picked up my magazine. "Look at this. I showed you my copy once and all you said was something about the number of trees per subscriber per year it took to support such a frivolous waste of paper."
I narrowed my gaze on Penny. "You didn't!"
"Maybe. Who remembers? I told you I don't pay attention to details. Not when I'm thinking."
"You were always thinking, but not about your family. Just about weird stuff." Jenny threw the magazine at Penny. "I said lose the stupid fangs!"
Penny shut her mouth. "Okay, I will." She looked at me. "Not a good time. I smell pot roast."
"Mom and Dad?" Jenny picked up her purse and pulled out her compact. She began to dab powder on her shiny nose. "They hate for us to fight."
"We never fight." Penny sighed and picked up the magazine, laying it carefully on the coffee table.
"Because they'd hate it. We're supposed to be the perfect family. The beauty and the brain. Gag me." Jenny glanced at me. "Sorry, Glory. Please try to forget all that. I guess stress is getting to me. I usually have things more under control." She sniffed. "You sure you smelled pot roast? I don't smell a thing."
I smiled. "Oh, I do too." I walked to the door. "And it smells delicious." There was a knock on the door. "Penny, you must have given your parents the code for downstairs."
"Yes, I did. Was that a bad idea?" She glanced significantly at Jenny. "I gave it to Jen too. But no keys to anyone."
"That's fine then. I'm sorry, but I have my reasons for the tight security, Jenny. Women living alone. I'm sure you get it. Can't have keys just floating around." I shrugged, pasted on a smile, then opened the door. An attractive middle-aged couple stood there. The woman held a casserole in her hands, the man was weighed down with two sacks. The smells coming from their packages made my mouth water. I was definitely trying Ian's potion.
Penny and Jenny ran forward to help their parents, make introductions and carry in the meal. Neither of them let on that they'd just had a fight and we were soon setting out the food in the kitchen. I'd had a challenge figuring out how to make my space there mortal friendly. Penny had explained that her own kitchen was usually almost empty. So we'd hidden the synthetics in a cabinet, put Rafe's snacks front and center and figured that would have to do. Of course Mrs. Patterson, who insisted I call her Melissa, exclaimed at the sight of all the junk food.
"Penny, you told me you and Glory were on a special diet. What kind of diet calls for Twinkies, Cheetos" - she opened the refrigerator - "and beer?"
"Uh, I'm over twenty-one, Melissa." I pointed to the bottles of designer water I'd brought up from the shop. "Those are Penny's. And we've been trying to resist the snack food. Seriously."
Jenny snorted. I was seeing that as a really unattractive habit of hers. "Yeah, I just bet you have." She looked Penny up and down.
"We eat out a lot, Mom. Or call for delivery. There's a great place that brings us healthful salads." Penny pulled out a bottle of water and handed it to her dad. "Come check out my computer setup. Glory's been cool, letting me take over her dining area."
Mark followed her while I lifted the lid on the pot roast. It was still warm and swimming in brown gravy, with carrots, onions and potatoes nestled alongside it. I'd already slipped into my bedroom and taken the potion and my stomach rumbled.
"Someone's hungry." Melissa laughed. "It won't be long. I'm going to just pop some rolls in the oven." She pulled out a bag of frozen rolls and set them on a cookie sheet she'd brought with her. "Why look at this oven. I don't think it's ever been used."
"No, uh, well. I really don't cook."
"Where'd the hole in the wall come from?" Jenny came into the kitchen carrying my picture of Ray. "It was behind Israel Caine's picture. Mom, look. Autographed. I told you Glory dates him."
Melissa smiled at me. "Wow. He's so hot."
"Mom!" Jenny and Penny, who'd followed her in from the dining room, for once were in sync.
"I may be married, but I can still appreciate a good-looking man. And talent. I love his music." Melissa licked her lips. "Glory, I'd like to hear about Israel after dinner. I dragged Mark to that concert