A Bone to Pick Page 0,55

one side, "but you and I were on the Fallfest committee together a couple of years ago."

"Oh, of course," Mother said, professional warmth in her voice. "The festival turned out very well that year, didn't it?"

"Yes, but it was sure a lot of work, more than I ever bargained for! Listen, we're all just so thrilled Roe is moving on our street. I don't know if she told you yet or not, I understand you've been away on your honeymoon, but Torrance and I are giving Aurora and our other new neighbors" - and Marcia nodded her smooth head at the little yellow-shuttered house across the street - "a little get-together tomorrow night. We would just love it if you and your new husband could come."

Nothing nonpluses Mother. "We'd love to, but I'm afraid John came back from the Bahamas with just a touch of flu," she explained. "I tell you what, I may just drop in by myself for a few minutes, just to meet Aurora's new neighbors. If my husband is feeling better, maybe he'll come, too. Can I leave it that indefinite?"

"Oh, of course, that poor man, the flu in this pretty weather! And on his honeymoon! Bless his heart!"

"Who are the other new people on the street?" Mother inquired, to stem Marcia's pity.

"A police detective and his brand-new wife, who is also a police detective! And she's going to have a baby just any time now. Isn't that exciting? I don't think I'd ever met a real detective until they moved in, and now we have two of them on the street. We should all be real safe now! We've had a lot of break-ins on this street the past few years - but I'm sure your daughter is as safe as can be, now," Marcia tacked on hastily.

"Would that detective be Arthur Smith?" Mother asked. I heard the permafrost under her words. I could feel my face begin to tighten. I had never known how much Mother knew or guessed about my relationship with Arthur, but I had a feeling she'd gotten a pretty accurate picture. I turned my face away a little under pretext of pushing up my glasses.

"Yes. He's such a solemn young man, and handsome, too. Of course, not as handsome as the man Roe is dating." Marcia actually winked. "You don't think so?" my mother said agreeably. I bit my upper lip. "Oh, no. That minister is so tall and dark. You can tell from my marrying Torrance, I like tall, dark men. And that mustache! It may not be nice to say this about a man in the ministry, but it's just plain sexy." My mother had been totting up this description. "Well, I'll sure try to come, thanks so much for inviting me," she said in a perfectly polite but unmistakably conclusive way.

"I'll just go back to cleaning the house," Marcia said brightly, and, after a chorus of good-byes, off she trotted.

"Dating Father Scott?" Mother asked when she was sure Marcia was out of earshot.

"And you're over that lousy policeman?"

"Yes to both."

Mother looked quite unsettled for a minute. "You turned down a date with Bubba Sewell, you're over that Arthur Smith, and you're dating a minister," she said wonderingly. "There's hope for your love life after all." As I waved to her as she drove down the street, it was a positive satisfaction for me to think of the skull in her blanket bag.

Chapter 11

ELEVEN

In a burst of morning energy, I was singing in the shower when the telephone rang. Blessing answering machines, I barely paused in my rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner." The shower is probably the only place our national anthem should be sung, especially by people with a limited vocal range, a category that definitely includes me. As I rinsed the shampoo out of my hair, I did a medley of my favorite ads. For my finale, as I toweled I warbled "Three Little Ducks." There is something to be said for living by oneself when one wants to sing unheard.

It would be hard to say why I was in such a festive mood. I had to go in to work for five hours, then come back to the town house to prepare for the party. I was pleased at the prospect of seeing Aubrey, but not goo-goo eyed. I was more or less getting used to being rich by now (though the word still gave me a thrill up my spine), and I was