Noel on the outside.

Moments later, Ms. Noel peeked from the foils of tin, wheeling a bike. I gaped in surprise. She rolled it over to me and handed it to me. “This is yours, Catin. It just needs the cobwebs knocked off and a tire fixed. When you leave here, go ta da gas station. My brother Claude will patch up the back tire and check the other tires too. It will be as good as new then!” She smiled, wiping her hands on her apron.

I was punch-drunk. “You’re giving me this bike?”

“It ain’t doin’ me no good. I used ta ride it everywhere, but after I broke my hip, it’s been sittin’ in the shed.” She waved at the bike. “Go on! Take it. You wouldn’t want ta miss your first day at work, now?” she flashed a buttery sweet smile.

I stood there with a blank face, not sure what to say. “Reckon not” were the only words that came to mind as my eyes rounded to marbles.

“Don’t mention it, Chile. I made you a few sandwiches for tonight and tomorrow too. Let me get those for you.”

“Ms. Noel! You’re too kind.” I choked back the tears. This stranger didn’t know me from Adam, and yet she was more than generous. Not even my own mother would be this kind.

“It’s no problem. Come on!” she waved for me to follow. I trailed behind her with the bike as we headed back toward the house.

I set the bike up on its stand while I waited on the porch for Ms. Noel’s return.

Moments later, I heard the plank board squeaking. In the next beat, she reappeared at the door with a brown sack in her hand and a mason jar full of ice cubes and a dark liquid.

She opened the screen with a wide smile. “I thought you might like these for later!” she handed the sack and jar to me. “When you get off tomorrow, you come by, and I’ll have a bowl of gumbo and corn bread fixed for you.”

I shook my head, taken aback. “You really don’t have to do this.” I shifted the items in my arms. Thankfully, there was a basket on the bike.