room, pulling Naomi to join her in the best and only two-person dance I saw.

When they had stopped prancing I turned towards Ruth, my shyness replaced by curiosity and the strange feeling that I was safe with these people. "I'm sorry, who were you thanking?"

"God," she said offhandedly. "Why?"

I raised a tentative eyebrow - which I never had dared to do but felt impressive. God... I had heard the name when Jean was talking about the news - in the middle of one of her sentences, a short, three-letter word. Like that God did this, apparently, or that. But somehow through that I had failed to know who God was like I failed to be a Ring - completely.

"Who's God?" I asked the ceiling, ignorant of provoking Ruth's wide-eyed stare.

"You DON'T know who He is?" Naomi asked me incredulously. And I was about to say that I didn't even know He was a He, until Ruth motioned me to the bed.

"OK, I'm new at this, but I'm going to try... I'm sorry, got to let it out..." She suddenly screamed. "Naomi, can you believe this?"

"Believe what?" Naomi looked like she had no idea in the world why her sister was in this form of ecstasy. I didn't know I was backing away until I was against the moldy wall.

"Y'all had better calm down in there!" screeched a voice from outside. "Y'all don't want to annoy the Mistres....AGAIN!"

"Did you do something?" I asked Ruth pointedly. She nodded vigorously.

"'Course... didn't I tell you that I went to ask about Naomi's cot?"

"You did NOT go and