ago when you were transferred to the summit.”
Mike looked sheepish. “We don’t have much extra room up there. Maybe I can take some back with us.”
“That’d be nice,” she said. “I might be able to find room for the CDs and DVDs we’ve bought in the last ten years.”
“Sorry,” Mike mumbled. He stood up and spoke to the boys.
“We’ll start with the basement while Mom goes to the video store. You’ll like the Robbing Hood shows. Willie wears a hood so nobody knows who he is and he steals from bad guys to give to poor people. At the end of each show, somebody asks, ‘Who was that hood?’ Lots of fun action and adventure.”
“Actually,” Judith said, “the stew’s not quite done, so you should say hi to Gee-Gee. She’s excited about your visit.”
“Good idea,” Joe said. “How late do you plan to be here tonight?”
Kristin, who had eyed the two place settings on the kitchen table, frowned at Joe.
“Through the weekend. Didn’t Gee-Gee tell you? Mike’s taking a couple of days off. He still has vacation time because summer’s so busy.” She turned to her husband. “Hey, Big Daddy, you and the kids can bring in the sleeping bags and the rest of the stuff. I made dill pickles a couple of months ago, but I keep forgetting to bring them. I put up peaches, too, and pears and…Wait up, guys!” she called after Mike and the boys. “Don’t forget my homemade jams and jellies. They’re under the quilt I just finished.”
As always, Kristin never ceased to amaze Judith, who considered her the most efficient, energetic, organized person on Planet Earth—with the possible exception of Aunt Ellen, who lived in Beatrice, Nebraska. At less than half Aunt Ellen’s age, Kristin was catching up fast. Just listening to her daughter-in-law’s feats was exhausting. Kristin made Judith feel lazy, old—and short.
“I think,” Judith said, “I’ll have a cocktail. Can I fix you something, Kris?”
“No, thanks. I made two kinds of cider—one hard, the other kiddy-safe.” She opened a tan canvas bag on the counter. “Want some?”
Judith hesitated. “Oh…sure. Why not?”
Kristin turned to Joe. “How about you, Daddylawman?”
Joe managed not to wince at the nickname Kristin had bestowed on him. “No thanks. I’ll help the boys unload the Rover.”
Kristin had beaten Judith to the cupboard where the glasses were kept. “It looks as if you thought we wouldn’t get here in time for dinner,” she said, gesturing at the kitchen table. “Did Gee-Gee warn you we might be late if traffic on the pass was heavy?”
Judith hedged. “You never know with cross-state highways.”
“Right,” Kristin agreed, pouring the thick amber liquid into two glasses. “I checked all the sites on the computer and timed it so we could avoid any serious tie-ups.” She handed a glass of cider to Judith. “Cheers!” The women clicked glasses. Kristin beamed at her mother-in-law. “This is going to be a great weekend. The kids can’t wait to go trick-or-treating in the city.”
“Ah…” Judith tried not to look surprised.
“Go ahead, taste it,” Kristin urged. “It turned out fairly well. Oh, this should be such fun. It’s the first time since the boys have been old enough that Halloween has fallen on a Sunday. Being a leap year, Saturday got skipped. Mac and Joe-Joe can’t wait to be in the Heraldsgate Hill Halloween parade Sunday.”
If Judith hadn’t already been jolted by the first sip of hard cider, Kristin’s words would have left her just as bug-eyed. Worse yet, the little boys ran down the hall, each carrying gym bags and making whooping noises. Joe-Joe dropped his bag with its frog motif at Judith’s feet and grabbed her by the legs. “Wanna see my costume?” he asked.
“No!” Mac shouted, clutching his tiger-themed bag. “Grams can’t see it until we get ready to go to the parade.”
Judith’s heart sank even lower. For the past decade, Heraldsgate Hill denizens of all ages dressed in every imaginable costume—or, as in the case of the ersatz Lady Godiva the previous year, no costume at all except for a long, dark wig. From infants to golden agers, the fantastic and the mundane promenaded the length of the commercial district on top of the hill. Inspiration often came from current pop culture: superheroes, presidents, characters from the latest hit movie or book. The revelers represented every category of animal, vegetable, and mineral. One year there were several babes-in-arms wearing peapod bodysuits, while their older siblings dressed as bananas, pumpkins, and a fruit salad that kept losing