“I don’t suppose this has something to do with your new neighbor?”
Lesley could feel the color invade her face.She’d never felt such intense dislike for anyone.All her life her parents had taught her to look for the good in every person and situation.But after tonight she could think of nothing to like about Cole Daniels.
“Yes, it’s my neighbor,” Lesley admitted after a meaningful pause.“I don’t like him, Terry.The two of us seem to clash against each other.My life’s going to be miserable until he leaves.”
“Les?”Terry’s blue-gray eyes probed hers.“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you react this strongly to anyone.You’ve always been tolerant and good-natured.”
“That’s what I used to think.”
A burst of laughter and applause erupted from the hall.
“Come on.”Terry glanced away from her.“If we don’t get going, we’ll miss the whole party.But promise you’ll tell me everything later,” she coaxed.
“I promise,” Lesley agreed reluctantly.She wasn’t looking forward to relaying the incident, mainly because she recognized that her role that evening hadn’t been entirely innocent.But if she was completely honest with herself, it wasn’t the fact that Cole had left her in the street alone, it was his parting words that irritated her.No matter how they felt about each other, if their roles had been reversed she would never have left him.
The recreation hall was alive with young and old alike as they gathered together for the All Saints’ Eve costume party.The gaily dressed youngsters had been divided into age groups and were involved in variety of games.A long table in the rear of the hall was full of carved pumpkins.Robert, wearing a badge that designated him as a judge, was closely examining each one.BRIBES ACCEPTED was sketched in large letters on the bottom of his badge.
“Come on, Robert may need a little help deciding.”
The two women weaved their way through the large crowd.
“We thought you might like our opinion,” Terry said as she slipped an arm around her husband’s waist.
“Nope, my mind’s set.”He was dressed as one of the apostles.A fake beard was glued to his face.A long brown housecoat was cinched at his middle, and he carried a fishing pole.
“Clever outfit,” Lesley commented, her bad mood dissipating under the shouts of laughter and the gay mood of the others.
“What about me?”Terry rotated slowly, her eyes smiling.
Lesley had been so caught up with her anger, she hadn’t noticed her sister’s outfit.Terry wore a long, draping white gown and a blue head scarf that flowed halfway down her back.Bare feet in sandals, she carried a ceramic pitcher.
“Martha from Bethany.Lazarus’ sister?”
“Nope.”Terry laughed.“I thought for sure you’d know.”
Lesley shrugged in defeat.“I give up.Who are you?”
“The Samaritan woman who met Jesus at the well in the Gospel of John.”
“You mean the one with five husbands,” Lesley teased.
“Five husbands,” Robert echoed loudly.
“That’s the one.”Lesley watched as her sister lifted laughing eyes to her husband.“So you’d better shape up or I’ll move on to husband number two.”
Lesley smiled, too.Terry and Robert were so much in love that she could almost be envious.It didn’t seem fair that her sister should find someone so easily when she attracted men like Dale Wylie.Terry and Robert had met at church camp on Coeur d’Alene Lake their first year of college.Both were serving as counselors for the fourth, fifth and sixth graders for the summer.In the fall, Robert had gone back to Seattle Pacific University in Washington State while Terry attended the local community college.They wrote one another every day, and Terry lived for the holidays when Robert would be back in town.They were married two years later.Why couldn’t she have met someone at summer camp?The thought was so ridiculous that it prompted one side of her mouth upward to form a lopsided grin.
“...And you look ridiculous.”Lesley picked up on the second half of Robert’s statement.
“I look what?”she choked.
“You know, Les, you really do.”Apparently, Terry must have noticed the outrage in Lesley’s flashing blue eyes.
“That what Daniels said.”She grew angry all over again.
“Is that what you’re so hot about?”Terry quizzed her with open curiosity.
This was probably the first time in several years that Lesleywas reluctant to share something with her sister.They’d always been close, but she felt a strange reluctance to tell Terry about Cole Daniels.
