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on that I’ve got to watch,” she said. “There’s more potatoes in the kitchen and there’s apple pie for dessert.”
    â€œThanks, Elsie,” Maggie said, “I can handle it from here.”
    Elsie looked the table over one last time, obviously reluctant to leave her food in Maggie’s hands. “There’s vanilla ice cream to go with the pie, and don’t forget the coffee. It’s all made.”
    â€œYou sure you don’t want to eat with us. There’s room…”
    â€œNope. Thanks anyway. I’m not much for socializing. I got things to do. Just make sure everybody gets enough to eat, and watch the piece of pie you give to Harry. He’s starting to spread.”
    There was a knock at the door and Elsie went to answer it. “It’s Linda Sue Newcombe,” she called from the foyer. “She says she got stood up for a date last night, and wants to know why.”
    Hank looked surprised. “I don’t remember making a date.”
    Linda Sue stomped into the dining room. She was short and blond and steaming mad.
    â€œYou promised to take me to the dance at the grange. We made that date two months ago.” She smiled a polite hello to Hank’s parents. “Excuse me,” she said to them, “but I bought a new dress for that dance.”
    Hank hated dances and doubted he’d agreed to go to this one. Linda Sue had a tendency to ramble, and he had a tendency to tune her out. He suspected he’d missed an important part of a conversation with her. It was a good thing he was married, he thought. His social life had become too complicated.
    Linda Sue pouted a little and looked at Hank under lowered eyelashes. “Maybe you can make it up to me.”
    â€œI don’t think so,” Hank told her. “I got married last week.”
    Linda Sue’s eyes snapped wide open. “Married?”
    He gestured with a half-eaten biscuit. “This is my wife, Maggie….”
    Linda Sue had her hands on her hips. “You were going to marry me!”
    Hank pressed his lips together. “I never said I was going to marry you. You said I was going to marry you.”
    â€œWould you like to join us for dinner?” Maggie asked. “We have lots of food.”
    Linda Sue looked at the pot roast. “It smells good. What are you having for dessert?”
    â€œApple pie and vanilla ice cream.”
    â€œSure, I’ll stay.” She took a side chair and dragged it over to the table. “When Hank’s granny lived here, I used to stay for dinner all the time. Hank’s granny always had an extra potato in the pot for company.”
    Maggie set a place for Linda Sue. “Do you live near here?”
    â€œI used to live just over the rise, down the road. My parents still live there.” She helped herself to some pot roast.
    Maggie waited for Linda Sue to continue, or someone else to make conversation, but Linda Sue’s attention had been caught by the mashed potatoes and Hank’s parents were staring out the window. Finally Maggie couldn’t wait any longer. “Where do you live now?” she asked.
    â€œI live in the Glenview apartments now. They’re outside of town, just off the interstate to Burlington.”
    The doorbell rang again and Maggie excused herself to answer it.
    â€œI’m Holly Brown,” the woman said when Maggie opened the door. “Is Hank here?”
    â€œHe’s in the dining room.”
    Holly Brown walked into the dining room, gave a slanty-eyed look to Linda Sue Newcombe and a large, wet kiss to Hank. She smiled at his parents and said hello.
    â€œI heard you’d gotten back in town,” Holly said to Hank. “Just thought I’d stop by to welcome you home.”
    â€œSave it,” Linda Sue said. “He’s married.”
    Holly gave a disbelieving snort. “Hank? Married?”
    Maggie dragged out another set of dishes and