Disclaimer – I own nothing of The Help, except the audiobook. I own the plot – that's it. 'Nuff said.

A/N: I was listening to The Help while my parents were on our road trip and thought of this story.

Summary: AU: What if Aibileen wasn't fired from her job? What if she decided to leave before this whole mess started? What would she say to Mae Mobley? One-Shot. Rated T because I'm paranoid. Told from Aibileen's point of view.

Genre: Drama/None

Rating: T

I sighed and shut my bag, sitting on the bed, trying what to say to Mae Mobley the following day. I had decided to leave Mississippi before this whole maid/help book-thing got out of control.

I walked to the kitchen and poured some tea. The house seemed empty without kids around. I had gone over to check on Minny the day before yesterday – she was intent on getting that baby out of her, even though she only had three months to go.

The following morning, I pull into the Leefolt residence. Mrs. Leefolt is in Mae Mobley's bedroom, trying to get her up for school. I go into Little Man's bedroom and wake him up. He smiled at me as I changed and talked to him. I carried him out to the kitchen and put him in his high chair. Just then, Mae Mobley comes to join us.

"Hi baby girl." I greeted her. She smiled at me and gave me a big squeeze.

"Hi AB." She greeted me back as I helped her into a big girl chair.

"Aibileen, I'm going to get my hair done then have lunch with the girls." Mrs. Leefolt told me.

"Alright ma'am." I answered, getting breakfast ready for the children. I decided to tell Mae Mobley after Ross had gone down for his nap.

"AB, what we doin today?" Mae Mobley asked me. It was raining outside – hard and it scared Mae Mobley.

"I think I would like to talk with you. Is that alright?" I asked her. I had just put Little Man down for his nap, so it was just she and I.

"Yeah AB – that fine." Mae Mobley said.

"First of all, I love you with all my heart." I started, feeling tears in my eyes. "Secondly, there are things going on in my life right now that I need to take care of."

"AB, why you cryin?" Mae Mobley asked, reaching up to wipe a tear off my face.

"I'm sad Baby Girl. I have to leave you and Little Man." I say.

"Why?" she asked.

"I just got to. I promise I'll come back and visit you. Mae Mobley Leefolt, you will always be in my heart." I told her. "Don't tell your momma because I want this to be our secret."

Mae Mobley nodded and zipped her lip, promising that she wouldn't tell anyone. I smiled and hugged her, knowing that she was going to be okay.

I stayed until Mrs. Leefolt got home and told her I was going home early – I wasn't feeling good. Before I left, I wrote on a piece of paper the words I had told Mae Mobley when she was younger – you is kind, you is smart, you is beautiful, you is strong. I will never forget those words I told her for as long as I live.

Years later

I'm an old woman now, and shuffled down to the mailbox. I receive a heavy envelope in the mail. I take it into the house, shuffling my feet so my slippers will stay on.

With shaky hands, I open the envelope. Enclosed are a wedding invitation, a letter and a picture. I open the letter first and put on my reading glasses so's I could see better. It was written in purple pen and in a neat cursive.

Dear Aibileen,

First off – how have you been? I miss you so much!

Secondly, I'm engaged to be married. He's a nice, witty, neat, handsome man named Charles Waverly. I love him with all my heart and I know you will, too.

We have so much to catch up on. I met Charles through a friend of mine at college and we've been stuck together like gum on the bottom of a shoe. He treats me like I want to be treated, not how he thinks he should treat me.

Finally, I have to ask, I know you left momma, Ross, daddy and I, but why did you do it? I want the real reason, not a phony one.

Yours truly,

Mae Mobley Leefolt-Waverly.

PS – I sent you a picture of me and Charles and a wedding invitation. I sure hope you can come.

I read that letter four times, tears streaming down my cheeks. Baby Girl was getting married – seemed like yesterday I was changing her diapers.

I set the letter down and looked at the picture and marveled at how beautiful Mae Mobley had turned out. In the picture, she was wearing a white sundress and smiling. The man standing beside her – Charles I believe she said his name was – was wearing khaki shorts and a blue dress shirt. He was handsome and looked like a good match for Mae Mobley. I set the picture down and opened the wedding invitation and traced my fingers over the writing. My eyes went down to the date – it was this Saturday at noon. I know I could make it. Minny and the kids was livin in California, Leroy was in prison and as far as I knew, I didn't have any other plans.

Saturday came and I felt a sickening feeling in my stomach. I knew Mrs. Leefolt and Ross would be there. Mr. Leefolt had died a year after I left – he had kidney failure and died from cancer of the kidney.

I struggled to put on my white uniform, even though I wasn't working no more, I was still required to wear it. I took a deep breath and got in my car to go to the church.

It was a long drive, but I made it. I shuffled into the church and handed the doorman my invitation. He smiled at me and opened the door. An usher greeted me and asked if I was a friend of the bride or groom.

"Bride." I told him. He smiled and pointed me to an aisle seat near the back. I smiled at him and said thank you.

At the reception, I was seated with some black women. They introduced themselves as Rose, Honey, Sarah, Hannah and Lilly. Lilly and Rose was identical twins. Honey and Hannah were mother and daughter, respectably. Sarah, however, was there on her own – she was supposed to come with a friend, but the friend had gotten sick.

"So, are you a friend of the bride or groom?" Sarah asked.

"Bride. What about you?" I asked, adjusting my hearing aid so I could hear better.

"Groom. The girls and I work for Charles' father." She answered, looking scared when Mae Mobley came to greet me. I started to get up, but she stood behind me and gave me a squeeze.

"I knew you would come AB!" Mae Mobley squealed, hugging me tighter. I looked to the others for help, but they had gone onto different things. Mae Mobley took Hannah's empty chair and sat down.

"Whoo! This heat is somethin, huh?" she asked, brown eyes sparkling. I smiled and gave her a gentle squeeze on her knee. "AB, I was wonderin, why did you leave me?"

"Baby girl, I thought I told you." I said. Mae Mobley shook her head. I craned my neck around to make sure no one was listening. In a low voice, I told her what Skeeter, Minny, some other help and I were doing. She looked at me bugged eyed and didn't say anything until I was finished.

"AB, why didn't you tell me that in the first place?" Mae Mobley asked, tears coming to her beautiful eyes.

"Honey, you was just four-years-old. I don't think you would've understood." I told her, holding her hand. She smiled sadly and squeezed my hand before going off to join the rest of the wedding guests. I sighed and turned my attention to the wedding cake that was placed in front of me. I took one bite and began coughing.

"Dear Lord, not this again." I muttered under my breath as soon as I could breathe again. Hannah handed me a handkerchief from her purse and handed it to me, saying I could keep it.

The rest of the wedding went well, but before I knew it, it was time to leave.

I knew that Mae Mobley would have a better life now. She has Charles and soon's enough – maybe – they'll have kids of their own someday.

Sure enough, I go to the mailbox a year later and see that there's a letter addressed to me. I shuffle to the house as fast as my sore legs will carry me.

Inside, I opened the envelope and saw there was a picture and a piece of paper. The picture showed Mae Mobley and Charles looking at a sleeping baby dressed in pink. I put on my glasses and read the back of the picture:

Welcome to the world!

Born to Mae Mobley and Charles Waverly

A girl

Anna Aibileen Waverly

October 7th, 1985

7 pounds, 7 ounces

17.5 inches long

I felt tears in my eyes as I read the piece of paper. On it were five words written in purple ink.

We named her after you.

My heart swelled, knowing that there were some white folks who knew how to be kind, smart, beautiful and strong, just like Mae Mobley. I hoped that her daughter turned out like her mother.

Mae Mobley's point of view

I called Aibileen's house, but there was no answer. I called Minny's house and she told me that Aibileen had passed away that night. I felt tears in my eyes, but held it together as Charles walked in the room, holding Anna and a bottle. I smiled and fed my daughter, knowing that Aibileen was in a better place now.