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Authors: Bonnie Drury
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cues?"
Sharon had tried to befriend the easterner until Celia had flaunted her blatant interest in Tom. She'd often wished the Morans would move away from Hollow Bend because they'd never fit
into the rural lifestyle or way of thinking.
The amusement in the other woman's eyes vanished and was replaced by frigid anger. "Why you little...how dare you insinuate..."
A deep voice cut her off. "How's it going, Sharon?"
She glanced at Joe while making a conscious effort to calm down. She shouldn't have let Celia get under her skin, especially in public.
"Fine, Joe, thanks." Eyeing Celia with a steady gaze, she murmured, "Keep the line moving, please."
Joe chuckled and leaned over so that only she could hear his words. "Sheath those claws, honey, you won the first round."
"I don't feel the thrill of victory," she moaned.
"Your neighbor might even be an angel in disguise and you're being tested."
"Ha!" Sharon said, "I'd know an angel if I saw one, and she certainly doesn't qualify." When Joe gave her an amused look, she said with an answering grin, "Better keep the line moving, buddy."
Joe gave a somewhat sloppy salute and did as he was told. His intervention lightened her mood, and she consciously ignored Celia.
Sharon continued serving, always aware of Joe's scrutiny from a table in the corner, near a group of rowdy boys. Then the lunch hour grew so busy she didn't notice when he left.
All things considered, she had a successful first day.
Joseph had felt like a proud parent as he'd watched Sharon during her first day at work. It was getting increasingly difficult to be in two places at once.
He'd have to talk to Serena soon about his waning powers.
He was satisfied, though, that she'd be all right. The cafeteria job had been just what she'd needed, to take her mind off her grief. And her co-workers were fun, not stuck-up, like the office workers at the school.
All in all, he felt good about the way some things were progressing. As for other areas of this mission...he'd rather not think about it.
Sharon called Paula that night and asked about the Banners' holiday.
Paula hesitated, as if checking to see if anyone was nearby. "It didn't go very well, Sharon, but I'll have to talk to you later, okay?"
Sharon figured things weren't any better if Paula was afraid to talk on the phone. "Can you come over?" she asked, knowing instinctively she couldn't go to the Banner home.
"No, I'm sorry," Paula said in a low voice. "I'll call back when I can."
There was a click and the line went dead. Sharon stared at
the receiver. What should she do?
David walked through the room, carrying his school books. "Was Melanie at school today?"
He frowned. "Yes, why?"
She hung up the phone. "Paula couldn't talk just now, and I wondered if everything was all right."
David continued toward the door. "I don't know. Melanie didn't speak to me."
"Have you given her any reason to?" Sharon hadn't meant to be so blunt, but she was worried.
David turned and looked at her. "I said hello, but she walked right by."
"Hmmm, that is strange."
"Stay out of it, Mom. That's the way she wants it." He headed up the stairs without a backward glance.
Sharon stared after him. Did he know something he wasn't telling? She'd let it rest for now, but was determined to ask Paula as soon as possible.
With a deep sigh, she headed for the kitchen. Baking always relaxed her, and the boys liked the aroma of chocolate chip cookies filling the house. Come to think of it, so did she.
It didn't take long for the aroma to bring them downstairs again.
In the days that followed, Sharon didn't see Celia in the cafeteria again. Probably has her meals out, she thought wryly.
The receptionist position paid two dollars more an hour than the cafeteria job, but Sharon was beginning to enjoy it now that she
Sharon had tried to befriend the easterner until Celia had flaunted her blatant interest in Tom. She'd often wished the Morans would move away from Hollow Bend because they'd never fit
into the rural lifestyle or way of thinking.
The amusement in the other woman's eyes vanished and was replaced by frigid anger. "Why you little...how dare you insinuate..."
A deep voice cut her off. "How's it going, Sharon?"
She glanced at Joe while making a conscious effort to calm down. She shouldn't have let Celia get under her skin, especially in public.
"Fine, Joe, thanks." Eyeing Celia with a steady gaze, she murmured, "Keep the line moving, please."
Joe chuckled and leaned over so that only she could hear his words. "Sheath those claws, honey, you won the first round."
"I don't feel the thrill of victory," she moaned.
"Your neighbor might even be an angel in disguise and you're being tested."
"Ha!" Sharon said, "I'd know an angel if I saw one, and she certainly doesn't qualify." When Joe gave her an amused look, she said with an answering grin, "Better keep the line moving, buddy."
Joe gave a somewhat sloppy salute and did as he was told. His intervention lightened her mood, and she consciously ignored Celia.
Sharon continued serving, always aware of Joe's scrutiny from a table in the corner, near a group of rowdy boys. Then the lunch hour grew so busy she didn't notice when he left.
All things considered, she had a successful first day.
Joseph had felt like a proud parent as he'd watched Sharon during her first day at work. It was getting increasingly difficult to be in two places at once.
He'd have to talk to Serena soon about his waning powers.
He was satisfied, though, that she'd be all right. The cafeteria job had been just what she'd needed, to take her mind off her grief. And her co-workers were fun, not stuck-up, like the office workers at the school.
All in all, he felt good about the way some things were progressing. As for other areas of this mission...he'd rather not think about it.
Sharon called Paula that night and asked about the Banners' holiday.
Paula hesitated, as if checking to see if anyone was nearby. "It didn't go very well, Sharon, but I'll have to talk to you later, okay?"
Sharon figured things weren't any better if Paula was afraid to talk on the phone. "Can you come over?" she asked, knowing instinctively she couldn't go to the Banner home.
"No, I'm sorry," Paula said in a low voice. "I'll call back when I can."
There was a click and the line went dead. Sharon stared at
the receiver. What should she do?
David walked through the room, carrying his school books. "Was Melanie at school today?"
He frowned. "Yes, why?"
She hung up the phone. "Paula couldn't talk just now, and I wondered if everything was all right."
David continued toward the door. "I don't know. Melanie didn't speak to me."
"Have you given her any reason to?" Sharon hadn't meant to be so blunt, but she was worried.
David turned and looked at her. "I said hello, but she walked right by."
"Hmmm, that is strange."
"Stay out of it, Mom. That's the way she wants it." He headed up the stairs without a backward glance.
Sharon stared after him. Did he know something he wasn't telling? She'd let it rest for now, but was determined to ask Paula as soon as possible.
With a deep sigh, she headed for the kitchen. Baking always relaxed her, and the boys liked the aroma of chocolate chip cookies filling the house. Come to think of it, so did she.
It didn't take long for the aroma to bring them downstairs again.
In the days that followed, Sharon didn't see Celia in the cafeteria again. Probably has her meals out, she thought wryly.
The receptionist position paid two dollars more an hour than the cafeteria job, but Sharon was beginning to enjoy it now that she
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