chest and grinned down at his life partner. He helped her to a seat and then, with grave dignity, accepted the other armchair.
“So, what can I do for you today?” Sue pulled over a wooden chair and sat down to face them.
“Well, our nephew’s son is getting married,” Linda began.
“Which one is he?” Though she could never sort out the Costas’ many relatives, she knew they liked to talk about them. They seemed to be related to most everyone in town. Those who weren’t relations they knew well.
“To tell the truth, he’s more like a grandson. Our daughter Angela raised him after that awful car crash when he was young, so he grew up with our grandchildren Shelley and Tony. He’s a policeman, you know.”
“Tony’s a policeman? I thought he was a dentist.” Sue was confused at this spate of information.
“Yes, Tony’s a dentist,” Linda explained patiently. “Tommy is the one who is a policeman. Anyway, he’s getting married, and we wanted to get him something for their new apartment. What do you suggest?”
“How about the wedding photo? You know, the kind people are doing now, with the big wide border for people to sign. That’s very popular. All you need is a nice picture of the couple.”
“What’s wrong with a good old-fashioned guest book?” Linda objected. Walt nodded in agreement. “What else do you have?”
“Well, let me think. We have some nice romantic prints here that the artist will personalize for them, if you like any of them.” Sue showed them half a dozen choices of relatively small prints, ranging from cute to classic, that were popular wedding gifts.
“Do they come framed?” Walt asked.
“No, they don’t. You could frame it for them, but many people give a gift certificate for the framing, if they live near us. That way they can choose what they like.”
The old couple consulted each other’s eyes and came to a decision without speaking. “Okay, we’ll take the one with the rose,” Walt said. “What will the framing cost?”
Sue mentioned a price range, and Linda promptly chose the high end of it. Just by looking at them, no one could guess they were extremely well off. “Let them get something really nice. You’ll help them, won’t you, Sue?”
“Of course. Don’t worry, we’ll take good care of them. Now, what names do you want on the print?”
“Tom and Donna.”
Sue took her time writing out the order, checking the spelling even on the simple names. Then she made up a gift certificate for the specified amount. “Do you want me to fill it in for you?”
“Yes, please,” Linda said. “Make it to Mr. and Mrs. Thomas DiAndreo.”
Sue did so, and then she exclaimed, “Oh! You mean Tom DiAndreo is your grandson? I know him! He’s a cop here in town.”
The Costas beamed at being able to surprise her. “You mean you didn’t know that?”
“I know Tom, I didn’t realize he was your grandson. Your nephew’s son, I mean. I didn’t know he was related to you.”
“Well, now you do.”
“He’s a good cop,” Sue added, mindful of his help with Jemmie.
Walt confided, “He wants to be a detective for the state police. So if you have any crimes that need solving…”
Sue grinned. “If I do, I’ll be sure to call him. Please give him my congratulations, would you? And we’ll call you as soon as the print comes in. It should be here by the end of next week.”
She helped Walt assist Linda to the car, chatting to make it seem as though she was prolonging the visit rather than providing an arm to lean on. He tucked his wife into her seat, made sure her seatbelt didn’t pinch, and with a wry chuckle let Sue slip her hand under his elbow. “I see you, young lady!” Linda sang out. “Don’t you go stealing my man!”
“He’s worth stealing,” Sue shot back. “But I don’t think I stand a chance against you.”
Walt cackled, an old man’s laugh full of good humor. “Either she won’t let me out of her sight, or I’m too
“So, what can I do for you today?” Sue pulled over a wooden chair and sat down to face them.
“Well, our nephew’s son is getting married,” Linda began.
“Which one is he?” Though she could never sort out the Costas’ many relatives, she knew they liked to talk about them. They seemed to be related to most everyone in town. Those who weren’t relations they knew well.
“To tell the truth, he’s more like a grandson. Our daughter Angela raised him after that awful car crash when he was young, so he grew up with our grandchildren Shelley and Tony. He’s a policeman, you know.”
“Tony’s a policeman? I thought he was a dentist.” Sue was confused at this spate of information.
“Yes, Tony’s a dentist,” Linda explained patiently. “Tommy is the one who is a policeman. Anyway, he’s getting married, and we wanted to get him something for their new apartment. What do you suggest?”
“How about the wedding photo? You know, the kind people are doing now, with the big wide border for people to sign. That’s very popular. All you need is a nice picture of the couple.”
“What’s wrong with a good old-fashioned guest book?” Linda objected. Walt nodded in agreement. “What else do you have?”
“Well, let me think. We have some nice romantic prints here that the artist will personalize for them, if you like any of them.” Sue showed them half a dozen choices of relatively small prints, ranging from cute to classic, that were popular wedding gifts.
“Do they come framed?” Walt asked.
“No, they don’t. You could frame it for them, but many people give a gift certificate for the framing, if they live near us. That way they can choose what they like.”
The old couple consulted each other’s eyes and came to a decision without speaking. “Okay, we’ll take the one with the rose,” Walt said. “What will the framing cost?”
Sue mentioned a price range, and Linda promptly chose the high end of it. Just by looking at them, no one could guess they were extremely well off. “Let them get something really nice. You’ll help them, won’t you, Sue?”
“Of course. Don’t worry, we’ll take good care of them. Now, what names do you want on the print?”
“Tom and Donna.”
Sue took her time writing out the order, checking the spelling even on the simple names. Then she made up a gift certificate for the specified amount. “Do you want me to fill it in for you?”
“Yes, please,” Linda said. “Make it to Mr. and Mrs. Thomas DiAndreo.”
Sue did so, and then she exclaimed, “Oh! You mean Tom DiAndreo is your grandson? I know him! He’s a cop here in town.”
The Costas beamed at being able to surprise her. “You mean you didn’t know that?”
“I know Tom, I didn’t realize he was your grandson. Your nephew’s son, I mean. I didn’t know he was related to you.”
“Well, now you do.”
“He’s a good cop,” Sue added, mindful of his help with Jemmie.
Walt confided, “He wants to be a detective for the state police. So if you have any crimes that need solving…”
Sue grinned. “If I do, I’ll be sure to call him. Please give him my congratulations, would you? And we’ll call you as soon as the print comes in. It should be here by the end of next week.”
She helped Walt assist Linda to the car, chatting to make it seem as though she was prolonging the visit rather than providing an arm to lean on. He tucked his wife into her seat, made sure her seatbelt didn’t pinch, and with a wry chuckle let Sue slip her hand under his elbow. “I see you, young lady!” Linda sang out. “Don’t you go stealing my man!”
“He’s worth stealing,” Sue shot back. “But I don’t think I stand a chance against you.”
Walt cackled, an old man’s laugh full of good humor. “Either she won’t let me out of her sight, or I’m too
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