Edna hadn't seen Dennis alone for almost two weeks, and furthermore, he hadn't called, and she had mixed feelings about it. On the one hand, she was relieved. Maybe she would never have to call it quits. On the other hand, it hurt to think she wasn't so desirable after all.
Standing at the kitchen sink scraping carrots, she couldn't help wondering why he hadn't dropped by, let alone call. Did he sense how bored she had become with him? She didn't like to think she'd hurt his feelings, and anyway, the boredom passed. Spring was half way here and maybe it would be nice to see Dennis just one more time. She felt she owed it to him to offer an explanation and seal their memories in a fond goodbye.
But there could be no goodbye if she didn't see Dennis or hear from him. Call her old-fashioned if you will, but it was against her moral code to telephone a man, before or after marriage. Nevertheless, things had reached a crisis; desperate measures were in order.
Edna took the cover off the food processor and lay the carrots sideways in the large chute. The shredder was in place and as she pressed the pulse button something caught her eye. The "something" darted across the porch steps so fast that she wasn't sure what, if anything, she saw.
In her heart she knew what it was, and she shuddered. If it was a mouse, she wouldn't mind. She knew it wasn't a cat. Maybe it was a squirrel. "Please, God," she thought, "Not a rat."
She didn't want to disturb Tim about it. She knew he was bringing home the new car today and she didn't want to spoil the evening.
Edna drained the raisins that were plumping
in her Pyrex measuring cup, patted them dry and added them to the carrots.
On her way to the refrigerator for the Miracle Whip, she paused to look
out the window and wondered aloud,
"_ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _?"
(3 letters, 2 letters, 1 letter, 3 letters,
1 letter, 3 letters)
Copyright 1998 J.J. Schnebel
All rights reserved
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