ABOUT THE STORIES Women make choices every day. In any given day, we can make over a hundred choices without pausing to think of the consequences. In Mae, Drucilla, and Ilene: Stories of These and other Caribbean Women, you will meet many women of Caribbean descent, from the broken, penitent Drucilla to the bold and feisty Ilene. All these women make choices that forever change their lives and the lives of the people around them. The stories are set primarily in the Caribbean, with a few taking place in the continental United States. These tales celebrate the freedom women have in making choices, yet warn of the need to carefully consider the ramifications of these choices. The stories vary in tone; some are funny and mocking, and others are somber. Some are told by a child examining the adults around her and trying to make sense of why people behave the way they do.