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The sound of the phone ringing startled them all.
“I’ll see who it is.” Mrs. Sullivan got up from the rocker and, dodging the dogs, went to answer it.
“You know I don’t mind this waiting, I’m enjoying her story.” Josh took another bite of his sandwich.
“Me too,” Maggie replied. "I wonder what it was like living back then. No television, no cell phones. No Interstates."
"No condos. The women dressed like flappers."
"No!" she said, with a chuckle. "Flappers were in the twenties. Remember the movie. It's a wonderful life? That's how they dressed."
"Hey, what do I know? That was something like seventy years ago."
"I love stories like this, where the pace of life was calm and kids played outside, and kissing a boy was thrilling and innocent."
"Do you think kissing me is innocent?"
"Well, no. Not you, of course. You're a stud muffin if ever I knew one."
"Studmuffin! What's that, something like the Pillsbury Dough Boy?"
"No, I didn't mean that." She's laughing now. He gets out of his chair and moves toward her with a menacing look in his eye.
They hear footsteps, and he turns just as the screen door squeaks. Mrs. Sullivan is back.
"Oh, let me take those dishes away. I just hate dirty dishes, don't you?" She snatched up the empty plates and silverware and hurried back inside.
“Josh, what are we going to do? What if the tow truck gets the car out, but we can’t drive it?”
Josh paced. “I‘ve been thinking about that too. The tow truck will bring the car here if we can drive it. If not, he might be able to take us into Bradenton, and my folks can pick us up from there. Or we’ll get a hotel and worry about things in the morning.” He sat down, took Maggie’s hand and kissed her wrist. “Things have a way of working out for the best.”
“Sometimes you make me so mad,” Maggie said withdrawing her hand. “You never worry, and things do work out somehow.”
Josh smiled. “You worry enough for both of us, sweetheart.”
Mrs. Sullivan returned. “Good news. That was Barry. As soon as he can drop off the other car, he’ll come to get yours. It shouldn’t be long now.”
“It’s getting chilly out here. Would you like to come into the kitchen? We'll leave the pesky dogs outside.”
“Mrs. Sullivan, we really appreciate your hospitality,” Maggie said, as she picked up the empty tea pitcher and they followed her into the kitchen. Josh brought in the rest of the things left on the table.
“Nonsense,” Mrs. Sullivan said. “Having you here is a treat. Maybe Jesse will get back before you have to leave.”
"Josh, would you mind bringing the rocker inside?"
"Certainly, Mrs. Sullivan."
Maggie took a seat at the kitchen table."Just put it there by the stove," she instructed him when he returned. She reached in a tall free-standing metal cupboard cabinet and brought out a basket of yarn, then sat down in the old wooden rocker.
"What have you got there?" Maggie asked although she thought she knew.
"I've been working on this for months." She pulled out a colorful knitted piece. "It's an afghan for Jesse. I hope to have it finished in time for his birthday. He gets chilled sometimes, even on the warmest nights."
"It's going to be beautiful. Look at those stitches. Where did you learn to do this?"
"I don't know for sure. It seems like I've been knitting all my life. I may have learned from Malinda, but I think I could knit before that."
Maggie thought she saw a wistful look in the old woman’s eyes, but then it was gone.
“What happened to Janice? I have a feeling that Brice did something to her.”
The sound of knitting needles could be heard as Katy began...
