd hit me.
Behind the old woman, Paulette's mouth twitched up at the corner, quickly pressed back down.
She steadied a hand on Grandma Joanna's shoulder and put on a pained look. "Joanna, don't hit the girl. Phyllis is probably just frantic. I don't blame her."
"Phyllis, let your aunt tell you something straight from the heart. It's burned this badly. Even if the fire department comes, they won't find anything."
"Take one piece of advice from me and settle this privately. For the sake of being neighbors, people will still cut you some slack. But if you insist on blowing this up, there'll be no way to clean it up after."
I pulled her hand off and stared straight into her eyes.
"Whether they can find anything or not isn't for you to decide."
For an instant, the smile on Paulette's face froze.
"Paulette, this isn't about you feeling sorry for us." I said it one word at a time. "You're afraid the police will come and find out you're the one who set that fire."
