Life resumed as if she had always lived with us. Aunt Alexandra never missed a chance to point out the shortcomings of others. Everyone in Maycomb seemed to have a Strea k: A Drinking Streak, a Gambling Streak, a Mean Streak, a Funny Streak. She was also very focused on who came from what family. I had received the impression the Fine Folks were people who did the best they could with the sense they had, but Aunt Alexandra was of the opinion that the longer a family had been living on one patch of land the better it was.
Some afternoons Aunty had the Maycomb ladies over. “Jean Louise, come speak to these ladies.”
When I came to the doorway, Aunt Alexandra looked like she almost regretted calling me over because I usually was mud-splattered or dirty.
“Speak to your Cousin Lily,” she said one afternoon, when she had trapped me in the hall.
“Who?” I said.
“Your Cousin Lily Brooke,” said Aunt Alexandra.
“She our cousin? I didn’t know that.”
Aunt Alexandra managed to smile to Cousin Lily that conveyed a gentle apology to her and a firm disapproval to me. I knew I was in for it when Cousin Lily Left.