A Sampler Pack

by Jill Cooper

  Susan strolled up the concrete walkway as Jeff headed to the car. They shared a parting embrace. “Have a good day at the restaurant, sweetheart.”

  “I’ll be home for dinner tonight.” Jeff kissed her chin, his fingers gliding across her cheek.

  “I can’t wait.” Susan’s eyes sparkled with mischief and he smacked her backside. Despite how red it made her cheeks, inside her soul soared. After a final wave, she headed inside to start the morning’s duties.

  Susan picked the cat off the counter. She sat him down on the floor and dangled a piece of yarn in front of his paws. A cute fluffy black cat, he immediately took delight in the game, patting at it with his wide paw, until the phone rang and Susan’s attention was distracted.

  She removed one earring and put the phone to her ear. Harvey circled around her, swatting at the hem of her skirt to get her attention. When that didn’t work, he meowed a pitiful sound, as if being flogged by older and wiser kitties.

  “Susan Marie here.”

  “Susan, hello! I have news. Are you listening?”

  “I just said hello, didn’t I?” Susan almost rolled her eyes, despite her disgust at such a childlike expression.

  “I just needed to make sure. I have big news.”

  “Jonathan?” Susan asked. Jonathan was Megan’s son and the same age as Marie. Secretly, though not exactly discreetly, the two women had been hoping their children would court each other so they might marry, have children, and link their families together forever.

  “No, no,” Megan’s tone was impatient. “Two blocks away from you. A new family just moved in.”

  “Brand new?” Susan twirled the phone cord around her finger and held her breath.

  “Brand new. Not from any of the New Havens. We can tell from their tags. You must head over there and see what you can find out. They’ve just begun to unload their truck!”

  “I will, I will! Are they nice? What are they like?” She knew she was prattling, but was too excited to care.

  “Oh, they seem nice. Husband, pretty wife, and two small children. Remember when we were young and used to bring our kids to the park? That young.”

  “And they’ve been living on the outside all this time?” Susan asked. She couldn’t imagine living on the outside with small children, always looking over her back to make sure the New Haven police hadn’t caught their scent. How could anyone eat or sleep under those conditions?

  “Isn’t it delish? You have to find out more. See what it’s been like for them. We have got to know. Lawrence Stark will kill for this kind of information, especially one so close to you, dear.”

  “Megan,” Susan hissed, holding the receiver close to her mouth. She spun as if to hide her conversation from an unseen watcher. “Don’t tell me that you’ve been talking to Lawrence Stark?”

  “Well…”

  “Do not well me, young lady! You know very well that all those uprisings are his fault. I saw talk of his protests today in the paper. You’re going to get yourself in hot water if you keep this up. Promise me you’ll keep your distance.”

  Megan sighed, “Susan—.”

  “Promise me,” she insisted with a stomp of her foot.

  “Fine, fine, I promise, but only after you go and greet the family. We can meet at Pete’s Soda Jerk this afternoon.”

  Susan glanced at her watch. “What time? Remember, I have to have dinner on the table by six.”

  “Three p.m. Let’s synchronize our watches.”