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breakfast. She realized she hadn’t eaten in the last 24 hours and was starved. She sat at a table and was talked into an omelet by the waitress who claimed they were known for their omelets. Once she had eaten, she decided to walk around the community to get the feel for Catherine’s life. The weather was cooler than Los Angeles, and the community was quieter. What a pleasure , Marion thought. What an ideal environment .
      When an hour had passed she found herself in front of Catherine’s former home. It was a lovely two-story house. She had no doubt it was close to 100 years old, or that it was expensive. This community was priced to keep the riff-raff out. While looking at the house, she imagined Catherine readying her children for school, making their lunches, and preparing breakfast for the family. She didn’t realize the current tenant had taken notice of her staring at the house. A young, blond woman approached Marion and asked, “Are you looking for someone?”
      Marion jumped slightly, startled out of her thoughts, and responded, “Oh! I’m sorry. My mother told me of family friends that used to live here. I just hoped to come by and see if they were still here. The house is so charming you caught me admiring it.”
      The woman smiled and said, “Not a problem! We love it, too. My name is Charlotte. Charlotte Benning. Who were you looking for?”
      “The Goodmans,” Marion replied.
      Charlotte’s expression quickly saddened. “I’m sorry you made the trip. The news isn’t good. The Goodmans passed away.”
      Marion played ignorant, “Really? Both of them? They were fairly young!”
      “Yes, it was tragic. She died of a brain hemorrhage and he died of a broken heart, bless his soul.”
      Bless his soul , Marion thought, not the words I would use . “How does one die of a broken heart?”
      “Oh, he fell down the stairs.” Charlotte responded. Then in a whisper she said, “He had been drinking. They said he gave up his children shortly after Catherine died and then dove head first into the bottle. Poor man, he must have loved her so much.”  Charlotte turned toward the house and continued, “My parents bought the house from their estate. My husband and I were newlyweds. What a thoughtful gift, don’t you think?” Charlotte turned to Marion, awaiting an answer.
      “Oh yes, and generous! How do you know so much about the Goodmans?”
      “The realtor made sure we knew the all the facts before the purchase was complete. I think it’s the law. I’d hate to think it was just gossip.” Charlotte turned back toward the house, “Would you like to come in and see the house?”
      Marion smiled, “Yes that would be great!”

      Charlotte was 5’5” with a slender build that might make someone think she was a teenager although she was in her mid-20s. Her manner was bubbly and cheerful. As they entered through the back entrance, Marion found herself in a modern kitchen with a great aroma wafting through the air. It wasn’t hard to imagine the charmed life Catherine thought she had.
      “I’m making some goodies for my church’s bake sale. Let me just pull the cookies out of the oven and I’ll give you the grand tour.” Charlotte used an oven mitt to remove freshly baked cookies from the oven.
      “Those smell amazing!” Marion said. Charlotte beamed with pride.
      “That’s one of my talents: baking. I’ve never had a problem making baked goods. Bobby says that’s how he knew I was the woman he wanted to marry.” She pointed to a picture on the wall. “That’s my Bobby,” she said proudly.
      Marion looked at the picture of a tall and handsome young man wearing a cap and gown. “He’s handsome! What college did he graduate from?”
      “Columbia. He holds a degree in biomedical engineering. He’s working toward his Ph.D.” Charlotte beamed as she spoke of her husband. Marion hoped this house would be better for the Bennings than it was for the