trouble. I guess you’re one of those people who don't like to take help from anyone… but, it’s nothing.” Her hands were perched on her hips and had a “not taking no for an answer” kind of look.
“I was just going to say I was hungry. I haven’t eaten yet.” The two broke out into a laugh as Betty slapped her hand across her forehead. “Coming right up,” she called as she hustled into the kitchen.
Chapter Four
The average person might take for granted how much an upbringing prepares one for adulthood. By the time most people hit their mid-twenties they are, at a bare minimum, equipped to attend a casual dinner at the home of an acquaintance. But, of course, most folks don’t have the paralyzing social ineptitude that comes from being raised by criminals.
Piper sat in front of her computer staring at the void line of a ready and waiting search engine. She wasn’t quite sure how to word her inquiry, and it had her eyes practically crossing as she tried to focus on the screen.
Finally she typed in “How to act at a dinner party” and hit enter. Much to her surprise she was met with over seven hundred thousand results. Perhaps she wasn’t the only person in the world not given the tools to succeed. And, like so many times before, the vast information floating around the Internet had saved the day.
She browsed over each link and settled for the blog including five easy steps of dinner party etiquette. She figured she couldn’t possibly go wrong with five easy steps. She pulled out her notebook and proceeded to jot them down. She always seemed to retain more information when she was writing it for herself.
Step 1: Always bring a gift or dish for the host and hostess.
Step 2: Unfold your napkin and place it across your lap. When your meal is finished place the napkin neatly back on the table.
Step 3: Wait your turn for food. It is traditional to serve the most senior lady at the table, then the other ladies in descending order of rank (usually equating to age unless you have royalty staying), and lastly the gentlemen. Never start eating until the hostess begins to eat.
Step 4: With many different sets of cutlery beside the plate, start at the outside and work in. If in doubt, look at what the other guests are using.
Step 5: Make polite conversation with those guests around you. Dinner parties are not just about the food; they are intended to be a sociable occasion.
Piper closed her notebook feeling like those were pretty manageable rules to follow. Now she just had to pick something to wear and which dish she would bring for Betty, considering her plates were all pretty plain.
As Piper approached the house at the address Betty had given her, she felt tightness in her chest. Social endeavors of any kind were something she avoided. She continued to remind herself this would all be worth it when she was working at the cable company and coming and going out of people’s houses without having to put breaking and entering onto her record.
Betty’s home was fairly unassuming and old-fashioned. Parts of it teetered on being in disrepair in Piper’s opinion. The clapboard siding was faded with the paint chipping and peeling. The bones of the house seemed tired but the attempts at keeping it fresh were easy to see. The garden was full of fresh blossoms and the hedges that hugged the outside of the house were well-kept and blooming beautifully. The windows were sparkling, and white cotton sheer curtains were blowing in and out of them with the breeze. The front porch had an old style hanging swing with floral cushions that Piper immediately found inviting. She imagined how relaxing it would be to waste away an afternoon there.
It was farther outside of town than Piper expected. She didn’t realize Betty had a twenty-minute drive to work each day and that the house would be tucked so far from the road. The long dirt driveway was lined with trees and an old stone wall that had seen better days. It was quieter here than any place Piper had ever been. The only real noises she heard were the idling of her own car engine and the birds chirping in the trees.
As Piper parked her car she saw Betty’s rusted blue sedan and a shiny, red antique pick-up truck parked ahead of her. She reached into the back to