Mama Bravo got to cook dinner again that evening. To tell the truth, she does the cooking all the time.

At supper that night, Johnny listened to what his mother said.

"Johnny, I spoke with my friend, Marion Cunningham I told you about."

Now he was showing more interest in what Mama's story was coming from.

"What did she say, Mama?"

"She said we are welcome to stay with t hem. You asked about children. She does have one daughter as I mentioned earlier."

"What did you say her name was?"

"Joanie," she answered.

Tonight they were having spaghetti for dinner. It was one of his favorites.

"I can't wait to meet this girl you told me about. I hope she is a pretty one."

"Yes, she is, Johnny. Want to see a picture of her?"

"I would like that. Think it will help me recognize her before I meet her?"

"That makes sense, Johnny. I will show you after supper."

"I hope she will be wanting to spend time with me while we're out there. Do you think she will?"

"We could try, but there might not be any promises. You understand that?"

"Yes, I do."

He didn't seem to care at all about Karl and Susie knowing about his birthday visit.

He was good friends with Karl time to time.

After they finished spaghetti, he did the dishes because she asked him to.

She lets him do the dishes and other chores so he could be more helpful.

So she took a photo of the picture Marion had sent her a year or two ago in the Christmas mail. Mama doesn't care for technology, but does not have a cell phone to send text messages or send photos. She does the old – fashioned type of communication.

This will be the first time he will be meeting the Cunninghams. He hoped they would be the same people his mother had said they were, including their daughter.

"Thanks for spaghetti, Mama. It gets better every time."

"You're welcome, Johnny."

"This better be a good vacation you are going to take me. I know it's not a cruise trip."

"Not that type of vacation, Johnny. I can't afford that kind of thing right now."

So she showed him the picture. He liked what she showed him.

"Thanks, Mama. Now I am starting to like this chick, even though I haven't met her yet."

"At least you are saying positive thoughts about this trip."

He left her and then went to his bedroom. That's what he did. Before he did anything else, he said to himself, "I hope she will like me. Maybe she will be my girlfriend."

Then he went to comb his hair. In a few hours, he went to bed.