

## Slippers

### By

### CG Cortes

### Copyright 2015 CG Cortes

### Smashwords Edition

### Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events, and incidents are products of my imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblances to persons, events, or places is entirely coincidental.

### Table of Contents

Chapter 1- Wagon Ho

Chapter 2- Back on the Trail

Chapter 3- End of the Trail

Chapter 4- School Days

Chapter 5- Home, Sweet Dorm Room

Chapter 6- Party Time

Chapter 7- School's Out

Chapter 8- NYC

Chapter 9- Fourth of July

Chapter 10- Working Girl

Chapter 11- Weekend in NYC

Chapter 12- Home Again

Chapter 13 Moving Day

Chapter 14- Back in the Saddle, Again

Chapter 15- Little, Little House on the Prairie

### Chapter 1

Wagon, Ho!

I'm falling through black space. I feel nothing, I see nothing. I land with a sucking sound, like I've been encased in Jell-O. I listen, I hear absolute silence. Definitely not in New York City. I open my eyes and look up. Canvas. Ugh. A canvas roof means I'm probably in a covered wagon. Last I was in this life I was planning to head to Oklahoma for the Land Run of 1889. I'm just hoping when I look out of the wagon there is an outhouse nearby. I sit up and crawl to the back. No such luck. Only thing I see is the shadows of trees and horses and a cow. The sun has just started coming up over the grove of trees. I bet Ben is close by with his dog and shotgun. I don't particularly like either one, but they are a way of life here. Hopefully Ben won't shoot me as I take a tinkle. But if there is no toilet paper, maybe shooting would be preferable. I climb out to look around. It's cool, but not cold. Last I was Liza Mae, it was September and hot and I was in North Carolina. Okay, where would we have decided to put the potty place? Wonder what the hell (don't cuss, Liza Mae probably wouldn't cuss) we are using for toilet paper. Back in North Carolina my family had indoor plumbing and toilet paper. Not as great as modern toilet paper, it's a little rough and comes in flat sheets, but it is way better than leaves, or heaven forbid, a corn cob or pine cone.

"Hey honey, what are you looking for?" Ben asked from what was obviously a campfire.

"I'm disoriented," I replied. This is always a good answer when I've exchanged lives. Especially since it always happens when I'm asleep. "I can't remember where to use the bathroom."

"The what?" Ben asked standing up.

"Where is our temporary outhouse?" No one calls them bathrooms yet.

"Behind the trees where the horses are tied. Don't forget the paper. It's right inside the wagon. Go easy on it, don't know when we'll get to another general store."

God bless the man. He's not the most exciting man. It's work from sun-up until sundown. Very little time for fun. He pets his dog and cleans his gun for fun. But he really does try hard to make Liza Mae happy. The only time he has really put his foot down is on wanting to move to Oklahoma. I wanted to stay in North Carolina (I don't know what Liza wanted, I panicked). I've read history books, I know what happens. It's a rough life. And it means displacing Native Americans (Indians, Elizabeth, they're Indians here). Plus this time period is awful. Very little inside plumbing or electricity, and no TV or fast food. Liza's parents' house in North Carolina had plumbing and electricity downstairs.

"Just taking a tinkle," I said walking toward the trees with a few sheets of paper. Outhouses are bad enough. Going behind the bushes in a long nightshirt and boots without getting it all over me is going to be nearly impossible.

The sun was beginning to rise. Ben had a fire started when I got back. I emptied some water from a jug onto my hands. No antiseptic soap here to pump from a bottle. I rummaged through the food in the wagon. Three leftover biscuits and a tin with oats. Hopefully I could cook oatmeal over an open fire. I remember it takes about twice as much water as oats.

"I'm going to check the snare and trap I set last night", Ben said walking towards the trees with his shotgun and Pup trailing behind. "Maybe we'll get lucky."

I filled the coffeepot from the jug and set it on a rock next to the fire. I filled a bowl with water three times and dumped it in the cast iron pot. I had done some research when I was home. This I hooked on an iron rod supported by two other iron rods. No doubt a gift from Eliza's family. They owned a general store in North Carolina. The middle daughter of a fairly wealthy family fell in love and married a farmer's son. I'm sure Eliza likes being a farmer's wife; milking cows, baking bread, washing clothes in a tub with a washboard. This girl likes the comforts of modern living. Of course, there are drawbacks to every life. Mine is full of trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up. And keeping my parents happily blissful that I'm a perfect little girl.

The rock was slowly heating the coffeepot. I'm not particularly fond of coffee. I prefer Coke. But in 1889, it's water, coffee, milk and sometimes juice. . I would have a caffeine deprived headache before noon. How I miss Coke already. The little fizzy bubbles that come out when you open a new bottle. The sound it makes when being poured on ice. Wishing for a bathroom and coke. I sound like a drug addict.

Ben came back with a rabbit. Joy. He skinned it and cleaned it. What was I supposed to do with that?

"As soon as the water's boiled we'll put it on the spit and roast it to eat on the way," He said.

How did the human race survive like this? I'm amazed we made it out of caves. I would have been the one too afraid to leave the cave. The human race would have starved and died out if everyone were like me. Luckily there were the Ben's of the world. Ben and Pup would have dragged a pterodactyl back to the cave, skinned it, cleaned it, stuck an iron rod through it and roasted it for the good of mankind.

Everything was boiling. I stirred in the coffee. At least the smell was good. Ben poured it in our tin cups while I stirred in the oats. I kept watch to not let them stick and tried to suck down some coffee.

"Let me milk the cow," Ben said. "Then you can add some to your coffee."

Ben took the pail and milked the cow. What was that cow's name? Didn't have her last time I was here. The dog was Pup, so maybe she was Calf. By the time Ben returned I had oatmeal in the bowls and had found what looked like brown sugar. He poured milk in my coffee. It was better.

"Where are we?" I asked trying to sound conversational instead of ignorant. More of a "how far to go" question.

"Still in Tennessee, remember? We haven't crossed the Mississippi into Arkansas yet. We'll know exactly where next town we pass through." Ben said.

No GPS in the Wild West, either. I wonder how many miles a day a covered wagon pulled by two horses and dragging a milk cow can travel. I left Ben to roasting the rabbit while I took the dishes in a wash tub to the stream. I used the pail to fill the wash tub. No time for hot water this morning. Probably oats and coffee won't leave bacteria, anyway. More worried about the unrefrigerated rabbit I was going to have for lunch. I washed everything with some soap, rinsed it in the stream, and then laid it on a cloth to dry. I emptied the wash tub and filled it again. This I used to wash my face, neck and arms. Hairy pits. I didn't see how I could wash much else. Ben joined me. He finished cleaning the rabbit skin. No doubt for a pair of warm undies in the winter. He then washed his hands and face. He had brought jugs that we filled with water. He carried the tub with the dishes back to the wagon. I found some clothes neatly folded on top of a chest and got dressed. They smelled a little ripe. No deodorant. I started packing things back where I had found them while Ben hitched the horses to the wagon. I walked the cow to the wagon and waited. When I exchange lives and have no idea what I'm doing, I've learned to not do those things. Skills and habits come back slowly, then I get lost in the now life. Just about the time I've gotten the hang of things- I wake up in a different time and place.

"Still disoriented?" Ben asked, grabbing the line from me.

"I guess," I replied. "Still tired. Don't think I can tie her on this morning." Ben took the line and tied her on. "That's a good girl, Buttercup."

One mystery solved. We climbed onto the wagon seat with Pup between us. We set out West, away from the sun. Ben wasn't much of a talker, which sometimes was good. At least now I would have a chance to get my wits about me. Last time I was in Eliza Mae, it was September and we were planning this trip. We had planned on leaving in the middle of February, hoping to miss much of the cold weather. The Land Run was scheduled for April 22nd. It had been cool this morning, but not cold. I'm guessing March. I don't know if it rains a lot in this area in the spring, maybe not too much this year. I imagine rain really slows down a wagon.

"How about if we find a town with a hotel this afternoon, we stop for supplies, hopefully with a place to bed the livestock, and stay for church tomorrow?" Ben asked. It would give the livestock a chance to rest and eat more than grass and us a chance for a hot bath and a couple of good meals."

'That sounds heavenly," I said. I had only been here a few hours and I was already wimping out. "How many days left until the Land Run?"

"Well," Ben said, "its March 24th. So twenty-seven days. I would like to be there a few days early to get any information we can about what's going on. I wonder how many people will be there."

I had done a little research after my last exchange. I knew there were around 50,000 people wanting land. I also knew there were 'Sooners' who jumped early. I knew the plots could be up to 160 acres. Hopefully we could find a tract free and clear and wouldn't have to get caught up in a legal battle for a legitimate claim. The Run consisted of just central Oklahoma, not the entire state. The now town of Guthrie literally grew from practically nothing to at least 10,000 in half a day. I was also amazed by the fact that people could open schools, stores and churches in the matter of weeks.

"That would be good. A few days rest before starting a homestead would be nice (look at me, using words like homestead). Have you heard about any good places to start from?" I asked.

"I'm thinking from the south or the west, if we have time to get around that far. We've met so many people coming from the East, this side of the territory may be really crowded," Ben replied. "If the weather holds and we don't run into any problems, we should be okay. The Ozarks through Arkansas will be slow going, though."

One set of mountains. And the Mississippi River. Hopefully there was a bridge. I didn't think about researching that. If there was a bridge, that wouldn't be so bad.

We rode along in silence for a while. I had left from Beth, a single girl from New York City in 1959. Beth was a secretary for a law office. She lived in a small apartment with three roommates. She worried a lot. She worried about finding a husband. Apparently that's what girls did in 1959. Looked for husbands. She was 19. Her parents lived in Rhode Island where she had grown up. She had moved to New York to find a rich man. She was kind of a snob. She went to clubs on the weekends in search of Mr. Perfect. She did have a lot of fun. It just seemed like an unfulfilling life. She had no goals or ambitions other than a rich man and a nice apartment in Upper Manhattan. I had been Beth twice now. The first time for only two days. This last time for almost a week. I wonder what Beth would think of Ben. I wonder if she came here when I was there. I can't imagine her cooking oatmeal over an open fire.

We rode speaking occasionally for a long time. We drank water from the jugs. The scenery consisted of grass and trees. The sky was blue and full of puffy, white clouds. There was a slight breeze that was cooling. The smell was what would be called 'Fresh Country Air" if it were a Scentsy scent. We passed two farmhouses and four wagons going the other direction before we stopped for lunch. Ben found a wooded area to pullover close to. I had a bathroom break while he unhitched the horses and led them to a grassy area. I came back and did the same for Buttercup while Ben jogged to the woods. I got out the rabbit and found a knife. Thankfully Ben came up at that time and cut it up. He tossed Pup some meat. I nibbled a leg. It wasn't too bad. It would be better with a coke. And a plate. And a napkin.

"I'm going to look around a little to see if I can find any water. I'll leave Pup with you," Ben said. He took his rifle and walked toward the wooded area. I ventured on the edge of the woods, keeping in sight of the wagon and animals. I found what looked like blackberries, but I wasn't sure. I gathered as many as I could in my skirt and walked back to the wagon. I dumped the blackberries in a bucket. I would let Ben look at them before I ate any. I walked around and stretched. It felt good to be out of the wagon. I crawled in the back of the wagon to see what all we had brought. Not much. Some cooking supplies. Some trunks that had clothes and blankets. The sewing machine Liza had had in her room.

"Eliza!" I heard Ben say.

I poked my head out of the back. "I'm here."

"No water. We'll have to stop next time we see some to water the animals. I'll empty what we have in the jugs in a pail and let them have a little."

"I found some berries. Do they look okay to you?" I asked.

"Yeah, blackberries, city girl (if he only knew). They look good. We'll eat them on the way," Ben said. He went to water the animals. I tied Buttercup back to the wagon when he was done while he hitched the horses again. We climbed back in the wagon and ate blackberries while we rode. Trail mix, ha ha.

"Have you decided what kind of house you want?" Ben asked.

One with Wi-Fi, I thought. "What are my options?" I asked. I had no idea what to ask for.

"We can have a dug-out. We can make one out of planks. We can have one built from logs," Ben said. "We can have a one story. Or we can build on a loft. We can have one large room, or add a room or two."

"Can we have indoor plumbing?" I asked. All I could imagine was the house from _Little House on the Prairie_.

"Eventually," Ben said. "But it will take a while. Depends on a lot of things. But we'll have a really nice outhouse."

"A really, really nice outhouse," I replied. "How about planks or logs, whichever is better. A loft would be nice, so would at least a bedroom. Maybe later we can add on." I didn't want to sound too high maintenance. I wouldn't want him to think I wasn't Eliza.

"Sounds doable," Ben said. "We'll see what kind of materials we have to work with when we get there. Maybe we'll have lots of trees to cut. Luckily we have some cash to get started with."

I took the reins for a while to let Ben catch a nap in the wagon. No radio, no cars to cut off in traffic, no fast food restaurants to pull into and order fries and a Coke. I couldn't even hum any songs I knew, because they wouldn't be written for over one hundred years. After a while, I saw a pond not far off the rutted road we were on and woke Ben. He said to pullover. There was a man there watering his horse.

"How ya do?" asked Ben. "Which way you headed?"

"To Virginia. Wanting to find a mining job. Name's Thomas. How about you?"

"We're headed to the Land Run. I'm Ben, this is my wife Liza Mae. What was the last town you went through?" Ben asked.

"I left Memphis yesterday. You guys should be there tomorrow afternoon with the wagon," Thomas said. "There is a small town you should hit before nightfall. Not much there, a general store, a church and the such. Didn't notice a hotel. You might check in with the general store. May be he can find you a place."

"Thank you," Ben replied. "There isn't much the way you are headed. May be a day or two before you find a town."

"Good thing I stocked up," Thomas said. "Well, I'm headed out. Good luck to you."

"And to you," I said. The history of mining hasn't been pretty, either. One of the first industries in need of federal regulation, I'm sure.

We watered the animals well and refilled our jugs. Then back on the "road". I wonder when the last time I bathed was. I knew from past experience it was bathing on a Saturday night, but that was when you were home and could at least stay relatively clean. I felt sweaty and covered in dirt. We had ridden for hours without benefit of a cell phone or radio to keep us entertained. The little town finally came into view. We saw the general store in the center. We pulled alongside the hitching post and tied one horse to it. We stepped inside. I hope Ben knew what we needed, because I hadn't a clue.

"What can I get you folks?" The man asked coming from behind the counter. Ben pulled a list from his pocket.

"Can you think of anything else to add to it?" Ben asked me.

Coke and a Milky Way. "No," I said. "I think you've got it all there."

The man took the list and started putting things on the counter. "Where you folks headed?"

"Oklahoma," Ben answered. "Left North Carolina to have a go at the Land Run."

"Oh, we've had quite a few through here headed that direction," he replied.

"Is there anywhere to stay here," asked Ben.

"The Granger Sisters have rooms to let if they have any open. They are the blue clapboard house on the end. They will also provide meals and have an indoor shower. There you go. That will be $6.15."

"Thank you much." Ben gave the man the money and we all carried out the supplies.

"That house right there," the man pointed. "Nice ladies. One's a spinster and the other was widowed at an early age. We've always called them the Granger Sisters."

Ben untied the horse and we led the wagon on foot to the house. Ben stayed with the wagon as I went to knock on the door.

The door opened to a small older lady with white-gray hair in a bun on top of her head. She was wearing a long blue gingham dress with a crisp, white apron over it. "Why, hello, dear. What can I do for you?"

"I'm Liza Mae Johansen. That is my husband, Ben. The man at the general store told us you might have a room for the night."

"Yes, yes we do. I'm Sally Granger." Miss Granger stepped out onto the porch. The room is $3.00 that will include dinner and breakfast tomorrow. We also have an indoor toilet with a shower."

"That sounds great," Ben said. "We've been on the road since Monday. Do you have a place for our animals and wagon?"

"Yes, just go around the corner and you'll see our stables," Miss Granger replied. "There is hay for the animals. There is also a pump for water. There should be room for your wagon."

"Good, good," Ben said. "Liza, you go ahead in. I'll take the wagon around and take care of the animals."

"There is a back door you can come in. I'll show your wife the room and pour some lemonade."

Lemonade! A shower! A bed! No rabbit over a fire!

"Come along, dear," the sweet Miss Granger said. "Let's go up the stairs and I can show you around."

The stairs were dark wood. There were sepia colored pictures hung in wooden frames along the wall. People didn't smile in pictures back then.

"Your home is beautiful. It reminds me of my parents' home in North Carolina. We're headed to Oklahoma for the Land Run. Ben wants to be a farmer. Land is hard to find in the East," I babbled.

"We've had a few people come through headed that way. My sister, Molly, also lives here. This is the home our parents built. Our parents started the General Store. Molly moved out on a farm with her husband, but he died plowing a field a few years after they were married. Molly moved back in and we've been here together ever since," Miss Granger stated. "Here is the room."

She opened the door. The room was small, with a window. It had a four poster bed with a pretty blue quilt. There was also a rocking chair and a table with an oil lamp.

"Across the hall is the toilet. We were the first house with indoor plumbing. Just pull the string to turn on the water and pull it again to turn it off," instructed Miss Granger. "Now, how about that lemonade?"

"That would be great, Miss Granger."

"Please call me Sally. It's just Sally and Molly."

We went downstairs and to the back of the house to the kitchen. There was a small wooden table with chairs.

"Sit, sit," Sally said as she walked to the 'icebox'. She opened it and pulled out a glass pitcher with lemonade. My mouth started watering. "I also baked some oatmeal cookies."

"Thank you so much. We had rabbit and blackberries for lunch. May I wash my hands?"

"Of course, dear," replied Sally. "You know, I've never been out traveling for days. All of our family we ever visited lives within a two hour ride from here. And most of the time when we were younger, everyone came here for holidays."

"It's a lot of boring dabbled with a few minutes of excitement here and there," I laughed. "Ben snared a rabbit this morning and we talked to one man going the other direction today. That was the excitement of our day."

I heard the front door open and close. What I could only assume was Molly came humming into the kitchen. What was the song she was humming? It was familiar, but I couldn't quite place it.

"Look, Molly, we have company for this evening. This is Liza Mae. Her husband is out back taking care of their animals," Sally chirped, bustling about the kitchen.

"Well, isn't this nice!" Molly proclaimed. "And where are you from, dear?"

"North Carolina," I answered. "We are headed to Oklahoma for the Land Run."

"How exciting!" Molly exclaimed. "And what do you plan on doing there?"

"Ben wants to farm," I replied.

"Well, now, the snack is ready. Why don't you step out and see if your husband is ready?" Sally said.

"Yes, ma'am," I answered. I stepped through the back door and walked across the yard. The Granger Sisters had more land in the back than I thought they would. Ben was walking towards me with a bag and a box. I walked to meet him.

"Everything good with the animals?" I asked.

"Yes. Horses and cow are stabled and dog seems content to be tied out there. I'll go check on them before bed. How's the room?"

"Good. Nice and tidy. Powder room across the hall. Cookies and lemonade waiting inside. Both sisters seem nice. No serial killers here"

"What?" asked Ben.

"Oh, nothing," I quickly answered. "Just something I read, I guess." I'm sure Ben had never heard the phrase 'serial killer'.

We entered the kitchen. Ben introduced himself to Molly and washed up. I had to keep myself from shoving cookies in my mouth whole. Who knew sitting on a wagon all day could work up such an appetite? Ben, of course, didn't have to act as ladylike as I did. I mean, he didn't shove them in whole, either, but he could eat a little faster than I could.

"We were planning on attending church in the morning," I said.

"That would be lovely," Molly said. "We do not get many visitors. The preacher is a young man in his late twenties. Our other preacher retired, oh about a year ago. Brother Roberts is lively in the pulpit."

We finished our snack with more polite conversation. Dinner would be served at 7:00. It was now 4:00. We went upstairs to our room.

"I think I'll shower. Then I can see about washing some of our dirty clothes," I said.

"Sounds good," replied Ben. "I'll unpack some stuff and find the laundry. Then I'll shower and maybe grab a nap."

I took some clean clothes into the 'powder room'. I wonder where that name came from. Can't Google it here. I undressed and stepped into the shower. I smelled. I guess everyone smells like dirt and sweat so no one notices. I started humming as I washed. I thought about home. At least what I'm pretty sure is home. I grew up in the same life as the daughter of Mark and Cheryl Hammons. Pretty normal, kind of boring. Then I turned 18 and one day woke up as Eliza Mae. She was engaged to Ben that first time and still living with her parents. I only stayed there a few days before I was back home. Then I caught myself in mid hum. That song! It was the same tune Molly was humming earlier and it was a big hit in Beth's life in 1959. "Good Golly Miss Molly"! How does she know that song? Is it a folk tune whose melody was reused later as a rock and roll hit? Is it just a huge coincidence that she is humming a song that would eventually have her name in it?

I finished up wondering about the song. How could I find out about the song? I dressed in clean clothes and brushed through Liza's crazy hair. I braided it in one long braid down my back. No make-up to worry about, so getting ready is easier. I took my stuff across the hall to the bedroom. Ben had brought in the basket with laundry. He headed to the shower. I found our soap, stopped by the 'powder room' so he could hand me his dirty clothes, and went down to the kitchen. Molly was at the sink peeling potatoes.

"Excuse me, Molly?" I said. "Do you have a place I can do some laundry?"

"Yes, of course! Open that door and you'll see our washing machine. You are welcome to use it and hang clothes on the line in the back."

"Oh how nice! I was hoping for a washtub and board. Thank you so much." The machine was a small white metal tub with a foot pedal to run the agitator. This one even had a wringer on top to help get the water out of the clothes. Molly brought over a bucket of water from the sink and filled the tub. I put in a pair of Ben's overalls and some soap and started pedaling. After a while I took those out and added his other pair. Molly had left the empty bucket under the plug. I drained the water and rinsed both pair in clean water. Then I washed some other things in the rinse water while I used the wringer. Not as bad as using a washboard, but still very physical work.

Molly started humming again as she peeled potatoes. It was the same song.

"That song is familiar, what's it called?" I asked.

"Oh, just something that gets stuck in my head from time to time," she replied, waving her hand as if to scatter the melody away. "I don't even know if it's a real song."

"I've heard it before," I said cautiously. I didn't want to tip my hand if my hunch was wrong. "I just can't quite place _when_."

We worked for a while in silence. I finished the washing and went out back to hang the clothes to dry. Maybe I could get our clothes for church ironed. I went back in and asked. Molly was making a meatloaf. She washed her hands and helped me set up their ironing board and put the iron on the stove to heat up. Sally came in with some green beans to snap.

"Let me help," I said. I grabbed a handful and we snapped beans and made small talk for a while. They told me about growing up here in Charston. They remembered the original one room school house and told me about some boys who were trouble. We talked about both growing up in a general store. How other kids always thought you could have whatever you wanted for free from the store. I agreed with what they said, assuming it was the same for Liza. I went up to get our "Sunday" clothes and then ironed while they finished dinner. I went out to check the laundry. Ben came out to help fold the clothes on his way to feed the animals.

We all met in the dining room for dinner. It smelled so good! There was the meatloaf and brown gravy and the potatoes and green beans and rolls. There was tea to drink. We talked and laughed and wondered what Oklahoma would be like and if the Indians would cause any problems. I knew a little from research, but I knew it would really depend on where we settled and who our neighbors were. There was no way to know. After dinner we cleared the table and moved to the parlor to have coffee and cobbler. We talked awhile longer. I went with Molly to the kitchen to help clean up. Washing dishes by hand takes forever! You have to wash and rinse and dry and put up. I washed and let Molly do the rinsing. Sally joined us and started drying and putting up.

"Well, good night," I said. "What time should we be down?"

"We'll have breakfast at 8:00 and church starts at 9:00," Sally replied. "I'll see you in the morning. Molly, can you get the lamps as you come up?"

"Yes, Liza Mae can help me."

Molly turned out the electric light in the kitchen. We moved into the dining room and each blew out a lamp. Then we checked the parlor and the front room. Molly paused on the stairs.

"Do you remember the song I was humming?" Molly asked.

"Yes, I remember. I know the song. I believe it has your name in the title."

"Yes, yes it does. It has always been one of my favorites. Sally is used to me humming what she thinks is 'made-up' tunes. Most of the time no one questions me when they hear one. That is until you."

"So, then we must be a lot alike," I said. "We must both get to travel a lot."

Molly laughed. "That's one way to put it. It's been a long time since I've met another. I've met two others. You make three. You're the only one here with the real me that I have met."

"So this is who you started out to be?" I asked. "You were born Molly Granger. When did you start exchanging lives?"

"I started when I was eighteen. I've slowed down, I don't exchange or travel or slide as one called it as much as I used to. I like to call it slipping. I feel like I slip into a new time and life. Over the years I've shared lives with 20 other women."

"I like that term, slipping. I started a year ago when I was eighteen, too. I have two people I share with. Liza Mae and a girl named Beth. Beth is from 1959. That's how I knew that song. They always have it on the radio in her apartment."

"What is your real life?" asked Molly.

"Elizabeth Hammons. I live in Minneapolis, Minnesota with my parents. But I'm a freshman at Southern Minnesota. A history major," I said.

"And what year were you and your 'slippers' born," asked Molly.

"1990," I said. "Liza Mae is 1870 and Beth is 1940."

"You're the zero!" Molly exclaimed. "I have a theory that there is a set for each number. I'm the 2. I was born in 1842. All of the lives I exchange with, the last number of the year they were born is a 2. Katherine is the 6 and Jennifer is the 8."

"Do they all share your name in some form?" I asked.

"Yes. There is a couple of M-o-l-l-i-e's, and an impertinent, self-proclaimed 'gothic' girl who wanted everyone to call her Mollisha, and a Mollina, but most of us are just Molly. Of course, my name is not as easy to derive nicknames from as Elizabeth," Molly explained.

"That's true. Anything else you've noticed? Do you know if they 'slip' into your life? Do we all on slip into each other's lives?" I asked.

"I can't say that we all slip around with everybody, but I know at least some of us do. I started a diary at each life. I would leave notes on what had happened and ask questions. They would do likewise. I don't know if everyone wrote in it or if not everyone slips into everyone else's life."

"So I could start a diary. That would sure help with some details that happen during my stays. Sometimes it takes a while to catch on."

Molly laughed. "I do understand that. One time I slipped into Molly Jordan's life and she had changed jobs. I didn't know and went to work at the wrong place! She had moved from the elementary school to a middle school math teacher. People thought I had been drinking! I told them I had taken some heavy-duty cold medicine and took a sick day. Spent the day investigating some things and figured it out. That's when I came up with the idea for the diaries."

By this time we had made our way to the top of the steps.

"Do you think we could stay in touch," I whispered.

"I think we need to. There's something you need to know. It's not just about slipping into other people's lives. You have to be careful about changing the timeline when you go back, even if you think it's for the better. You may think it's a subtle change that no one will notice. But you may notice things have changed when you go forward again.

"So things like getting Beth and her friends to stop smoking? I thought that would be a good thing, to improve their health. Plus, Beth may decide after being in 2009 and knowing how unhealthy it is to stop on her own."

"That is what I mean. What if one of them stays alive longer than they would have?"

"I don't understand, what would be the harm in that?"

"Maybe we've talked enough for tonight. I've overwhelmed you. Just think about what I've said."

With that Molly walked farther down the hall to her own room. I entered the room Ben and I were in. Ben was in bed reading.

"Did you have a good talk?" Ben asked.

"Yes, I think Molly and I share some common interests. We are going to keep in touch after we leave."

"That's nice. Too bad they don't live closer. Then you could visit. I thought we could leave after lunch tomorrow. Sally had mentioned a restaurant in town. Maybe we can all go and then head out after," Ben said.

"That would be nice. Another meal _not_ on an open fire would be nice," I said. I had slipped out of my dress and slipped on a nightgown. I crawled into bed next to Ben. I had been lucky so far. I hadn't really had to rough it too much. I hoped I could tough it out for however long I was going to be here. Ben put away his book and snuggled next to me. He was out like a light. I couldn't stop thinking about what Molly had told me. If her hunch was right and I was the zero, she the two, and the others she had met the six and eight, then there were 6 others out there. I wondered about the diary. I would buy one the next chance I got. Finding a spot to hide it where the next slipper could find it shouldn't be too difficult here. I would just put it someplace that Liza would go to frequently that Ben never went to. Where I kept my underclothes. Writing in it shouldn't be too hard, either. Especially after Ben started farming and I was alone in the house. One at my dorm room. On my desk, it would look just like another notebook in my dorm room. It would be fairly easy to write in that one. Beth's apartment would be harder. Keeping a diary private in an apartment full of girls would be hard.

Sleep was easy, I was exhausted.

### Chapter 2

Back on the Trail

I awoke the next morning to an empty bed. Ben is an early riser. I'm not, which is hard when being Liza. Most of the time it's up at dawn. At least today the sun was up. I stretched and sat up in bed. Ben walked in freshly shaved.

"Hey, sleepyhead," he said. "Washroom is free. Molly said breakfast would be ready soon. I've already fed the animals."

"Okay, I'll get ready." I slipped across the hall to take care of business. I really wanted to shower again, but I knew that would raise suspicion. Not from Molly, but most certainly from Sally and Ben. I washed my face and went back to our room. I brushed my hair and dressed. I used the mirror to put my hair up in a bun. This takes me some time, as in my real life I have medium length, thin straight hair. Beth has a short, modern bob. Liza has long, thick unruly hair. It needs a tamer, not a hairdresser.

"All ready," I said to Ben. He was watching me with a glint in his eye. I sometimes forget how devoted to Liza he is. I feel brotherly love towards Ben. I wonder how things are between them when she is here. I try to be close to him, but I always feel that it is unfair to him. Like I am making him cheat on his wife. But I also feel like I need to keep their relationship as normal as possible. "Now get that look out of your eyes, we'll be late for church!"

Ben grabbed me and kissed me softly. "Fine for now, but we'll be alone soon enough."

"Alone with Pup between us, how romantic," I rolled my eyes. "And in a wagon with an itchy blanket, you do know how to court a girl!"

Ben laughed, a belly laugh that was good to here. I don't have a boyfriend and Beth is full of dates, but they are all so fake. It was nice to be with a man who enjoyed being with you, even if he didn't know who 'you' was.

We went down to breakfast at the kitchen table. Bacon, eggs, hash browns and a rare treat of orange juice. It smelled so good. We ate making chit chat. Ben mentioned taking them to lunch that day and they were thrilled.

"We never get to go with a handsome, young man," Sally stated. "We usually come home and have 'Leftover Sunday Brunch'. We clean out all of the leftovers from the week."

Molly leaned over to me as she was clearing the table and whispered, "Having a microwave would make it so much easier."

I stifled a giggle as I stood to help her. Between the three of us, it didn't take too long to clear and clean the kitchen. Ben went upstairs to bring the luggage down. We would walk to church and to lunch. The church building was just what you would imagine from _Little House on the Prairie_. A small white building with a small steeple and a bell in the front. People were walking up the five steps and through the door. We filed in and shook hands with the preacher as Molly introduced us. We took seats near the back.

"We always like to watch everyone who nods off during the service. We place bets on who will be first. Loser has to clean up after lunch."

"There won't be any lunch to clean up after today," Ben said. "What will be your wager?"

"Hmm," Sally said. "How about loser has to keep company with Widower Barnes all by themselves this week?"

"Who is that? And why do you keep company with him?" I asked.

"You're on!" Molly exclaimed. "Widower Barnes is an old codger who the women in church take turns visiting for lunch each day. His wife died several years ago. We bring him lunch on Tuesdays with enough left over for dinner that night. We stay and visit for a while."

"Tuesdays are dusting day. There is a cleaning schedule for everyone who visits. His income is very limited. His son took over his farm and is able to keep him in a small place here in town near the doctor, his health isn't so good. Dusting his place is terrible! He never throws anything out. And if you don't put it back just so, he lets you know it. We rotate the schedule every two months. We are halfway through our dusting schedule." Sally explained all this in a hushed voice as everyone entered the church and said hello, introduced themselves or politely nodded their heads.

"I plan to start that new quilt on my afternoon off on Tuesday," Molly said.

"Oh, no!" said Sally. "I will be embroidering my pillows for the bazaar on Tuesday."

"Okay, ladies, place your bets!" Ben whispered as the preacher stood in front of the church and asked everyone to stand.

"Turn in your hymnals to number 96, "Bringing in the Sheaves."

Mollie whispered "We get through the opening prayer to decide. Gives us time to make our mark."

We sang the hymn. There was a young woman at the piano. I was suddenly homesick. My grandfather was a Methodist preacher. We lived about an hour away from his church, but made it there at least once a month to hear him and spend the afternoon with my grandparents. I loved going there when I was little. Now that I was in college and had begun "slipping" I hadn't been back as often as I would like.

Announcements were next. People announced reminders to the Bazaar, about a wedding the coming Saturday and prayer requests. Then Brother Roberts started the opening prayer. I bowed my head and closed my eyes. After a few seconds, I opened my left eye and peeked at the sisters. They were looking at the congregation. At the end of the prayer they leaned into each other and whispered something to each other. Molly looked at me and winked. I guess the bet was made.

We sat through hymns, a sermon, bible readings and more prayer. I found myself watching the congregation to see who was nodding off. About midway through the sermon, an older lady with a black hat that had a blue feather let her chin rest on her chest. I wondered if either had bet on her.

After church, we made our way down the stairs and into the sunshine.

Ben spoke first. "Who won?"

"I did!" Sally said. "No dusting for me this week! I would kick up my heels if I wouldn't fall on my backside."

"Good grief, all those knickknacks and only me to dust. And listen." Molly said.

"Maybe he'll nod off early this week," Sally cajoled. "It has happened before."

"Not likely," Molly sniffed as we entered the restaurant. "He'll have so many questions about why you are not there, that will keep him going all afternoon."

We were directed to a table where Ben held out chairs for each of us. There were no menus, they were serving fried chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans and rolls. We were offered a choice of water, coffee or tea. We started in on our meals.

"How much longer do you have to go?" Sally asked.

"I'm thinking about two weeks," Ben replied. "We've been lucky so far. The weather hasn't slowed us down much. Animals have stayed healthy. We are a little ahead of schedule. Will give us some time to find exactly where to start from and maybe where we want to go."

"I've heard they have had people camping along the borders and some have been sneaking in early," Sally said. "They keep having to drag them back out, the ones they find, anyway."

"Yes, we've heard the same thing," Ben replied. "It's nice to know that there is some law enforcement there. We plan on following the rules. Not that I might not try to investigate a little bit, though."

We went through lunch eating and talking. The server brought out a choice of chocolate cake or apple pie. I chose the chocolate cake. If not Coke, then chocolate!

We left the restaurant in pairs. Ben escorted Sally ahead of us. Sally was telling him more about the buildings in town. Molly and I straggled behind.

"You said last night you had shared lives with 20 different women. All at the same time?"

"The most at one time was twelve. Some have died, others come along later. You'll probably gain more as you progress. Everyone seems to start at 18, just depends on when your lives cross."

"Are you the one the farthest back in time, how far ahead do you go?"

"I slipped with Molly Smith during the Salem Witch trials. Lots of evil forces there. Apparently someone was trying to get our country off to a bad start. I also slipped with a Molly Danderbridge in England in the 1700s. Mollie Winslet is from 2005. She has lived a lifetime of technology and experience. They are always my age when I slip."

"Wow. The technology must be hard to deal with!"

"At first. Then I couldn't wait to get back and surf the net. I love Googling things from past lives and looking for connections. I could find out about most of my slippers and what happens. I haven't slipped back into Mollie Winslet for a while. I don't know if it's because I've slowed down so much or because she has passed away."

We had made our way back to the Granger house. Ben and I paid our bill and hugged them farewell. Molly handed me a paper with her name and Charston, Tennessee on it. "Think about what I told you last night and don't forget to write me. Let me know where you folks end up."

We walked out the back and loaded our wagon. I tied on Buttercup and Ben hitched the horses. Pup ran in circles around the wagon. He was excited to be loose. We started out with Pup running beside us for a while. We made it through Memphis the next day, early. It was the largest place I had seen being Liza Mae. No Graceland, yet. But I did remember that "Love Me Tender" was based on the folk tune "Aura Lee". So now I had a tune to hum, aside from Jimmy Crack Corn. There was a bridge over the Mississippi, which was good, but it was still terrifying crossing such a wide body of water with horses on a wagon. Better than sloshing through it, though. We settled into a routine after a few days. Riding together in the mornings. Ben napping after lunch, me napping after Ben awoke and we had taken a break. Stopping for the night when we found a good spot before it got too dark. Sometimes we were all alone, sometimes we would stop with clusters of other wagons.

It was the nights alone that were hard. The previous times that I had been Liza Mae, Ben and I either weren't married yet or the last time Liza had her period (that's a whole other ordeal here in the past). Aside from some kissing and heavy petting, I had been able to avoid intimacy with Ben. I just couldn't this time. The first night we were alone, I was able to feign a headache. Ben was so sweet. He did everything around the camp that night. He fed the animals and built up the fire. He even warmed up the food and washed the dishes. He made up the bed in the wagon and made me go in early with Pup. I knew tonight he was hoping to be alone. He had that glint in his eye. I just told myself that Liza Mae would want her husband to be happy, and I continuing to ignore his advances was not going to make him happy.

It's not like I was a virgin. I had had a boyfriend senior year in high school. We had had sex a few times. We had tried to maintain our relationship freshman year in college, but decided a long distance relationship wasn't working. My problem, other than Ben thinking I was his wife, was I had no idea what they did. Is it totally missionary? Are Liza and Ben animals in the boudoir? I just wasn't sure. I guess I would just play it by ear.

We found a grove in a flat place in the Ozarks late that afternoon. We wound our way a little bit off the road and found a small pond. We went about our routine of unpacking and getting camp ready.

"Do you think there are any fish in that pond?" I asked. "It would be nice to have something different for supper tonight?"

"Maybe. I can try if you don't mind finishing here."

"Hopefully you'll get lucky!" I said.

"Oh, I hope to be lucky tonight, in more ways than one," Ben replied as he patted my butt as he walked by.

"Ben!"

He just winked and walked toward the pond with his pole, shovel, and Pup following close behind. Well, that was that. Tonight was the night. I finished camp and wandered into the trees looking for fresh berries. There was a blackberry bramble not too far off. I put some in a bucket I had brought with me. I had never liked blackberries much, I really don't like the seeds getting stuck in my teeth. But our diet was really limited. We had jerky and whatever small animal Ben could snare during camp. We had run out of potatoes a couple of nights ago. Flour was low. We did have cornmeal. No eggs. I could bread the fish with cornmeal and fry it in the cast iron skillet. We could have blackberries for dessert. Hopefully we would find a general store soon.

I found my way back to the camp and took the water jugs and the blackberries to the pond to rinse.

"Hey, lucky already. Caught a catfish. Trying my luck at one more."

"Oh, good. How many more days do you think until we find a town? We are running a little low on supplies."

"The people we camped with last night said there had been a place called Jake's Hollow they had been through two days ago. I'm hoping we find it tomorrow. Then we should almost be to Oklahoma."

"It would be nice to make camp in one place and stay for a while. It gets tiring packing up everything every day. It would be nice to see the same people more than one day, too," I said.

"You should write a letter home, to both our parents. And one to Molly. We could drop them off tomorrow. It's been awhile since we have let our folks know how we're doing."

"I'll start one now, while you finish fishing. Don't wait too long. You want to scale it while there is still enough light."

"Yes ma'am!" Ben mocked a salute. Then winked as I walked to the wagon.

I started with identical letters to both parents. Told them of what I knew of the trip and our progress. Let them know that we were healthy and doing fine, that the trip had been uneventful. Told them we hoped to have a permanent residence soon so that they could write back.

Ben came up with two fish and started scaling and deboning as best he could. I finished those two letters and started getting things together for dinner. I had found a couple of ears of corn earlier and had put them in some boiling water above the fire. I breaded the fish and watched them carefully in the skillet, not wanting to burn them. I salted and peppered them. In not too long at all, we were ready to eat.

"This is good!" Ben exclaimed. "I don't know if you're becoming a better cook or I'm just hungry. Your cooking skills have improved greatly on this trip."

Maybe Liza isn't such a good cook. I wonder if this is bad for the timeline. Would Beth had let them starve? Maybe they were never meant to make it to Oklahoma. "You're just really hungry. And you would say anything nice about my cooking to get into my pants."

"You don't wear pants! Why would you say such a thing? Now, I might want under your skirts..."

I threw my cloth napkin at him. "Then you best clean up and smell a little better when you crawl into that wagon tonight. Any chance we can catch a quick bath? We haven't been alone on the road in days to clean up."

"You bet. After we clean up dinner, we'll warm up some water in the tub. Might have to be a standing bath, but it would be nice to be clean."

We ate the fish, corn and blackberries. Ben filled the tub up with water and set it over the fire. I dropped the dishes in and waited for it to heat up a little. He took the animals to the pond for one last drink before tying them up for the night. I washed, then rinsed the dishes with the water in the pails we kept near the fire. Ben came back and helped me dry. We put everything in the box and Ben filled the tub again and set it on the fire. We took another look around, and seeing no one, I undressed down to my first layer. Ben pulled the tub off of the fire and I stood in it on a folded towel. I washed everything even my wild hair. At first I was a little shy, but it felt so good to be clean I forgot about modesty and took off everything, bloomers and all. Ben looked totally shocked. Maybe he had never seen Liza Mae completely naked.

"Can you hand me that towel?" I asked. He grabbed it off of the wagon seat and brought it to me. Then he grabbed me around the waist and kissed me the way a girl always dreams of being kissed. When we broke apart, I looked him in the eye and pushed his suspenders off of his shoulders. Then I grabbed my towel.

"Your turn," I said wrapping in the towel. A deal's a deal. You get clean and then I'll find a skirt for you to get under."

"Yes ma'am," he whispered. He was undressed to his long johns and looked around. I grabbed my hairbrush and started brushing my crazy hair.

"Go on. I have your clean ones right here. After you're clean, we can hop in the back of the wagon. Or you can stand there in your skivvies with your mouth open all night."

Ben shimmied out of his long johns and cleaned up. I grabbed a bucket of water near the fire, it wasn't _ice_ cold anymore and dumped it over his head.

"Why did you do that?" Ben gasped.

"Just helping," I said. I grabbed the cloth and scrubbed his back. "There, all clean." This time I whacked him on the butt. I handed him the towel and left his dry clothes just out of reach. Giggling, I crawled into the back of the wagon.

What had gotten into me! The last time I had sex was over Christmas break. As myself. As Beth, there was always opportunity, but I just hadn't found anyone I thought I could stomach. Plus I wasn't totally sure about Beth's views on sex. I had found her birth control pills, so I guess she was sexually active. But all of a sudden I had become a horny housewife. I guess it was being alone with him so much and getting to know him better. I really liked Ben. Away from our parents, it was like being on a never ending date. Plus, since this was Liza's body, I'm sure her hormones were taking over. Okay, so this was going to happen and it would be fine. Maybe I would just leave this part out of the diary I wrote. Maybe from all of us writing diaries, we could find out what each of us felt about sex while slipping. After all, this was Liza Mae's body, so this was my rationale for the time being.

I heard Ben finishing up outside. He crawled inside the wagon.

"Pup, stay," Ben was trying to get Pup to lie at the foot of the bed.

"Try putting him in the wagon seat with a piece of jerky. It's right there, hanging," I pointed to a sack above Ben's head. Ben grabbed a piece and grabbed Pup and shoved them both on the wagon seat. He pulled the canvas tight and crawled under the blanket with me on the mattress. He grabbed a piece of hair and twirled it around his hand. I placed a hand on his cheek and moved my fingers to his ear and rubbed. He kissed me gently on the lips, then moved down to my neck. His hands moved down and untied my gown and moved it off of my shoulder as he followed his hand with kisses. I grabbed his hair with both of my hands. I hadn't expected him to be so sensual. Where does a farm boy learn this? No internet porn to surf, or girlie magazines even. I moved my hands down his back and scratched gently.

Ben was asleep soon after. We were tangled in our itchy blanket together. Okay, that had gone well. It was a relief to have that first time with Ben over. I knew better what to expect. I hoped I had been alright. I thought I would be the experienced one, but I was wrong. Then it made me think, if I was having sex with Ben as Liza, was Liza or Beth having sex with someone as me? I hoped not! I didn't want a bad reputation. I would definitely have to add a diary entry about that...

The next morning, Ben got up and found his pants. "Stay a little longer. We can have jerky and the last of the biscuits. I can start the water for the coffee."

'Thanks," I mumbled and rolled over on my stomach and went back to sleep. I awoke a little while later to Ben getting in the wagon with a cup of coffee and the last of the biscuits. I sat up and took my coffee. Ben put the biscuits between us and grabbed the jerky bag.

"Everything is ready to go, just have to get you dressed."

"Do I have to? Couldn't I just ride back here in bed all day in my nightgown?"

"I think that might be illegal here in Arkansas," Ben laughed. "I'm not sure I'm willing to give up Buttercup to bail you out of jail."

"Oh, I'm not worth a cow?" I mocked anger.

"Well, she does provide milk."

"But can she do this?" I straddled his lap and kissed him. First softly, then harder. Then I moved to his earlobe, then down his neck.

"Well, she has licked my face before," he whispered.

"Oh, well how about this?" I undid his pants and pulled them down.

"Is this worth bail?" He didn't answer. He had his eyes closed. I stopped.

"Well?" I whispered in his ear.

"Please don't stop. You're driving me crazy. I would give both the horses and pull the wagon myself."

He kissed my forehead when we were finished.

"Okay. How about I finish up and you get dressed. You can rest back here this morning."

"If you insist on clothes, then clothes it shall be." Ben helped me get dressed, then he finished hitching the horses. I snuggled down in the blanket and started a letter to Molly.

### Chapter 3

End of the Trail

April 10th. We made it to Jake's Hollow that day and found we were on the Arkansas border. Another half hour and we would be in Oklahoma. We stocked the wagon with enough supplies to last a month. We didn't know where there would be supplies near us for a while. Hopefully we would at least be at a permanent campsite and I wouldn't have to unpack and pack everything every day. I liked to spread stuff out and be a little messy. That really wasn't an option here.

We were into Oklahoma after a lunch at the local restaurant. Chicken fried steak. Yum! We started seeing lots more people coming from all directions. Ben asked people every night at campsites we found about any news. We did decide to head to the south side of the designated area. By the 13th we were settled into the area that Ben wanted to start from. The plan was for Ben and James, someone we had met, to ride on horses and find a place. I would follow with our wagon and James' wife and their wagon as best I could. We knew he would need to get a jump and the wagons were slow. I was supposed to head due north. Ben would try to find a spot not too far from due north. He would stay and watch both homesteads while James came back to find us. I hoped to be found.

The campsite was a nice change of pace. We had a little "home" set up. James and Lilly and their 2 year old were there with us. We used the wagons to block the wind from the west. We had a blanket laid out that I spent free time playing with Mary. Lily was expecting their second child, she thought in July. We helped cook meals together, that really helped cut down on the time it took to prepare a meal on an open fire. There was a preacher a few wagons down who did bible reading after supper every night. He was hoping to find a community that wanted to start a church. I had bought a tablet for writing at our last stop and started my diary. I told them about Molly and gave them all of the information I had on her. I also made sure to give names and descriptions of all the people we had come in to contact with here at the campsite. I wrote down what the plan for the Land Run day was. I kept the date at the top of each page and wrote every day, even if it was just to say still camping.

I finished writing my diary entry for April 20th. Not much to write today, nothing new happening, but you could feel the excitement building. Everyone was excited. More people had shown up, and some people had slipped off in the middle of the night to stake an early claim. I knew tomorrow would be busy with packing and getting ready to take off the morning after. I tidied up the campsite and helped Lily by rocking Mary in my lap on the blanket while Lily darned some socks. I brushed the feathery blonde hair from Mary's forehead.

"Hey, Ben," I whispered. "Can you help me up? I need to put Mary in her bed."

"Here, I'll take her." Ben bent down and carefully took Mary from my lap. He put her head on his shoulder and reached down with his other hand to help me up. I pulled myself up and stretched. I went by Lily and told her we would put Mary to bed for her, she needn't bother to get up. I crawled into their wagon and reached out for Mary. I laid her on her little pallet and covered her with her quilt. Ben helped me back out of the wagon.

"How about a walk to the stream for some water?" Ben asked.

"Sure, a walk before bed would be nice."

We walked hand in hand towards the stream with buckets held in our other hands.

"Are you nervous about the Land Run?" I asked

"Not about the run itself. That's going to be exciting. I'm ready to get us a place of our own. I am nervous about leaving you and Lily with the wagons. I'm hoping this plan works and James can find you quickly."

"I think things will be fine. We'll wait until the dust settles and then make a direct line for the line of trees. If we have to camp, we'll stay together. We'll have James' rifle and we'll have Pup. And the Preacher. He'll be running between us to help keep us together. He's excited about us starting a community for him to start a church. As long as we can keep going north, we'll find each other. No farther than two days, then we stay and wait." I had written all of this down in my diary. I knew it by heart.

"Okay, I'll just trust in the Lord. I know it makes the most sense as far as getting a good plot. And it's probably safer for the wagons and livestock to be behind the ruckus. I just hope James finds you that first day."

"All will go as planned. I have no worries." We had made it to the stream and filled the buckets. We walked back with one in each hand. We met James on our way back.

"Have a good night. See you in the morning," I said to James.

"You too," James replied. "Looking forward to being your neighbor for good. And having a well. Tired of walking to the stream for water. I may dig the well then build the house around it."

We all laughed and walked on. When we got back to our campsite Ben walked off to check on the animals one last time. I walked around the campsite putting things away. There are always people walking by, some stopping to say hello and to catch up. I sat on a trunk and people watched, just like at the mall. No mohawks or strange tattoos here. Not even any daring hemlines to note. Some little boys ran by, apparently playing cowboys and Indians. Some girls of varying ages were playing hopscotch on a court they had marked in the dust. They kept having to shove the boys out of the way before they messed it up. I made sure the fire was out, then I crawled in the wagon and unbuttoned my dress and pulled it over my head. I slipped a nightgown over my head and crawled into the covers. I would be glad to take a bath again. No privacy here. Seemed like forever since that last night we were alone.

Ben crawled in and undressed. He snuggled in beside me.

"Just a few more days," he said. "Then I'll wash your hair for you."

"You just read my mind. That was exactly what I was thinking."

And with that we both fell asleep.

### Chapter 4

School Days

I could hear voices. Sounded like doors opening and closing. I could hear water running. That can't be. No no no no NO! I opened my eyes. I was in my dorm room in Minnesota. I always looked forward to coming back home. But this meant I was missing a great historic event. I couldn't believe my luck. Two more days, I could have handled two more days. But on the plus side, I could shower. And have a Coke. And fries. I didn't seem to be in as need of a shower physically as I did when I fell asleep, but mentally it would be so great. I looked at my cell phone. It was indeed April 21st, 2009. It was 7:15 on a Tuesday morning. I didn't have class until 9:30. My alarm would go off at 7:30 anyway and I had to pee, so I turned it off. I found my shower caddy right where it should be, grabbed my towel and headed to the bathroom next door. A shower opened up right as I walked in. I put my stuff in there and used the toilet.

I thought about what I might have missed in the month I had been gone. Mid-terms had just finished and I had been on spring break at home. I hope that whatever assignments I had had gotten done. This was my fifth time to have been gone, and the longest. The first time I slipped into Liza, it was just for a couple of days. It was right after my birthday in July and whoever had been here feigned a fever and sore throat the entire time. So far I had been lucky that I hadn't missed anything important or that anything had been screwed up beyond repair.

I finished showering and toweled my hair. I wrapped my towel around me and went back to my room. My roomie, Jenna was there.

"Hey, you're up early!" Jenna was coming in from her jog. She was not only a morning person, but also a fitness nut.

"Yeah, the showers woke me up." I reached into our dorm fridge and grabbed a can of Coke. I popped the top, sniffed the bubbles, and took a large gulp. "Aaahhh."

"It's not even noon yet. How can you poison your body with that?"

Oh, yeah. I don't like Jenna so much. I had played roommate roulette and lost.

"I just like it. I don't like coffee. This gets me going."

"So would a jog through campus."

"Now why would I do that to my knees? And before noon?"

Jenna sniffed a disapproval of my joke. "Anyway, I have a meeting at six tonight. Then I'm meeting Chad. We may need to use the room for a while. Can you make yourself scarce?"

"Sure, I can probably use some time at the library after I eat. Just take the bra off the door when you're done."

"How about I just text you, like usual?"

"I was being metaphorical."

"Oh," Jenna said. "That was funny"

I combed through my medium length hair with ease after running a brush through Liza's mess for a month. My side of the room was way neater than I usually kept it. I sat on my bed with my make-up and mirror. Jenna had gone to take a shower. I found a note in my make-up bag.

Hey, whoever this might be. I've done a fairly good job keeping up with Elizabeth's schoolwork. Other than Jenna and me going to some fraternity parties, it has been uneventful. I've started a calendar of everything in the folder for each class. I've checked off things that are done. Keep it up, I think it will be helpful to everyone (if everyone is a leaper!). I think there is a guy named Paulo in your speech class who is kind of sweet on us. Latino (not sure where from), nice wavy hair. Sits back and to the left. We have been exchanging pleasantries for a couple of weeks and then we paired up for a team project. Hope that's okay.

Best Wishes!

Beth

Okay, so if Beth was here, things were probably not so bad school wise. She had gone through high school and had taken secretarial classes the summer and fall after graduation before getting her job in New York City. But what was she doing going to parties? And with Jenna? But she seemed to be getting our little group organized. I finished up my make-up as Jenna came back in.

"So how are your classes going?" I asked.

"Good, except for Chemistry. I am never going to use it being a PE teacher or trainer."

"You might. You might need to have a basis for it for your nutrition classes," I said.

"I never thought of that. I guess I should pay more attention."

I just shrugged and opened up my folder for my first class today, Algebra. This was something I wasn't planning on using with an Art History degree, but I sure wasn't going to say anything now. Looked like I had a quiz today. Oh great. After being gone for a month, a quiz first thing. I looked over the notes Beth had left and tried to concentrate. So if Beth had been here, does that mean Liza Mae had been in New York City for a month? How had she gotten through that? I hoped she could type and had learned how to use a copy machine.

I picked some problems from the notebook and tried to do them on my own. I checked my answers with Beth's work. I had half of them right. I had 40 minutes before class. I grabbed my bag and filled it for my two morning classes.

"I'm headed out to grab a bite for breakfast and study for my quiz."

"Don't forget I need the room tonight. And try to grab something besides a doughnut."

Oh man, a doughnut! That sounded so good. I took the stairs down the two flights to make up for the doughnut I was about to eat. I stopped in at Campus Corner and grabbed a doughnut. They had a little café area students could eat their convenience store food and make a last ditch effort to study. Class was just across the sidewalk.

"Hey, Alisabet?" a very sexy Spanish accent said my name behind me. I turned to find what had to be Paulo behind me. I recognized him from Speech.

"Hi, Paulo. Have a seat." He sat across the table. "Just studying for an Algebra quiz. What's up with you?"

"On my way to Latin. I was thinking we could set up a time to work on our Speech project?"

"Oh, sure. I might be able to meet tonight. Can you?"

"Yes, tonight is good. How about dinner and the library?"

"Let me check my calendar." I pulled my phone out and pulled up my calendar. I had nothing after noon. "No meetings tonight. Sounds good. What's your number, I'll add it in my phone. I can text you later for details."

He gave me his number and I texted him my name so he would have mine. We stood to go to class, he helped me put my bag on my shoulder.

"Ciao, Alisabet," Paulo said "See you later."

"Ciao." Wow. I wonder what charms Beth had used to get Paulo interested. I hoped I could keep it up. Maybe she had been dressing up or wearing my hair differently. I had just thrown it in a ponytail and put on my favorite jeans and Vikings shirt. I hoped I looked college freshman chic.

The Algebra quiz went okay. I think I might have passed, but just barely. That was fine by me. After turning in our test, we were allowed to leave the room. I went to the lobby on this floor and dug out my Art History folder. There was a calendar that had 'Essay on Michelangelo's David' checked off as turned in through email. How did Beth figure out email? Looked like today was a lecture on the Sistine Chapel. I headed towards my next class and sat through the lecture, writing the assignment and dates due in the boxes on the calendar where they went. I grabbed lunch from the campus McDonald's on the way back to my room. Quarter Pounder, fries and a Coke. I was nearly in heaven. Jenna had a 1:00 class, so I would have the room all to myself for a little while to get my wits about me.

Okay, let's start with what I know for sure. Beth slips here, not sure about Liza. Beth seems to have some academic ambition, at least for me. Beth also seems to attract men no matter what body she is inhabiting. School work looks caught up with. How she figured out how to use the internet without asking for help and looking like a dunce, was a question I could ask in the diary. I hoped that Liza had been able to use it, if she came here. That would be a trip.

I had finished my fries and opened up my burger. I dug out a composition book and started our diary. I would leave a note in the make-up bag telling whoever to look for the diary. I wrote an introductory page:

The Slippers

This is Elizabeth. Starting a diary in each life will help us keep track of what has gone on since last we were here. Assignments in class for me, work assignments for Beth, progress on the homestead for Liza. I slipped two nights before the Land Run! I'm so jealous that Liza or Beth got to experience that. I left a diary there, hopefully you've found it. I will start one, if one hasn't been started next time I slip with Beth. I met another slipper in 1889. Her name is Molly Granger. Ben and I stayed with her and her sister one night on the trip to Oklahoma. She was humming "Good Golly Miss Molly". She said there are others. I'll start a separate book on Molly and any other slippers we might meet. I think it's better to keep this in a book rather than my laptop, since it gets borrowed from time to time. Write daily, even if nothing significant happens. The dates help. As you know, sometimes it's not the same date, this time it just happened to be.

Beth, the assignment calendars really helped. I will definitely keep them up. I also keep a calendar on my cell phone. When or if you've learned to use it better, that will be a good tool to use, too.

I also think it's a good idea to state things we feel strongly about in our own lives and try hard to honor that for each of us. I feel strongly about sex only in a relationship, and then protected sex. I also feel strongly about preserving history and about seeing my family as often as possible.

I look forward to getting to know each of you better. Molly seems to think others will be added. As of April 21st, 2009, I've only slipped into Beth and Liza.

Your Closest Friend,

Elizabeth

I wrote a quick note for the make-up bag and put it there. I tore up the note Beth had left in the bag. I checked out my desk for notes in other folders that Beth had made. Seeing nothing that would keep me from working with Paulo tonight, I texted him to let him know that I was definitely free tonight. I opened my Comp II folder. I had a paper due next Friday and thought I might see what I could get done on that at the library today. I turned on my laptop and found a file Beth had started on the paper. She had notes on the research she had done. I read through those. Being a legal secretary had really paid off in the research department. I made some notes on some other things to look up and then checked out Botany. I had some papers on cross pollination due tomorrow. I opened my Botany book and found Chapter 5 and started in.

At about 2:30 Jenna came in from class. She had a 1:00 aerobics class she came in all sweaty from on Tuesday and Thursdays. I didn't know why she jogged on those mornings. She could just roll out of bed, go to Chemistry, go to aerobics, then come back and shower. But she did the whole getting showered and dressed and make-up thing every time she went somewhere. Just like Beth. Beth had gotten Paulo's attention, maybe I needed to try and spruce myself up a little for our study date.

"McDonalds does have salads, you know. You shouldn't fill your body with so much fried food."

"I know, but I had a salad for breakfast, I didn't want to send my body into shock."

"You know, you have been eating healthier the last month. I guess one day of binging won't hurt."

I felt betrayed by Beth. I needed to leave her notes on doing the exact opposite of what Jenna said.

"And remember after Christmas break, you even jogged with me for that week," Jenna added. "And then you just stopped all of a sudden."

Would that have been Beth or Liza? Maybe Liza. Liza might miss the physical labor that went along with her life.

"Yeah, well I tried things for you, you should try a Coke for me." Good cover.

Another derisive sniff from Jenna. She gathered her shower stuff and left.

My phone buzzed. A text from Paulo. Meet @ Lucio's @ 5:30? Can organize then walk to library. 

I responded. Sure. C u there. 

I worked through the Botany worksheets. Jenna came in and combed through her hair.

"What are your plans for tonight?" she asked.

"I have a study date for a Speech project. Meeting at Lucio's for pizza and then the library."

"Is it that cute Paulo you were telling me about? If so, you need to turn it up a notch from what you've got going on today."

"Um, yeah. I guess I could change my shirt."

"And get out of those ratty jeans. I swear, next time I get a chance I'm throwing those and those shoes out. She got off of her bed and opened my closet. It's pizza and the library, so you don't want to look like you're trying too hard. Let's see..." She started looking through my clothes on the hangers. Then she looked at the shelf above and found a long, green sweater. She opened up a drawer and found some leggings. "Here, try this." I stood up and undressed. I put on the tights and the sweater. It was just long enough to cover my ass. Jenna grabbed a gold chain belt out of her own closet. She clasped it around my waist and turned me around to look in the mirror on the back of our door.

"I usually wear this with jeans. I'm not sure about having my ass hanging out if I bend over."

"Then don't bend over. Besides, leggings are practically pants anyway. Lots of people wear them with crop tops. What shoes can go with this."

"I have my Uggs," I said. "How would those be?"

"Perfect," Jenna said, digging them out of the bottom of my closet. "Now do that cute thing with your hair you were doing last week."

"What was I doing with my hair?"

"You know, where you used your flat iron to make those cool ringlet curls. You did it to my hair for my date Friday."

"Oh, yeah. You don't think that will look like I'm trying too hard?"

"Nah, not since you wore it to class that way a couple of times. It's four, you better get started so you can freshen up your make-up, too."

We both got busy getting ready. I finished up and put my laptop and speech stuff in my bag. I told Jenna bye and thanks and left to walk to Lucio's. It was about fifteen minutes from my dorm room. When I got there, Paulo had already found a table. He waved to me and stood to help me with my bag and chair.

"Hey," I said. "This is my favorite pizza place. I could eat here every day."

"Me, too. I like the combination."

Oh, no. I couldn't stand the thought of those little slivers of onions, olives and whatever else defiling my meat combo.

"Not combination, Paulo," the waiter said. "Meat Combo."

"Oh, yes. This is my roommate, George. If not for him, I would order the wrong pizza always."

"Hi, George. I'm Elizabeth. Meat Combo is my favorite, too."

"Yes, I remember. You come in sometimes with the girl who likes the Vegan."

"Yes, that's my roommate. We are total opposites."

"So a Meat Combo, what size? Paulo can eat a medium all by himself."

"Then better make it a large," Paulo said. "And an Orange Crush."

"I'll have a Coke."

"Coming right up." He left to put in our order.

"Your roommate seems nice."

"Yes. I have been lucky. We are going to room together again next year."

"That's good. I plan on switching roommates. Jenna and I don't have anything in common. She's a fitness and health nut."

"I think I have a Jenna in my Aerobics class."

"Don't tell me you're a fitness nut, too?"

"No, George and I are there to meet girls. We didn't think it would be so much work to get an 'A'."

I laughed. Thank goodness.

"So what is your major?" Paulo asked.

"History. I haven't decided what I want to do with it yet. I just really like history. I wish I could go back in time and relive some events of the past."

"Name your top three," Paulo said.

"Well, right now I'm really into statehood. I would love to watch the Land Run that eventually formed Oklahoma. (almost did it) And the events leading up to the Louisiana Purchase, which really established Minnesota as a part of the U.S. Hum, maybe the Boston Tea Party."

"Interesting."

"Oh, I'm sure. What's your major?"

"Chemical Engineering."

"Then I suppose the Louisiana Purchase would be exciting compared to that."

"Chemical Engineering is very exciting. There are new innovations every day!"

"Like what?"

George came with our pizza. "Oh, don't get him started on the benefits of plastic recycling."

We all laughed. George left to bus a table. We ate pizza and talked about our speech project. We were supposed to choose sides on a topic of our choosing and defend our side. Not quite a debate, as there would be no questions asked. We decided to go with the Louisiana Purchase. Paulo said he needed to learn more about the history of America anyway. We decided he would take the side of the U.S. government under Thomas Jefferson and defend why it was good for our society today. I decided to take a stand against it and defend that life would have been better with our country west of the Mississippi belonging to the French, and maybe the far western half staying as Indian Territory. Then we walked to the library. I gave him some points to research. I found out on the walk over that Paulo was from Spain. His father had been offered a teaching job at Columbia as a Spanish professor. Paulo had lived in New York since he was fifteen. I also told him he should look up any Spanish influences during the time period. That I thought they had had a claim on the lands we would be studying.

We claimed a table for our bags. We logged in to two adjoining computers to start our research. Paulo gave me any information he found on Spanish claims, too. He thought it might be helpful on both sides. I helped him find his way through files of what I thought might be relevant to his argument. At 8:30 my phone buzzed. It was Jenna. The bra is off the door. I smiled. Maybe Jenna was developing a sense of humor after all.

"Something funny?" Paulo asked. I showed him the text. "I don't understand."

"It means her and her date are finished with their alone time. That's how girls used to let their roommates know not to come in to the room. I think boys used to use ties."

"Oh. Does she hang a bra often?"

"Often enough."

"Well, can we meet again in a few days? Maybe we could have parts of our speech ready to practice with each other."

"Yes," I said. "How about some time over the weekend?"

"That would be good. I'll text you after I get my work schedule tomorrow."

"Where do you work?" We had packed our things and were walking out of the library.

"I work for the maintenance group that cleans and maintains the gym. It's a pain during basketball season. Right now it's not too bad."

"I've been lucky. I haven't had to work during school. I have a job during the summer and Christmas break at a bookstore back home." We were in front of my dorm building. "This is me. Thanks for walking me home."

"I was raised to be a gentleman. Always walk a pretty lady home."

"I'll see you tomorrow in class." Then I used my key to enter my building. I turned and waved through the glass door. He waved back.

"So how was your date," Jenna asked as I walked in.

It wasn't a date, date, just a study date. And it was good."

"Are you going to see him again?"

"Yes, tomorrow in class. He's in your aerobics class."

"He's one of the guys in the back? I wonder which one."

"How many guys take aerobics?"

"We started the semester with about 20. Now we're down to twelve. I'll have to take notice on Thursday."

I got ready for bed and laid there doing some work. I pulled out the composition book I was using for a diary and wrote todays date and what all had happened. Jenna flipped on the TV. I finished up, turned off my light and watched with her until I fell asleep.

### Chapter 5

Home, Sweet Dorm Room

I awoke on Wednesday morning to the alarm on my cell phone. I had it set to "Good Golly Miss Molly". I had downloaded it last night. I was up and walking to the bathroom as Jenna was coming in from her jog. I grunted a hello and went in. I hurried through my shower a little faster. I refused to get up earlier than 7:30 and today my first class started at 8:30. I could wear jeans, so no need to shave. My hair could forego a washing if I did a ponytail. I scampered back to the room. Jenna must have been in a shower, the room was empty. I toweled off and dressed. Brushed through my hair and put it up. I went a light, natural look on my make-up, which is more than I usually did for MWF classes. Jenna had come in washed, shaved and shampooed. It was 8:10. I grabbed my bag.

"See you later, gator," I said rushing through the door and down the stairs. I stopped at Campus Corner and grabbed a doughnut and a chocolate milk. I ate and drank on my way to Botany. I really liked Botany, especially when I had my work done. I found a seat close to the middle and got my stuff ready before class. The room quickly filled up around me.

"Turn in your papers before lecture starts, please," Miss Stratford said over the noise of chattering students. "No late papers accepted." Miss Stratford was a good teacher, but she was a little disheveled all the time. Her glasses always needed pushing up on her nose and she kept her hair in a bun with what looked like a set of chopsticks. She was also perpetually single. Today one of her long socks was down around her ankles and the other was pulled up perfectly straight under her tweed skirt.

I found my work in the neatly organized folder that Beth had left me. Maybe there was something to this organization thing after all. It was nice not to be panicking because I couldn't find my papers. I walked to the desk, taking other people's papers that they held in front of me. I put them on the pile on the desk.

Back at my seat I listened to Stratford talk about pink flowers and white flowers and cows with spots and cows without spots. I took notes in my notebook and highlighted my book. At the end of class Stratford gave us a reading assignment and told us we should be ready for a test on the chapter for Monday.

On to Composition II. I found my romantic poetry book. Dr. Charles came in. He was wearing his usual tweed blazer with the elbow patches and his rumpled khaki trousers. His glasses needed to be pushed up his nose. He was recently divorced. I wondered if he and Stratford ever crossed paths?

He would read a poem and then we would go through it a line at a time to discover the hidden and metaphorical meanings in the work. It was a snooze fest. It was finally time for Speech. I dashed to the restroom to check myself in the mirror. Not too bad. Maybe I should give myself an extra thirty minutes on MWF.

I went up a flight of stairs to Speech. Paulo was waiting for me outside the door.

"Hello, Alisabet, how are you today?"

"I'm good, Paulo. How about you?"

"Good, good. No aerobics today."

"Do you know she jogs every morning, even the days she has aerobics? And she works out when she works at the fitness center if they aren't too busy."

"She has more dedication than I do."

"I bet you're dedicated to the recycling of plastic."

"Yes. I recycle plastic even after I have recycled paper that day."

We found our seats. This was the one class where the seats were assigned because that's the way that roll was taken. Attendance was one third of our grade in Speech. Group three was finishing up their procedural speeches today. Paulo and I were in Group one, which started argumentative team speeches Monday.

We listened to speeches on how to assemble a clarinet and how to take blood pressure. Then we listened to some dos and don'ts on argumentative speeches. Paulo tapped me on the shoulder as I was packing my stuff.

"Hey, I have work at 1:00. Want to grab a quick lunch?"

"Sure."

"Is the Union okay, it's close to the gym."

"Sure. Anywhere that takes my student ID."

We walked to the Union. I hit up the Chinese buffet while Paulo got a taco platter. We found each other and found a table.

"Anything big happening in any of your classes?" I asked between bites of General Tso's Chicken.

"One project due in Chemistry, but everything else is winding down before finals. A few papers here and there."

"Same here. One big paper in Composition I over Romantic poetry. Ick. Not my favorite class. I can't believe there are only three weeks left."

"Me, too. It will be good to see my parents again. The only time I've been back home was Christmas break."

"I try to get back once a month. I live about two hours away."

We finished lunch and talked awhile before Paulo went to work. He said he would text me after work to find a time during the weekend to work on our project. I sat for a while reading poetry and debating getting a chocolate milkshake. I compromised and got a strawberry one. Fruit and ice cream in one cup. I was multi-tasking.

I gathered my stuff and sipped the milkshake on the way back to my dorm. I went upstairs to make a Walmart list. I was out of Coke and I think I needed deodorant. Jenna came in and said she would go with me. We went downstairs and out the door and I stopped. I had no idea where the car was parked.

"I can't remember where I parked."

"Hit the door lock button. Maybe we'll see the lights." I hit the button and we saw lights flash. We jumped in and five minutes later we were there.

"Text me when you're done." With that Jenna headed off with her own cart.

I steered my cart toward health and beauty. I picked up what I needed there. Then I headed toward the pop aisle and picked up a case of Coke, then stops for Doritos, yogurt, string cheese and a bag of Oreos. I texted Jenna and told her I was headed up front to check out.

I headed for a self-check-out line. I liked making the machine beep. It's the simple things that make me happy. Jenna took the machine beside me.

"Hey, we both got yogurt," I said.

"And cookies." She held up a bag of fruit thins. I wasn't sure those counted as cookies. Didn't they have to have chocolate to be considered a cookie?

"I'm rubbing off on you," I smiled. "A little at a time."

We took our bags and headed to the car. We stopped and rented a DVD on the way out. Back at the room we unloaded and Jenna got ready to head to her work study job at the fitness center. I sat down to work on homework.

I awoke at seven to my cell ringing. I had fallen asleep reading Romantic poetry. I looked at my phone. It was Mom.

"Hey, Mom," I said. "What up?"

"Hello, Elizabeth. I am doing fine. How are you?"

"I'm good. Classes are good. Jenna has been tolerable."

"That's nice, dear. It's good to hear that you and Jenna are still getting along."

Still getting along? Since when did that happen? Beth. Or Liza. Or both.

"How's Dad?"

"He's doing well. That's why I called. I have been making plans for your Dad's 50th birthday party. His birthday is Wednesday the 6th, as you know. I was wondering if the weekend before or after would be better for you?"

"Give me a minute, let me look at a calendar," I rummaged through a folder. "The weekend before. The week after the 6th is finals."

"Alright, so I'll plan something at the country club for the second. I'm thinking that if he doesn't know you're coming, we can pull off a surprise."

"Okay, what can I do here to help?"

"I was thinking of sending the invitations online. Everyone has email, now. Can you do that?"

Mom, my mom, sending invitations via the World Wide Web? I wondered if I needed to check outside to see if pigs were flying.

"Sure, just give me the details. I can make the invitation. They have downloads now that have really cool graphics. I can then email it to you and you can send it out."

"That's nice. Why don't you invite a few friends, too? Just let me know how many."

"Okay, I've got a few people here who might like to get off campus. And I'll see who else is going to be in town."

"Okay, dear. I'll call you tomorrow after I talk to the Country Club."

"Okay, bye Mom."

I stood up out of bed and stretched. Fixed my ponytail in the mirror. I don't know why in movies they show girls getting out of bed with perfect hair. It just gives guys the wrong impression.

I pulled a hoodie on and ran to the Union to grab some dinner. I was walking back to my dorm when Paulo texted. Work Sat am. Free after 3. Meet in library and dinner after?

Response: Si, senor. C u l8r.

Paulo: Ciao.

Great. Now I had three days to figure out what to wear. Maybe a shopping trip in the near future for a fantastic study buddy outfit.

Class and homework occupied the next two days. I went to my advisor to enroll for next semester. Jenna had told me that maybe I would like yoga if I wasn't into jogging or aerobics. I decided to give that a try for one of my phys ed credits. I added Chemistry, Music Appreciation and three history classes.

Friday night I worked on the invitation and emailed it to my mom. I called her to tell her to check it out to see if there was anything she wanted to change and to make sure she knew how to email it out to everyone. She did a test email to me. Then she said she was good to go and she would touch base with me next week.

Saturday morning I slept in until 9. Jenna had to work until 11, then she said she would help me shop. I grabbed a shower and dressed in sweats and a t-shirt. When Jenna came back we grabbed lunch at her favorite, healthy restaurant. It was okay, since I knew I would get a good meal tonight. I thought I would take Paulo to this great BBQ dive off of campus.

We headed to the mall and went into a store I probably wouldn't have gone into on my own. They played loud music and there were a bunch of hipster looking people running around. I think of myself as low maintenance cute, not try too hard hipster. But Jenna was there to help. We did find a new pair of jeans that we could both agree on. They were comfortable, covered my crack and didn't have too many sparkles on the pockets. To Jenna they were slimming, hung just low enough and drew attention to my cute bum.

We went to another store and found some long sleeved, form fitting shirts I could layer. I had shoes that I could wear. Jenna had bought a couple of things, too. We hit a frozen yogurt stand before leaving.

"So, will you be hanging a bra on the door tonight?" asked Jenna.

"No, this is only our second time out. We haven't even held hands or anything."

"He's going to get bored if you're not careful. I noticed him in aerobics. He's cute. Some of the girls in aerobics have noticed him."

"I don't think he's like that. He seems to be happy now just to hang out."

Jenna rolled her eyes. We went back to our dorm and I got ready to go to the library. There was a cool breeze, so I grabbed a light jacket. I went in and found the table we had used last time. Paulo came in a few minutes later. We read through each other's notes and changed a few things. We found a study room and practiced our speech in there. At 5:30 we decided we were in good shape. I told him about the Pig Pen and he said that it sounded good. He didn't have a car, he flew from New York, and so we walked to my dorm parking lot and jumped in my baby blue beetle.

"Cute car," Paulo said looking around to see if anyone had seen him get in.

"Don't worry," I said. "As long as you don't drive it, no one will take away your man card."

We drove to the Pig Pen. It was rustic with saw dust covering the floor which helped with the grease. Red checkered table cloths on the table that were easy to wipe the sauce off. I led him to the line. You ordered at the counter and took a number.

"I recommend the Meat Combo here, too," I said. "Just pick the two meats you want, if you want potato salad or fries, and one more side. My treat tonight."

"A modern woman? I will have to stop holding doors for you."

"Don't you dare, I just don't think the male should be burdened with all of the expense."

We placed our orders and took our number to a table. It was crowded and noisy, but in a good way. TVs were showing a Twins baseball game that one group of middle aged men were watching passionately. Other tables held families with children that had sauce covered faces and hands.

Our food came. We had each ordered different things so we could share everything. We ate and kept up with the game, Paulo was a Yankees fan. I told him he probably wanted to keep that quiet in here. We ate and drank sweet tea until I thought I would bust the button on my new jeans. We cleaned our hands with the Wet Ones that were kept at each table. We dumped our trays on the way out.

"That was really good," Paulo said. "I think we should find other restaurants with meat combos and try them all."

"You're on!" I pulled out my phone and googled restaurants in our area. "How about a walk through that park while we look?"

"Yes, some exercise would be nice. I haven't eaten that much meat since I was home at Christmas."

We found menus for four other restaurants that had meat combos. We set a date for Wednesday to try the Mexican food one.

I drove him to his dorm parking lot. I stopped close to the door he pointed me towards.

"I will see you Monday in class. Do you think we'll do our speech then, or Wednesday?"

"I'm guessing Wednesday. We're the third one up and these are longer than our other speeches. Unless there's a no show."

"We are ready," Paulo said. "I would just like to get it over with."

"Yes, me too. Then just one more speech for finals."

Paulo leaned over and kissed me lightly on the lips. He still tasted of barbeque sauce. He smiled and opened his door, grabbing his bag from behind his seat. He walked through the door and waved back over his shoulder. I would forever remember Paulo's kiss whenever I ate barbeque. And gas. I rolled my window down for the ride home. I was lucky to have been able to hold that in until he was out of the car. Next time, not so much meat combo.

### Chapter 6

Party Time

Classes and homework and seeing Paulo kept me busy. I helped Mom make decisions for Dad's party. I invited my three best friends from high school, each with a plus one, and Jenna, Paulo and George. When I called Mom to let her know she was thrilled I had a 'new beau' in my life. My mother is really old fashioned. She was lucky enough that my father was an accountant at Rhinehold, and had made his was up to Head of Accounting, giving her the option of staying home. She wasn't one of those moms who thought that her daughter should wait until she was 30 to marry. She thought girls should go to college to meet a husband. She was a lot like Beth and her roommates in that respect. My mom missed out on the hippie age and bra burning episodes of her lifetime. I wasn't sure how she or Dad would feel about Paulo being Spanish and from New York, but Mom sounded happy that I was dating.

The party was tonight. We were driving up this morning. I told Mom we would be there around one to help decorate. The boys would be staying in the basement of our house and Jenna would share my room that night. Jenna and I loaded our car with our bags and drove to the boys' dorm to pick them up. All loaded we headed north. This was a different trip than with Ben. We had a radio to listen to. They were constantly on their phones updating me on the latest twitter and Instagram feeds. We stopped for a fast food lunch where Jenna could get something healthy. We pulled into the Country Club parking lot at 1:09. Not too late. Mom shouldn't be in a state just yet. We entered and I led everyone to the banquet room in the back.

"Hi Mom," I said hugging her. "You remember Jenna? And this is Paulo and George."

"It is so nice to meet all of you. And it is so kind of you to help this afternoon. We just got here. I thought we would set up the chairs and tables before unloading the car."

"Where is Dad?"

"Robert has taken him to play a round of golf at a new course across town. Oh, and here's his wife, Jillian. Jillian, these are Elizabeth's friends from school."

We made another round of introductions. We moved tables and chairs where my mom and Jillian told us. We had two Club employees there to help. Then they brought in white table cloths. Then we unloaded Mom's car with table decorations and gifts. We added our gifts to the gift table. We helped with the table decorations. It was pretty simple, just tedious. Jillian called Robert for an update. They were on the 16th hole and would probably be home in about an hour.

"Then we must hurry you guys to the house. You can change for the party and then come back here to meet guests. I'll text you when we're in the parking lot."

I drove us to our house and showed the boys the basement. It was a large family room with two pullout sofas. There was a bathroom with a small shower, and a bar that Mom had loaded with snacks and sodas for the boys. I told the boys where everything was and headed up two flights of stairs with Jenna to get ready. We took quick showers and helped each other with our hair.

"We can take our make-up bags. We can finish that at the country club restroom. There will be at least an hour before anyone gets there," I said.

I texted the boys and told them we were ready. We met them in the foyer and I told Mom we were headed out. We loaded the car and headed back to the Club.

About ten minutes later we pulled into the parking lot and got out. The kitchen and serving staff were setting the tables with glasses, silverware and napkins. The buffet was set up in the back. A large cake was in the middle of the room.

"Looks like everything is under control," I said. "We're going to finish our make-up in the restroom across the hall. Text me if anything is needed." Jenna and I finished getting ready. The bathroom was brightly lit and nearly empty at this time of day.

"What time are your parents getting here?" Jenna asked.

"About seven. Other guests are supposed to be arriving between six and six thirty."

We finished up and I took our things out to my car. When I got back in, everyone was sitting at the front table. Someone had brought drinks and a tray of appetizers for us to munch on.

"I got you a Coke and Jenna a water. Did you want something else, Jenna?" Paulo knew he didn't have to ask me. I pretty much drank Coke and Sweet Tea.

"No, water is fine. Thanks"

"Everything ready?" I asked.

"Yes," Paulo answered. "The manager came in and double checked everything. She said she would check in again as guests arrived."

We sat and chatted, waiting on everyone. At a little after six people started arriving. We were expecting 44 more. I welcomed and introduced my friends to as many people as I could manage. I texted Mom at 6:30. Only missing 5. R u on ur way?

Response: In about five minutes, dear. Who are you missing?

Me: Johnsons just here. Down to 2. No idea.

Mom: Leaving now. Let me know.

I welcomed the Johnsons. All gifts were on the table. People were mingling and drinking and eating appetizers off of the tables around the cake. Then my dad's brother, Robert came in with his new date. He had a new date almost every time I saw him. I texted Mom: Uncle Robert and date just showed. All here.

Response: We should be there in ten minutes. Get everyone ready.

"There is my prettiest niece!" Uncle Robert said loudly. "How's college?"

"It's good, Uncle Robert. Who's your date?"

"This is Lana. Lana- this is Mark's daughter, Elizabeth."

"His only niece. Hi Lana. It's good of you to come. These are my friends from college and some I grew up with." I introduced everyone. "I need to get everyone's attention. They should be here soon."

"No problem," said Uncle Robert. He raised his champagne glass and tapped it with a fork. "Everyone, the birthday boy is almost here. We're supposed to be quiet and turn out the lights."

Everyone settled down and the manager turned out the lights. There was a lot of whispering and giggles. I'm pretty sure that Uncle Robert was groping Lana on the butt. At least this one was closer to his age than to mine.

Then the door opened, the lights went on and we all screamed "Surprise". Dad looked totally shocked. I went up to give him a hug.

"Elizabeth, how are you?"

"I'm good, Dad. How are you?"

"Shocked. I had no idea your mom was planning this."

Other people came up to shake his hand. Dad made his way to the "kids" table as soon as he could. I introduced everyone again. Hopefully I wouldn't have to introduce anyone again for a month.

Everyone ate and drank and the dance floor was opened next door. We all snuck some champagne to take a couple of swigs of. Then we all watched Dad try to blow out 50 candles. He made the first cut, then the staff cut and laid out pieces of cake. We all grabbed some and found seats close to the dance floor. Drunk middle aged people dancing is hilarious. We witnessed the sprinkler, the moonwalk, and head banging: if it was a dance in the 80s, we saw it. After our cake we jumped out there and had a good time. The ten "young ones" as we were dubbed had a great time. We didn't have to worry about being self-conscious about other peers watching or poking fun.

Dad opened his gifts, mostly golfing items or gag gifts about turning 50. People started leaving about 10:30, and at 11:27 we were left with loading gifts in the car. Thankfully we didn't have to clean up. We grabbed a table decoration and the box of cake that the servers had given us and headed out.

At the house, I made sure the guys were set for the night on pulling out the sofas. Then I grabbed two bottles of water from the fridge and headed up to Jenna. She was in my bathroom when I got there. I undressed and took down my hair.

"That was fun," Jenna said. "Who would have thought old people could be so funny!"

"I know, they really loosen up when they've belted back a few."

We laughed and crawled into my bed.

"What's the deal with your uncle?"

"He is the bane of my mother's existence. It's hard to believe he's related to my father. He is loud, always has someone young and slightly trashy on his arm. This one is actually the oldest one so far."

"I thought he was a hoot. But then again, he wasn't making my mom roll her eyes and cringe every five minutes."

"That is his reason for living. He loves to antagonize her. Poor Dad is stuck in the middle. I'm sure my Mom thought about not inviting him."

We talked a little more before falling asleep. I was so glad I hadn't missed the party tonight. If I could just make it through finals before slipping again.

The next morning, Mom woke us up for breakfast. She didn't look like she had partied all night the night before. She was dressed and ready to teach Sunday school. We were all expected for church at 10:30. We trudged downstairs in sweats. Dad came up from the basement with the boys close behind.

"I'm making omelets. George, Paulo, come pick out what you want in yours." My mom was so organized she had two mixing bowls and two skillets ready. She cracked eggs in the bowls. The boys added what they wanted from the things my mom had set out. She poured their omelets in the skillets, rinsed the bowls and told Dad and Jenna to do the same. I noticed Paulo taking a little of bacon, sausage and ham. He looked at me and mouthed 'meat combo'. I stuck my tongue out at him. Jenna, of course, only chose tomatoes, onions, peppers and cheese. Then Mom and I started ours. Meat and cheese only for me. We joined the others at the kitchen table. Mom passed the toast around and told everyone to help themselves to juice, coffee or milk.

"This is really good, Mrs. Hammons," George said. "Thank you so much. I was just expecting cold cereal after last night."

"Sunday mornings are always omelets," Dad said.

"And roast beef for lunch." I could smell it cooking already.

We finished breakfast, talking about being thankful for dead week and which finals worried us. Then everyone else went to get ready for church. I helped Mom load the dishwasher while Jenna was showering.

"Your friends seem nice," Mom said. "I just hope your uncle doesn't send Paulo running for the hills."

I laughed. "I think they thought the whole thing was entertaining. After everyone started drinking, he really wasn't any worse than the rest."

"I guess that's true. Plus I think Lana may have been a blonde when she was younger, so her hair color is just reliving her past."

My uncle had a thing for blondes, natural or not.

I washed the skillets while Mom put things in the refrigerator.

"How long have you and Paulo been seeing each other?"

"Not long. We have Speech together, so we would talk in class. Then we had a project together and started dating while working on it."

"He seems nice. A chemical engineer major. He must be smart."

"Seems so. His dad teaches Spanish at Columbia. Southern Minnesota had a better program for his major."

"And his mother?"

What was this, twenty questions? "His Mom, has a small interior decorating business."

"That would be fun. I've often wondered if I could do something like that."

"I bet so. You can definitely organize a surprise party. Maybe you and Jillian could do party or event planning." I had never heard my mom wanting to do anything but run our household and volunteer at church.

"That is something to think about. James, are you ready?"

"Yes."

I turned around to see my dad standing in the doorway.

"I can finish up after I shower. We'll be there on time."

"Thank you, dear." Dad winked my way, helped my Mom into her jacket and they went through the garage door to the car.

I ran upstairs. Jenna was out of the shower so I hopped in. I showered quickly. Jenna and I went downstairs to meet the boys. I finished wiping countertops and George grabbed the trash on our way out the front door. My parents went to Hillcrest Methodist. It was a smaller, neighborhood church close to our home and my former school. My mother's father was a Methodist preacher about an hour away. We tried to get there once a month. My grandparents hadn't been able to attend the party last night. Grams had been hanging pictures in her Sunday school room and fallen from a chair last week. She had broken her wrist and was a little banged up.

The church parking lot was fairly full when we arrived. We found a parking place and briskly walked inside. There was a breeze that promised rain. Inside I led us to 'our' pew. We have always sat five rows from the back, on the outside aisle. My dad said that when I was a baby I liked the light coming from the stain glassed window. We have sat there ever since. I introduced Jenna, Paulo and George to the families in the pews surrounding ours. Mom and Dad came in from Sunday school and sat beside me. The piano started playing and everyone stood to sing. Then the liturgist stood and gave announcements. A little over an hour later we all stood to shake hands with the preacher and his wife on the way out. They had been at my dad's party last night, along with some other people from church. I'm sure my mom was wondering what they thought of dad's brother and co-workers. But I had noticed a few church members cut loose after the preacher left.

"We'll run home and finish lunch. Elizabeth, can you stop and pick up some ice and ice cream? We have all of that leftover cake from last night and I thought some ice cream to go with it would be nice," my Mom said.

"And fill your car up," Dad said handing me his bank card.

"Okay, we'll meet you at home."

We left the parking lot and I pulled in at a convenience store four blocks away. George and Paulo stayed to fill my car and clean the windshield. Large, spring rain drops were beginning to fall from the sky. Jenna and I sprinted into the store. We picked out some ice cream and paid for everything. Jenna grabbed the ice from the freezer outside the door. Then we sprinted back to the car and jumped in screaming. The rain was _cold._ A loud thunder clap made us jump and then sent us into a fit of giggles. Paulo and George climbed in. They had stayed relatively dry under the awning. I drove home through pouring rain. Dad had left the garage door open so that we wouldn't have to run up the walkway to the front door. We bustled in through the garage door and into the kitchen.

"It has gotten nasty out," Jenna said. Jenna hated thunder. That's the reason I got the bed by the window in our dorm room.

"The streets are turning into rivers. We may not be able to leave right after lunch as planned," I said.

"You're welcome to stay as long as you like," Mom said. "We have no plans but to rest this afternoon."

"We'll wait for the storm to pass," I said. "But we were hoping to get back in time to watch Downton Abbey tonight."

"And I thought maybe you needed to get back to study. How silly of me," Dad said tugging my hair.

"You guys set the table. Here, George, bring the ice to the sink and fill these glasses if you don't mind. I need to call the repairman to look at our ice dispenser this week."

We all helped Mom get lunch on the dining room table. We sat and Dad asked about finals. He found that George was an accounting major. Dad told him to keep in touch if he wanted to see about a job in the Minneapolis area. Mom asked if I was leaning toward any career paths as a history major.

"Not yet," I said. "I'm taking more history classes in the fall. Maybe one of those will set me on a path."

"Have you reconsidered teaching?"

"Not yet. I'm not sure that's for me. I like studying it, I'm not sure I would like teaching it."

Mom stood to clear the table. "Let us clean up, Mrs. Hammons," Jenna said. "It won't take the four of us very long."

"I'll take you up on that offer," Mom said. I think I'll go change and read my book. We'll have cake and ice cream before you leave."

The boys cleared the table while Jenna and I started in the kitchen. Jenna washed while I put everything where it went. The boys had to make two trips with everything, then went back to wipe the table. They went downstairs to pack while Jenna and I finished up. The rain was down to a trickle. Jenna and I went upstairs to gather our stuff. I went to my parents' room.

"Hey, Mom," I said. "I think we'll be leaving soon. The worst of the storm seems to have passed."

"Okay, dear. Let me help you get your things together. Mom followed me to my room. She helped Jenna and I pack. We stripped the bed and carried everything downstairs. I took the sheets to the basement laundry room. I started that load and helped the boys with the sheets on the sofas. We folded the sofas up and brought their bags upstairs. Mom had cake and ice cream ready to take in the den. My dad was in there watching a baseball game.

"How's the game?" I asked.

"Rain delayed," Dad said. "But I love watching the maintenance crew trying to cover the field with a tarp in the wind."

"The rain has slowed down, but there is still lightning. They may not get that one played today," Paulo said. "It's probably a good thing. I wouldn't want the Yankees to ruin your birthday weekend."

"I can't believe I gave a Yankee fan food and shelter," Dad said. "If I had known that, I would have had you stay with Jaspers from work. He's a Yankee, too."

"Your hospitality has been very gracious, for a Twins fan."

"I imagine it's a big step up from the hospitality of a Yankee." With that everyone laughed and dug in to their cake. Afterwards, we loaded the dishwasher one more time. Mom made me a box with cake to take back to the dorm room. I believe I had found Jenna's weakness. She had never refused birthday cake!

We went back through the garage with our bags. Everyone said their thank yous and goodbyes. I hugged Mom and Dad goodbye.

"Let us know moving day as soon as you can," Dad said. "We'll bring the SUV to get you home."

"I will, schedule for finals should be up in the next couple of days."

I dashed to the car and backed out. The windshield wipers were going full blast. The going was slow, but traffic was light. The farther south we went, the more the rain lightened up. We made it back to campus around 5:00. I dropped the boys off and told them they were invited for more cake tomorrow. I dropped Jenna and the bags at the door to our dorm, because I had to park at the very edge of the lot and the rain had started up again. By the time I met Jenna at the elevator, I was soaked. I sloshed from the elevator to our room.

"I'm going to take a hot shower," I said. "I'm chilled to the bone." I grabbed my shower caddy and towel and headed to the bathroom. I had the place all to myself. I cranked the water to hot and let the steam pour over me. It gave me goose bumps when it touched my skin, I shivered and then warmed up. I washed and conditioned my hair and lathered in body wash. I went back to the room to find Jenna ready to go out.

"I'm going to the fitness center to jog off all the cake I ate this weekend. I'll pick something up from Newton's on the way back. Do you want anything?"

"A meatball sub and some potato chips."

"They have great wraps, with turkey and avocado..."

"Ick. Be back by seven!"

"I started a load of laundry in the first washer. Can you throw it in the dryer for me?"

"No problem, I need to start a load myself." Jenna hurried off. I needed to start about five loads. I always let it get to the point where I had no underwear to wear before I get around to it. This was such an occasion! I dragged my laundry basket out of the bottom of my closet and hunted for everything that had fallen around it. I sorted everything into five piles around my bed. There were three washers and dryers on our floor. I hoped the other two were free. I took a load with most of my undies and a load with sweats to the laundry room. I loaded the two remaining washers and scuttled back to my room, still in my towel. I turned on the TV and combed through my hair. I found a pair of shorts and a t-shirt to wear until I could get into some warmer clothes. I cuddled down into my bed with the diary. I hadn't had a chance to write in it last night and needed to catch up.

Sunday, May 3rd

Hey Girls,

Went home to Dad's 50th surprise party. My uncle Ronnie has a new girlfriend, Lana. They turned quite a few heads that night. Don't be surprised if you meet him that it's not Lana, he tends to change girlfriends often. Mom is still pressuring me to become a history teacher, but I don't think that's the direction I want to go in.

Jenna and I are getting along better. We have decided to room together again next semester. I still think she's too much of a fitness nut, and I enjoy being a slob and eating meat. But we've been able to tease without as much malice and I know both of you seem to get along with her. It will be easier for you to not have to get used to a new roommate.

I wrote some more details of what had happened over the weekend. I went down to the laundry room and put everything in the dryers and started my other three loads. It was now 6:30. I didn't have any homework except I needed to read my Jane Eyre novel. I settled in to see if I could get in a chapter before Downton Abbey. Jenna came in at ten 'til seven. We turned to PBS and watched while we ate. Afterwards, we went down to the laundry room. Jenna helped me load the dryers and we headed back to our room. I actually took the time to fold and hang my clothes instead of leaving them in the basket. I wondered what was rubbing off on me?

### Chapter 7

School's Out

Dead week flew by, then finals week. This was the most prepared I had ever been, thanks to Beth's organizational tools. I lived in fear that I would slip before my last final, Algebra, on Thursday. I couldn't imagine Liza trying to take a college algebra final. Then again, if it were Beth, she might be able to pull my grade from a C to a B. Beth seemed to be really smart. It was too bad she wasn't more ambitious or didn't have the opportunity to go to college.

My alarm went off on Thursday morning. I was still here. I got ready and studied some more. At 10:00 I left for my test. It went okay. I felt pretty confident about it. I wouldn't know until grades were posted next week. I met Paulo for lunch at the Union. My parents were picking us both up tomorrow. Paulo would stay one night at our house then fly out on Saturday morning.

"Hey, Paulo," I said sitting down with my burger and fries. "How did your final go?"

"Good, and yours?"

"Better than expected. At least I think so. Guess I'll know for sure next week."

"So you're done. I have one more at 1:00. Then I can finally pack."

"What do you do with your stuff you can't take with you on the plane?" I asked.

"George and I rented a small storage building. We're going to take a load there tonight. Hopefully I'll be ready when your parents get here."

"Trust me, it will take all afternoon to load my stuff. You'll have plenty of time before we get to you."

We were finished eating. "I need to get going. My test is way across campus. Want to grab one last Meat Combo tonight?"

"Absolutely. Where?"

"You pick. Pick me up at 6:00."

He kissed me on the top of my head and hurried off. I gathered our trash and my bag. I dumped the tray and headed toward the bookstore to sell back my books. I had lugged them around with me all morning. I had paid $458.92 in January. I sold back everything but the history book and walked out with a whopping $212.16.

I had the room to myself when I got back. I decided to do laundry so I wouldn't have to pack dirty clothes. I sorted and started all three washers. I grabbed a suitcase from the top of my closet and packed sweaters, jeans and sweats. I found a duffle bag and threw in undies, socks and bras. Mom was supposed to bring more suitcases and boxes for me to pack with tomorrow. We had to clean everything to get our deposit back. The RA had left a list of everything she would be looking for. Number 10 on the list was 'Dust all shelves, including closet'. I grabbed my chair and dragged it over with my Swiffer. I tossed everything left up there on my bed, most of it had gone in my suitcase. The next shelf held a lot of different stuff that I wasn't ready to deal with yet. I hopped off the chair and started going through what I had tossed on the bed. Some were empty bags from shopping I had shoved up there. I started filling these with shoes and stacked them on my suitcase.

"Hey, messpot. Packing already?" Jenna asked behind me.

"Yeah, my mom would pass out if she saw my closet. She'd be here once a month cleaning it like she does at home."

"Where did you get your messiness from? Both you're parents seem so neat and tidy."

"From Dad. Mom keeps him organized, too. I've been in his office. It looks a lot like my desk."

"That must be a full time job for your mother."

"Yeah, but I think she likes it. But it may be why she stopped with one child," I said. "One more might have sent her over the edge. Are you done with finals?"

"Yes. Just have my last shift tonight at the fitness center. But it's been a slow week, so maybe I can get one more good work out in. We don't even have a gym back home."

"No treadmill all summer? Whatever shall you do?"

"There are lots of trails through the canyons. I'll just get to practice my cross country running."

"You don't mind driving back all by yourself?"

"No. Depending on how early I leave in the morning, I could be home late tomorrow night."

"I'll help you load as early as you want. It'll be easier if we get you out first, anyway, since you're by the door."

"We can get started now. I'll go sell my books back and stop by the U-Haul place to get some boxes. Do you need any?"

"No, Mom is bringing some tomorrow. I'll walk you out. I need to check on my laundry."

"Let me start mine, can you finish it for me later?"

"Yes. I'm going to eat with Paulo at six, but it should be done by then."

We worked on our laundry. Then Jenna left to run her errands. By the time she got back, my laundry was finished and hers was in the dryer. I had emptied my entire closet onto my bed and was working my way through piles.

"Sorry it took so long. The line at the bookstore was awful." She laid flat boxes on her bed. I hope these are enough. That was all they had."

"If not, we'll call my mom. She can bring more tomorrow."

Jenna started packing her already neat closet. No trash or shoe boxes there. It wouldn't take her nearly as long as it did me. She had two boxes packed in no time. We took those both down to her car and put them in her trunk. Back upstairs she finished up her laundry. Then she had to get ready for work, it was nearly five.

"Do you think we'll need the microwave, tonight?" Jenna asked.

"No. I don't even think we have any food left besides trail mix and chips."

"I'm going to take it with me to pack then on the way to work."

"Okay. Have a great workout!" I helped her to the elevator and went back to text Paulo.

How about Lucio's? I'm a mess from packing.

Response: Sounds good. C u @ 6.

I threw away more than I packed. At 5:45 I had two garbage bags full to take to the dumpster on my way to pick up Paulo. All of my clothes that weren't packed were folded and on top of my dresser, as clean up point number nine was 'Wipe all drawers'. All drawers were wiped. Both closet shelves were empty and dusted. Everything was either on top of my dresser, in the bottom of my closet or piled high on my desk. But it was all organized.

I drove to Paulo's building. He was outside on a bench waiting for me. He had one pink tulip in his hand. My favorite. We had been taking things slowly, but knowing this was our last week together had made us both a little needy. We had gone from gentle kisses good night to some making out sessions in my car. He had been up to my room on Tuesday. Jenna had interrupted what might have been our first time.

"Hola mi amor," Paulo said after getting in my car. He handed me the tulip.

"Gracias, it is muy bonito."

"Bonita."

"It's very pretty. Thank you."

"Are you packed? We made a trip to the storage shed, but that's about all I've gotten done," Paulo said.

"I've cleaned out my closet. That is half the battle. We're trying to get Jenna on the road early in the morning so that maybe she can make it home in one day. Then I can take over her side of the room, too."

Paulo laughed, one of those belly laughs I had loved so much from Ben. "That may be dangerous. We'll never get you out of there."

"There's just not enough room for two girls to pack in that tiny room at the same time. And damn it, I have dusted my closet shelves."

"Well thank goodness. I wouldn't want your mother to find you with dusty shelves tomorrow," Paulo said kiddingly.

"Me either! But I'm dead serious. I don't want her to feel like a failure of a mother when she picks up her only child tomorrow."

I pulled into Lucio's parking lot. George was working his last shift tonight. He waved when we walked in. He brought us a Coke and an orange soda without being asked.

"A large meat combo?" he asked.

"Yes. Are you ready to head home?"

"Yes. I haven't been home since spring break. My sister has been overdue to have her baby. She says its waiting for Uncle George to get home and that I better hurry." George lived in far northern Minnesota, he was almost Canadian. "I'm going to get an early start tomorrow if I can get some things packed tonight after work."

He went off to put our order in.

"So you and Jenna are going to room together again next year?"

"Yes, and if you had asked me that a few months ago, I would have said no way. But she has grown on me a little. Besides, keeping the same roommate makes things less complicated. Plus we were able to get into Baxter Hall, they have a bigger room with your own bathroom. I think that will make things more tolerable."

"George and I had thought about saving and trying to find an apartment to rent. But maybe getting a bigger room would be a good idea."

"You better check quickly. They fill up fast. The good thing is, they don't let freshmen in unless there's an opening in the spring."

George came back with our pizza. We told him about Baxter Hall, which had floors for men. George told him to check it out and they would talk about it when he got home from work. Lucio's was busy tonight. Seems everyone wanted one last night out before heading home.

We ate in relative silence. I wondered if Paulo was thinking what I was thinking. Paulo paid and we went out to my car.

"Do you need to go anywhere before we head back?" I asked.

"No, I think I am all set. You?"

"No. Mom is bringing boxes tomorrow. That's one reason I haven't packed a lot. It's just in piles around my room."

"My room is pretty clean. We can go there, if you want. George looks like he'll be working late."

He was thinking what I was thinking. "Sounds good." I had never had to do the walk of shame before. I guess in this case if would be the drive of shame. I parked in his dorm lot. We took the leftover pizza box to his room on the fifth floor. Paulo sat at his desk and opened his laptop and we checked out if there were any openings in Baxter Hall. They had four openings for men. One for a two-person suite and three for a four-person suite. Paulo texted George. The prices for the four-person suite were only $300 more than his current room. He and George would share a room, and then would share a bathroom with whoever was in the adjoining suite. For guys, that probably wouldn't be so bad.

George texted him back that he liked it. He needed to check with his parents. Paulo said the same thing. Paulo texted his parents. Then he joined me on his bed to wait. Paulo flipped through the channels and we landed on a Ridiculousness marathon. We watched and laughed while Paulo played with my ponytail. I took his other hand in mine. Paulo's phone buzzed back. His parents said it was fine with them. He texted George to let him know. When he turned back to me he kissed me on the lips. Then he twirled my ponytail some more. We kissed while my hand explored one of his ears. His hands were moving down my side and to my hip, then to my ass. Paulo was definitely an ass man. He liked to knead it like dough. I wondered if I should have worked out more with Jenna. He might be doing it because it felt like a lumpy blob of dough. Something to think about.

Paulo's phone buzzed again. George gave him the go ahead to put them in for the room. He also gave Paulo his password so he could do it from George's side, too.

"I can do this later," Paulo said.

"No, it's okay. You should do it now, before the rooms are all gone. I need to use the bathroom anyway." I left Paulo to the computer and I went down the elevator to the lobby where there was a women's restroom. This gave me some time to compose myself. I knew I wanted to have sex now, but how would I feel about it after he flew to New York? Would we still feel the same after a summer apart? Liza would never do such a thing. Beth would jump right on it to add a Spaniard as her international conquest. But what does Elizabeth want?

I found myself tapping on Paulo's door, they automatically locked. He let me back in.

"You were right about getting that done. There were only two rooms left. The suitemates we are with live two floors down, George and I play basketball with them. I think this will be good. Plus, we can see each other more often."

Now I knew he wanted to try to make this work, and living in the same dorm would make it a lot easier. Okay, my mind was made up.

"That's good. I like that idea." I put my hands on Paulo's chest and stood on my toes to kiss him on the neck. "The walk of shame will be shorter."

"Walk of shame?"

"You know, when you have to go home after..."

"Oh, yeah. Just an elevator ride away."

With that, we finally got down to business.

We stayed in each other's arms for a while after. It was about 9:30.

"I better get dressed before George comes in."

"Yes. Let me help." He got out of bed and found his boxers. Then he found my undies and slipped them up my legs. Then with one more grab of my butt, he pulled them up. I grabbed my bra from his desk and put it on. He helped me hook it. I pulled up my shorts and he helped with my shirt. He then pulled on his jeans and shirt to walk me out.

We stayed quiet in the elevator ride down to the lobby. As we got off, George was waiting to get on.

"Hey guys, what's up?" George asked as he stepped hurriedly on the elevator.

I think I turned nine shades of red. Paulo saved me. "Not much, we got the room. Suitemates with Chance and Kyler."

"That's great. I'll see you upstairs." He barely got the words out before the elevator doors closed in his face. We continued out to my car. Paulo opened my door and bent beside me to kiss me good night.

"I'll see you tomorrow. Let me know when your parents get here. I can help load your car."

"Okay. See you then." He shut the door and I drove back to my dorm building. Jenna was there, she must have just come in from the shower.

"Hey, your closet looks clean," she said, but she was looking at the mess stacked against the wall and on my desk.

"I think I've gotten all of the trash out. This really is pretty organized. Dresser is empty and the only thing I have left to go through is the bottom of my closet."

"That's good. I brought you a Coke. I thought you could use it if we're going to get this place packed."

"Hey, thanks. I grabbed the Styrofoam cup and inserted the straw. I took a long sip.

"I guess packing works up quite a thirst," Jenna said.

"Yeah, packing will do that to you." Jenna and I were getting along much better, I just wasn't sure if I was ready to let her into my love life. "Hey, the boys were able to get a four person suite in Baxter Hall."

"That will be fun. Then maybe not as many people will see your lopsided ponytail after a tumble in the sack."

I literally smacked myself in the forehead. I hadn't even thought about my hair. What must George have thought? No wonder he hopped right on the elevator. "I'll have to remember to check my hair next time."

"It comes with practice. Shoot, living in the same building you may not even have to put your bra on afterward." With that we both broke out in a fit of giggles. I grabbed her comb from her hand and combed through her long, wet hair. "So, how was it?"

"It was nice. I just hope we can keep a relationship going through the summer."

"I bet you can. You can text and call and Skype." It's what, twelve weeks?"

"Yeah, maybe it won't be so bad. I have my job to help keep me busy."

Jenna slipped out of her towel and pulled on a tank top and a pair of booty shorts. Again, I needed to get on an exercise plan. "I'm going to load these other two boxes. Want to help?"

"Yes," I said. "I can take them to your car before I shower." We loaded everything into the boxes that they would hold. Her desk was completely clear. She put what she would need to pack in an overnight bag and to get ready in the morning on her desk. She helped me into the elevator with the boxes. She would wait inside while I ran each box out to her car.

"I'm going to take a shower. How much do you have left to go?"

"I have two suitcases. I'll pack those full of clothes and see what I have left."

Upstairs I jumped in the shower. It felt good to just stand with my own thoughts. I needed to write this in my diary. I really didn't know what to tell Liza and Beth about how to go about things sexually with Paulo. I really didn't like the thought of sharing Paulo, but I knew I could be gone for a month at a time now.

Back in bed, I grabbed the diary.

Thursday, May 14th

Hey Girls,

This is my last night in the dorms. Tomorrow I go back home. Don't forget, Paulo will be going home with me for one night, then flying out on Saturday. We will be keeping in touch through texting, calling, and Skype. Skype is video calling on the computer. There's a Skype icon on my laptop. Just open it and follow the instructions.

Next semester we will be in Baxter Hall. Whoever gets the information first about a room number, leave it here. Paulo and George will also be in Baxter Hall. Classes are set, I have a schedule taped to the back cover.

I have a summer job at Truitt's Books and Collectibles. It's on the corner of 3rd and Baxter Street. I have the location set in my phone. Just press the Maps Icon and find it.

Paulo and I have become serious. We had sex for the first time tonight. I really don't want him to think that I don't want to have sex again should one of you be here. So I think it is okay, for the sake of relationships, to have sex while slipping into my body. I don't think it's okay, while me, to have sex if I have not given permission.

I think we're caught up on everything. I would love to know about what has happened in the past when you were here. Please leave me stories of your trials and discoveries. I'm dying to know.

College Slipper,

Elizabeth

I put the book back on my desk. Jenna was already asleep. I rolled over to my stomach and must have slept instantly.

The next morning we were up by 7:30. Jenna had decided not to take a jog, but she did volunteer to walk to Campus Corner to grab us some breakfast. She didn't even balk at my request for a doughnut, just a slight flinch. Apparently the chocolate milk would help to offset the fat from the doughnut. I got up and got dressed and did some minimal make-up. Hair in a ponytail, as usual. I put all of my personal hygiene items in the bag I used when going home. I also added my dirty laundry. Then I started on the bottom of my closet. This didn't take long since it only held a few pairs of shoes and dirty laundry. I filled my now empty laundry basket with t-shirts, _folded_ t-shirts. Mom would be so proud. Jenna came back with breakfast.

"Here you go, one lump of sugar and fat, and one half-healthy bottle of liquid."

"Thanks, I'm starved."

"Sex will do that to a person," Jenna said. "When are your parents going to be here?"

"They texted that they had left at 8:00. So, probably around 10:00. Do you think you'll still be here?"

"I don't think so. I've packed most of my stuff. I just need to find something to put the last of my clothes in. Everything is packed except those two piles on the dresser."

"Maybe we can find something around here. Is your laundry basket full?"

"Yes, I have a whole load of dirty clothes in there from the past couple of days."

We finished our breakfast and headed downstairs with more stuff to cram in Jenna's car. "You're not going to have room in here for much more. You still have your suitcase and two boxes to go. I looked across the street at a strip of stores. A sporting goods store was having a half-price sale, storewide.

"How about a bag?" I said. "That store you like is having a sale."

"I'm afraid to go in there. I might buy more yoga pants."

"Let me go. It's your birthday next week, it'll be my gift to you." We jogged up the stairs to our room to get the next load. I grabbed my purse. I left Jenna at the car to load the boxes and went across the street. There was a whole section dedicated to bags of all kinds. I found a bright green, large sports bag. Jenna liked green. Her favorite yoga pants were the same color. Originally priced at $58, half price was $29. Good deal for me.

Jenna was back at the car with her last suitcase. There was just enough room on the back seat. The bag I bought would have to go in the front.

"Ta-da," I said. "I hope everything else fits."

Jenna looked in the bag. "This is great, I love the color. Thank you so much," she said hugging me.

One last time up these stairs with Jenna. We worked on loading the duffle to capacity. There was two pairs of jeans that wouldn't fit, so Jenna hung those over the top.

"This will have to do," Jenna said. "They'll be fine this way. Let me help you clean up."

"No, you get on the road. Leave your check-out card with me. I still have at least half an hour before my parents will be here. I can work on it until then." We hugged good-bye. I told her to check in with me later so I wouldn't worry. She was calling her dad on the way down to let him know she was leaving. She had a twelve hour drive ahead of her.

I scrubbed the sink and counter, then dusted Jenna's closet, dresser and desk. I took down the bag of trash we had accumulated. On my way back from the dumpster, I saw my parents SUV pull into the parking lot. Dad backed into one of the spaces labeled visitor. I met them at the car.

"Hey, ducks," Dad said getting out of the car and hugging me. "Are you so excited to leave you're waiting by the curb?" He had called me ducks since I was little. Something to do with chasing ducks at the park one day throwing popcorn at the fleeing birds.

"No, Dad," I said hugging Mom. "I was taking out some trash. Did you have a good trip?"

"Yes, since everyone was going into the city as we were leaving, there was hardly any traffic at all." We were in the elevator going up to my floor. My dad and I were struggling with boxes and Mom was carrying the suitcases.

"Jenna left about forty-five minutes ago. I think that with filling these boxes and then cleaning the floors, we'll be all set. I've been going through stuff since my finals were finished yesterday."

"How did those go?" Dad asked.

"Good. I think I brought my grades up quite a bit this semester. I should finish with at least two As, two Bs and a C in Algebra. If I did really well on the final, maybe a B in that, too."

"That's so good, dear. You have really buckled down. Even with the boyfriend."

"Yeah, well I think he actually helped. He studies a lot, so when he studies, I study. He said I should let him know when we were ready to load the car. Let me call him."

I found my phone when we were in my room. Mom was reading the check-out list and inspecting what I had checked off.

"Hey, Paulo. Mom and Dad are here. How are you doing this morning?"

"I'm good. George has been loading his car this morning. I'm going to help him on his way so his sister can have her baby then I can be over soon."

"Sounds like a plan. I think I'm about done, too. We'll get busy. Bye."

"Ciao, Alisabet." I loved the way he said my name.

"He's helping George, but he'll be here soon."

"We can finish packing. You have a really good start. Not much left to do."

We put clothes in the suitcases and packed the boxes full. Dad had started taking things down to the car. On Dad's second trip back, Paulo came in with him.

"Hello, Mrs. Hammons."

"Hello, Paulo. It is so good to see you, again. Are you finished packing?"

"Yes. Just need to clean up some after the room is empty."

"We're done here, too. Just need to take these things to the cars and clean the floors."

"I have to find the RA and get us checked out. Let me go see if she's in."

I went down the hall to Kaitlyn's room. She had her door propped open. I popped my head in. "Hey Kaitlyn. I should be ready soon. I just need to load my car and do the floors. Will you still be around?"

"Hi, Elizabeth. Yes. I have to check out 304, then I can come by."

"Sounds good, thanks."

Back at my room, no one was there. They had obviously taken a load downstairs. I had grabbed a broom on the way back to my room. I shoved the last things out in the hallway. I then swept the floor. We had one last trash bag left hanging on the door. I took the broom back and grabbed the mop from Maria, who was bringing it back to the laundry room. We exchanged good byes and I took the mop bucket back to my room. Dad and Paulo were taking the last things downstairs.

"Here, help the boys and I'll mop," Mom said.

"Okay, Kaitlyn may be by. She had another room to check out. Just show her the check-out sheets."

It didn't take us long. My car was full. The SUV, with the backseat laid flat, still had room. Hopefully all of Paulo's stuff would fit. He probably didn't have more than a bag or two that he was taking back to New York. We met Mom at the elevator. "Here's your purse. All checked out. Kaitlyn seemed pleased with your room."

"That's good. The deposit is supposed to show as a credit on our next semester's bill."

"How about some lunch before we finish up with Paulo. He says he needs to take a few things to his storage bin before we're done."

"Sounds good," Mom said. "How about that place where we had the really good queso that time?"

"La Casa," I said. "Sounds good. We'll meet you there."

We led the way to La Casa. It was about five minutes away from campus. We ate and talked about plans for the summer. Paulo said he would be working all summer. His dad had been able to get him a job with a family friend as a mailroom clerk. He was excited that it wasn't fast food, which is what he had always done back home. I talked about my job at Truitt's. I loved that job. There was a tea room where they served cakes and other desserts. There were great old books and new books, too. There were fantastic history books. They also had some antiques that they sold there. Plus places to sit. Mrs. Truitt was leaving for a month long trip to England next week. That would give me a week to get settled before she left. During high school, it was just her and I who worked there. She had hired Marina, a friend of mine who stayed in town to go to the community college, to take my place. But summer was the busy season and Mrs. Truitt wanted to travel, so she said I could have my job again through the summer and during Christmas.

We finished eating and went to Paulo's dorm. We loaded the few things he needed to take to the storage building. We only had to take out three boxes to fit it all. We put those boxes in my front seat. Mom and I stayed behind to start cleaning. She dusted while I moved the two suitcases he was taking outside. He had two boxes of clothes that he was mailing home. We were going to take care of those at home. I found the broom and swept the floor. By the time the guys got back, Mom and I had the room clean and the boxes and suitcases waiting outside.

"All done," I told Paulo when he hopped out of Dad's car. "All you need to do is check out."

"And we can start home," Mom said. "We'll see you two there. Drive carefully." Paulo helped Mom into the SUV and shut her door. We put the rest of his things and my boxes in the back with Dad's help and they took off. Paulo and I went upstairs one more time to find his RA. There was a note with a sign-up sheet on the door. The RA was making rounds. We put Paulo's room number on the list and went to wait in his empty room.

"It was really nice of your parents to help me. I would have had to stay another day, probably causing George, out of guilt to stay so he could drop me at the airport tomorrow."

"It's really okay. Mom likes to organize everyone, anyway. You gave her someone else to focus on besides me."

He kissed my hand. "It's going to be hard to be under the same roof as you and have to behave myself tonight. It's going to be even harder to leave you tomorrow."

"I know. But, remember, it's only until August. Work hard this summer and earn all that extra Meat Combo money."

We laughed as the RA rapped on the open doorway. Paulo handed him both his and George's check-out sheets. The whole process took about thirty seconds. For all of the cleaning we did, you would think he could at least pretend to look.

We stopped at a convenience store to fill up the car. I ran inside to get a Coke, orange soda, a Milky Way and a Snickers for the trip home. We headed towards Minneapolis with the radio blaring and singing at the top of our lungs. We pulled into the driveway to find the SUV backed in with the back door up. Looks like they had just made it there. They both came out of the house together.

We finished unloading all of my stuff. We loaded Paulo's boxes to be mailed in my car and I let him drive it to the post office a few blocks away.

"You'll have to hand over your man card now," I said.

"Only if I'm seen. I think I have a mask in here somewhere."

"Then you'll be arrested for suspicion of robbery or something. And you'll be on the news stating you were driving a baby blue bug."

"I'll just be discreet, then, like a spy." He backed out and headed towards the post office. I went inside to help my mom get things put up. She would go insane if boxes were left in her entry way for very long. We sorted through what needed to stay boxed up and stored them. Then everything else was taken up to my room.

"I can unpack, Mom," I said. "It won't take me too long."

"Okay. Your father took Paulo's stuff down to the basement. I need to see about dinner. I was thinking we could grill some steaks out."

"That sounds great. I'll be down when I'm done."

She left and I started with everything that went in my bathroom. At least now I could brush my hair and teeth and put on some more deodorant. Then I opened the bag with socks, undies and bras. I was putting clothes in my closet when Paulo walked in.

"Hey, your mom said it was okay to come up, as long as the door was open. I'm not sure if she meant if the door was open before or to leave it open while I'm up here."

I laughed. "Probably both. Here, make yourself useful and put hangers on all these so I can hang them up." We worked until all boxes and suitcases were empty. I was collapsing boxes and Paulo was shoving my suitcases in the top of my closet when Mom came in.

"Dinner's ready. Bring the boxes down and put them with your other things in storage. I can't believe you got it all unpacked and put up. I thought there would be piles all over the floor."

"Trying to get off to a clean start. Give it a week." She rolled her eyes as we followed her down to dinner. We ate steaks, baked potatoes and salad on the patio by the grill. It was turning into a muggy night, probably going to storm later. I told Mom we would clean up. Then we were going to watch a movie on Netflix in the basement. Mom said she was going to shower and go to bed early. She had a fundraiser event at church she had to set up for early. Dad, of course, was hoping the baseball game wouldn't be rained out. She said there was ice cream and caramel sauce if we wanted some later. Mom makes the best homemade caramel sauce.

It didn't take long to clean the kitchen since most of the cooking had been done outside. We headed to the basement where the Xbox was. We were planning on watching a scary movie trilogy. We settled in on a sofa and got started on the movies. Jenna called at 10:00 and said she had made it all the way home. I told her to keep in touch. The storm started during the second movie. That made it even creepier. Dad poked his head in and said he was headed upstairs. I jumped and screamed, which sent Paulo and he into a fit of laughter. I chased Dad up the stairs like I used to when I was little when he scared me.

"Okay, ducks, you caught me. Don't forget where the flashlights are if you need them. You have your alarm set? You need to get him to the airport by eight in the morning."

"I'll set it as soon as I get back downstairs to my phone. I think since I'm up here I'll get us some ice cream. Are you playing golf tomorrow?"

"Depends on the weather. It may be too wet. If so, I guess I'll have to paint the garage. Your mom's been after me for a month."

"I'm going to check in with Mrs. Truitt after I drop Paulo off, then I'll be home. I'm supposed to start on Monday. I can help if you have to paint."

"Then painting won't be so bad. I'll let you know in the morning before you leave. Goodnight."

"Night, Dad," he kissed me on the forehead and I got the ice cream ready. Paulo would have to make due with a Coke, no orange soda here. We ate the ice cream and drank the Cokes and finished the movies about 1:15. Paulo kissed me goodnight and I finally went upstairs at 1:45. I was getting up at 6:30. It was okay, though, I could sleep all I wanted tomorrow after the garage was painted.

The next morning it wasn't raining, but the storm had left a mess of limbs and big pools of water. So definitely no golf, Dad said at breakfast. We were having pancakes and sausage. At 7:45 Paulo and I were ready to head to the airport.

"Thank you so much for your help and letting me stay here last night," Paulo said. "It really made things easier."

"We were glad to have you. If you need help in August, just let us know. You're welcome anytime," Dad said.

"We better head to the airport. Ready?"

"Yes, just let me grab my bags." Paulo went downstairs and we went out through the garage. Dad was already there, backing the cars out so he could get the garage ready. He would have to move the shelves away from the walls and go buy the paint when the store opened at 9:00.

"Save some fun for me," I said getting into the car. He waved at us as I backed out of the driveway. The drive to the airport was uneventful. I pulled up outside of his terminal and got out to help him with his bags. The days of going in and watching his plane depart were over. One last, long kiss goodbye and he was through the door. I hopped back in my car and headed to Truitt's. Inside, I found Marina manning the register. I hugged her when she was through with the customers.

"You're back! How was school?"

"It was great. But I've been looking forward to getting back to work. How are things with you?"

"Pretty good. School was good. One more year and I'll have an associates in business. Maybe I'll join you at Southern."

"That would be great. It's a great atmosphere. Is Mrs. Truitt here?"

"She's in the office." I walked back to the office and hugged Mrs. Truitt. We chatted for a few minutes and then she went over my work schedule next week. After she left for England, I would be there every day it was open, 10- 5 Tuesday through Friday and 8- 3 on Saturdays. She wouldn't be back until June 23rd.

"Okay, then I'll see you Monday morning. I'm going to help Dad paint the garage today."

I drove back home and parked in the street. I went inside to put on some old clothes and to wait for Dad. He came in a short time later and we got started. It only took us until noon, garages are much easier than any other room to paint. We cleaned up enough to hit up the McDonald's drive-thru down the street. Mom hated McDonald's, so Dad hardly got to have a Big Mac. We took it home and ate on the patio. As soon as the paint was dry enough, all we had to do was move everything back in place. Then I could shower and take a long afternoon nap.

We decided to give the grill a good cleaning since we were dirty anyway. Then we dragged the broken limbs to the curb for pick-up. The city always did a limb pick-up after storms. Thankfully my parents had people who did the lawn and kept the pool up during the summer. Dad decided it was dry enough to move everything back in place. At three I was in my own shower scrubbing my hair and trying to get the paint off my hands. I wrapped in a towel and combed through my hair. I sat on my bed to let it dry and flipped on the TV. Next thing I knew, Mom was shaking me awake at 6:00 for dinner.

"You must have fallen asleep with your hair wet, dear. It looks like a bird's nest."

"Yeah, nothing a pony tail won't fix." She went into my bathroom and grabbed my brush and a ponytail holder. She brushed through my tangles, with me cringing and yelping mildly. Mom wasn't gentle.

"There you go," she said. "We're just eating Chinese take-out at the kitchen table. Just put on something comfortable and come down."

We usually ate dinner in the dining room, fully dressed. Chinese take-out at the kitchen table was a rare treat. I put on a t-shirt and a pair of sweats and headed down. We had a good time catching me up on everything that had happened at church, the country club and Dad's work. We watched a baseball game afterwards in Dad's den, then we all headed up. We were going to my grandparents tomorrow for church and would need to leave early.

The next week flew by, getting ready to take over for Mrs. Truitt. I had kept in touch with Paulo and Jenna and George. George's sister had a little boy two hours after George had gotten back. Ten pounds, two ounces. Jenna had started a yoga class at the event room in the town hall twice a week. Paulo was liking his job. He said it was really busy in the mailroom of a thirty story building. He was disappointed that there were no suctions tubes like on Elf.

That week melded into another and Dad came home looking like the cat who swallowed the canary one day from work.

"When does Mrs. Truitt get back?" He asked. Mom and I were in the kitchen finishing dinner. Actually, Mom was finishing dinner, I was sneaking cheese out of the fridge.

"On the 23rd, why?"

"The firm needs me to go to New York the week of the 29th. I thought if you two wanted, we could go and spend an extra weekend. We could be there through the 4th. I thought that might be fun."

"That would be great! I'll check with Mrs. Truitt and Marina, but hopefully it will work out."

"And I'm sure we'll be able to see Paulo, too," Mom said. "We can sightsee during the day and you can see him when he's off work. I'll just need to volunteer for something I can do ahead of time at the club's 4th of July celebration. This will be fun."

We ate in the dining room and then I went upstairs to Skype Paulo. He was really excited. He finished work at five every day, and he would be off for a three day, holiday weekend. I told him that I still needed to check with Mrs. Truitt tomorrow when she called. I thought the worst thing would be that maybe Mom and I might not fly in until Wednesday.

Everything worked out. Mrs. Truitt said to take the entire week. Marina wanted a week off in July, too, to go hiking in Canada with her family. The time now seemed to drag on. Plus I was afraid I would slip before then and not get to see Paulo. I kept the diary writing up, at least to check in with the date. Finally the Sunday before our flight was here. I just needed to wake up in this bed tomorrow...

### Chapter 8

NYC

And I did. At 4:00 am. I was beginning to regret it. I could be sleeping somewhere, whether it be a covered wagon or a crowded New York apartment. But after I hit the shower and woke up, I got excited again. I flew through getting ready. I wouldn't see Paulo until dinner that night, so I could go with a ponytail. I dressed and flew downstairs with my bags. Mom was there getting together oatmeal and toast for breakfast. We ate quickly and I cleaned up while Mom finished getting her stuff together. We left the house at 5:15. I slept on the plane and woke up in New York, 2009. So different from 1959. More buildings and lots more people. Different cars and more traffic. Our cab dropped Dad off first, then Mom and I headed to the hotel. The doorman helped us with our bags and a bellhop showed us to our room. Mom tipped him and we explored our suite. One sitting room, one huge bathroom, a large bedroom for my parents and a smaller one for me. Everything was done in light golds and navy blue. The carpet was plush. The tops of the tables were all marble, as was the bathroom. Mom of course needed to unpack right away. After unpacking, we sat with my phone to figure out what to do for the day.

"How about shopping on 5th Avenue?" Mom said. "I've not been here since before you were born. I wonder how it's changed?"

"That sounds like fun."

We headed back out after freshening up. We were only a few blocks away so we just walked. We walked right by the building where Beth worked. I was dying to go in and see how it had changed. Or if the law firm she worked for was still there. I wondered if Beth was still alive and here, in New York? She would be 79. I might do some research and see if I could find her.

Mom and I hit all of the great stores: Macy's, Bloomingdales, Michael Kors and other designer boutiques. We had lunch at 2:00, it was hard to get in before then. We decided sometime this week we would hit Times Square and see the American Girl Store and some other places. We hailed a cab for our short trip back, we had too many bags to make the trek back. I had bought a new dress for my dinner with Paulo tonight. Dad had a cocktail party that he and Mom were going to, and Mom had a new dress for that. Dad was in the room when we got back.

"There's my girls. And been shopping! We'll have to charter a private plane to get everything back."

"Maybe," Mom said kissing him. "How was your day?"

"Good. We had some good meetings on some new software."

"Wow, I wished I had been there instead of shopping with Mom!"

"Ha ha. About as much as I wished I was shopping with you."

"I'm going to get ready. Paulo has reservations for us at 6:00. Then he's going to take me around for a night tour of the city."

"Okay, dear, do you want me to put your hair up?"

"Yes, I'll let you know when I'm out of the shower." I took my bags into my room and unpacked and hung some dresses. I grabbed my shower stuff and went into the bathroom. When done, I wrapped in a hotel towel and headed to my room. I put on my pajamas for that night and combed through my wet hair. I poked my head out of the door and told Mom. She came in with a blow dryer and grabbed my mousse. She ran some through my hair then took my round brush and blew my hair dry. She sprayed some hairspray to give it some grit. I put on my make-up while she worked.

"Which dress are you wearing tonight?"

"That red one with the white flowers."

"That will be perfect. What shoes?"

"I was thinking something comfortable, since we'll be walking a lot."

"Those black flats might be cute. We'll have to try some on." She continued to pin my hair up in a messy bun.

"There you go, we've got about half an hour before Paulo gets here. Let me help you into your dress." We carefully pulled my tank top over my head. I put on a bra and deodorant. Mom helped me get the dress on, then straightened up my bun. We tried on some different shoes and she was picking out some jewelry when we heard a knock at the door. We heard Dad let Paulo in.

"There dear, you look very nice."

"Thanks for the help. Will you still have time to get ready?"

"Yes, New Yorkers do everything late. We are going to have a light dinner somewhere and then head to the party at about 8:00. Don't worry if we're not home until after 10."

We walked into the sitting room where Paulo and Dad were sitting on the couch waiting. They stood when we entered. Paulo took my hand and kissed it.

"You look lovely," Paulo said. "And Mrs. Hammons, it is so good to see you again."

"And you, Paulo. You two have a lovely evening. I need to get ready for our night on the town." Dad walked us to the door and said to be careful. We made it into the elevator before we started mauling each other.

"Easy, Mom spent thirty minutes on my hair. She wanted me to look presentable."

"Okay, for now, but I can't promise to keep my hands to myself all night."

We exited the elevator and walked the few blocks to the restaurant. No meat combos here.

"I thought this would be fun, trying a fancy restaurant."

"Yes, but I have no idea what to order." We poured through the menu and decided on two different meals, that way we doubled our chances of finding something we liked. Paulo ate his salad and half my soup. We had scallops, which were pretty good, and risotto, which Paulo liked more than I did. I had roast beef and Paulo had baked sea bass. We tried things from each other's plates and ignored the rest of the restaurant. Normally, I would be people watching and wondering why people wore some of the things they walked in with.

"Okay," Paulo said as we walked out of the restaurant. "How about a walk through central park before dark?" Then I thought a night view from the Empire State Building.

"That sounds great. And a Coke sometime? I'm really thirsty."

"You are so high maintenance. Okay, a Coke it is."

"I'll make it worth your while later."

"Naughty, naughty girl. Trading Coke for..."

"We'll see how big the Coke is."

We had made our way to Central Park. Paulo said it was safe during the daytime, and safe at night if you weren't there too late. We walked past fountains and statues and different flowers. We were too late for the carousel or the zoo, but Paulo promised a trip back on Friday when he was off. The sun began to set and dusk settled quickly in a city with so many tall buildings. We found a subway nearby, which I was really excited to ride. The train cars were a little more updated and a lot grungier than in 1959. We got off close to the Empire State Building and rode an elevator up. We used the telescope machines to look all over the city. We stood right at the fence and looked out over the city at night. So many lights! It was terribly romantic. We kissed shyly.

"The bad thing about being here is no dorm room."

I checked my cell phone 8:38. "My parent's cocktail party just started at 8:00. They should be gone until 10:00."

"Are you sure? I would hate to get caught."

"Well, you do still owe me a Coke." With that, he grabbed my hand and ran us around to the elevator. It seemed to take forever to get down. We left the elevator and took off at a brisk walk. We were about seven blocks from my hotel. We found a convenience store to buy a Coke. He bought the largest cup they had. I wondered what he expected for that?

We made it to the lobby at 9:13. I was panting from the brisk walk all the way in the elevator. I really had to start working out. When we entered the room, I called out to make sure no one was there. I led Paulo to my room and closed the door. Paulo kicked off his shoes and pulled back the covers. I turned around so he could help me with my dress. I tossed it on the chair and climbed in next to him. This wasn't like the first time, we were not only pressed for time but we also had had a chemistry between us all night. It was really quick, but really intense. I knew it would take time for us to learn each other's bodies. Plus, sex more often would help. With Ben, he apparently knew Liza's body and took his time that night in the wagon. I think Paulo was really worried about my parent's walking in. I really can't believe I am making these comparisons. I know I'm not perfect, but I've always thought of myself as a good girl. Now I'm comparing lovers.

We stayed in bed for a few minutes after. Paulo got up and looked down at me and smiled. "Your hair is a mess."

I felt the top of my head, no bun. I got up as Paulo was getting dressed. "Can you stay for a while? We can sit on the couch and watch TV."

"Yes, bella. I'll get dressed and wait for you. If they come in and ask, I'll tell them you're in here changing."

"Good plan. Here, take my Coke."

I closed the door and found my pajamas I put my bra back on, the pajamas and grabbed a zip up hoodie I had brought. I looked in the mirror at my hair. I started pulling out pins and looked back in the bed for more. Then I made the bed, then sat on it in some different places so it looked like it did before I left. I grabbed my brush and a ponytail holder and joined Paulo on the couch. He had flipped on the TV. He was trying to brush through my crazy hair while I was drinking my Coke when my parents came in.

"Hey guys," Dad said. "How was dinner?"

"It was good, but fancy. No Coke," I said.

"Same with the party. Fancy, but I was able to have a rum and Coke. After your birthday, you'll only have two years to go before you can discover the joys of rum and Coke."

Mom sat in one of the chairs. "And how was the rest of your night."

"Good," I said, trying to suppress a blush. "We walked through some of Central Park and went to the Empire State Building. I got to take a subway and walk through some of the city at night."

"Sounds like fun. What should we do tomorrow, Paulo?"

"Lots of people like to ride the ferry to see Ellis Island and then over to see the Statue of Liberty. That can take a few hours."

"Mark, did you want to go with us?"

"I can go after lunch. I have more meetings in the morning."

"Ladies seem to like the Plaza restaurants," Paulo said. "Maybe that could keep you entertained for lunch."

"That sounds nice. And maybe we can hit some sites again around Fifth Avenue."

"You mean some shops around Fifth Avenue," my Dad said. "I'm going to call it a night. I have an early morning. Paulo, are we still on for Wednesday with your parents?"

"Yes, sir. Mama is looking forward to cooking for all of you."

"That is nice of her. I am looking forward to meeting them both."

"I should be going, too. I'll see you tomorrow night," Paulo said standing. "I have tickets to West Side Story tomorrow night. Pick you up at 6."

"Okay, I'll be ready." I walked him to the door, and as both my parents had made themselves scarce, kissed him goodnight.

"I'm going to bed," I said. "Wake me in the morning when you want me to get up."

I wrote everything in my diary.

The next day was fun hanging out with Mom and Dad. We had to hurry back to the hotel to get me ready in thirty minutes for my date. Paulo knocked at 5:55, Dad told him we were running a little behind. I was ready at 6:20. Paulo asked if I minded pizza, he said there was a great place close to the theater. He said lots of people went there before and after the theater, so we wouldn't be too out of place. It was a buy by the slice place, with tables inside and out. We grabbed our food and ate at a bar you stood by instead of sitting. It was fun. The pizza grease soaked straight through the paper plate, and they had great ice for my Coke. We made sure we were both degreased and headed toward the theater with our drinks. The musical was great. I had seen productions at school, but this was wow! I felt like I was there. The three hours flew by. Paulo walked me back to the hotel and made sure I had the directions to his home in my phone. They lived in a brownstone. As long as we got on the subway going the right way and got off at the right spot, we would be fine.

The next morning, Mom and I hit Times Square with a trip to the American Girl Store. I had been collecting these dolls since I was little, but had never been here to go to the store. We wandered through, looking at all of the dolls, some of which I already had. We had packed up the bigger items to store, Mom said it would be a good keepsake if I ever had a daughter.

"Look, Elizabeth, here's one that you don't have. It must be new." I turned around and looked at the display Mom was looking at. There was a covered wagon, a little wooden house, and a doll with auburn hair in one straight braid down her back. She was wearing a very familiar calico print dress. The doll's name was Liza Mae, homesteader from Oklahoma.

"I haven't seen that one either," I said. What the heck? How did this happen? I hadn't really had a chance to stress to Liza and Beth about the timeline. I mean, I didn't know what decisions as Liza or Beth that I made that might change things, so how was I supposed to explain to them not to have Hitler killed was a good thing?

"Look at the cute little dog. Its name is Pup. (Apparently you don't know that dog very well if you think it's cute.) I'll order it for your collection and have it shipped home." Mom went to the counter to place the order. I read the biography on Liza Mae.

_Liza Mae, Land Run frontierswoman, left her home in North Carolina to forge a new life with husband Ben and dog Pup. Liza is spunky and hard working. She represents the contribution of women to the start of a brand new state._ Huh, not a mention of me anywhere. I mean, I did do half the wagon ride to Oklahoma. How about that?

I met Mom at the counter. We went back to the Plaza for tea in the Palm Room. We were back in the room when Dad got there around 4:00. We all took a short nap before getting ready to leave. Paulo said to leave about 5:30. We were up and ready to go. We found our way to Paulo's house, with the help of GPS through my dad's phone at 6:07. Paulo answered the door.

"You found it!" he seemed relieved.

"GPS helped," I said.

"Let me introduce you to everyone." Paulo introduced us to his father and two younger sisters. His mother came out of the kitchen. She was short and vivaciously curvy. She wore her long, wavy hair down. She came over to introduce herself.

"I've heard so much about you all."

"Yes," said Mr. Cruz. "You were a big help getting Paulo home."

"Anytime," Mom said. "He's such a nice, young man."

"Dinner is ready. Lola, Maria, show our guests to their seats." We followed the girls into the dining room. They had a large, round, wooden table that looked like an antique. The girls showed us all where to sit. Our mothers were together, fathers on either side. I sat next to my dad, then Paulo and his two sisters between him and his father. It was a little crowded, but we soon got used to that. Two teenage girls and their big brother make for a lively room. We passed around bowls and platters of food. There was wine for the adults and tea for the rest of us. We heard embarrassing stories about Paulo from Lola and Maria. He said he could hardly wait for them to bring dates home to get them back. Being an only child, I had missed out on the fun and aggravation of siblings.

At 8:30 we decided we better leave. Dad had one more day of meetings and Paulo of work. Paulo and his parents walked us to our subway tunnel.

"Call me when you get to your hotel," Paulo said.

"I will. And you're still good to go to the party at dad's office tomorrow?"

"Yes, I will meet you there at 8:00."

We went down the stairs and made it back to our hotel without any problems. Mom and Dad went into the hotel bar for a drink. I called Paulo as I walked to the little store in the hotel that sold snacks.

"Hey, we made it. Your family is great. We had a lot of fun."

"Good, they liked you, too. What are you doing tomorrow?"

"We are going to see how many museums we can hit in a single day."

"How fun!" with a note of sarcasm.

"I love art. I really like the story behind the work. History major, remember?"

"Oh, yeah. I'll let you get some rest. You have a long day tomorrow. I wish we could find some time alone together."

"Yeah, me, too. We'll just have to see how things work out."

"There's only one more month until August."

"Yes, we'll be together all the time then."

"Good night Alisabet."

"Night, Paulo."

I purchased my junk and headed to the elevators. I went to my room and changed and sat on my bed with my diary.

Wednesday, July 2nd

Hey Girls,

Still in New York with Paulo. Our family's met tonight. His mother is a knock out! I have trouble believing after seeing her that he would find me attractive. She's curvy in all the right places, the ones where I'm flat. His sisters are a hoot! Lola is the tall thinner one. Looks like Paulo's father. Maria is following in her mother's footsteps.

Mom and I are heading to art museums tomorrow, then my dad's office is having a party tomorrow night. Paulo is supposed to meet me there. Friday is the Bronx Zoo and Central Park. I'll keep our itinerary updated nightly.

Yours Truly,

Elizabeth

I finished up and flipped on the TV. Mom stuck her head in and said they were headed to bed. I watched some TV. I texted Marina to see how things were going at the store. She said they were great, but busy. A big shipment of stuff Mrs. Truitt had bought in England was due in next week.

I fell asleep sometime during a Friends episode and awoke to Mom telling me it was time for breakfast. I lurched out to the sitting room to have the French toast Mom had ordered me. I wondered if Liza ever had French toast? I had helped Mom make it at home, it wasn't too hard. I would have to try it back in 1889 and see if Ben liked it.

After eating I was awake enough to get ready. Dad left for the office. Mom and I made it through the Guggenheim and the Metropolitan that day. I had really liked my art history class. Maybe art history was a direction I should study more. We headed back to the hotel to get ready for the party. Mom showered first, then me. We helped with each other's hair. Dad came into a haze of hairspray and perfume, but we were nearly ready by the time he was out of the shower. Dad said there was supposed to be food, so we headed straight for the office building in a cab. There was a large banquet hall on the 3rd floor of the building that the company could rent for corporate events. There was a band at one end and a buffet and bar at the other. There were tables scattered around a dance floor. There was a small staff to help with chairs, clearing tables and bringing drinks. Dad took us around to introduce us. I had texted Paulo when we had gotten there. He was supposed to text me so I could meet him at the door. There was security there and I had the invitation. I excused myself from the group we were with when I got his text and went down to show security the invitation.

"Hey, you look nice," I said when I saw Paulo. He had on a black suit with a black shirt and tie.

"Thank you, you look muy bonita, mi bella Alisabet." His eyes darkened as we got on the elevator. I had seen that look before. Like a panther on the prowl.

"Easy, tiger. We're about to be in a room full of people, including my dad."

We exited the elevator to a loud room. We saw Mom and Dad sitting at a table with food. We waved and went to fill our plates. Sitting down, we dug in and watched people. People were moving from the meet and greet stage to the sit down and eat stage of the night. I was waiting for the drank too much and thought I could still dance stage. That was better entertainment then some Oscar nominated movies.

We ate and then danced. We had someone's twenty-two year old bored son Trey grab us a rum and Coke. Dad was right. I could become an alcoholic too easily on this stuff. We watched as the dancing switched from tactful moving back and forth to stupid moves such as the sprinkler to grotesque gyrating. We laughed and danced right along with them. We took a break from the dance floor for some dessert.

"You two must be getting bored. Most of the young people have left already. Why don't you two head out. Your father and I need to stay until they present the "Faux Pas" awards. They do these funny little awards after everyone is two sheets to the wind. Funny little things that have happened through the year. That is supposed to be at 10:30. I know you are wanting to get up early tomorrow."

"Sure, Mom, if you're sure we don't need to stay. We wanted to get an early start before the crowds start in."

"I'm sure. If Paulo doesn't mind taking you back to the hotel before he goes home."

"No, ma'am. I'll see her safely to her door." My bedroom door, I'm sure. Dad came up behind Mom and pulled out his wallet and pulled out $20.

"Here, take a cab, on me. Thanks for coming. I'm afraid the rest of the evening is going to go downhill and will just be funny if you know the people involved."

"Thanks, Dad," I said, grabbing the money. "I'll see you two in the morning for breakfast. Don't drink too much!"

My mom just rolled her eyes. Dad kissed me bye and we headed out. I don't know if my parents were naïve or what. Do other kids get this lucky? We were back at the hotel at ten. I knew they wouldn't be home until after 11:00. I planned on slowing down this time. We kissed and I undressed myself slowly. Paulo laid back on the bed to watch. I tried to reinvent the time with Ben in the wagon. Not earth shaking, but better.

We laid in my bed for a while. Paulo had set the alarm on his phone for eleven. When it went off, he kissed me lightly on the forehead and got dressed. He took care of the condom while I put on some pajamas. I walked him to the door. We were going to meet at the south gate of Central Park at ten tomorrow. I went back to my room and closed my door. I picked up my scattered clothing and put them away. I set my alarm and flipped on the TV. The next thing I knew, my alarm was playing "Here Comes the Sun".

I hopped out of bed and went into the sitting room. Mom and Dad weren't up yet. I jumped in the shower. I did the minimal with my hair and make-up. I didn't see the need to overdo it this morning. It was hot and muggy today. I heard a knock on the door and went to let in room service. I added a tip and signed the receipt. I knocked on Mom and Dad's door.

"Hey, sleepyheads, breakfast is here."

"Thanks, we'll be out in a minute." Maybe I wasn't the only one who had an exciting roll in the hay. Ick.

I sat down and dug in. Dad joined me a few minutes later. He looked rough.

"What time did you kids get in?" I asked.

"After midnight."

"Maybe I should have stayed and chaperoned. The last time I looked at my phone it was 11:15. I feel great this morning."

"You are rather bubbly this morning," Mom said walking in. She wasn't her usually perfect housewife kept self. I poured them both coffee and sat back and smiled. They were having a hard time of it this morning.

"What are you two going to do today?"

"There is an auto show that your father wants to see. And he wants to eat at a Thai restaurant. I imagine we'll explore a little."

"Yeah, I think some fresh air would do you both some good." Dad winced when he tried to laugh. I went to the bathroom and found the aspirin in Mom's toiletry kit and handed it out. I finished my breakfast, told them to think about their actions, and headed out. I looked at my phone for directions. Paulo was at the gate when I got there.

We had a great day. We spent the morning and half of the afternoon in the park with his sisters. I got to eat from a food truck. We took Lola and Maria home and then Paulo showed me where he went to school and where he liked to hang out. We met some of his friends for dinner. We decided on an early night. Tomorrow was loaded with 4th of July activities.

My parents and I watched TV and ate ice cream from the shop downstairs. We decided about ten to call it a night. I sat in bed and caught up the diary from the past two days. I would be able to sleep in tomorrow, we weren't doing anything until lunchtime. I was looking forward to watching fireworks. They set them off from a barge. We were going to watch from the Brooklyn bridge area. With that, I settled under the covers and fell asleep. All of the walking had made me extremely tired.

### Chapter 9

Fourth of July

Falling through space. It's dark. No air. Feels like forever before I am sucked into... who? I lay with my eyes closed and listen. I hear noises outside. A siren, far away. A horn honking. Must have been a bad dream. I was still in New York City. I open my eyes. Sunshine is peeking around the edge of the curtain. A pink, filmy curtain. I look over and see Jane, Beth's roommate still sleeping. Damn it! I couldn't have made it one more day! I slip out of the covers and go to the door. I don't hear anyone else up yet. I go to the bathroom (yes! indoor plumbing!) and shut the door behind me. I don't know what about slipping makes me need to use the bathroom immediately. I finish up and walk into the living room. There is a paper on the table. The date says Friday, July 3rd. So I'm guessing this might be July 4th or so. My slipping was becoming more predictable on waking up at the corresponding date. I wonder what our plans are. It's 7:30 am by the clock in the kitchen as I pour a glass of juice. I know it can't be a weekday because no one is up getting ready for work. I put some bread in the toaster (ah! electricity!) and found some butter and grape jelly in the fridge.

"You're up early," I heard Lauren say behind me. "You must be excited for our weekend on the beach."

"Yes, I can't wait to get started," I said. Lauren was a tousle headed blonde with pouty lips. She was what was known as a bombshell. She wasn't as ditzy as she sometimes pretended to be. She worked as a receptionist in an accounting office in the same building as Beth worked. Beth was a secretary for a lawyer at a law firm. Jane worked as a secretary for a different lawyer in the same firm. Joyce worked in the same building as the receptionist/secretary for a book publisher in our building. The girls had met a little at a time. Jane and Beth, first, through the office. They were looking for roommates and a new apartment to live in. They found this great place, but couldn't quite afford it, so they placed a flyer on the bulletin board in the building cafeteria. Lauren answered first. Two weeks later, Joyce came along and apparently the girls had been tight ever since. They met for lunch everyday so they could gossip about the "tarts" in their offices or any new single guys that they had discovered. I can't say I didn't enjoy it sometimes, but it did get old every day. The girls also went out, a lot.

"I'll wake the other two if you'll put some toast on for me," Lauren was saying.

"Sure," I said. "Toast for everyone!" I made toast as everyone filtered into the kitchen.

"So," Joyce said. "Lauren and Beth showered last night. You two can tidy up the kitchen while I shower. Jane, you check with Nathan and see what time he'll be here to pick us up. Let's go girls!"

Joyce was the group organizer. We all got busy. Kitchen tidied, Lauren and I started packing for our trip. Jane came in before following Joyce in the shower. Nathan will be here at 9:30. He said it's a three hour car trip, we can stop for lunch on the way. Don't forget to pack a party dress for the Hamilton's tonight. Fireworks on the beach!

She whizzed through to the shower repeating what she had told me to Joyce and Lauren on the way. I opened Beth's closet and pulled out a suitcase. It was a red, hard sided deep case. Samsonite. It had metal sideways latches that flipped out. Inside was satin lined, with a stretchy pocket on the inside of the lid. So much more elegant than what I had at home. Or the wooden boxes poor Liza had to use. I started by putting in two swimsuits and a night shirt and some underclothes. I found some clothes to wear for the day, another set to pack, and a party dress and shoes for tonight. I added hose (complete with garter belt) and jewelry. I also found Beth's purse. Good, she had some cash to take. I added some other items and waited for the bathroom to open up to finish getting ready and to finish packing.

Getting ready in a house full of girls with one bathroom is a lot like being caught in a revolving door. In and out and bumping into each other. Lots of giggling. I've never been great at making many friends. I guess I'm a little picky when it comes to getting close to people. Honestly, most people just didn't seem to be worth the effort. Living with three other girls who really liked you (well, Beth, anyway) was a shock to my system. We bustled down the three flights of stairs breathless at 9:25. I hoped Jane's brother, Nathan, had a big trunk. Of course it is 1959, most cars are still pretty big.

Nathan pulls up in a bright yellow Buick something or other. It was large. Nathan pulls in next to another car and pops the trunk. We all start piling our stuff in. Then we start piling in. Me, Lauren and Joyce in the backseat. It was huge! I noticed no one bothered with seat belts. You could probably be hit by a tank in this thing and just bounce around a little. Jane hopped in the front with her brother.

"Okay, ladies, we just need to pick up Chuck and Hamptons, here we come!" Nathan yelled. We all cheered. Nathan was okay, but I don't know why he was friends with Chuck. Chuck Hamilton was egocentric and snobby. He had money and liked for everyone to know it. So now I knew where the party was. I wondered if we were staying there or somewhere else. The Hamilton's had this beach house in the Hamptons. They also had a great loft on the Upper East Side. Mr. Hamilton was an investment banker. Mrs. Hamilton was in the "social circuit". Lunches and cocktail parties. Sometimes even in the name of charity. Nathan and Chuck had met at Columbia.

We stopped at the loft to pick up Chuck. He was in the City this summer working as an intern for his father's company. He was waiting in the doorway to the building. Nathan again hopped out to open the trunk. Chuck only had one bag. Then they jumped in the car on either side of Jane. We drove and chatted and laughed and had an all-around good time. We shared cigarettes. Everyone in 1959 smokes. They don't realize yet how bad for your health it is. I just puffed a couple of times. Not my thing, thankfully I was next to the window. We stopped for lunch at a diner.

My mouth watered for a coke as soon as I saw the fountain machine. I could feel the bubbles already. We found a round, corner booth that we squeezed in. The waitress came up smacking her gum. I bet she had some sort of east coast accent. Oh, please, an accent would make my day with the gum popping.

"Hey, I'm Carmen. You're _my_ table today." She said this while looking directly at Nathan. All that was missing was a hair twirl. And a lap dance. But she had the accent down pat.

"Well, Carmen," Nathan said. "What do you _recommend_?"

I rolled my eyes while Lauren stuck her finger in her mouth miming a gag.

"We have the best service in town, and the burgers ain't half bad, either," Carmen answered with a wink.

"Burgers are great," said Chuck. "Six, please, with fries."

Smack went the gum.

"I would love a Coke."

Smack.

"And six Cokes?" Nathan asked looking around the table.

Smack. "Got it. Six burger baskets with Cokes. Be back with your drinks."

"So, no dieting this weekend," Joyce asked.

"Nope. I say we all have freedom to eat what we want," I said.

"And drink!" added Jane.

"And do!" the boys said together. Everyone burst into laughter.

They laughed and talked. I tried to get my wits about me for a few minutes. I had been here in February, before slipping back home. Then Liza. And then home for the end of the semester and the summer move back home. Now I was back to Beth. Fourth of July at the beach. Sounds fun.

"Earth to Beth, Earth to Beth, are you there?" Nathan was snapping his fingers in front of my face.

"Oh, yeah, sorry. Just think about something I need to do next week. What were you saying?"

"We were just wondering about John. Are you two getting serious?" Jane asked. "How many dates did you have with him this week? Two?"

"Yeah, I think so. I'm not sure about him yet." _Who was John?_

"Well, just give my friend Mark a chance this weekend," Chuck said. "He was really looking forward to getting together with someone this weekend."

"Well, there are four of us, surely one of us will like him," I said.

"Um, not me," Jane said. "I've got something brewing on my own. He has a good job and comes from a good family. I'm not taking any chances on ruining that for a weekend tryst."

"Well, now we're down to three," Chuck said. "His pickings are getting slimmer all of the time."

"Hey!" Lauren snorted. "I am _not_ slim pickings."

"Not if you keep eating like that," Nathan said.

Lauren threw a fry at his face. It left a smear of ketchup on his face as he grabbed it from his cheek and popped it in his mouth.

"That's okay, Mark's not picky," Chuck said. "He likes them curvy."

We left a tip on the table and paid our bills at the register while taking turns in the restroom. We piled back into the car and drove for another 45 minutes to the Hamilton's house on the beach. It was enormous. There were several cars in the circle drive. Nathan pulled up and we all unloaded. Chuck walked in ahead to announce our arrival. His mother came down the stairs.

"Charles, you're here. How is everyone? Come in, come in!" Mrs. Hamilton said, giving Chuck air kisses on each cheek. "Marta, Marta. Oh, there you are." A maid in complete uniform with apron came from the back of the house. "Please show our guests to their rooms. They are prepared, yes?"

"Yes, Mrs. Hamilton," Marta answered. "All ready. Mr. Charles, your room is ready, too." We followed her up the stairs. "You boys are in Mr. Charles' room. Girls, follow me this way." She led us in the opposite direction of the boys. Of course, separate wings for separate sexes. What would they think of dorm buildings shared by boys and girls? "I put you in these two rooms. They have an adjoining door. The smaller room has been made into a sitting room with a day bed."

"This will be great. Just like home," Jane said.

"Bathroom is on the other side of the sitting room. Anything else you need, just find me or Nell. We are both usually in and around the kitchen."

With that, she left us to unpack. Chuck and Nathan knocked on the door as we were unpacking.

"We're going to the pool. Join us when you're ready. There are towels poolside."

"Alright. We'll be down soon. What time is the party?" Joyce asked.

"Starts at 7:00. There's a cook-out on the patio. We can swim until you need to get ready."

We shut the door again and unpacked and changed all at the same time. We made sure our party dresses were hung and ready to go before heading down.

The pool was nice and cool on this hot afternoon. I dived right in.

"Beth, now you're going to have to wash your hair!" Jane admonished. "It will take you forever to get ready."

The other girls were laying out towels on lounge chairs to lay out.

"But it's so hot and the water feels so good. Besides, my hair's easy. And I need to wash my hair anyway after the sweaty car ride."

"Me, too!" exclaimed Nathan in a falsetto voice. "I think I'll dive right in. I don't care how long it takes to wash and dry my hair!" With that, he cannonballed in splashing the girls. The other girls finally caved and jumped in. We splashed and made a commotion. Nell and Mrs. Hamilton came out around 3:00 with pops and chips.

"Do you mind moving your fun down to the beach?" Mrs. Hamilton asked. "The caterers are here to set up the patio for tonight."

"Sure, Mom," Chuck said. "Now we can terrorize the masses on the beach."

"We all grabbed a bottle of pop (glass bottles, how retro) and handfuls of chips. We ate chips while we found towels and beach shoes. We made our way to the beach where we commandeered a space with our towels. Nathan had grabbed a Frisbee and the guys, Joyce and I all started playing toss. Jane and Lauren choice to lay out on their towels and bake. I so wanted to tell them to put on sunscreen to avoid skin cancer. That would probably sound crazy in 1959.

At 4:30 we headed back to the house to get cleaned up and dressed for the party.

"Can I get a bottle of water?"

Chuck looked at me like I was crazy. "I guess we can fill your Coke bottle with water, or you can get a glass out of the kitchen and fill it and take upstairs with you."

"Oh, yeah, that makes more sense." Tap water. I guess it's safe in 1959. I found Marta and Nell both in the kitchen. "Hey, I just came in for a glass of water to take upstairs. I can get it, you both look busy."

Marta and Nell were directing caterers to what went outside and what went in the dining room.

"No, now Nell here can get you a tray to take up to your room. I'm sure all of you young folks could use water and some of this fruit after being outside all day. Wonder you're not burnt to a crisp. Here, Nell. Take this one up for the boys. Can you handle this one, Miss Beth?"

"Yes, Marta, thank you so much. This is very kind of you."

I followed Nell up the stairs balancing the tray carefully with a pitcher full of water and four glasses of ice and a bowl of fruit.

"Just leave the tray in your room, I'll come up later and check to see if you need anything."

She turned left toward the boys' room. I turned right and kicked lightly on the door with my foot. Jane opened it for me.

"More snacks!" I declared. "The Hamilton's know how to treat guests."

"Lauren's in first, since it takes her so long to dry her hair, then Jane, me and then you Beth," Joyce directed. "Maybe we should all get cute little pixie cuts like yours. It makes getting ready so much quicker!"

I sat the tray on the floor where Jane was sitting on her towel. I sat next to her and grabbed a bunch of grapes while Joyce poured water for all of us. We talked about the house and being nervous about the party. Would we fit in? Would there be any cute guys? Lauren exited the bathroom and Jane hopped up to take her place. Lauren took Jane's spot on the floor as I grabbed her comb and started pulling through the tangles in her thick, blonde hair. She then hopped up to dry her hair. Jane came out and Joyce went in. I then combed through Jane's hair. She had shoulder length red hair. I was wondering how big the water heater was in this place.

"Beth you may want to wait a few minutes, hot water just ran out when I was rinsing my hair." Joyce answered my question for me. "Good for me, you can comb my hair next." Joyce plopped down beside me.

"Beth, do you have time to set my hair before you shower?" Lauren begged, pouting slightly. "No one else can do it as well as you."

"Sure, let me finish combing Joyce's bird nest. But you have to paint my nails after I shower."

"Deal. I have some fire red polish that will look great with the dress you brought."

I knew from past slips that Beth did everyone's hair when possible. She trimmed their hair and braided and curled it. She seemed to enjoy it. Luckily, it was a skill I seemed to possess when in Beth's body, if I was there long enough. I have practiced curling and braiding at home, and of course Liza Mae's wild mess gave me practice with that. The only thing I had been able to get out of was cutting. I haven't had the nerve to do that yet.

Lauren liked to do the nails and make-up. She was always bringing home new colors and products to experiment on the girls. It usually made Lauren and Beth last to be ready and sometimes late when we all went out. But it was fun.

I started to put Lauren's hair in large, heated rollers and clipping them with metal pins. She had left it a little damp. When I finished rolling it, I jumped in the shower and she finished drying her hair. Beth's short hair make it quick work of combing and styling. I helped Jane with an updo, then helped Joyce slick hers into a sleek ponytail. Lauren had started everyone's eye make-up after they had finished with me. Then I unrolled Lauren's hair and ran my fingers through it to give break up the rolls and make them a nice wave down her back. Lauren did my eyes, then started on her own. I had to do all of this through a haze of cigarette smoke and hair spray. Luckily, since I needed my hands free, no one took note that I wasn't smoking.

We slipped on hose (with garter belts!) and undergarments worthy of being padding for most NFL players. Then we helped each other with our dresses and I checked everyone's hair. Nell had come by earlier to tell us that guests had begun to arrive and that the boys would wait for us downstairs. We all trooped downstairs in a fit of giggles a little after 7:00. We found the boys out by the pool with drinks in hand. They were both old enough to drink in public. We couldn't be served alcohol in public, but it was usually okay to drink at houses, at least as long as the party was "above reproach". We weren't usually prone to getting drunk, it seemed these girls were smart enough to want to be level headed when it came to being in public and making appropriate decisions.

We all grabbed a flute of champagne and joined Nathan and Chuck. Chuck pointed out people and told us their names and what they did. Most of the men were in some sort of financial business or a politician. Their wives didn't work, but sometimes Chuck would tell us that they were the chair of this charity or organization.

"Hey, Mark!" Chuck waved at a very cute man that walked through the back door. Mark looked athletic and tan. He had ebony hair and striking blue eyes. Superman in the flesh.

"Mark, this is my friend Nathan and his sister Jane. These are Jane's roommates, Lauren, Beth and Joyce."

"Hello ladies, Nathan." He shook hands with Chuck and Nathan. But his eyes lingered on Lauren. I should have chopped Lauren's hair off when I had the chance.

We mingled with other young people that came in, usually with their parents. Dinner was a buffet that we could graze on all night. There were lights lighting a walkway to the beach where there was a bonfire and more chairs and tables set up. People had been busy since we had went upstairs this afternoon.

We filled plates and went towards the beach. There were waiters there with more drinks and to help with chairs. We ate and laughed and met lots of new people. At about 10 or so fireworks began. They were puny by today's standards, but the crowd oohed and awed, they of course, didn't know any better. The older people started home not long after the fireworks were finished. The younger crowd took over the patio near the pool and started records and dancing. The Hamilton's bid us a good night after their friends were gone. They gave us until midnight to finish up. I danced with Nathan and Chuck and Mark and a few other guys. They played "Good Golly Miss Molly" twice. It gave me memories of Molly Granger. It made me want to go back to 1889 to see if any letters had come from her. I very rarely wanted to go back to 1889. Now that I was more comfortable around Ben, I had two reasons to go back.

Mark mainly danced with Lauren when he had the chance. I noticed Chuck and Joyce trying to be together more than usual. I wondered if there was something going on that I didn't know about and was wondering if Beth or the others knew about it, or if this was a secret thing.

"Okay, everyone, grab your best girl for one last slow dance," announced Chuck. Mark and Lauren were together, and Chuck grabbed Joyce. Jane had been grabbed by someone with two left feet. Nathan grabbed me from behind.

"Guess I'm stuck with you, Coke-a-holic. How many of those things have you drank tonight?" He put my bottle on a nearby table and turned me around. We danced to "Put Your Head on My Shoulder" and watched other couples.

"How long do you think Joyce and Chuck have been sneaking around?" Nathan asked. "I wouldn't have pegged the Miss Bossy Pants as his type at all."

"I wondered if I was just imagining things. I think they seem pretty into each other. And, by the way, Miss Bossy Pants is perfect for Mr. Everything Must Be Perfect. Their children will be Bossy Perfect Pants."

Nathan threw back his head and laughed. "Poor kids. Can you imagine? What about you and this John you've been seeing the last couple of months? Jane seems to think you're serious. She says every Tuesday and Thursday nights and Saturday afternoons. He sure likes to punch a clock."

"Well," I stammered, "He just has a very set schedule. He makes sure he sets aside time for me. That's important."

"Yes, well so is fun and spontaneity. Don't let his great job and family influence you into a relationship if you're not having any fun."

"I'll keep that in mind. I'll come to you from now on with any relationship advice I may need."

The song ended then and we helped Chuck tell everyone good-bye and saw them out of the door. We headed up the stairs. I pulled Jane and Lauren towards the door to give Joyce and Chuck a chance to say good night in private. We stifled giggles as we pushed through our door. We helped each other take off our dresses and hung them up. We washed sand off of our feet in the tub. I didn't envy the maids trying to keep the floors clean in this house. Sand stuck to everything. We were nearly dressed for bed when Joyce came in looking slightly bedraggled.

"Well, well look what the cat's dragged in." Lauren said.

"What happened to your hair?" I asked. "It was in a ponytail 5 minutes ago."

"It was hurting my head. You always pull it so tight!"

We burst into a gale of laughter.

Joyce cleaned up and snuggled in next to Jane in their bed. We giggled and prodded her for more details for a while longer, but Joyce was a closed book on the subject. The other girls soon drifted off to sleep. I thought that for a Beth day, this hadn't been too bad. I hadn't had a chance to figure out what was going on in Beth's life so I didn't screw it up too badly. I knew there was a guy named John involved somehow. I would have to do some investigating tomorrow when we were back in our apartment. I hoped John was a nice guy. I thought it was hopeful that she had been seeing one guy exclusively for a few weeks.

Next thing I knew, Lauren was looking down on me from the daybed, I was on the trundle pull-out.

"Hey, sleepyheads," Joyce said from the doorway. "The maid brought up fresh towels and said there would be a brunch set out by the pool. She said not to worry about dressing up. It would be there for an hour."

"I'll check with the boys and see what the plan is for the day," Jane said on her way out of the door."

"Move it, I need to tinkle. I've been waiting ten minutes for you to wake up."

I sat up on the trundle, giving Lauren a place to step on her way out of bed.

Jane came back in. "The boys said we could hang out by the pool or head to the beach, either one. They would like to leave by two."

It was 9:23. "How about the beach, we never get to hang out on the beach. Then we can all get in a quick shower and I'll do extra tight ponytails for everyone for the ride home."

"Hardeeharhar," said Joyce. "But it will save time. Make-up, yes or not?"

"How about just a little. We'll go as close to au natural as possible without scaring anyone," Lauren said. Lauren didn't like being out in public without at least mascara and a shine on her lips. But no false eyelashes would be a relief.

We dressed in swimsuits and cover-ups. Joyce (of course) had brought a large bag for the beach. I put in a book I had found on Beth's nightstand. Sunglasses went in, magazines and a comb. We went down the stairs and out to the back patio. The boys, of course, were already there with full plates. Chuck's parents were sitting in the shade.

"I want to thank you for having us over for the party. We had a great time," I said.

"It is so nice to have young people around," Mr. Hamilton said. "Helps to keep us in touch with what is going on in the world."

"Yes, my husband tends to know all about finances and very little about the world around him. We must have you over again for Labor Day weekend. The Wilsons, they were at the party last night, they do the Labor Day party. It's the end of the summer party for the beach group."

"But not to worry, then the parties start in the city. We'll have to get you involved in those, also. Dear, you are always looking for a younger crowd for your Art for Children group."

"Yes! The children seem to like to work with young adults more. I will mail you a schedule."

I caught myself from giving my email address. "That would be great. I'll leave our address before we leave." I filled my plate then and rejoined everyone at the tables. The conversation was mainly about everyone, except Mrs. Hamilton, getting back to the city and to work next week. She would stay to supervise the cleanup. She would also be having an afternoon tea with what's her name and so and so to firm up the details of the fundraiser for the "Opera: Our Past, Present and Future Entertainment". I hated to tell her Netflix was our future entertainment.

We left the patio and walked to the beach. It was a nice warm morning. The boys took up the Frisbee. We girls decided to lay on our towels out of the way of the cleaning crew who was finishing up. Joyce pulled out _Brides,_ the June 1959 edition. Jane started flipping through a _Life_ magazine with Zsa Zsa Gabor on the cover. Lauren chose the lifestyles section of the paper she had brought down and I settled in with Beth's book, _The Crucible_ by Arthur Miller. I had never read it, but had seen a movie based on it. I flipped to the beginning and a piece of paper fell in my lap. I opened it up and read:

I am assuming this is Elizabeth Hammons or Liza Mae Johansson. I'm under the assumption that we switch places, if I'm not here, in 1959 New York City, then one of you must be. I wanted to leave this note because I have a secret from the girls that I want you to help me keep. I have started taking a night class at Central Community College. The class is Tuesdays and Thursdays, 6:30- 8:00. The class is English 101, Room 213. The professor's name is John Trainer. Thus the John I date during the week. I thought all of this moving about would make a great science fiction story someday, and I wanted to learn how to write properly. The girls wouldn't understand taking classes at a Community College, there are no great husband prospects there.

My books are hidden in my desk at work. I have left my assignments and progress and a to do list in my notebook there. Saturdays I usually make some excuse to go to the library if I need to, dating John works for this, too. Please keep the list going to help me stay organized. Joyce has rubbed off on me.

Beth

Oh my gosh! This was great. I couldn't concentrate on the book. I folded the letter and placed it back in the book. Then pretended to turn a page every now and then. I could hardly wait until work tomorrow to see about Beth's class. I wonder if she had any homework due? I had been whizzed off to the Hamptons as soon as I had awoken on Saturday. I would check that out first thing so I could make a plan.

We chatted over magazine articles and a girl from the office had her engagement announcement in the paper. She was getting married in November.

"What's romantic about November?" Jane complained. "I mean, what colors can you use?"

"And it's so cold and windy, usually." Joyce answered. "What can you even wear, when you have to get out at the church and then again at The Plaza for the reception?"

"I'm sure it will be fun!" Lauren exclaimed. "There is never anything going on in November. It will be a nice change of pace."

"And it will give us an excuse to buy a new dress," Jane conceded. "We will need to start putting money aside."

"Yes, between that and Christmas shopping, it will be expensive. And a gift," I added. "We'll start next payday."

"We should head back," Joyce, the boss said. "We'll be rinsing sand off forever."

"Hey, Nathan, we're headed back to get ready."

"Okay, Sis, we'll join you. Maybe I can find some leftovers from last night."

Up in the room was a less glamourous version of the night before. I combed hair as everyone finished showering. I showered and then started ponytails. Lauren had done her make-up and did mine for me. We shook sand out of clothes and shoes as best we could before packing. We were packed and had our bags downstairs by 1:30. Marta invited us into the kitchen for a sandwich before leaving. We ate and helped clean up our mess.

Nathan poked his head in "Hey, you guys ready?"

"All set."

Goodbyes and final thank yous were said to the Hamilton's. We all piled back in the car and were on our way back to the city. Joyce took the front seat between the boys this time since the cat was out of the bag. The trip back was quick. We stopped once at a gas station for a bathroom break. Not like convenience stores of my time. Small and grungy. No fountain machine. Coke machine in the front with glass bottles. Restroom doors were outside and needed a key from the inside. The key was attached to a piece of wood that said Ladies. We took turns while sharing two cokes between us. Food freedom was over for the time being.

We dropped Chuck off at about 4:30, then Nathan dropped us off about twenty minutes later. The next hour was spent sorting laundry and taking turns walking the four flights to the basement to do it. We had a dinner of salad and a bottle of wine that Jane gathered together. She was usually the designated cook. Laundry was done by 7:00 and we settled in to watch television in our pajamas. Reruns of _Lassie, Dennis the Menace_ and _The Ed Sullivan Show_ rounded out our weekend. Then off to bed at 9:00. Jane pulled a book out of her nightstand and I took a real try at _The Crucible_. I finished the first two scenes and put it in my nightstand and turned off my lamp. Jane soon did the same.

"Will you be seeing John this week?"

"I think so. He did mention dinner for Tuesday night, after I get off of work."

"Are you two serious, you haven't even introduced us?"

"I'm just playing it one day at a time. I think meeting all of you might scare him away."

"Okay, be mysterious, then. You can't hide him forever."

### Chapter 10

Working Girl

Our alarm buzzed at 6:00 am. It wasn't an inspiring song like my cell phone was set to. It was an annoying, constant buzzing. Jane reached over and turned it off. Jane and I had to be in the office at 8:00 am, so we were up first. I had showered last night, so I washed my face and went to the kitchen to start breakfast. I forget how handy a microwave makes everything. I looked in the cabinet. Oatmeal, if I can cook it over an open fire, I can surely cook it on a stovetop. I started enough for four. I sat at the kitchen table with my mirror and started applying the make-up. Women piled it on rather thickly. Foundation, powder for that porcelain skin appearance, blush, and fake lashes for those of us not blessed with thick, long lashes. Eyeliner and mascara, lip liner and lipstick. I stirred the oats from time to time and flipped the bacon I had started. Jane came in to eat as did Lauren with her hair in rollers. Joyce was showering. We ate and finished make-up. Joyce came in to eat, she and Lauren usually did the morning dishes because they didn't have to be in until 9:00. Jane and I dressed and left at 7:30 to catch the subway. Jane spoke of work and I usually just agreed, I didn't know what was going on, so I didn't have a lot to add to the conversation. We exited the subway at our stop. We exited with many others who worked near this stop. We crossed the street twice to the opposite corner. Then up the elevator to the 14th floor. We went to the break room to clock in. Seven fifty-seven. We said so long, we always met the others at lunch in the cafeteria on the 2nd floor, then scuttled to our desks.

I found a desk calendar. Beth had started leaving a detailed list of all projects and things she had planned to do throughout the week. This was really helpful. Last time I was here, I had stumbled through the first few days, and about the time I got the hang of it and learned Beth's skills, I was whisked away. I opened her bottom desk drawer and found her Composition book and a folder. I opened the folder and found another calendar with due dates and assignments. It seemed for tomorrow I needed to be through Act II of The Crucible and have three questions ready to turn in and to be ready to discuss in class. Apparently, Act I had been last Thursday's assignment. I would need to read a lot tonight and tomorrow to catch up. I wish I had thought to bring the book today. I should have realized it was her assignment. No fear, I could just switch on the computer and search the internet for... oh, wait. 1959. No computer. No internet. Okay, late night reading session. I could read tomorrow, too. I read the questions assigned so I would know what to look for. Maybe I would be lucky and could jot down answers tonight as I read.

"Hello, Beth, have a good weekend?" Mr. Jameson asked. He was the junior partner that Beth worked directly for.

"Yes, it was great. How about you?"

"Good, good, despite being at the Hamptons with the boss. (poor bastard) What time is my first appointment?"

I looked at Beth's calendar. "You have Daniel Peterson at 10:00 am, then you are due in court at 1:30."

"I think that file is on my desk. I'll look it over, I'll let you know if I need anything else."

"Yes, sir. I have some work to do on the Lannister case. I'll need to make those copies you requested. I'll see Mr. Peterson in and then I'll be in the backroom. You can find me there if you need me."

"Sounds like a plan. I'll take a coffee now, and then again with Mr. Peterson if he wants one."

With that, he went into his office and closed the door. I went to the break room and poured a cup of coffee. He liked it black. Here at the law firm, it was only coffee. Joyce, in the publishing office, sometimes had to serve drinks. Apparently it loosened people up so that they were more willing to compromise. Lauren said that sometimes they served clients alcohol to cushion the blow if they had some bad news to give. You can't have clients snookered if they are going to sign contracts. I knocked twice on his door and then entered and sat it on his desk. He had the phone in one hand and a cigarette in the other, he nodded a thank you.

I went back to my desk and found the notes on the Lannister case. I read through them. Beth had written in today's square, copy Lannister material, but I needed to figure out what to copy. She had left some case files. There were law books in the library. I would go there first and get the books and then copy. I looked in some other files to remind myself how to organize the file. I typed some outgoing letters in the inbox and took some phone messages. Before I knew it, there was a man in a very expensive looking suit coming through the door to the office.

"I'm Daniel Peterson, here to see Joshua Jameson."

"Yes, he has been expecting you. Right this way." I knocked twice on the door, paused and opened it. Mr. Jameson came around his desk to meet Mr. Peterson.

"Coffee, Peterson?" asked Mr. Jameson.

"Yes, with cream and sugar, please."

"Right away, sir," I said taking the empty mug from Mr. Jameson's desk with me. I went to the break room and rinsed his mug. I then put that one and another on a tray with some cream and sugar. I carried the tray to the office and put it on a side table.

"Thanks, Beth, we'll take it from here."

I left his office, closing the door behind me. Mr. Jameson didn't like anyone else in the room on the initial consultation. He felt that clients weren't as open with him if someone else was in the room. I only took notes after the contract was in place. I picked the Lannister file from my desk and walked to the law library. It took me awhile, but I found the books that I needed with help from the intern, Larry. He was there to do legwork while studying to take the bar. I went to the copy room and started in. I had to make two copies of everything, one for his file and one for the file I would keep in the filing cabinet in case someone else needed it. There were only about 20 pages in all to copy out of eight different books, but the machine was so slow. If I had brought Beth's book, I could have read two scenes waiting for those copies. There were supplies here to get the folders ready, so I worked on that. Other people came to use the other machine or to wait in line. I let them do most of the talking, I added what I could about my weekend. I finished finally at 11:45. I went back to my desk. I sat at my desk and checked my to do list. Looked like I could head to lunch as soon as Mr. Peterson left.

Mr. Jameson and Mr. Peterson came out a few minutes later. "We're headed to lunch, then I'll go straight to court from there. I'll check in this afternoon."

"Yes sir, have a good afternoon."

They left and I locked the office door behind me. I went down to the cafeteria on the second floor of the building. I bought a sandwich, apple and juice. I found Jane already at the table we sat at every day.

"How was your morning?" I asked.

"Dull. Mr. Latimore has been in court all morning. I've been typing notes all morning. How about you?"

"Copy room, preparing a case file."

"At least there are people to talk to. I haven't seen anyone all morning."

Lauren and Joyce joined us. We all got caught up on work. Nothing new seemed to be happening. Joyce gave little information about her relationship with Chuck. She just said it had started a few weeks ago and that she was hoping he was the one.

Back at my desk, I needed to type notes. At least the electric typewriter had been invented. I just had to go slow and keep mistakes to a minimum, because they were still hard to correct. I found the short hand notes and hunkered down to decipher them. There was a book in the top drawer that helped. I knew it would take all afternoon, and maybe some of tomorrow. I hoped I didn't get Beth too far behind.

At 3:00 I went down the hall to the break room. I bought a Coke from the snack cart and a brownie. I sat down and flipped through a magazine. Jane came in a few minutes later and bought a drink and lit her cigarette.

"Where's your book? I thought you were trying to culturize yourself."

"I forgot it. It's okay. I need a distraction. I have an entire day of shorthand translation to type."

"I just finished mine. I get to spend the afternoon in the copy room. Is Larry there today?"

"Yes, he was in the law library this morning." Had Jane developed a thing for Larry? His father was an accountant in this building. He was 24, and probably led the New York equivalent to my Minnesota life. Jane would probably like that. Probably not a lot of pressure for him to marry up. Jane and Nathan's parents were restaurant owners in Buffalo.

"Good, maybe he's still there. He said after our date last Thursday that we should go out again this week."

After our break we headed out. I wrote out the shorthand in writing first, I had found that worked better than trying to correct on the typewriter all of the time. At 4:30 I decided to type what I had done so far. Hopefully Mr. Jameson didn't ask for them first thing tomorrow. The phone rang. "Mr. Jameson's desk. This is Elizabeth, how may I help you."

"Are you Elizabeth now?" asked Jameson. "I thought you preferred Beth."

"I do. I was filling out some forms and have been using my full name. How did court go?"

"Pretty good. We're recessed until 9:00 am. What do I have going on tomorrow?"

"Hmm, you have a partners' dinner meeting at 6:00 tomorrow at Bel Noche's. No meetings. Do you need anything for the morning?"

"Yes, can you have the Lannister file sent to my apartment? Larry can do it if he's still there. I also need you to call Mr. Peterson tomorrow and set up a meeting for Thursday or Friday. This case should be wrapped up by then. I left notes on my desk. Can you pull from those to make a case file in time for the meeting?"

"Yes, I can get all of that done. I'll grab the Lannister file and find Larry right now."

"I'll check in some time tomorrow." He hung up. I grabbed the file and ran it to the library. No Larry. Copy room. No Larry. On a whim I dashed to Jane's desk. Larry was waiting outside her door.

"Larry, Mr. Jameson needs this at his apartment tonight. Can you take it by?"

"Sure. Jane and I are going to dinner. We'll take it by on the way."

I poked my head in Latimore's office. Jane was at her desk and hung up the phone. "I was just calling you to tell you I was leaving with Larry."

"Yeah, he just told me. Mr. Jameson needs a file taken to his apartment."

"Okay. I'll be home by ten."

"No problem. I'm wiped out after this weekend. I'm going to curl up in bed and read."

I left her office and headed back to mine. I had fifteen minutes of typing before I could go home. At five, I left with the other secretaries. I added shorthand notes to the other things on the calendar. Work was piling up. Hopefully I would get this assignment done tonight and not have to work on it tomorrow. I had put the questions in my purse on the way out. After getting off the subway, I was home by 5:45. Jane and I are always home first. I decided to shower before everyone else got home. I toweled off and put on this housecoat thing girls in the 50s wore to sit around in. No sweat suits yet.

Joyce and Lauren were walking in when I got out. "Hey, Jane is going to dinner with Larry. It's just us for dinner."

"I'm beat," Lauren said. "How about take-out from Bert's?"

"That sounds good, Joyce said grabbing the phone. The usual?"

"Yes," I said. Bert's was a pizzeria across the street. They had a kid who delivered.

"I'm going to take a quick shower. Here's my share," Lauren said. Joyce took Lauren's money and I went to get mine from my purse in my room. I grabbed my book, too.

Joyce organized the money, then took off her shoes and sat down. "It was so boring today, I nearly fell asleep twice."

"You should have come to my office. I still have work from today to add to tomorrow's work."

We flipped on the TV and watched the news. Lauren joined us, in her charming housecoat. Joyce had stayed dressed to answer the door. A lady wouldn't be caught by a young man in her housecoat. There was a knock at the door and Joyce went to answer it. Lauren and I grabbed sodas and plates and took them to the living room. Joyce ran to change while we organized dinner. We sat around for about an hour. I helped clean up and said I was going to read. I climbed in bed and pulled the questions out of my purse. Nothing I had read so far helped to answer them. I read through Act I. After getting through the second scene in Act II, I saw where the first question was heading. I had the first question answered and some notes scribbled for the other two. Partway through scene three, Jane came in.

"How was the date?"

"It was nice. We walked through Central Park to drop that file off. Then we ate at a quaint little bistro. Larry took the subway back with me and dropped me off at the front door. Older men know how to treat a girl, not like the guys our age who might have taken me to a subway tunnel and groped my rear in the shadows."

"That's good. He seems nice."

"Yes, and he'll be a lawyer. And his parents aren't worried about what my parents do. He may be the one." Jane left to wash her face and change. I finished scene three and question two. My eyes just wouldn't take anymore. I had been reading for two hours straight. Without the distractions of YouTube, I could really get a lot done. I turned off my light while Jane crawled into bed. She reached out to turn the alarm back on. I think I fell asleep before she even pulled her hand back.

Annoying alarm. Still Beth. Day two like day one, except I made French toast this morning. Lauren finished it up when she got up so I could finish my make-up. Jane and I scuttled off to work. I sat at my desk and organized my thoughts. I would get the Peterson file done first, then I would try to finish the Crucible. Then I could work on shorthand translation. After lunch I would reevaluate.

By lunch I had finished the Peterson file and reading the Crucible. I had typed what I had translated yesterday, but I still had four pages of translations to go. I went to meet the girls for lunch. The other girls were there eating salads and tuna fish. Ick. I think I needed something with more stamina. Grilled cheese, yum! And potato chips. And milk.

They eyed my lunch when I sat down, but didn't say anything. Jane recanted her date from last night for Joyce and Lauren. They were going to double date with Chuck and Mark on Friday. I reminded them I was meeting 'John' tonight. They prodded me for information. I just said we would be discussing The Crucible tonight during dinner. Not a total lie. Back at my desk after lunch, I decided to finish my last essay question, so I could at least check something off of my list. I checked it off of the list in the Comp I folder. I needed to make a case file for two other cases that Jameson would be starting next week. I called Mr. Peterson and set up an appointment for Friday morning through his secretary. I made a note and paper clipped it to the file as well as adding it to my calendar. I went to the copy room and spent until three in there. I had finished one file and had a start on another. I met Jane in the break room.

"Jameson's desk is really busy this week. I can't keep up."

"He must be working on making senior partner," Jane said. "If he does, then you'll get an assistant to help with the work."

"If I make it that long. We need a typewriter at home so I can do typing there."

"Ugh, I don't want to ever have to take work home."

I ate a candy bar and a coke. Poor Beth was going to come home to an added ten pounds if I kept eating like this. We finished our break. I headed back to the copy room and finished the other file. I was determined to get some headway into the shorthand. I had just gotten into a groove when the phone rang. Someone was wanting to set up an appointment. I checked the calendar. I gave him a slot two hours after Mr. Peterson's appointment on Friday. I got started again when the phone rang.

"Hey, Beth." It was Mr. Jameson. "Anything new."

"You have an appointment with Mr. Peterson Friday morning at nine. Then Charles Monroe at eleven, he's a prospective case. The Peterson, Moore, and Smith files are all finished and on your desk."

"You've been busy."

"I'm behind on meeting transcripts to add to the files. Hopefully I can get them finished tomorrow."

"Verdict came in. We won. I have to be there for the sentencing tomorrow at 9:00 then I should be in the office. No need to send the files. I'll have time tomorrow afternoon to review those."

"Very good. I'll see you then."

I was able to get the Lannister notes transcribed and typed. That just left Moore and Smith. I knew I would be adding Peterson to those on Friday. And tomorrow I would have items to add to the case he had just won so we could close out that file. I wrote those into Beth's calendar. Nothing was in the Wednesday or Thursday block except what I had added. At five I locked up the office and headed out with Beth's books. She had a black tote that she used sometimes tucked under her desk. I took the directions I had found and found the community college. I had forty minutes before class started, so I found a place to grab some dinner before class.

Class was interesting. Professor Trainer was passionate and lively and asked thought provoking questions. He gave us a break after about fifty minutes. When we came back we had to write a paragraph on what occupation we would do if in Salem during the time of the witch trials. I struggled for a few minutes, but after I started on Town Historian, the paragraph was easy. I turned it in and headed home. Act III was assigned with three more essay questions due Thursday. Beth had made a B+ on her answers to the first three questions. I hoped I had done her justice with what I had just turned in.

Everyone was sitting around watching TV when I came in. I went to change and joined them. At ten we headed to bed. I caught up on the diary I had bought in the bookstore at the community college.

Tuesday, July 7th

Hey Girls,

Beth, I hope I can keep up with your work load. Jane thinks Jameson is trying to make senior partner. I'm really behind on transcripts. Shorthand is hard for me to transcribe. School is caught up as of today. The first time I was here, I was lucky enough to wake up on a Saturday. Joyce had deemed it house cleaning day and had a chore chart all organized. I faked a sore throat so I wouldn't have to talk much. Housework is way more complicated in 1959. Then the girls let me out of shopping duty so I could rest. I was able to get by, because I slipped back to me before Monday morning.

The second time I was here, I awoke on a Wednesday morning. I was able to bumble my way through that morning, but I got a lot of strange looks from the girls. Lauren had to remind me there were four of us to make toast for, and that I had forgotten my make-up that I now know you put on at the kitchen table while helping Lauren with breakfast. Thank goodness I had Jane to go to work with! I would have never found my way to work. I conned Jane into walking me to my office so she could finish telling me about her date the night before. I had to take notes at a meeting first thing that morning. I don't know shorthand, but I did the best I could. I typed them up, after learning how to use an electric typewriter. Learning how to research cases and making files wasn't so bad, after I learned the system. Jason, the intern at the time, must have thought I was a dumb blonde.

I love your Comp I class. It's so much better than mine at Southern Minnesota. I think it's great that you want to write.

Joyce and Chuck have been ousted officially on their relationship, in case you were suspecting anything. Lauren started dating Mark, a friend of Chuck's we met at the Hamilton's 4th of July party. He looks like Superman (Liza, you'll need to familiarize yourself with Superman, Batman and Iron Man).

Tired of Shorthand,

Elizabeth

Day three of work, repeat. I took the bag back with me to hide in the desk at work. I was able to make a lot of headway on transcriptions during the morning. The office was nice and quiet, not even a phone call except Jameson called and said he would be in after lunch. I headed down for the typical lunch with the girls. If I had learned anything being Beth, it's that I did not want a shitty desk job. I wanted a job where you did something different every day. Back in the office, Jameson reviewed me on the case he had just won. I did a mixture between shorthand and longhand. I went to copy the notes I had typed that morning and added to both files. Then I spent the rest of the afternoon deciphering more shorthand and answering the phone. My break at three I spent reading The Crucible, Jane must have gotten hung up at her desk.

That night, Jane cooked dinner for all of us. I showered and read. I had two more scenes to get through. We ate our baked chicken breasts and vegetables while watching TV. I hit the sheets at 8:30 and finished reading. Jane was in the room when I finished reading, so writing in the diary or doing my homework was impossible. She went to the bathroom and I pulled out the diary. I jotted a few short notes, nothing much had happened today.

I put it up and flipped off the light. Jane came in and crawled in bed.

Day four- at least there was class to look forward to that night. It was the bright spot in a tedious work week. Jameson had a lunch meeting, which meant he would be gone until at least two. I had been able to answer an essay question this morning between typing. The shorthand was coming much faster. I should be all caught up by tomorrow when I would have more to do from the Peterson meeting. And if he took Monroe on as a client, I would need to make a file for that.

I finished my essay questions after lunch, before Jameson came back from his meeting. I finished all of my work by four. I was able to sit at my desk and read ahead in the Crucible. Jameson came out at 4:45 to go over tomorrow's schedule. He told me to keep Wednesday through Friday open, he would probably be in court. I made a note on the calendar. He told me I could head out and I grabbed all of my stuff. Since I knew where I was going, I went to eat at an Italian place about a block away before class. Class was again interesting. Another, reading assignment. He wanted to have it wrapped up a week from Tuesday and would test us on the following Thursday. I hoped that if I slipped, it would be Beth who came back and she had been reading as me. She wouldn't be able to read it as Liza Mae, it hadn't been written in 1889.

I went home and watched a little TV with everyone. Joyce and Lauren were excited about their dates tomorrow night. Jane was seeing Larry. I told everyone that 'John' was heading out of town tomorrow. I would have the apartment to myself. I could get a lot of The Crucible finished. I could write a really detailed diary entry. And I could sit on the couch and eat non veggie pizza, or a cheeseburger and fries from the diner down the street. I was pretty excited.

Day 5 of work- how did people do this every day? I knew today would be busy. I had a little bit of typing to do this morning, then notes on the Peterson meeting, then typing that up. I might also have to start a new case file. The morning went smoothly enough. Jameson asked me if I could run some errands for him after lunch. He needed some dry cleaning dropped off and picked up. Luckily, Beth had a Rolodex with only one cleaners in it. I hoped that was the one. I also needed to pick up some flowers for his date tonight. And his mother's birthday was next week. I was in charge of picking out a gift for her. I asked him if there was anything new she was interested in or had mentioned liking. He thought she had mentioned she would like a Chanel dress. The Jameson's lived in Virginia. I looked in the Rolodex under Martha Jameson. Beth had actually put in not only a phone number and address, but favorite color, sizes, and on the back had listed gifts bought in the past. For Christmas she had bought her a red Chanel purse and a scarf. I would try to find something that coordinated with those.

The great thing about the 1950s is that you could just say "put it on Joshua Jameson's account" and sign a receipt. Everything was billed and paid monthly. I had lunch downstairs with the girls and told them I had errands to run for Jameson that afternoon. They said I should go to Bloomingdale's and ask for Lorene in women's wear. She would be able to help with a 56 year old woman's dress. I headed out with the dry cleaning. I dropped that off and picked up the clean suits. Next door was the flower shop. He had said not to get anything too serious, she liked pink. I relayed the message to the florists and told them I would be back soon to pick it up. Then I went to Bloomingdale's. I was just here with Mom. It has changed so much. In 2009, there are all kinds of different people shopping; tourists, middle class, upper class. In 1959 it's mainly housewives from upper middle class on up. The fashions were so different and there seemed to be more employees per person. Lorene was with a client, but I was directed to Betty, who when I told her about the purse and scarf, said there was a new line of black dresses that were the thing. Black was very versatile, you could dress it up or keep it plain. She had me sit in a chair with a cup of tea and brought out four different dresses. We decided on a mid-calf dress with three-quarter length sleeves that was really pretty. I could see my mom wearing it. They asked if I wanted it wrapped. Sure! I would probably have had to wrap it, too. They said they could have it delivered to the office later that afternoon. I took the dry cleaning and picked up the flowers and was back in the office by 2:30.

A double knock on Jameson's door, and I walked in with the flowers and the dry cleaning. "Everything is taken care of." I hung his suits on the coatrack in his office. I laid the flowers on the cabinet against the wall. "I picked out a black Chanel dress for your mother. It will go with the purse and scarf from Christmas. They are going to wrap it and deliver it this afternoon.

"Good, thank you. Can you write checks for me? It's that time of the month." I'm guessing he wasn't having his period, so this must be bill paying day.

"Sure." He reached into his desk and pulled out a leather folder with three checks per page. They each tore off of a stub where I would need to record who the check was written to, the date, amount and then figure the balance. We spent almost an hour. He took the book to write in the balances for each stub and I was dismissed. I started the notes on the Peterson file, while answering the phone. Larry came around with paychecks. I opened it up. $28.75 for the week. Wow. At four I went to the break room to have a Coke, then I went to the library and copy room. At four forty-five, we went over the next week's calendar. The only thing I had to do was finish the typing on this morning's meeting. I was pretty sure I could finish that Monday morning while he was in meetings.

I left with Jane at five exhausted. We headed to the bank to deposit our checks. No direct deposit in 1959. After a ten minute wait in line, we headed home. I changed into a comfortable pair of pedal pushers and a top. I helped everyone with their hair for the dates they had tonight. I answered the door when the guys knocked. Finally at 7:30 everyone was out of the door and out of my hair. I grabbed my purse and headed downstairs. I had called ahead and placed an order for a chili cheeseburger, fries and a Coke. I grabbed my greasy brown paper bag and sipped on my glass bottle of Coke on the way home. Darkness was falling and the street lights were flicking on. Some kids were trying to finish a stickball game in the street before they were called in for the night. Back in the apartment I flicked on the TV and watched black and white shows while enjoying my fattening food. I walked so much here, the calories were really pretty easy to work off. I put the wrappers under some other trash in the can. I sat down with the diary.

Friday, July 10th

Hey Girls,

Finished my first full week of work. I would never have thought a desk job would be so exhausting. Today I ran errands for Jameson, including buying his mother a black, Chanel dress for her birthday. Everyone is out tonight- Jane and Larry, Joyce and Chuck, Lauren and Mark- I'm here by myself eating a chili cheeseburger and fries. I plan on getting way ahead in reading The Crucible tonight. I'm guessing there isn't anyone you've been seeing, Beth? I've been so busy at work and with your class I haven't even had time to notice. Of course, everyone thinks you are dating 'John', who by the way, is out of town this weekend.

Tomorrow is cleaning and laundry day here in the apartment. Along with bill paying. I'm guessing Joyce will take care of telling me what I owe for the bills in the apartment. I will search your nightstand for any personal bills, but it might help if you left a list in the back of the diary. Remember, you need to save for a new dress and wedding gift for that wedding in November. Also, enrollment is open for the fall semester. If I am still here as of Wednesday, I'm going to enroll you in Composition Two so you don't miss the class, I've heard it fills up fast with Professor Trainer.

I hope all is well where ever you came from. I am hoping to visit the Metropolitan Museum while I am here. I would love to see what has changed. I was literally there with my mother the week before I came here, buying a Liza Mae doll. Will have to ask Liza about that one. I was hoping to get to walk by this apartment, too, but slipped before I had the chance. The office building you work in is still there. I was with Mom so I didn't get to go in. But boy, has Bloomingdales changed! The décor, the fashions, and the way you can charge...

Fondly,

Elizabeth

I hid the diary back in the nightstand and looked through the opened mail in Beth's drawer. I found a bill from Macy's and from Teresa's Boutique. I would look at paying those tomorrow after we paid the apartment bills. Beth's checkbook had a balance of $28.15. I had deposited $25 today for a grand total of $53.15. That didn't sound like much, but I had only paid $ 0.65 for dinner. I would watch my budget for the remainder of time. I didn't know how Beth paid tuition, or how much it was.

It was 9:30. I decided to go to bed and read as long as my eyes would allow. I read the first two scenes in Act IV and answered two questions. Two scenes and one question left to go. I could finish before Tuesday, surely. I flipped through a fashion magazine and must have fallen asleep. I awakened when I heard Jane in the room getting ready for bed.

"How was your date?"

"Really good. We saw The Hound of the Baskervilles. It was creepy. Then we had a late night pizza run. Then he walked me home. He asked if I wanted to go to church and brunch with his family Sunday."

"Wow, meeting the family, that's pretty serious."

"Well, we've been dating for two months. And I've met both his parents, at the Christmas party, it was just before we were dating."

"That's true. Maybe we'll be planning your wedding soon."

"Shh. Don't jinx it!"

"And besides, if you got engaged now, we could plan a spring or summer wedding, not an autumn one."

"That's true," Jane said. "I've always wanted to be married in June, with pink and green as my colors."

"That sounds pretty." Jane left to go to the bathroom. She crawled back in bed a few minutes later.

"I would want to have it back in Buffalo. Do you think that would be okay? I really have always dreamed of getting married in the church I grew up in. It's really great. Then I'm sure we could have the reception at my parents' restaurant."

"I'm sure that would be fine. His parents aren't high maintenance, are they? Plus, we can have your shower here in the city. Then you would have had something in both places."

"That's true. I need to start making a list."

"Now who's being the jinx?"

Jane clapped her hand over her mouth. "You made me talk about it."

"Okay, we'll stop until he proposes. Hopefully soon. We have a lot to get done by June." We both giggled and turned off our lights. We heard Lauren and Joyce come in later. They were trying to be quiet, but it sounded like they may have had a little too much to drink and weren't being very successful with their whispering. And it sounded like one of them ran into the coffee table. They finally found their way to bed and the apartment settled down for the night.

### Chapter 11

Weekend in NYC

I was up first the next morning at 8:30. I checked the fridge for breakfast food. We had enough for omelets if I made them small. I started them like my mom did, a separate bowl for everyone. Jane came in next and I told her to add to her bowl what she wanted in her omelet. I started hers while she put the last of the bread in the toaster. She went to wake up Lauren and Joyce.

They looked like shit. Lauren's hair was a tangled mess. Neither of them had washed their face last night, so eye make-up was smudged and Lauren had a fake eyelash stuck to her cheek.

"Rough night?" I said, plucking the eyelash from her face.

"Oh my gosh. (the predecessor to OMG) We drank two bottles of wine with dinner. Then we went to meet some of their friends at a frat party. We did tequila shots. I just want to die," Joyce said.

"Ditto," was all that Lauren could get out. Jane started a pot of coffee. I had them fix their bowls, which I thought maybe Lauren was going to throw up in. Jane started them off on toast to make sure they could handle an omelet. Jane and I ate our omelets while I cooked the other two. By the time we finished eating, I thought that they might make it. We all stripped our beds. Jane and I ran the sheets downstairs for fear Lauren or Joyce would break their necks. We left them to clean and scour the kitchen. Joyce didn't even have the energy to make a chore chart this morning. We started the sheets and headed back upstairs. Joyce had apparently lost the battle with her stomach and was heaving into the toilet. Lauren was sipping some juice slowly at the kitchen table. Jane and I rolled our eyes and finished the kitchen. Joyce was definitely cleaning the bathroom today. We finished that and made a shopping list. Pretty much needed everything in the kitchen.

We all sorted our laundry in piles in the living room. Lauren thought maybe she could dust, she just couldn't deal with scraping egg off of the dishes. We left her and Joyce to dusting and vacuuming while we ran more laundry downstairs and put the sheets in the dryers. Back upstairs, they seemed to be recovering a little bit. We gathered all of the trash to run down to the cans in the alley. I was definitely burning off the calories from last night. Joyce was cleaning the bathroom and Lauren was mopping. There wasn't much left to do, so we cleaned our room. Then another run of laundry downstairs (there were only two machines). We brought up the sheets. Joyce and Lauren were cleaning their room when we brought in the sheets. Joyce had set up the ironing board in the living room. I forgot that we ironed sheets in 1959. Jane started ironing while I held the sheet and helped her turn it. Lauren and Joyce would take the finished sheets and put them on the beds. I was blue, Jane's were white with yellow flowers, Lauren had pink with white stripes and Joyce's were yellow with white stripes. At one o'clock, we still hadn't finished ironing. The last of the clothes were in the dryer, and we just kept adding to the ironing pile. We had switched off about every fifteen minutes on ironing. At least we had a TV to watch. And cigarettes to smoke. Joyce and I had showered and dressed, so we volunteered to go get some lunch. We sure didn't have anything left in the kitchen. We decided on Chinese and ordered take-out. When we got back, the rest of the laundry was upstairs. The ironing pile seemed huge, but at least it wouldn't get any bigger. We ate and continued to iron. Jane and Lauren were able to grab a shower. Joyce recovered enough to tell us we each owed $13.35 for this month's bills. I paid Beth's share and figured out there was $39.80 left. Not too bad. Beth owed $15 to Macy's and $5.15 to Teresa's. That would leave $19.65. And I would need to pay my share of the groceries. The Teresa's bill had come in June 30th, the Macy's bill July 2nd. I decided to pay the Teresa's bill and leave the Macy's bill for next week's payday. Rent of $25 each would be due by the first of August. And I didn't know about Beth's tuition. We all wrote checks to Joyce, she wrote a check to the water, electricity, gas and the various places we had charged food. While she finished that, I added the Teresa's envelope to the pile. We decided to go shopping before finishing the ironing. We headed downstairs together with our list.

The day had grown hot. Upstairs we had fans blowing with the windows open, it was warm, but not uncomfortable. I was sweating by the time we shopped in the un-air-conditioned market down the street. We were really sweating by the time we lugged our paper bags back up three flights of steps. I unloaded groceries with Lauren while Jane and Joyce ironed. At 4:30, everything was finally finished.

"We really shouldn't let the laundry get piled up so much," Jane said. "My back is killing me from ironing so much."

"Mine, too," Lauren said. "We just had too many dates this week to keep up."

"That is certainly a change," Joyce piped in. "We're usually whining because we haven't been out all week."

"If we're going to be so busy socially, maybe we should look into a laundry service," Lauren said.

"I wonder how much it is," Jane said. "I'm not sure I can swing it, with saving up for the holidays."

"Maybe after Christmas," I added. "Then we'll know if we still will be dating so much. I guess we need to take turns through the week."

"Yes, I can make a laundry chart." Joyce was over-joyed when she could make a new chart.

"I'm out for Tuesday and Thursdays," I said. "But I am always home on Mondays and Wednesdays."

"Okay," Joyce said grabbing paper from the drawer in the kitchen. "I will take Tuesday and Thursdays. Lauren, you could help on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Jane, on Monday and Thursdays. Any problems?"

"What if one of us has a date?" Jane asked.

"Then we can switch with someone," Lauren said. "And we'll all help Saturdays. No laundry on Sundays."

"Sounds good. I don't want another ironing marathon like today. Since we didn't iron last weekend, or hardly any this week, a little each day would be okay."

We sat around the apartment, eating grapes and watching TV and flipping through magazines. I noticed Jane bending back corners in the Bride magazines. "Jinx, jinx, jinx," I whispered on my way to the kitchen to help Lauren with dinner. We mixed and put in a meatloaf. I put the potatoes in a bowl and took them to the couch to peel and cut. Lauren started mixing some rolls. She had her mother's recipe. They smelled great when she put them in the oven. I put the potatoes on to boil. We had dinner around 7:30. Jane and Joyce cleaned the kitchen and saved the leftovers for tomorrow. Jane was planning on going to church tomorrow with Larry. Joyce, Lauren and I were going to the church we all usually went to down the street. It was a great, old building that now housed an Episcopalian church. I wondered about the history of the building and what it had started as. We stayed up for a while and headed to bed. I scratched a few hurried lines in the diary before falling to sleep.

Sunday morning was a hustle of activity getting everyone ready for church. Jane left with Larry at 9:30. The rest of us headed down stairs at 10:30 for the short trip down the block. We sat towards the back and checked the sanctuary for any new, single men. No one caught our eye. After church we went home and changed. We devoured the leftovers. Jane came in about two. I finished reading the Crucible while everyone was napping or watching TV. Salad and chicken breast for dinner. We were back in weeknight routine after dinner. Lauren painted everyone's toenails before bed. We fanned them dry while watching an Ed Sullivan rerun. I headed to bed, dreading another five-day workweek.

Annoying buzzing. Dang, I was still here. Jane turned off the alarm and we started our morning routine. I started pancakes and Lauren started eggs and bacon. I wondered if the Pop Tart had been invented yet? I started my make-up between pancakes. We ate while I finished my make-up. I left the clean-up while I quickly dressed. Jane and I barely made it to the subway that would get us there on time.

Mr. Jameson had meetings scheduled for most of the day, so I was kept busy getting coffee and taking notes. I didn't spend much time at my desk. I had one file to make after lunch. I was glad he had court most of the week. I would be typing all week at this point.

At home it was my laundry night with Jane. We lucked out, there was only one load to do. We started it. Lauren had a date. Joyce started dinner. The rest of the days went on and on like this. Class was something that I really looked forward to. Semester test was on Thursday, July 30th. I think I did really well on it.

It was Saturday, August 1st. Rent was due. I had managed to pay all of Beth's bills and still have $32.99 in the checking account. Beth should be able to afford a nice dress by November. I was able to divide her tuition into three payments. The first I had paid. The second was due the first week of school and the third by September 15th. Each payment was $45. Plus the books, which I hadn't looked into yet.

We were buzzing right through housework today, no one was hung-over. I had been here nearly a month and was getting the hang of this single girl in New York City thing. I bounded down the stairs to get the laundry and ran full on into a man I had never seen before. I flattened him against a wall. I had to shove off of his chest to get my balance.

"I am so, so sorry," I stammered. "Are you alright?"

He grabbed my elbows to help steady me. "I'm fine. I didn't know I needed to beep my horn coming around the landing."

"Just on Saturdays while I'm doing laundry."

"The building super forgot to tell me. I'm Steve. I'm moving into 2B today."

"Beth. I'm in 3C. I have three roommates."

"Do they help with laundry, I'll make sure I keep clear."

"Yes. But they aren't as fast as me." I realized that sounded like a double entendre and blushed.

"Well, I'll be moving in after my moving truck gets here, so you might be careful on the next trip down."

"Welcome to the building. Please, let us know if you need anything."

"Will do. 3C. I'll remember."

I went downstairs to put the last of the laundry in the dryers. Only sheets and towels this Saturday. The laundry chart had worked. I headed up the stairs with sheets. I told the girls about the new guy in 2B.

"Is he cute?" Lauren asked.

"In a nerdy, intellectual way, yes."

"Does he have roommates?" Jane asked.

"I didn't ask. Aren't those apartments on two studios?"

"That's right. He's probably by himself."

"What else did he say?" Joyce asked.

"Not much. I told him to come by if he needed anything. Why are you so interested, ladies? You all have boyfriends."

"Not you," Jane said.

"I have John."

"Oh, give that up. Jane followed you one Thursday night and we know that you go to Central Community College."

"Why have you kept it a secret that you knew?" I thought I had been really sneaky.

"Because it was funny watching you pretend to have a boyfriend," Joyce said. "Why are you taking a class?"

"I'm taking Comp I, I thought it would be interesting to know how to write better. Plus I thought it would expand my dating pool."

"At community college? How's that working out for you?"

I just rolled my eyes in answer. We heard bumping downstairs. We were guessing that Steve's moving van was here. We went out to the landing and looked down the stairs. We saw a man in coveralls backing up the stairs with one end of a sofa. Then another man in coveralls at the other end came into view.

"There's Steve," I whispered as he came into view carrying a box.

"He is kind of cute," Lauren said. "If you like that type."

"We should invite him for dinner," Joyce said. "He'll be hungry after moving." She bolted down the stairs before I could object. The other girls followed giggling. I lagged behind. I didn't want to get Beth involved with someone she might not like (she didn't like a lot of guys) and have his feelings hurt later.

Joyce rapped on the open door. "Yoo-hoo." She actually said yoo-hoo. "Steve, hi, I'm Joyce, and this is Lauren and Jane. We're Beth's roommates. We thought you might like to come for dinner tonight."

"Actually, that would be nice, thank you," he said, shaking hands with the girls. "I might be a little dirty from the move, though."

"That's fine. Nothing fancy. We're going shopping in a little bit. We'll check back before we leave to see if you need anything."

"That's really nice." The movers were coming back in with a mattress. Steve had them set it against a wall behind some waist high bookshelves. That defined his bedroom area. His apartment was one room with a bedroom area, small kitchen area and the rest dedicated to living space. There was a small bathroom off of the living room. No hallways.

"We'll let you get back to moving," I said. "We'll see you later." With that, I pulled them out of his apartment before they started going through the few boxes in the room. We went back upstairs and made a shopping list. We planned a meal of fried chicken by Joyce, corn on the cob and green beans by Jane, rolls by Lauren and a rare dessert of brownies by me. We all stopped by Steve's apartment on the way down. The door was still open and Steve was trying to move his sofa by himself.

"Here, let us help," Joyce said barging in the room. "Where do you want it?  
"I think along this wall, and then the chair here." We all helped to move the furniture around. He had his bed set up and piles of boxes sitting in the kitchen.

"We're on our way out. Did you need anything?"

"I need everything. Do you mind if I tag along? I need some food before the stores close until Monday. And I need some shelf paper. My mom will be much happier with me moving to New York if she knows my shelves are properly lined."

"Where are you from?" Lauren asked.

"Kansas. I'm here to attend NYC's film school."

"How Bohemian of you," Joyce said. "Come along, let's get going." We were downstairs and at the market in a hub of questions and answers. Bless the people in our wake. Jane went into the hardware store on the way back home to help him pick out appropriate shelve paper. We waited on a bench outside with the groceries.

"He seems nice. It will be interesting to have another young person in the building," Lauren said.

"Yes, but a film student?" Joyce complained. "Why couldn't he be a law student or a business major? I wonder what kind of friends he'll have in the building?

"He's going to NYC. There are all kinds of people there. Plus he's got us as his first friends," Lauren said. "You're awfully quiet on the subject, Beth, what do you think?"

"I really don't have an opinion yet. I think we should wait until we know him better."

"There you go, Joyce. We'll wait to know him better before deeming him socially unacceptable."

Jane and Steve came out of the hardware store and we headed home. We left Steve to unpack and headed up to start dinner. We told him we could help him unpack after dinner. Steve said he was going to try out the shower. We busied ourselves around the kitchen. We had an extra chair in our bedroom that Jane brought to the kitchen table. She set the table and started some tea. The chicken was frying, the corn was boiling, green beans were simmering, rolls and brownies were in the oven baking. Steve knocked on the door and I let him in.

"Hi, Steve, come in if you dare," I said.

"It smells really good. I've been driving for two days eating gas station food."

"Well, it's a step above that, if it turns out edible."

We sat Steve at the table and busied ourselves getting dinner on the table. We sat around eating and talking about our jobs and Steve's classes. He said he had studied writing for two years at the University of Kansas. He said his parents had told him if he put in two years there, then he could go anywhere he wanted. His dad was an insurance salesman and his mom an elementary teacher. They were hoping he would pick something more practical, but a deal was a deal.

"Beth is taking a writing class at Central Community College," Joyce offered.

"Oh, yeah. How do you like it?"

"I really like Professor Trainer. He makes everything so interesting. I just finished Comp I and I start Comp II in the fall. I was lucky enough to get Trainer's class again."

"I have a meeting with my advisor on Monday to get enrolled. Classes start on the 19th. I'm hoping to be settled in by then."

"If we get started now," organizer Joyce stated, "we can get you part of the way there."

Lauren and Jane stayed to clean the kitchen. Joyce and I accompanied Steve downstairs. We had brought scissors and Joyce and I started on the shelf paper. Steve unpacked some books to the shelves that divided his bedroom and living area. Lauren and Jane joined us after the shelf paper was done. We moved to put some under the bathroom cabinet. Steve found dishes and pots and pans. They unloaded his kitchen.

"I need a toaster," Steve said when we walked back in the room.

"And some silverware. And you don't have any glasses," Lauren said.

"They're here somewhere. I just haven't found the right box yet."

"Why don't you put your bathroom in order? We'll go through more boxes," Joyce said.

It didn't take him long to finish his bathroom. I found another box that went in there and took it to him.

"Look, a toothbrush, a comb and your razor. Along with more towels."

"Thank goodness I can shave. I haven't shaved since I left Kansas."

"I just thought you were going for that starving artist look." I handed him stuff and he put it where he wanted it to go.

"I put a box of clothes on your dresser. We hung up everything else. I think you're all unpacked. You have bare walls, though."

"I need to look for a job, then maybe I can buy some movie posters to hang up."

"How bachelor-like of you," Joyce laughed. "I think we need a gopher at the office. Ours has graduated and has a job he starts next week. I'll leave you the address. You should come by tomorrow and apply."

"Thanks, will they work around my school hours?"

"They have before. Get enrolled first and bring your schedule with you. I'll let Sandra know you're coming. She's in charge of hiring staff."

"Thanks that would be a great help." We had been gathering newspapers and flattening boxes. His apartment looked pretty good. He had hardwood floors, and didn't have a rug. I ran upstairs to grab our broom and dustpan. He needed to add that to his list, too.

"There, now it's up to you to keep it clean," I said. "You should send your mother a few pictures while it's still clean." He had unpacked a camera and put on the bookshelf.

"Good idea. And let me get a picture of my first four friends. I'll tell her I've had a decent meal, too."

"Decent? That meal was downright scrumptious," Lauren said with fake indignity.

"Okay, okay, scrumptious. One night this week I'll buy you girls' dinner."

"Sounds good. We had better call it a night. It's ten already. We leave for church at 10:30 in the morning, if you want to join us," Jane said.

"It's an Episcopalian church right down the street. None of us are Episcopalian, so it works out great."

"I would like that. Knock when you're ready to go."

We said our goodnights and headed upstairs. I took a shower and thought about what I would write in my diary tonight. A lot had happened in a day. Jane was asleep when I crawled into bed.

Saturday, August 1st

Dear Girls,

We have a new neighbor, Steve. He moved into 2B today. He's from Kansas and is going to study film at NYC. He seems pretty nice. We cooked him dinner and helped him unpack tonight. He's going to church with us tomorrow. On Monday, he's applying at Joyce's office for a gopher job.

Jane followed me one night and figured out I was taking a class. I told them it was to meet more guys and to learn how to write better. They were appalled I was trolling for men at community college.

I'll let you know anymore I learn about Steve. He's likely to be a permanent fixture in Beth's life.

Tired,

Elizabeth

I put the diary in my nightstand and turned off my lamp. At least there would be some rest tomorrow.

### Chapter 12

Home Again

I was having a dream that I was falling. I landed on a bed of Jell-O. I awoke to "Good Golly Miss Molly" playing on my cell phone. I was home again. I opened my eyes, it was really dark. I looked at the time, 5:30 am. Why was I getting up so early in the morning? I went to the bathroom. When I came back, I found the diary and read last night's entry.

Sunday, August 1st

Ladies,

If I'm not here in the morning, you are getting up early to pick Paulo up at the airport. His plane lands at 8:00, Mom insists that I be there early. He is flying in to stay until Wednesday, which is move in day. Then you will leave for Southern Minnesota together. Not much happened today, church at the grand parents, watching a baseball game with Dad. Maybe having Paulo around will liven things up.

Fondly,

Beth

So Beth had been here while I had been there. I wonder if Liza had stayed put or if she slipped with someone else. I could hardly wait for some free time to catch up on the diary. I hurriedly showered and started getting ready. At 6:45 I headed downstairs. Mom was there making breakfast. It was good to see her.

"Hey, Mom."

"Oh, good. You're up. Do you mind putting some bread in the toaster? Breakfast is almost ready."

"Sure." I put four slices in and pushed the knob down. "Anything else?"

"Help me set the table. Eggs and bacon are ready." We were setting the table when Dad came in, ready for work. We sat at the table and dug in.

"You better go, dear," Mom said.

"Yes, the traffic might hold you up some," Dad added. "I'll see you tonight."

"Okay," I said kissing him goodbye. I went upstairs to get my purse. I walked out of the front door to get in my car, but it wasn't there. In its place was a blue SUV. I dug my keys out of my purse and hit the clicker. Apparently someone had gotten a new car. Probably for my birthday last month. I climbed in and took stock. It was great! It had a sunroof and was roomy without being too soccer mom-ish. I pulled out of the driveway and headed toward the airport. The traffic was bad. I finally made it to his terminal at 8:10 and saw him walking out with his phone in his hand. I hopped out and opened the back for his bags.

"Nice car," he said. "Now I'm not afraid of losing my man card."

"Thanks. How was your flight?" He grabbed me for a hug after loading his bags and kissed me lightly. We parted to get in the SUV.

"Good, just early. I was up at 3:00 to catch it. That was after being up late last night because everyone was there to say goodbye."

"Well, we'll get you to my house then you can take a nap. I'll wake you for lunch."

"That would be great. I hope your Mom won't think I'm rude."

"Not as long as you eat her cooking, you'll be fine." He grabbed my hand and kissed it. He talked about classes starting and how good it would be to see George and Jenna again. At least that I could talk about. I was eager to read Beth's diary entries and catch up on my own life. I pulled into the driveway and helped Paulo get his bags into the house. Mom was there to meet us.

"Hello, Paulo. How was your flight?"

"It was good, just early. I'm running on two hours of sleep."

"Then let's get you settled in and you can rest up before lunch."

We followed Mom down to the basement. Her and I unfolded one of the sofas and put sheets on the bed. Paulo sat down on the other sofa and pulled off his shoes. I kissed him on the cheek and told him I would wake him for lunch. It was now a little after nine, maybe he could get about four more hours of sleep.

"I've got to go shopping with Jillian for the Evans party we're decorating for. We'll probably have lunch out."

"No problem. I'll probably let him sleep until I'm starving and then maybe we'll go out and grab a late lunch."

"Sounds good. Let me know if you won't be home for dinner." I saw Mom out to the garage, grabbed a Coke from the fridge and sprinted up the stairs to my room. I just noticed the Liza Mae doll sitting on the shelf in my room. What a hoot. I pulled the diary out and found my last entry on July 3rd that I had written while in New York. I turned to the next entry and started reading.

Friday, July 4th

It's me, Beth!

I can't believe I'm here. In New York, only it's 50 years into my future. I was at first disappointed, I had really looked forward to my time at the Hamilton's beach house. Chuck was all set to introduce us to his friend Mark. But at least this is interesting, and great research for my book. I'm hoping before we leave I can get to see some places from my own life.

Today was good. Spent the day with Elizabeth's parents. We did touristy things I wouldn't have normally done as myself. The city is so crowded and so busy. And so noisy! The amount of trash around town just astounds me. Then we met up with Paulo's family and watched the fireworks. The fireworks were spectacular. Liza, hopefully someday you will get to see some fireworks. Even the ones from 1959 would astound you.

It's late. No plans for tomorrow, so maybe I'll be able to find my old apartment. I caught a glimpse of my office building today, so maybe I can find an excuse to go in it.

Yours Truly,

Beth

Saturday, July 5th

Ladies,

Today was interesting. I went into the lobby of my office building. Really only the furniture and the people have changed. I checked the directory, the 14th floor is still a law office, but I didn't recognize any of the names.

I told Paulo I just wanted to walk around the city a bit, that I was interested in church buildings. I was eventually able to have him lead me to the block I live on. The church me and the girls go to is still standing and still Episcopalian. We walked through my neighborhood. It's changed from a neighborhood of hard working people to a chic up and coming neighborhood. Who knew?

I've wondered if I should look myself up and see if I'm still alive and living in New York. I'm not sure if that is a good idea yet or not. I suppose I can always do it some other time when I'm sure it's right.

Yours Truly,

Beth

Sunday, July 6th

Ladies,

Went to mass with Paulo's family today. Then we had lunch. We went to a movie, "Year One". I was totally shocked that they use that kind of language! And the inappropriate humor! I really do not remember the Bible like that at all. Paulo and I said our goodbyes for now. He has to work tomorrow. He really is a good kisser, but unfortunately, no opportunity to do more than kiss. Not much else to tell. We are flying home tomorrow after lunch.

Beth

Monday, July 7th

Ladies,

We spent the morning packing. We had to send Dad out to buy another suitcase from the shopping. Thank goodness, Elizabeth, your wardrobe really needed some sprucing up. We had lunch here in the hotel restaurant and then took a taxi to the airport. I have never been on an airplane before, so I was trying not to have a panic attack. The airport seems to be complete chaos, I do not know how anyone knows where they are going.

Back home we spent the day unpacking. I am about to crawl out of my skin in need of a cigarette. I need to find a way to sneak a smoke here and there. I found the work schedule on the bulletin board. Tomorrow will be my first workday as you, Elizabeth. Hopefully all will go well. Selling books has got to be easier than working in a law office or taking an algebra class.

Beth

Tuesday, July 8th

Ladies,

Work was fine. I just need to learn where everything is. Thankfully Marina was working, too, and I could watch her use the cash register for a bit before trying it myself. Mrs. Truitt came in after lunch and we unpacked a new box of books. It took me a long time to find where they all went, but that helped me learn the layout of the store.

Your Mom and her friend Jillian are excited about decorating for an anniversary party out at the Country Club. Apparently, this was all your idea, Elizabeth, to start a party planning business. She didn't want to say anything about it until something came through. She and Jillian have been working secretly.

Beth

Wednesday, July 9th

Work today. Nothing new to write. You might check through the texts on your phone to keep up with Paulo, Jenna and your other friends. Texting, that is so crazy. I nearly had a heart attack that first morning I ever was here when your alarm on your phone went off. It took me forever to get it turned off. Then Jenna walked in and asked me if I was going to class that day. I said I thought I was coming down with something. She said I should go to the clinic. I just stayed in bed and wondered what was going on. I thought I was dreaming. The phone beeped later that day. I figured out how to get it to come on. It was a text from Elizabeth's mom. When the keyboard popped up, I couldn't believe I could type on this tiny device. I told her I had stayed in sick that day. She also told me to go to the clinic. From exploring your desk, I found your schedule and figured out how to get through the next day. Thankfully that first time was only two days.

Beth

Thursday, July 10th

Work again. Came home to find the Liza Mae doll on the kitchen table waiting for me. It's eerie, it looks just like her! Talked to Paulo tonight. He is liking his job and is excited about being in the same dorm. Do boys and girls actually share dorm buildings? That is so foreign to me. Move in day is Wednesday, August 3rd. He is going to fly in on the 1st and you two will go back to school on Wednesday. He is starting work almost immediately, same job he had last year. Work is fun, something different every day. I'm getting to read a lot during the lulls at work. So many books, so little time. I've worked on quitting smoking. I'm only on my second pack since being here. I am amazed at how bad it is for me. I will need to work on the girls back home to quit, too.

Beth

Friday, July 11th

Work. Went to the movies with Marina. Saw 'I Hate Valentine's Day'. It was funny, not as shocking this time as 'Year One'. I am also becoming obsessed with any and all Housewives shows on TV.

Beth

Saturday, July 12th

Work. Hung around the house after work and helped Dad grill some hot dogs. Mom is working at the party she and Jillian organized. We sat in his den and watched a baseball game. I had to remember not to cheer for the Yankees. Elizabeth, your life is really dull.

Beth

Sunday, July 13th

Church. Long nap, I was exhausted. In need of a cigarette. Pretty boring day.

Still Beth

I read through more entries, taking note of when something more exciting happened _._

Tuesday, July 22nd

Happy Birthday Elizabeth! Your parents bought you a new car. It is so nice! They said you needed something bigger and since your grades were so much better last semester, Ta-Da! I enjoyed driving it around today. The second time I was here, I had to drive your car for the first time. I was here on a weekend and Mom sent me out to get a few things from the grocery store. Finding my way around and driving when I hadn't driven in nearly a year was a near death experience. I got the wrong bread and Mom looked at me like I was crazy. That time I stayed for close to a week. I had to drive myself back to school that Sunday afternoon. I can't believe you can drive seventy!

Beth

After finishing, I then grabbed my phone and checked texts. My stomach growled and I realized it was one. I went downstairs and woke Paulo. We made out on his bed for a little bit, but I told him I didn't know when Mom would be home. We headed upstairs and decided to go to the Mall of America. He had never been. In New York, all of the big stores are out on the street. Here in the Midwest, we like our malls. I drove us there and we hit the food court. We went through miles of mall. He spent a lot of time in the Lego store. Then we headed home for dinner. Mom had made a chicken spaghetti casserole, one of my favorites. I wondered if I could memorize the recipe, so I could make it as Beth, maybe even Liza at some point.

After dinner, Paulo and I pulled my boxes out of the storage closet that I had just put there in May. I took the empty boxes up to my room to start packing some clothes. Paulo hauled those downstairs as I filled them up. At 9:00 I had everything done I could do until Wednesday morning. Paulo and I headed out for frozen yogurt.

"How was your last day at work on Saturday?" Paulo asked.

"It was good. I'll get to work again Christmas break, it's always busiest around the holidays. People tend to buy real books as gifts as opposed to e-books. The antiques tend to move more during the summer, when tourists are here on vacation. How was the mailroom?"

"Good, I really liked the job. They said if they needed help during Christmas break they would call me. Sometimes people try to use the last of their vacation days at the end of the year. But next summer I may need to stay at Southern Minnesota and take a couple of classes. It would help in getting my general ed credits out of the way so I can free up more time for my major classes."

"I still can't decide on exactly what I want to do yet," I replied gloomily. "I can't make up my mind. I still like art history, but then I think about American history, or European history and I still can't decide what to do."

"Maybe one more year and you will figure it out. Maybe a double major?"

" _More_ school? I don't think so."

"I'll be there five, maybe six years. You don't want to stay there with me?"

"Well, I'll have to think about that." We had finished our yogurt and headed back home. Mom and Dad were just heading upstairs.

"I am decorating for a party tomorrow at the Mosaic," Mom said. "Would you two be interested in helping? Jillian and I could pay."

"Sure, Mom, but you don't need to pay me."

"Me either, Mrs. Hammons. I would be glad to help."

"Good. Can you be there at 10:00? Jillian and I have a few more things to get squared away in the morning before we get started."

"Sure. We'll see you at breakfast. We're going to watch a movie we rented from Redbox."

"Okay, goodnight kids," Dad said as he walked upstairs. "You can use the DVD player in the den if you want."

Drat. There goes our making out in the basement. That's okay. Wednesday was just two more nights away. We settled in to watch the movie. It was one of those guy movies that didn't hold much interest for me. Paulo liked it. He was riveted to the screen. I played with his hand, and his ear. I rubbed his back. Getting little response, I headed to the kitchen for a Coke. I grabbed that and a can of orange soda. I had bought Paulo a case to drink while he was here and to take with him. I grabbed a bag of chips and went back to the den. I don't even think he noticed I was gone. He aimlessly dug a hand in the chip bag and munched. If I didn't think Mom or Dad would come down for a glass of water, I would strip and see if he even noticed.

The movie finally ended. We cleaned up after ourselves. I told him breakfast was at 7:30. He tried to kiss me goodnight at the bottom of the stairs, but I just stood there uninterested.

"What's wrong?" Paulo asked.

"You've ignored me the entire movie. Why is it I have to be ready when you want to get intimate, but if I'm in the mood, you can just ignore me?"

"I'm sorry. I guess it's being here with your parents in the house."

"And the half-dressed girl in the movie."

"It was a good movie."

"It had a predictable plot and was mostly fast cars and faster women."

With that, I turned and trotted upstairs.

Monday, August 3rd

Girls,

Paulo was being a jerk tonight. So if I'm not here in the morning, we had a little tiff. Let's just say, he was way more interested in a movie than he was in me and I did not take it well. We are going to help Mom and Jillian decorate for a party in the morning at 10:00 at The Mosaic. Just put it in the phone, it will lead you there.

Frustrated Slipper,

Elizabeth

I closed the book and slipped it back in my drawer. I took off my clothes and slipped a big t-shirt over my head. I washed my face and set my phone alarm for 7:25. Paulo could just see me in all my natural glory in the morning.

I turned off the phone and started out of my bedroom door. Then I remembered I needed pants. I found a pair of shorts on the floor and slipped those on. I thumped downstairs for breakfast.

"Did you have a bad night?" Dad asked.

"I guess, I woke up with a headache," I said. It did kind of hurt. "I don't think I rested well last night."

"Here, let me get the aspirin," Mom said. "Eat some toast, first, though."

"Do I need to get Paulo for breakfast?" Dad asked, opening the pill bottle Mom had put on the table. He shook out two pills for me.

"I told him what time breakfast was. Maybe he just wants to sleep in." He was probably still dreaming about fast cars.

Mom came back with a plate of toast and bacon. I grabbed some toast and added butter and strawberry jelly. It was so good. Mom made her own jelly, of course. I finished a piece and swallowed both pills with my milk. Mom brought the eggs and we all started filling our plates. Paulo came up, already showered and dressed.

"Good morning, Paulo," Mom said. "Help yourself. Elizabeth has a bit of a headache this morning."

"Oh, I'm sorry, Alisabet. Can I get you something?"

"No thanks, Mom gave me some aspirin. And breakfast is helping." And hearing Paulo saying Alisabet. No, you're mad at him, remember.

We talked through breakfast. Dad left for work and Paulo and I helped Mom clean the kitchen.

"Okay, I'm headed out. Paulo, can you help me load a few things in my car?"

"Sure, Mrs. Hammons."

"I'm going to get ready. Call if you need us to bring anything else." I headed upstairs for a shower. My head was beginning to clear. I was a little less mad than I was last night, mostly because I was plotting revenge. I didn't know what yet, but it made me feel better just thinking about it. I turned off the shower and dried off. Then I combed through my hair. I wondered how I would look with Beth's pixie cut. Actually, I wondered if next time I was Liza if I could get away with cutting her crazy hair. I would have to see what I could get by with in 1889. I dressed in a pair of shorts that my dad didn't like so much, he thought they were too short. I usually just wore them around the house. I added a stretchy, low scooped Vikings t-shirt. My cleavage showed about as much as I dared in front of my mom. I put on some socks and tennis shoes, couldn't sex that up if I was going to be on my feet all day. I parted my hair from front to back, and put it in loose pigtails. I added an extra layer of mascara. There, Paulo, ignore that all day.

I went downstairs to find Paulo waiting in Dad's den watching TV.

"Ready to go?" I asked. He looked up and blinked hard a couple of times.

"Yes, if you are." He stood up and walked toward me with that glint in his eye. I turned around before he reached me and headed to the front door without so much as a good morning kiss. I texted Mom to let her know we were on the way. She said she thought they were all set for now. I hopped in my SUV, buckled up and waited for Paulo.

"How's your headache?"

"Better. The aspirin and breakfast helped. I feel almost back to normal. Looks like you slept well."

"Pretty good. I guess I was still tired from the early morning flight. Look, I'm sorry about last night. I shouldn't have ignored you. I know we haven't seen each other in almost a month and I guess I didn't act very excited to see you."

"No, you didn't. But that's okay. You were tired. You were watching a good movie. I'm over it." Not really.

"Good. I'll make it up to you, I promise."

We stopped for drinks and a bag of chips. I bought Mom and Jillian both bottles of water.

"Elizabeth, how are you? I haven't seen you since graduation!" It was Jackson, a boy I had went to school with since Kindergarten. He had badgered me all through high school to go out with him. I had been determined not to be a notch on his very notch-ridden belt.

"I'm good, Jack."

"You look great, Elizabeth. What's going on?"

"Oh, not much. Headed back to school tomorrow. How about you?"

"I go back Thursday. Maybe we could hook up tonight before you leave?"

"Oh, sorry. I forgot to introduce you. This is my boyfriend, Paulo. He also goes to Southern Minnesota. He just got in yesterday from New York to go back."

Paulo stuck out his hand for Jackson to shake. "Nice to meet you."

"Umm, you, too. I hadn't heard that you were seeing anyone, Elizabeth."

"Well, I've been busy working, I haven't seen you all summer, Jackson. You should have come by Truitt's to look me up." I felt Paulo bristle next to me and put his hand on the small of my back. Revenge dished out. Teach him to ignore me again.

"I'll make sure and do that next break."

"Well, we better go. We're helping Mom out today. Nice to see you." We left the store and drove in silence. We were actually ten minutes early. We stepped into the building and found Mom and Jillian standing in the middle of the room checking a chart with tables and chairs, deciding if they could all fit.

"Hey, never fear, we're here," I said handing Jillian a bottle of water. "Where do you want us to start?"

"We have a plan, if everything fits. Let's start in the corner and set up all of the buffet stuff and then work our way out from there."

We followed directions from Mom and Jillian. They had hired a caterer who would be there at 4:00 to start in the kitchen. Flowers were being delivered that afternoon sometime and a band would be there to set up, too. We just needed to have everything ready by then. We worked at setting up tables, and with a couple of modifications that Paulo suggested, were able to get all the seating they needed, leaving enough room for the band and a dance floor.

"Let's take a lunch break," Jillian said. "Then we can get busy with the fun stuff after lunch."

"Sounds good, I'm starving," Paulo said.

"Yes, but I'm filthy and sweaty, so nothing fancy."

"Agreed," Mom said. "How about that sandwich shop around the corner? We can just walk there and get some fresh air."

We all agreed. We went into the restrooms to clean up a little. Then walked around the block to the shop. It was hot outside. Paulo held the door for all of us. The shop made its bread on sight and the smell of fresh baked bread made me queasy with hunger. The place was busy, but most people had their food. We placed our order and found a table that had just emptied. I placed our number on the table and sat while Mom and Jillian went to get their drinks. Paulo took my cup to get mine.

"Just drinking something makes me feel better," Jillian said, sitting across from me. "The hard stuff is done. I think the decorating will go much faster. We drew up exactly what we wanted to do on my tablet." She pulled her tablet out of her bag. She brought up an app. "Here, take a look."

I took the tablet as Paulo and Mom came back and sat down. I took a long drink from my Coke and looked at the table set-up. Tablecloths, lights intertwined with greenery and a centerpiece with flowers. I knew the centerpieces, minus the flowers to be delivered, were already made. All we had to do was put everything on the table and wait for the flowers.

"This is nice, you guys are really high-tech," I said.

"And show her the walls and the walkway," Mom said. Jillian reached over and swiped across the tablet to make another page come up. It showed the walls being decorated with lights hanging down. The walls of the room we were decorating were aged bricks. The windows were pretty stained glass. There were lights that shone in from the outside and would accentuate this later tonight when it was dark. Another page showed walkways bordered with more lights and with large flower vases anchoring the ends.

"This all looks nice," I said.

"The only tricky part will be getting all the lights plugged in without showing the electric cords," Jillian said. "Hopefully we'll figure that out as we go."

Our food arrived and we dug in. Jillian went back with Paulo and bought us all cookies for dessert. Mom and I refilled everyone's cups and we headed back eating our cookies. We unloaded the cars, putting everything on the dance floor. Paulo and Jillian started hanging the lights from the walls. There were little hooks already there, ready for use. Mom and I started putting tablecloths on all the tables. The florists arrived with the flowers and we all helped them bring the flowers in. We put them all on the dance floor and started back to work. After finishing the tablecloths, we started wrapping greenery with lights and putting it on the table. Paulo replaced Mom when the walls were done and helped me finish while they started the centerpieces. There were outlets built into the floor as well as the walls, so hiding cords wasn't too hard. When we finished that, it was 3:30. We stopped for a break.

"The band and caterers should be here anytime. The caterers have the tableware and napkins. Then we can set the tables." Mom said. "The only thing left to do is define the walkways from the door to the center of the room and from the center to the dance floor. Can you two kids work on that?"

"Sure, we'll get started, Mrs. Hammons," Paulo said. He had been unusually quiet today. I guessed he was still upset about me flirting with Jackson. We pulled the last of the lights out of a box. We had to figure out where to plug them in before we could do anything with them. Mom and Jillian started gathering empty boxes and bags and putting them back in their cars. The band walked in and started setting up. Mom and Jillian finished cleaning and tweaking a few things, waiting on the caterers.

"There, I think we've got it done," I said. They came over and looked. "This should be pretty with all of the lights turned down."

"Yes, that was our thought. Between the lights coming in from the windows and the ones on the dance floor, there should be more than enough light," Jillian said. The caterers walked in the door at 4:30. They seemed to sense we had run out of things to do.

"Why don't you show us what to do, then Paulo and I can finish up. I know you two are tired and need to get cleaned up to get back."

"That would be great," Jillian said. "Why don't I check in with the caterers, Cheryl, and you can show the kids what to do."

"Deal," she answered, "But you two should really let us pay you. We never would have finished this without you."

"Yes, you worked hard today," Jillian said. "It proved to me that we will have to find someone younger to help when we have a large party like this."

"You don't have to pay us," Paulo said. "You have been nice enough to let me stay with you. Just consider it payback for all of the meals."

"Then let me at least pay for you two to go out tonight," Jillian said. "That will make me feel better."

"It's a deal," I said. We all got busy. Mom showed us how to set everything up. The caterers had brought crates of table wear. We had 124 place settings to set up. We found it was quicker to do one thing at a time instead of one place at a time. Paulo started by putting plates at each setting. I folded the napkins and set them the way Mom had showed me on the plates. This was going to take the longest. Paulo finished the plates and started with the two forks for each set. He lapped me when I still had two tables to go. Then Paulo started with the spoons. All that was left was the knives, water glass and wine goblet. I started putting both glasses down. Paulo caught up to me with the knives and we worked together from there on.

"What would you like to do tonight?" he asked.

"I really hadn't thought much past a shower. There is an Italian place we could go to. It's one of my favorites."

"That sounds good. I'm really hungry again."

"Me, too. We'll have to find something else to do. I'll think on it. I want to get an early start tomorrow."

"Okay. Well I think that's it. Anything else?" he asked.

"Let me check with the caterers. The band said they were all set before they left to eat and change." We walked to the kitchen. The caterers said they were in good shape. I told them Mom and Jillian would be back soon, to call one of them if they needed anything and we left. We pulled into the driveway as Mom and Dad were backing out. I rolled down Paulo's window.

"All finished and the caterer said he was all set. The band finished setting up and left to eat and change," I said across Paulo and through the window.

"Good," Mom said. "It finishes at 10:00. We don't have to clean up until tomorrow morning, so we should be home shortly after. What are you two going to do?"

"I'm going to take him to Marcello's, then I'm not sure."

"There's an art installation at Rodger's park along with a carnival," Dad said. "Jerry at the office took his family last night and said they liked it."

"We'll check it out. We plan on leaving fairly early tomorrow, to beat the heat. Plus we have to unload Paulo from the storage shed."

"I have a meeting at three for work," Paulo added.

"Okay, have a good time. We'll see you later." They backed out of the driveway. I parked and we headed into the house. I told Paulo I would meet him in the den when I was ready and headed upstairs to shower. Paulo grabbed me by a ponytail from behind and pulled me against him. His mouth found my earlobe. I'm sure I tasted salty from sweat. His hands explored my body with harshness. He pushed me from behind and followed me up the stairs to my bedroom. I turned around and we had a frantic kiss-fest. We clumsily kicked off shoes, stripped shirts, pants, socks and undies. We wound up in the shower. Shower sex is over-rated. It's nearly impossible and terribly awkward. And we forgot to use a condom. But at least I could say that I had done it. The good thing about it is that when you're done, you're in the shower and you can get cleaned up. We washed each other's hair and backs. We stepped out of the shower and dried off. Paulo headed downstairs wrapped in a pink towel from my bathroom. I told him to bring it back upstairs when he was dressed. Mom was color coordinated. My towels were pink, she and Dad's towels were yellow and the guest towels were blue. I combed through my hair and wondered about the no condom use. I guess I wouldn't worry about it yet. Not anything I could do now.

Paulo was back in half an hour. I had make-up on and was drying my hair. He dumped the towel in my hamper. He sat on my bed and flipped on the TV.

"I just need to get dressed and we can go eat," I said.

"Good, I'm starved."

"Me, too. And exhausted. I hope I get a good night's sleep. Tomorrow will be just as busy."

"How far away is the restaurant?"

"Not far, about ten minutes. Then the park my dad was talking about is on the way back." I finished dressing and we headed downstairs and out to my SUV. We walked into Marcello's to the smell of garlic and olive oil. We had to wait ten minutes for a table. When we were seated at a table by a window, we dug into the bread at the table. We talked about classes for the fall. We didn't have any together, but Jenna and I did have Yoga together. The waiter took our order of chicken parmesan and lasagna.

Paulo laughed, "I wonder how that will go. She may decide you should start jogging with her in the mornings, too."

"No way. I have Medieval History at 7:30 on Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays. No way am I getting up earlier than 6:00. Besides, the sprint across campus to Lutheran Hall should count."

"I just hope you make it. You're not exactly a morning person."

"No, maybe this will help inspire me."

Paulo talked at length about some chemistry class he was taking on fluid dynamics. I think my eyes glazed over. This must be how my mother feels when Dad gets excited about tax season. Luckily, I was saved part way through by our food arriving. We dug in and spoke very little. We finished every bite plus another loaf of bread. I put some of the money Jillian had given us with the bill for the waitress.

"Will you wait for the change?" I asked. "I want to use the restroom here. I'm not fond of port-a-potties at the park."

"Sure, I'll meet you in the entry." When I came out of the restroom, Paulo was coming out of the men's room on the opposite side of the lobby. We drove to the park a few blocks away. We decided to look through the art installation first to let our food settle. There were a lot of statues made from multi-colored pipes. The names seemed to infer that they depicted different scenes from pioneer and Native American life. We twisted our heads in different ways and walked around them laughing. The statues were made for people to touch and climb. Some children were having a great time using them as playground equipment. We walked through them all, taking turns climbing on a few and taking pictures of each other with our phones. We made our way to the carnival. I don't do well on rides that go round and round at fast speeds. I told Paulo this upfront. Paulo said he was more into playing the games, himself. We decided to start with the Ferris wheel. We stood in line for a few minutes and hopped in a seat. The wheel was situated so you could see over the art installation when at the top.

"Oh, look," I said. "I think from up here and I can tell that one is 'Woman at Well'".

"Most definitely," Paulo answered. "And there is 'Oxen Pulling Plow'".

We laughed on the way down and looked for more statues on the way up. After the wheel, Paulo tried his hand at the basketball game and won me a small stuffed bear. We both played at shooting water guns at targets. We rode the tilt-a-whirl and I decided that was enough for me on the rides. Paulo played a few more games. We walked through the fun house of mirrors. We decided to each buy a dessert and meet at the picnic tables in the park to share. I found the funnel cake stand and bought one with a coke. I found a table by the 'Making Peace' statue and drank my coke and nibbled on the funnel cake, trying to wait for Paulo. He showed up a few minutes later with a fried snickers and orange soda. We would surely be sick later, but as long as I was alone in my room, I was okay with that.

We were back home by eleven. Mom and Dad had beat us home. I kissed Paulo goodnight and went upstairs. The light was still on in their bedroom, so I tapped on the door.

"Come in," Dad said.

"Hey, we just got home. How was the party?"

"It was nice," Mom said walking in from the bathroom rubbing cream into her face. "Everything went off without a hitch. The caterers cleaned up everything with the dishes and food. We just have to send the tablecloths to the cleaners, throw out what flowers didn't get taken and pack up everything else."

"Sounds easy compared to moving us back to the dorms."

"I still feel like I should be helping," Mom said. "Jillian and I could come after we're done with the Mosaic."

"I'm not a freshman, Mom. I can handle moving myself in. Paulo will be there to help with the fridge and anything else that's heavy."

"I'm more worried about you and Jillian on ladders and loading those heavy boxes," Dad said.

"We've got that handled," Mom said. "Eloise Travers has a grandson that needs a part-time job. He is going to meet us there in the morning. He's just turned sixteen and is saving to buy a car."

"Well good," Dad said. "I feel better about that. And I'm sure Elizabeth can handle moving herself in the dorm. We'll be up in a few weeks for parents' weekend and you can fix everything she does wrong then." He winked in my direction.

"I'll see you at breakfast," I said backing out of the room rolling my eyes. I knew he was only half kidding. I got ready for bed and laid in bed to update the diary. Everything went in that had happened today. I fell asleep before I finished writing.

### Chapter 13

Moving Day

"Elizabeth, wake up," Mom was saying. I opened one eye and looked at her. "Breakfast is ready."

"Okay, thanks, Mom. I'll be right down." I opened the diary and finished writing yesterday's entry. Then I put on a pair of sweats and headed down.

"Good morning, Ducks," Dad said.

"Morning," I mumbled. Paulo was already there, shoving food in his mouth. He finished chewing.

"How do you feel?" he asked. "Still sick from the tilt-a-whirl?"

"I do feel a little green. That and all the food." But that didn't stop me from loading up on French toast and bacon. I grabbed a Coke from the fridge and drank up. I stifled a belch.

"Well, I hope you feel better now," Mom said.

"Yep, I think that did it." We ate breakfast, I told Dad bye before heading up to shower and get ready. Paulo was showered and dressed, so he volunteered to load my car. Mom came up with me to make sure I had packed everything I needed. I came out of the shower to my bed being stripped and an open suitcase sitting on it. I combed through my hair, put on a little make-up and pulled on some clothes. Then I started packing what was left. Mom came back in.

"Paulo has everything loaded, he even put his sheets in the washer and folded up the sofa bed."

"Well, he's industrious this morning. I guess fried food and crazy rides doesn't knock him on his rear. I think I'm done, as soon as I finish my bathroom." She helped me in there and we hauled the two suitcases downstairs. Paulo was sitting in the kitchen drinking a soda.

"Is it all gonna fit?" I asked.

"Yes, but you won't be able to look out of the back of the window."

"I guess then I'm ready to go." I said goodbye to Mom in the driveway.

"Let me know when you make it there," she said. "And if you need anything."

"I will. We just need to fill up the tank and we'll be off." She stood in the driveway and waved while we backed out. We decided to drive a while before stopping for gas. It was good to get going. I liked being in a routine, and the last two days had been exhausting. We drove about forty-five minutes, fighting rush hour traffic. We made it to a truck-stop a little ways out of town. Paulo filled the tank while I went inside. I went ahead and emptied my bladder so I could fill it up again with a large Coke. I grabbed an orange soda for Paulo, along with a Milky Way and Snickers and met him back at the car. We made our way to campus at 11:30. I texted Mom to let her know we made it. We went inside and found check in at the front desk. We started unloading whatever boxes we could reach first. The first trip we went to both rooms, putting my stuff on the left side. The window was between our two beds. Hope Jenna could handle that. Paulo also took the left bed in his room. We went back for another load, which happened to be all mine. Five trips later, the car was empty and it was almost 1:00. We decided to go to the storage unit and see if we could get everything out, even George's stuff. Paulo had a knack for packing, and it all fit. We went through a drive-thru for Mexican food on the way back. I carried the food while Paulo carried the fridge up to his room. We ate our food and looked around.

"There is still a lot of work to do," Paulo said. "And I still have a meeting at 3:00."

"Why don't we use this time to get you organized? I can do my room later. Why don't you finish unloading the car and I'll get started hanging up your clothes?"

"Sounds good. Maybe I can get in a quick shower before I leave."

We both got busy. I hung all his clothes in his closet and put clothes in his dresser as I found them, starting with the two suitcases he had brought with him from New York. I opened boxes and found books. I put these on his side of the bookshelf above his desk. There was a double desk that ran between the two beds. Paulo kept bringing stuff up. I plugged in his fridge and the microwave he brought up. His shower and bathroom stuff I left on his desk.

"There, that's all of it," Paulo said. "Do you mind if I get a shower in?"

"Sure, here, take all of this stuff that you want in the bathroom with you. Then I can pile more stuff on your desk."

I got back to work. I started collapsing boxes and stacking them on George's bed. I finally found his bedding and started making up his bed. I heard the door open behind me.

"Hey Elizabeth!" George said. "Are you unpacking for everyone?" George brought in a box, a suitcase and a duffle bag and dropped on his bed. Then he reached in for a bear hug.

"How's the nephew?"

"Just as good looking as his uncle. Doesn't do much besides pee, poop, eat and cry."

"Then he is just like his uncle," I said punching him in the arm. Paulo came out of the bathroom, freshly showered and with jeans on.

"Hola George," he said grabbing him in one of those man hug type of things. "Have a good trip?"

"Besides the flat tire, yes. I'm going to go get another load. Did you guys get everything out of the storage shed?"

"Yes, and turned in the lock. Elizabeth forged your signature on the papers."

He left and Paulo finished getting dressed. We finished making his bed and then stacked the empty boxes on top of it. George brought up another load, then Paulo went down to help him with the last of his stuff. I stayed and helped both boys unpack. At 2:45, Paulo left for his meeting. I stayed to help George put posters on the walls.

By 3:30, the boys' room was completely finished. Their suitemates had checked in a little after Paulo had left. George volunteered to help me.

"If you would help get the big stuff in place, I would appreciate it. I don't even know if Jenna has made it yet."

We went up the two flights of stairs because the elevators were packed. Jenna was in the room with what looked like her first load of stuff.

"Hey, you," she said hugging me. "You're just in time to help." She turned and hugged George.

"Have a good trip?" I asked her as we headed downstairs.

"Yes, I left yesterday at three. I've been on the road since eight this morning."

We grabbed stuff out of Jenna's car and waited in line for the elevator. We made two more trips. Our room looked like a tornado had hit it. George busied himself setting up our fridge and microwave. I unloaded things into my closet while Jenna started in the bathroom. I found some books for George to unpack. Then Jenna and I switched places. Things finally were starting to look better. George took all of our boxes down to the trash and that emptied things out quite a bit. He came back up with Paulo.

"Hey, you guys are almost done," Paulo said. I looked at my cell phone, it was 4:30.

"I'm going to go shower, then how about we get some dinner?" George said.

"That sounds good," Jenna said. "We'll get cleaned up and let you know when we're ready." The boys left and Jenna jumped in our shower first. I finished unpacking all of my stuff, including my Liza Mae doll. She formed one side of a bookend on my shelf. Maybe I would be adding Secretary Beth, single girl of New York City as the other end sometime in the future. The only thing left to do was put stuff on my walls. Jenna came out of the shower.

"It is so nice to have our own bathroom," Jenna said. "Now the only people we have to wait on is each other. We'll have to get our shower times figured out."

She sounded like Joyce. I headed to the shower. It was nice not to have to worry about hurrying through it because there was a line behind me. And I could get out and stand in front of the bathroom mirror. Jenna was there blow drying her hair. We finished getting ready, talking about our summer. Jenna had started a yoga class at the beginning of the summer in her home town. Then she had expanded to aerobics. By the end of the summer, she was doing twelve sessions per week, expanding to include hiking. The town council was looking into raising funds to open a fitness center. There Jenna could teach her classes and oversee the weight room. She would train other people over the summer to take over when she left for school again in the fall.

"That's quite an accomplishment, Jenna," Paulo said when she had retold her story at Lucio's later. "Not every twenty year old can pull off practically opening their own business and having the town pay for it."

"I started with younger people, yoga is super-hot right now. Then the older women started becoming interested, and since aerobics was popular when they were younger, that kind of evolved by itself. Hiking is a natural back home. There was just a need to organize it and people like going in a group. Now the guys want weights."

"That's really cool," George said. "I worked at Chuckie Cheese back home this summer. Still pizza, only add a hundred screaming kids every day."

"That's brutal," I said cringing. "My summer job is nice and quiet. Mostly little old ladies in there to find old books they enjoyed in their youth. I'm just hoping Mrs. Truitt can keep it open. She's really having to rely on the tea room and expanding the antiques to keep going."

"You should see about having book clubs meet in the tea room during off hours. If you found out what book they wanted to read next, you could sell to the ones who still read hard copies."

I sat there with my mouth open. How had I not figured out that Jenna had such a sense for business? "That's a really good idea. I'll have to check with Mrs. Truitt. I did finally get her to start a webpage this summer."

"She should start a Facebook page and advertise the book clubs and the webpage," George said. "It works for Chuckie Cheese..."

We all laughed at that and finished our pizzas. Meat combo for me and Paulo, Veggie Delight for Jenna and George liked Pepperoni. We had taken my car, because we all needed to do some grocery shopping and my car was the biggest. We headed to Walmart. Jenna and I shared a cart this time. We bought paper goods, now that we had to provide our own toilet paper. Luckily my Mom had thought to pack a roll. We bought chips, cookies (if you can call what Jenna bought cookies) and Coke and bottled water. Then we headed to the cooler to get yogurt and some milk. We headed to the self-checkout lines and divided things between the two of us. We checked out and headed to the car to wait on the guys.

"I'm exhausted," I said. "We helped my mom decorate for a party she planned yesterday, then I helped the boys with their room and we still haven't finished ours."

"No problem," Jenna said. "We'll guilt the guys into hanging our posters and stuff. Then we'll just sit on the bed and supervise."

"Whatever you think, I could just throw them on the floor and fall in bed." The boys showed up a few minutes later and we headed back to the dorm. Jenna conned the guys into helping to finish our room by telling them that we really needed their help, we weren't sure where to put everything else. I rolled my eyes at her, I knew full well she knew exactly where everything else was going to go.

Back at the dorms, the boys stopped at their room to put up their groceries. We left our door open and started half-heartedly putting up a few things. When the boys got there and started hanging posters, Jenna somehow made them think it was all their idea on where everything should go. When my bed was cleared off, I sat down on it and let them finish everything. The next thing I knew, I was awoken by a kiss on the forehead.

"I didn't mean to wake you, Alisabet," Paulo said. "We're all done, George and I are headed downstairs."

"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow." I stood up and walked them to the door, locking it behind them. I went into the bathroom and washed my face. I put on a long t-shirt and crawled back in bed. Jenna was flipping through the channels.

"What's the plan for tomorrow?" I asked her.

"I have a meeting at the fitness center at ten. And we have a floor meeting at eight tomorrow night."

"Then I can sleep in," I said stretching. "At home, I have to be downstairs for breakfast at 7:30 every Monday through Friday. And I worked most Saturdays. And then church on Sundays."

"You could go jogging with me in the morning."

"I would hate to hold you back. But don't worry, I do plan to get out sometime tomorrow and find all my classes. So I'll get plenty of exercise."

"Just don't eat a doughnut while you do it." There's the Jenna I know and love.

"Okay, no doughnut." But a milkshake from the Union was not out of the question.

The next few days were a blur of doing basically nothing. Everybody else was busy working. I went to the dorm meeting and to a History Club meeting. I bought my books for the semester. That's why they get everyone to move in so early. It takes a full day of standing in line to get your books. I emailed Mrs. Truitt Jenna and George's ideas about the book club and Facebook page. Mrs. Truitt thought they were great. She asked if I could do the Facebook page, since her and Marina were manning the website. I said sure, I was going a little stir crazy anyway. At least it gave me something to do. Mrs. Truitt said to advertise the book club meetings. In fact, she said she would start one herself to get the ball rolling. She said to advertise twenty slots, first come first serve. The first book was going to be _The Help_. She decided on Tuesday nights at 6:30. Soup, sandwiches and tea would be served for $10. I told her she should look into serving wine, too. She said she would think about it. She decided on the first Tuesday after Labor Day. I was really excited for her. I hope the twenty slots filled up fast and that other people decided to start clubs, too.

Saturday night I was in Paulo's room. George was at work. We had just finished doing the deed and were laying there watching TV. I'm not complaining, because maybe it's me, but he doesn't seem to be getting better at this. He seemed content. Maybe he was satisfied and didn't realize I wasn't getting much out of it. I didn't know how to tell him without hurting his feelings. Maybe it just needed some more time.

"Are you all ready for classes?" Paulo asked.

"Yeah, I think I have everything. I'm just not looking forward to getting up so early on Monday. Or to yoga with Jenna. I have a feeling that is going to be brutal."

"That's your own fault," Paulo said. "You could be taking bowling with George and I."

"Yeah, bowling. That sounds like a load of fun."

"It will be with us. Plus it's at 1:30 in the afternoon at the bowling alley. How cool will that be?"

"I'm sure bowling will come in handy when you are networking during your career. 'Oh, Dr. So and So, I don't golf, but I was my college PE class bowling champ. How about throwing a greasy ball at some pins?'"

"I plan on taking golf in the spring. I need to save up to buy some clubs, though."

"Well good. Then you'll have some options. I need to get in shape and don't want to break into a sweat doing it."

"I think yoga is harder than you think it will be," George said. "You're going to feel muscles you never knew you had."

"Well, I'll have all morning to recover. I don't have another class on Tuesday and Thursdays until 1:00."

"At least you planned that well," Paulo said. "Like us being in the same dorm. This is going to be much more convenient."

"Yes, and speaking of which, I need to get dressed." I hopped out of his bed and found my clothes. Paulo put on some sweats and walked me to the door.

"How's my hair?" I asked. The only mirror was in the bathroom presently occupied by one of his suitemates.

Paulo ran his fingers through it to untangle it. "There, you'll make it to your room. See you for lunch tomorrow?"

"Sure, give me a call." He shut the door behind me. I decided to take the stairs up the two flights. It gave me a chance to think. I remember how Joyce had said it was so nice that Larry actually went blocks out of his way to see her home instead of dropping her off at a subway tunnel. Paulo didn't even walk me to the elevator, much less to my door. I mean, he didn't even have to get outside. He had also stopped opening doors for me. I've always heard they won't buy the cow if they can get the milk for free. I guess this was proof. I walked in my door. Jenna was in bed on her laptop.

"Hey girl," she said.

"Hey, what's up?"

"Sending an email about the fitness center. They wanted to know some prices on weight equipment. After talking to a vendor, they need to know how big the space is so that we can work on a layout and prioritize what we want. That's something I hadn't thought about."

"My mom and Jillian have some kind of design app on Jillian's tablet that lets them do layouts for their events. Would that be helpful?"

"Yes! What's it called?"

"Let me text Mom and see. Once you get the square footage, then you'll be able to visualize it better." I sent Mom a text and changed into a nightshirt.

"I have trouble imagining what fits where. I'm not good with spatial relationships."

"Me either. I always think things are smaller than they really are."

My phone buzzed. Mom had sent the name of the app. I gave Jenna my phone so she could see it and went to the bathroom to brush my teeth. I crawled in bed and flipped through the channels to find something to watch. Jenna put up her laptop.

"So, how was your night?" she asked.

"It was okay. I like Paulo, but he isn't exactly like he was in the beginning."

"That happens. The newness wears off. You probably haven't been just like you were in the beginning, either."

"Maybe not. I'll have to give that some thought."

We fell into watching TV, commenting on the new neighbors. The room above us sounded like lumberjacks dropping logs on the floor. Hopefully they would settle down soon.

Sunday came and went. I hadn't ever went to church at college, I'm not sure why. Maybe it's something I need to look into. I guess I didn't want to go by myself in the beginning, then it just became a habit to not go. Plus I'm kind of lazy.

Monday morning, 6:00 am. I can't believe I signed up for a 7:30 class. I will get used to it. I will become a morning person. I will feel better after a Coke and a doughnut. I had twenty minutes to get across campus. Thankfully the Campus Corner was close to my dorm. I could grab breakfast and eat on the way. With class being so early, I had my choice of delicious fried dough. History of Religion was in the Lutheran building. I was also taking Early European History and Native American Studies, all in one day. I was hoping to figure out what I wanted to focus on in history. I just hoped I could focus at 7:30 in the morning.

First classes are mainly an overview of everything you are going to be expected to do for the semester. And your instructor telling you not to get behind and do all of the reading assigned. And today, there was a lot of reading assigned. I had a Bible reading assignment and a reading assignment from the textbook. No homework. I mean, other than the reading, that I was definitely going to keep on top of, mostly. I packed away my stuff and headed to Native American Studies, which was a five minute walk. Lots of reading assigned, again. European History was just down the hall, but it didn't start until 10:30. There was a lobby area on the first floor of the building with snack machines. I headed down and bought a Coke and sat in a chair and started reading the Bible assignment. How about that, it only took twenty minutes. I still had twenty minutes until I needed to head upstairs. I resisted the urge to get my phone out of my pocket and opened my religion text. After every paragraph, I looked at the clock on the wall. The minutes seemed to tick by slowly. At 10:20 I packed everything up. I had actually made a lot of head way. I walked up the flight of stairs to the classroom. I got settled into a desk towards the window side of the room. I opened my folder in Religious History and checked off the Bible reading assignment that I had written in the calendar square for Wednesday. I had printed blank calendars for August and September and put them in each class's folder. I was getting way too organized.

European history crawled by. I was really ready for a nap. But this girl had one more class to go. Chemistry. Then I was done for the day! I made it to Chemistry just in time, there were only three desks empty. I sat in one and pulled out my book and folder. Amazing, another reading assignment.

I checked my phone when I left class. Nobody seemed to need me, so I went by the Union to grab some lunch to take back to my room. Hum, what to eat? McDonald's won out, mainly because it was the easiest to transport and the line was the shortest. I ordered a large Coke. This made the third one before noon. I was going to have to switch to water. In my room I put the food on my desk and then flopped on my bed. I found something to watch while I ate. I decided a nap was definitely needed, but I was going to set my alarm. Then I was going to get busy reading. I would read for twenty minutes, then do something else for twenty minutes. Surely I could pay attention for twenty minutes at a time, just like this morning. Jenna walked in while I was patting myself on the back for my great idea.

"How was class?" I asked.

"Good, just boring. Lots of reading. How about you?"

"Same on the reading. Not sure what will be boring yet. Probably Chemistry."

"Yeah, I had that last semester, remember? You pretty much told me to suck it up and get through it."

"Yeah I remember. I'm about to take a nap. I've had a long morning."

"That sounds good. I have to work from 3:00- 7:00."

"I'll set an alarm for 2:00. Is that good with you?"

"Yes." She went to the bathroom, came back and slipped out of her jeans. She crawled in her bed in her tank top and undies. I thought that looked pretty comfortable, but was too lazy to get up and take off my capris. We watched TV and before I knew it, the alarm was going off.

"That didn't seem like an hour and a half," Jenna said.

"No, it didn't. Want a water?" I got up and opened the fridge.

"Yeah, thanks." I pulled out two bottles of water and tossed her one. I took a long drink from my bottle before using the bathroom.

"Do you have plans for dinner?" I asked walking back in the room.

"No, are you not seeing Paulo?"

"He works until eight. Then he'll probably need to study. He has a lot of classes on MWF's."

"I can bring something back after work. I'll text you and see what sounds good. Are you excited about yoga?"

"So excited. I hope it's easy."

"It will be tomorrow, probably. But it's a lot harder than it looks. Some of the poses really take a lot of stamina." She was hanging her jeans up and slipping on some yoga pants. "Do you have yoga pants?"

"No, can I wear shorts?"

"You can, but you might think about buying some eventually. Then you don't have to worry about anything showing during headstands. A top that is tight fitting helps, too."

"I guess we'll have to go shopping this week. I do have the mat you told me to get."

"I have time tomorrow, I don't work. We can go to that shop I like. I'm headed out. I'm going to get in some time on the elliptical before my shift starts."

"Have a good time. I'm going to get busy reading. Lots of reading in all of my history classes."

I read for twenty minutes, then wrote in the diary for twenty minutes. Then I read for twenty minutes and cleaned the bathroom and watched TV for my next twenty minutes. Then I read and sorted and started my laundry. Then I read, checked on my laundry and played around on my phone. I read for twenty more minutes and figured I had done enough reading. I had finished my reading for History of Religion, Native American Studies and had gotten a start on European History. I only had Yoga and Music Appreciation tomorrow, so I could finish reading then. I made sure all of my calendars were caught up, then decided to Google Liza Mae. I wondered what she had done to earn a distinction as an American Girl Doll.

The first link that came up was the one on American Girl. That led me to a Wikipedia page. Apparently Liza had done a lot with White and Indian relations. She had started English lessons to Indians in the area. She had developed a sort of apprenticeship program for Indians to learn trades with white settlers. I wondered how this had affected the timeline. I had only been back for a week, I didn't know what this might have changed. Was this for the better or worse? It seemed she was working on assimilating them, but since that is what happened pretty much anyway, maybe giving them more advantages instead of just thinking they were beneath the whites was helping them.

My phone rang. It was Paulo.

"Hey Paulo, how has your day been?"

"It's been good, but long. Five classes from 8:30- 2:30 and then work from four to eight. I'm on break now. How was your day?"

"It was good. Seven thirty was really early, but the class seems to be interesting. I actually had time for a nap and then I have done a lot of reading."

"I have a lot of reading to do, too. But only two classes tomorrow. Can you meet for lunch?"

"Yes. I have between yoga in the morning and Music Appreciation at one free. No Chemistry Lab until Thursday."

"How about 11:30 at the Union."

"Sounds good. I'll see you then."

"Ciao, Alisabet."

Well, he was making an effort to see me. I needed to think of something nice to do for him. Jenna had mentioned that I probably wasn't being as attentive in our relationship, either. Then my phone buzzed with a text from Jenna about dinner. I put in an order for a meatball sub and potato chips. It was already 6:30. I went down the hall to get my laundry out of the dryers. I had it all folded and put away when Jenna got back with dinner an hour later.

"How was work?" I asked.

"Busy. All the freshmen have to go through tutorials on learning the equipment. And anyone else who never used their ID's at the fitness center. You wouldn't know anyone like that, would you?"

"Nope, not me," I said. I had never set foot inside the fitness center. I grabbed my bag from Jenna's hand. I could tell which one was mine by the grease spot forming on the outside of the bag. We found a Real Housewives show to watch and dug in. Jenna showered after eating, then she cracked the books. I just couldn't bring myself to read anymore, so I sent Paulo a cute little text about wishing he was here with a picture of a sad little puppy. I watched some stupid stuff on YouTube while Jenna studied. At ten Jenna closed all of her books and cleared her bed. I opened a bag of Oreos and poured a cup of milk for dunking.

"Want one?" I asked Jenna.

"No thanks. I'll eat my fruit thins, but dunking them in milk does look good." With that we discussed what time to get up for class. Jenna, of course, wanted to go showered and with her make-up on. I just wanted to roll out of bed and put my hair back. Maybe brush my teeth. She was getting up at seven, to get a jog in. I decided eight thirty, to get a doughnut in. We set our alarms and continued eating cookies and watching TV until we fell asleep.

I heard Jenna get up to go for her jog. I rolled over in bed to face the wall and fell back asleep. I heard her come in and sat up in bed. I checked my phone, it was seven ten.

"Hey, how was your jog?"

"Good, but it started sprinkling a little bit."

"Let me use the bathroom, then I'll go to Campus Corner and grab some breakfast. What do you want?"

"One of those turkey sausage and egg white wheat English muffins. And an apple juice."

"Yum," I said coming out of the bathroom. I found some clothes and brushed through my hair. I had a make-up mirror on my desk that I used to put in a ponytail. I grabbed my umbrella and purse and took the stairs. Decided that would warm me up some for yoga. Campus Corner was just across a court yard from our building. I went in and found Jenna's muffin full of yumminess and decided on a chocolate long john this morning. I grabbed drinks, checked out and headed back. I took the elevator up (no use wearing myself out) and was back in the room before Jenna was even out of the shower. My alarm went off. Look at all I had gotten done before I was even supposed to be out of bed. I put Jenna's food on her desk and sat cross-legged on my bed and took a giant bite. It had taken sheer willpower to not down it on the walk back. Chew, girl, chew.

"You should try a bite of my muffin," Jenna said. "You might accidentally like it."

"Accidents do happen," I said. "But I would hate to deprive you of all of your breakfast. Maybe next time."

At nine fifteen we headed to yoga. We were instructed to unroll our mats and sit and listen. The first day was talking on how to push ourselves, and how to differentiate between actually hurting ourselves and what stretching a muscle feels like. Then we were instructed to inhale and exhale through our noses, using all of our core muscles. Then we were challenged to hold poses for ten seconds each, while breathing. Downward dog I got, but holding one leg in the air for ten seconds was a lot harder than I thought. We went through warrior poses that weren't too bad. Childs pose is my favorite. Then the instructor showed us some poses that she hoped by the end of the semester we would be able to do. A headstand and something called crow? Huh, this might be harder than I thought.

"How did you do?" Jenna asked as we walked out. She hadn't even broken a sweat.

"Not too bad, but it's harder than it looks. I'm headed back to the room for a shower."

"Okay, I have Biology. I'll see you later."

I showered and sat on my bed to put some make-up on. I had half an hour before I was supposed to meet Paulo for lunch. And then I had Music Appreciation. It had started to rain steadily, so I didn't bother doing anything with my hair (what a shock). I left my room at 11:25, texting Paulo in the elevator to let him know I was running late.

Paulo: What do u want 4 lunch?

Response: Cheeseburger, fries and a Coke from Burger Shack

Paulo: OK. C u soon.

With the rain and fighting with my umbrella, I managed to get there by 11:40. I looked around for Paulo, walking towards the Burger Shack. I saw him waiting close by.

"Hey you," I said. "Sorry I'm late. Took me longer to get back to the room and showered than I thought."

"That's okay. I had just gotten here when I got your text. I've ordered, just waiting for our order. Why don't you find us a table?"

"Sure, I'll try for near the stairs."

I found us a table and put my bag on the back of my chair. I stayed standing so Paulo could find me. I waved when I saw him walking towards me.

"How was yoga?"

"You're right. It is harder than it looks. What did you have this morning?"

"Advanced Chemistry. I have a lab at one."

"Fascinating. Do you work today?"

"Yes, three to eight. But I'm off tomorrow. I will probably have a lot of homework to do. Maybe we can grab dinner somewhere?"

"Getting off campus would be nice. How about Pig Pen?"

We ate lunch and firmed up our plans for dinner tomorrow night. We headed off to class together, the buildings were nearby. Paulo didn't have an umbrella, so I walked him to one end of his building that was closest to mine. He gave me a quick peck on the cheek and told me he would call me later. He would need to go to the library after work.

Music Appreciation, we actually had a written assignment, on top of a reading assignment. A one page theme on our favorite type of music and why we liked it. I had the European History assignment to finish reading and Chemistry. Maybe I could squeeze this in, too.

Jenna was in the room when I came in. I put the opened umbrella in the shower to dry. She was laying on her bed reading. I plopped on mine and pulled out my history text. We studied in silence for about half an hour. I realized I was getting restless. I had only been here nine days and I was ready to slip somewhere else. I was actually curious about what was going on in 1889 Oklahoma. I wondered how Ben was. I even missed Pup, but I knew that would change as soon as I saw him. He was like a bratty kid. Couldn't stand it if I tried sitting next to Ben, and in the wagon at night he was always right there. I wondered if they had built a house or if they had been able to plant crops that first year. And I bet that Lily had had her baby. I hoped that everything had gone well. Were they living nearby? Had Liza started her English lessons with the Indians yet?

Next thing I knew, I was waking up with a page from my text stuck to my face. Jenna was looking at me laughing.

"Hello, sleeping beauty. I guess yoga wore you out."

"Yeah. I didn't even realize I fell asleep. What time is it?"

"Four thirty. You haven't been out that long. You kept muttering Ben, though. Who's Ben?"

"I don't know. I don't even remember what I was dreaming about." I remember _exactly_ what I was dreaming about. "Must have been something in my subconscious."

"Well, I want some of that subconscious," Jenna replied slyly. "Sounded yummy."

Yeah, if you like a covered wagon and a dog watching.

"Do you have plans for tonight?" I asked to change the subject.

"Nope, just studying. I work the next four days, I don't want to get behind."

"Still want to help me pick out yoga pants? And we could grab some dinner somewhere. Shouldn't take long."

"Sounds good. Let me finish this essay. I should be ready by about five thirty."

"Okay, I'll try reading more about Tudor England. Its way more interesting on TV than in this text."

We both buckled down and when Jenna had finished her paper, I had finished reading both European history and my reading for Chemistry. Only Music Appreciation to go. We headed out with my umbrella. The fitness store wasn't far from our dorm and there was a Panera Bread next door where we could eat. I picked out some black pants and Jenna said I should get two pair, so she found a hot pink pair. She shooed me into a changing room and said she would bring me some tops. She came back to the dressing room.

"Do you have a sports bra?" she asked when she knocked on the door.

"No, I have nothing sports related whatsoever."

"Here, take these shirts, but don't put them on until I come back with one."

She handed two shirts through the door and went back to find a sports bra. She had brought in a white, tight but stretchy top and a pink one with black stripes. Jenna knocked again and I let her in.

"Here you go, she said. Just put it over your head, like a shirt. It should be tight without being uncomfortable."

I had on the black pants and slipped the bra on. Then she handed me the white shirt. Everything seemed to fit. Then I switched pants and shirts. Everything fit the way she thought it should.

"I'm going to try on some pants. You should get some socks with non-slip soles, unless you want to be barefoot."

"Aye, aye captain," I saluted as she left. I redressed in my own clothes and took everything out with me. I looked at the sock display and picked out a package with two pairs of white socks. I went to the register to check out. Jenna joined me with new pants. We ran next door to eat. The rain was cold for August. I paid for dinner since Jenna had paid for mine the night before. She got a bowl of tomato soup and a BLT on whole wheat bread. I opted for grilled cheese and Mexican tortilla soup. We sat to eat with a group of girls from our floor. It reminded me of Beth and her roommates. Jenna and I talked about the people upstairs that were so noisy, and the other girls mentioned other people in the dorm or in class. I guess girl talk doesn't change much in fifty years. We also talked about boys in the dorm and who we thought were 'doable'.

When there was a lull in the rain, we all headed back to our dorm. I changed into pajamas so that I would have on dry clothes. Jenna sorted her laundry and headed to the laundry room. I decided to vacuum our room to give me time to think about my favorite type of music and why it was my favorite. Jenna came back as I finished. Not that much carpet to vacuum.

"Anything else you want to do?" she asked.

"Nah, I can mop tomorrow when you're at work. I don't mind."

"Okay, I won't fight you on that one. Now, no more procrastinating, time to study."

"Okay. I have to right a page on my favorite type of music and why I like it. I don't even think I know what my favorite music is."

"If you turned on the radio right now, what song would you want to be on the most?"

"The Twist, by Chubby Checkers."

"You like the oldies, or Motown specifically?"

"Hum, I guess Motown. I like that it's danceable and when it's groups singing I like the harmonies."

"There you go, another problem solved by Jenna," she said.

I sat down and read the assignment first, in case there was anything hidden in there that should go in the writing assignment. There was a list of vocabulary words at the end of each section. I found that I could use several of these in my paper. I had the entire assignment done in forty-five minutes. Then I decided I could write in the diary since Jenna was still doing homework and wasn't noticing. It was nine when I finished. I took my phone out to the lobby and sat on a chair to give Paulo a call.

"Hello, Alisabet. What's up?"

"Nothing, just finished most of my homework. I still need to read a few pages in Chemistry. How about you?"

"I'm still at the library. I came in a study room to take your call. I already have a paper due Monday. Trying to get most of the research done tonight."

"That's good. You sound busy."

"I needed a small break. I came straight here from work."

"I may need to find a job, I have too much free time on my hands. Everyone else is so busy."

"Maybe you can be my research assistant. I spend a lot of time at the copying machine that I could spend looking up more stuff."

"I could do that. Why don't you make me a list of the stuff you need copied. I can do it tomorrow afternoon. Then I can give it to you at dinner."

"You don't mind? That would really save me some time. Maybe you could do some typing for me, too? That really slows me down."

"Sure, I'll just be your secretary. Would you like some coffee, Mr. Sanchez?"

"No, but are you the kind of secretary that sleeps with her boss?"

"That depends on if you're the kind of boss who gives good bonuses."

"Well, well, well," Paulo said, obviously with a smile. "Now I know what kind of girl you really are."

"Just send me the notes. The rest will be negotiable after dinner. Jenna works until nine."

I hung up and went back to the room. I rummaged through our food shelf for something to snack on. What I really wanted was ice cream with my mom's caramel sauce. I opted for a Milky Way and some milk. Jenna came in with her finished laundry. I sat on the bed and flipped open my Chemistry book. I only had four pages to get through, but it was boring as hell. I had trouble concentrating, but I finally finished.

"I think this is the first time I have all of my homework done," I said. "As of right now, I've read and done everything I'm supposed to."

"That's great," Jenna said. "And you're all the way through day two!"

"That's not very yogi of you."

"Namaste," Jenna said putting her hands in front of her and bowing. "Can we have some TV time now?"

"Absolutely." We had a deal to keep the TV off when one or both of us were studying, although I typically broke this rule when here by myself. I liked the noise. We watched TV until falling asleep.

I remember complaining about Beth's job being so boring. And about Liza's journey to Oklahoma being boring. But after three weeks of school, I would gladly go either place to get away from the monotony of my life. Paulo had little time for me. And when he did, it was usually between class and going to the library. I helped him all that I could, and was glad to do it, but it would be nice to feel appreciated. I had taken Jenna's advice and made sure I was being as giving in the relationship as I could, but it wasn't being reciprocated. If I hadn't of had sex with him, I probably wouldn't have stayed with him for this long. Lesson learned on that one.

My relationship with Jenna was better. We talked a lot about boys. She had a much freer view on sex than I did, still requesting the room from time to time. I asked her if it bothered her that nothing seemed permanent. She said she wasn't looking for permanent right now, just fun.

I kept up with the bookstore, the book club idea was gaining momentum. On top of Mrs. Truitt's group, there were two other groups meeting. She had applied for a liquor license to sell wine. She was just waiting on the approval.

My grades were good, I was keeping up with my classwork. Having a boyfriend you never saw freed up a lot of time to study instead of dating. I hung out in the lobby with the other girls on our floor. We had decided to start a book club, too. I was also getting the hang of yoga, and actually enjoyed it. My jeans were loosening up. And I could stop feeling so guilty about eating a doughnut nearly every morning for breakfast.

It was September 7th, Labor Day, and I had just gotten back to my room from visiting home. Paulo had stayed to catch up on school work, although I had told him a break might be good for him, to clear his mind. I was beginning to think it might be time to call it quits, but decided to give it until fall break. Jenna and I had decided to take the opposite approach with Paulo, and make myself less available. Make him miss me. Or see if he even noticed.

I unpacked and caught up with Jenna. She had stayed behind to work. She had just gotten out of the shower and was sitting on her bed detangling her hair. I grabbed her comb and started combing small sections at a time.

"What did you do to get your hair in this kind of shape?"

"You really don't want to know the answer to that. Let's just say I was putting my yoga skills to better use."

"Ewww. You're right, I don't want to know. There, I think we won't have to shave you," I said handing her back the comb. We watched TV while I unpacked and Jenna moisturized. That's why she had to work so much, to purchase moisturizer to cover her entire body. I volunteered to go get dinner. I hadn't heard from Paulo, and I wasn't about to text him first. We ate watching TV. Neither of us had homework, so it was like a slumber party, except that Jenna had yogurt instead of ice cream. She did however eat a piece of the cake Mom had sent back with me. I caught up on a quick diary entry when Jenna went to get her laundry out of the dryer.

### Chapter 14

Back in the Saddle, Again

Sucked right through Jell-O, landing softly. I opened my eyes to see where I was. There was very little light. I sniffed and smelled a faint twinge of smoke. I sat up quickly in bed wondering if the room was on fire. I was in a small space that seemed to be made of wood. I was lying on a mattress on the floor. I got up slowly, not knowing where anything was, but really needing to use the bathroom. I peeked around a corner, there wasn't a door. I saw Ben coming in from outside.

"Good morning, Liza," he said coming across the room and giving me a kiss.

"Good morning Ben. It's good to see you."

"Well, it's good to see you, too. But I only went to the outhouse."

"I know. It just seems like a long time since I've seen you." He hugged me tightly.

"You're silly. It wasn't that long."

"I'm on my way out myself."

"Well, you better put on something besides your nightgown and some shoes. James is outside feeding the animals. I came in to start the fire for you and Lily to start breakfast."

I went back in the little alcove and pulled a dress over my head and shoved my feet in my shoes. I hurried outside to find the outhouse. It was just turning light outside. There was a barn to the right. The well was halfway between the house and barn. I walked around the side of the house and saw what must have been the outhouse. I walked over and opened the door. Yep, the outhouse. Not too bad. It was really clean and there was paper! There wasn't much light when I closed the door, so I left it open a few inches. I did my thing and turned to flush. No handle stupid, it's an outhouse. No sink, either. I hurried back into the house and washed my hands and face at the sink. I heard Lily behind me.

"Good morning," I said.

"Good morning," Lily said. "Can you hold Little James so I can go to the outhouse?"

"Absolutely," I sat in the rocking chair and Lily put Little James in my lap. He was content to sit leaned against me while I rocked. I didn't know where Ben had gone, maybe he had went out to the barn. I wondered if Liza had been able to write in the diary. I was wondering why we were all living together.

"Okay, now I can start breakfast if you want to hold him and keep him occupied. The weather looks good today. Maybe the men can finish your roof. You'll be in your own place soon. Hopefully before the wheat harvest."

"That would be good." That solves a mystery. We must have concentrated on building one house at a time. Made sense. James and Lily needed a house first for their kids. "I'm ready to get all of my things out."

"I'm sure." Lily had bacon frying in a cast iron skillet on the oven. She was mixing pancake batter. My stomach was growling. The house was filling with the smell of bacon. "I bet you two are ready to be alone, too. It can't be much fun staying here with us. Of course, I'll be glad to get Mary out of our bedroom and into her own room. With her mattress on the floor and the cradle, we can't walk around in there."

James and Ben walked back in the house and washed up at the sink. James came and took his son and I went to help Lily with breakfast. I took over the pancakes and bacon while Lily started the eggs. Ben started setting the table. Mary came in and crawled in her dad's lap, too, rubbing her eyes. We put breakfast on the table and dug in.

"Liza, if you can come help us today, I think we can finish the roof. We might even be able to get started on the floor. We could be in our house in a few days."

"Sure, if Lily doesn't need me."

"No, I'm just going to straighten up around here and bake some bread. I need to get used to doing things without you around."

"Good," James said. "I'll get the wagon hitched and we can leave as soon as we get it loaded."

The guys left and I started helping Lily clean up. She had moved the cradle in the main room and given Mary her doll and some blocks to play with on the floor. I went out to get water out of the well. We had the dishes all washed and a lunch packed when Ben came in to get me.

We loaded onto the seat of the wagon. Pup was upset about being left behind and Lily had to let him in the house. We rode about ten minutes down a dirt wagon trail and there was a partial house. There were four walls and part of a roof. Windows were installed and a door. When we got there, Brother Albert came out of the door.

"Good morning," he said. "Are we ready to finish this roof?"

"Yes. I'll bet you are getting tired of guarding our house at night."

"Not too bad. The rents cheap, anyways. And with the church raising on Saturday, I'll have a place of my own this weekend if all goes well."

I really needed to find the diary. As long as I kept my mouth shut and did as I was told, I should be okay. We unloaded some supplies out of the wagon. James and Ben were on the roof, Brother Albert was helping from a ladder, and I was a gopher. I guess if they didn't have to climb down the ladder all the time, it would go faster. When the sun was high overhead, we took a lunch break. It looked like the roof was almost finished.

"I think I can finish the roof, if Liza helps me. Then you and Albert can start on the floor," James said.

"That will be good. Hopefully the boards I've been cutting are the right size. That should save you some time." We finished our lunch of sandwiches, apples and pecans we had to crack and shell. I was starving. Hopefully Mary was cooking a cow back at her house for dinner. I mean supper. I have to remember the right terminology here in 1889.

I helped James with the roof, it only took a couple of hours to finish. Walls, windows, a door and a roof. There was a well already dug that James and I took turns drinking from a ladle we dipped in the bucket. Ben and Brother Albert joined us.

"How's the floor coming? I asked.

"Good. The boards are exactly the right size, so far we have just had to nail them in. I'm glad you talked us into buying that measuring tape. It has saved at least a week's worth of work being able to cut boards on rainy days. The expense was well worth it. We should finish today, as long as we have enough boards."

"Then preacher here can sleep up off of the dirt," James added.

"That will be a blessing. When do you plan on moving in?" Albert asked.

"Tomorrow we have to work the land. If all goes well, we could move our stuff in day after. It's mostly still in the wagon in James' barn. Then you'll have some company until the church with your attached parsonage is finished."

"How long will it take to finish the church and parsonage?" I asked.

"If we have enough help, and the weather is good, most of it should get done Saturday. Then we have a workday planned for Wednesday. We might get it all finished. Then we can start on our barn," Ben said. "Hopefully our stove is in at the hardware store. We can pick it up Saturday. You'll have to cook in the fireplace for a few days."

"I can handle that. It will be nice to be in our own home."

"I hope you don't mind a visitor for a few days, I can always stay with someone in town."

"You're welcome here as long as you need to stay," Ben said. "But if we get your parsonage livable on Saturday, you'll be able to get the church squared away a lot easier."

I used the outhouse. Ben had done a nice job. It was identical to Lily's. Now that it was daylight, I was able to see that there was a nice little floor instead of dirt, there was an actual toilet seat on the bench, and a hook for a lamp for those dark visits. The boards were nice and flush, very little dirt or bugs getting through. From what I had gathered from listening to the men talking today, James was quite a carpenter. He had nice tools and he and Ben had been filling orders for other settlers, working in the barn. He hoped to build a workshop as soon as our barn was finished. Ben planned to keep helping him with the workload as long as James needed him. They had been building furniture for our house a little at a time. We had a bedframe, a table and two chairs finished. Benches and cabinets would be next, after harvest. They planned on filling a lot of back orders during the winter months. They had only planted a few acres of wheat apiece, money from the woodshop would keep both families going until next spring when there would be time to plant more.

We were nearly finished with the flooring when Ben said I should ride Albert's horse back to James and Lily's house to help with supper. They would bring Brother Albert in the wagon and he could ride back to spend the night. I couldn't very well say no, but I have never ridden a horse before. Except on a carousel. And then I get dizzy because of the round and round thing. Albert brought the horse from behind the house and James brought the saddle outside and helped saddle him, or her, up. Ben helped me up, side saddle of course since I was wearing about ten pounds of skirt.

"Tell Lily we might be a little late," James said. "We're going to stay until we're finished. Since you and Ben have been sanding all day, we should be able to finish then all we have to do is move you two in in a couple of days."

"Okie dokie," I said. I knew enough from movies to pull on the rein in the direction you wanted to turn. So I pulled left and got the horse turned around. I had no idea how to make it go sitting side saddle.

"Get going, Mac," Albert said with a smack on the horse's rear. The horse took off at a jog and I struggled to stay balanced. Luckily, the trail made between the two houses was easy to see, so I knew how to get back. Hopefully I could get Mac to stop when I got there.

A little while later I saw the house and managed to get Mac close to the barn. I reigned him in and he stopped. I slid down the side of the horse, lurching forward and catching my fall with my hands. I led the horse into the barn and found a stall to put him in. I was terrified to take off the saddle, I wasn't crazy about having my head that close to hooves. I found the buckles and stood up straight, fumbling blind to undo them. I pulled the saddle towards me and nearly fell when the weight slammed into my chest. Luckily yoga had been training my core for just such an event. I put the saddle across a rail to the stall and grabbed a bucket hanging from the barn wall. I drew water from the well twice and dumped it in the trough for Mac, thanking him for a safe trip home. I went inside to tell Lily the boys would be late.

"That's fine," she said. "Why don't you clean up and go lay down?" she said. "Both kids are napping. I'll wake you in a bit to help finish supper."

"Sounds good. Thanks." I went to the sink and splashed some water on my face from a bucket there. It took a little time to get through all of the grit. Then I walked into what would be Mary's room and pulled the curtain closed. I pulled off my shoes and dress. It was too hot to stay fully dressed. I looked through a box that contained Liza's clothes and found the diary. I could get caught up on what had been going on.

April 21st

I am so glad to be back home. I have missed Ben, and Pup. But I can't say I'm disappointed that I missed the rest of the journey here. I am very thankful for this book and that you left it right where I would find it early. It saved a lot of embarrassment and confusion. I am really excited about the Land Run and starting to build our house. Nothing much happened today, except everyone packing up their camps. Hopefully I'll have much more news to write tomorrow.

Liza

April 22nd

It was an exciting day! The gunshot went off and people took off in all directions. Ben, James and Brother Albert took off. Lily and I stayed behind for about fifteen minutes, letting all of the excitement die down. Then we took off at an idle place, staying out of the dust cloud that had formed. We kept the trees directly in front of us, hoping we were following the same path. After about an hour, Albert came back and found us. Actually, it was easy since he was the only one coming this way and we were the two slowest things moving north. He said that we should continue going straight until we came to a large creek and turn left. Not a small stream, cross that and then left at the large creek. He then took off to catch the men again. We found the creek and turned left. We stopped and watered the animals. We left again after getting some food for ourselves. Before nightfall, the preacher found us again. He was staying with us for the night. We were glad of that, we were nervous about being alone with so many strangers. It wasn't like it was at camp. Everyone seemed defensive and unfriendly. He said all we had to do was follow the creek the next day, he would take off early and find Ben and James again. We found a place along the creek, someone had staked a claim here, but they said we were welcome to stay the night. As of bedtime, all is well.

Liza

April 23rd

Brother Albert took off as soon as the wagons were hitched. We traveled a little faster today, the crowds had thinned out. Having the creek as our guide gave us more confidence. At lunchtime, when we had stopped to water the animals, we saw a horse coming our way. We assumed it was Albert, but as he came closer Mary decided it was James. They had found two homesteads off the creek, next to each other. He said with the wagons it might take until tomorrow to get there. Albert and Ben were going to work on digging a well until we got there, as shovels and rifles were the only things they had with them. James hooked his horse to his and Mary's wagon. That wagon could make better time, but they stayed with me. We camped again today, close to the creek. James told us all about the land they had found. The creek was the northern border. They planned on building houses not too far from the creek, but far enough so that animals wouldn't be too much of a nuisance. I don't know what kind of critters are here, but away from the house is good. Hopefully tomorrow we will be there.

Liza

April 24th

We were up and going before the sun fully rose. James said that Ben would probably be worried if we didn't find him soon. We stopped for lunch. I asked James how he would know where our land was. Everything looks exactly the same, like the background of some of those movies and television shows I watch at Beth's. He said he had tied a ribbon of Lily's that he keeps in his pocket around a branch on a tree. Not long after lunch we found the tree. We looked back south and didn't see anyone. We rode for about ten minutes and saw Ben and Albert digging a well. We were so glad to have found each other. We had taken a risk separating, and luckily it paid off. We both had gotten very good homesteads, and were neighbors to boot. While the men worked on finishing the well, Lily and I started setting up a camp. We knew it would be awhile before we had a real roof over our heads. They still had to find a land office and register the claims. They also wanted to fence land and start plowing, it was a little late for planting, so we aren't going to plant much. James has brought his carpentry stuff with him. He and Ben think that they will be able to keep afloat this first year helping other settlers with their needs. I have decided to make flyers to post in the nearest town. We have had a run of good luck, I hope it holds.

Liza

April 25th

Mostly work today. The well is dug, Lily and I took our wagon to the creek and loaded it with stones to make the wall around the hole. We don't want to take the chance of Little Mary falling in. The men finished this and decided tomorrow they are going to file our claims. Mary, Brother Albert and I are going to stay and continue the fencing we have all worked on. So far, everything we have done have been on James and Lily's place. We really want to get them as settled as possible before the new baby arrives.

Liza

April 26th

Ben and James went in search of a land office and town today. They took a wagon with them and told us not to be surprised if they weren't back until tomorrow. I sent the two fliers I had made with them. I wish I had a computer! We worked on fencing today. Albert cut posts, I dug holes and laid them in. We let Lily rest as much as she would. By midafternoon we had used all the barbed wire we had. Ben and James were supposed to see about getting more. Lily and I decided to take a chance at the creek for a bath. It would be cold, but so nice to get clean. We took all the dirty clothes with us to do those, too. We were shocked to see Ben and James when we were washing clothes. They had found a town only about twenty minutes away. They said there had been a lot of people waiting in line, both there and at the general store. The store was being run out of some wagons while the building is being built, but they said that we wouldn't believe the amount of people. They left the fliers at the general store and at the land office. They already had four people wanting help. They are supposed to meet them in town again next Wednesday, hopefully with both wagons filled with lumber ready to make houses. I guess we'll be building fence and cutting trees from sun up to sun down. Makes me yearn for Elizabeth's free time.

Liza

There were some other entries, mostly talking about fencing and cutting trees. I'm pretty sure I was glad that I had missed this part of the adventure. I think I had been complaining about being bored when poor Liza had been working herself ragged. They had been able to finish the fencing of both homesteads as well as the Brown's home, outhouse and barn. Each family had planted wheat. Ben, James and Albert had been kept busy with the woodworking business, working on the house for Ben and Liza in their free time. Apparently Liza had delivered Little James. Super glad I wasn't here for that. Albert had started visiting different homes nightly for dinner, doing his church work one family at a time. The community had saved money and donated items to build the church building, which I knew was going up Saturday. Then I would have my own little house (on the prairie) to play house in.

### Chapter 15

Little, Little House on the Prairie

The next few days were spent finishing the house on the inside. There really wasn't a lot to do once the floor was done. We moved our wagon of stuff over, setting up the sink and cabinets was the hardest part. Albert and James helped with that, then they went back to James' to fill some woodworking orders and get planks cut for the church. Our house was just like Lily and James'. There was the great room, which housed a table, two end chairs, two rocking chairs and all of the kitchen. There was a bigger bedroom for us, and a smaller one. Both of these were on either side of the fireplace, with the hope that the stones from the chimney would help to warm the rooms. We also had a loft running over the bedrooms. Apparently, Liza sewed! I was going to be able to put my high school home ec class to good use. The plan was to have Liza's stuff set up there. She was quite the entrepreneur, wanting to start a shop.

We had everything moved in and ready to go by Thursday night. Albert was all moved into the second bedroom. We ate dinner one last time with James and Lily Thursday. We would need to buy some groceries to stock our kitchen. I helped Mary get her bedroom all decked out. Ben and James had set up her bedframe and I helped her make up her bed. Then James moved her dresser from the great room into her bedroom. We arranged her toys on a shelf and her two dolls on her bed. I promised her a curtain for her window as soon as I could find some fabric to match her quilt. I left her to play and helped Lily finish dinner.

I'm always hungry when here. I guess it's all of the physical labor. And the fresh air. Nothing but fresh air. No car exhaust or factories. Not even another chimney as far as the eye could see. We had a meal of ham, beans, fried potatoes, cornbread and apple pie. If I had been wearing jeans, I would have had to undue the top button. We loaded the wagon with the last of our personal belongings and headed to our house with Albert. Our place was closer to town, so it would be easier for him to get to church and back until he had his room finished on the back of the church. The men really thought if the weather held and enough people showed to help Saturday, they could finish on Saturday. He had come on just his horse, so he only had a few clothes and his rifle. His furniture was being built in the woodworking shop. Someone in town was making him a mattress. Now that the sewing machine was unpacked and ready to go, apparently I was in charge of making his bedding and curtains. There was also stuff that would be needed for inside the church. We were holding a pounding on Sunday, which is where people were supposed to donate items to stock his pantry with. Most would donate it by the pound, because that's how they sold it in the general store.

We unloaded the last of our items into the bedroom. Albert sat to read his bible and work on his first sermon for this coming Sunday. Ben went out to the makeshift corral to feed the animals, Pup tagging along with him. The guys were going to start our barn as soon as everything was caught up and the wheat was harvested. I had been so nervous about living in the wild, thinking we would be roughing it. I had missed the roughing it part. I had a cute little house and my husband was making plenty of money helping James. I knew that wouldn't last forever, the work would eventually die down, but it was nice to get started with.

The next day Ben headed to work with James. Albert and I headed to town. I was going to shop. No Mall of America, but hey, shopping is shopping. Albert was going to check in with the lumber mill where all of the donations for the church where being stored. He dropped me at the general store and took the wagon with some of the planks to the lumber yard to get a final count.

The town was amazing for only being a few months old. The general store was finished. There was a restaurant with a hotel. I could see where the church was going in. There were a few houses on the outskirts. A sheriff's office, a bank and a land office. A school was being built, hoping to open after harvest was finished. I stepped into the general store and waited for one of the clerks to help. Most things are kept behind the counter, needing to be measured out and packaged. I went to the fabric shelf and looked through some samples. There was a pretty lilac colored gingham that would look cute in Mary's room. There was also some navy fabric for the preacher's bedding and curtains. How much to get, that was the question.

"How can I help you, dear," asked an older woman who had walked up on the other side of the counter.

"Hi, I'm needing to get some fabric. I'm just not sure how much. I'm making bedding for the new preacher. And curtains."

"Let's see. Most windows take two yards of fabric. How many windows?"

"One window out of the lilac, two out of the navy. And I need to pick some for my house. We just spent our first night in it last night. And the bedding is the navy."

"I'll cut these while you look some more."

"Great. And I have a list of supplies, too." I looked through the fabrics. I hoped Liza would like my fabric choices. The quilt on our bed had a lot of China blue in it, so I picked curtain material to match. Liza's clothes tended towards blues as well, so I figured I could do the great room curtain in a blue and white gingham. I didn't have bedding for the spare room yet, so I decided to wait on that one. I placed the rest of my fabric order and then we worked on filling the grocery order.

"Will that be cash or charge?" asked the clerk.

"Cash." We had decided not to charge anything until we absolutely needed to.

"Can I leave it here?" I asked. "I have a few other errands to run and my ride's not back yet?"

"Your ride?" asked the clerk.

"Brother Albert. We came in together. He's at the lumber mill. We'll be back in a little bit."

"Sure," she said walking away mumbling "young people and their sayings."

I stepped outside and decided to walk up the sidewalk on this side. I looked in through the bank window, walked past the hotel (wondering if like in every western movie I had seen if it contained a brothel), the restaurant next door and the school house. It seemed to be finished on the outside. There were a few men taking lumber inside. Albert was there talking to one man.

"Hey, Liza," he said. "This is Edward. His niece is going to be the school teacher. We were discussing making the desks."

"The board is looking for someone to donate them. We were wondering if James and your husband would be willing to build them if we can get the lumber donated."

"I said we would ask and let him know on Saturday."

"We'll be sure to talk to them about it. How many desks?"

"Twelve for now. And a teacher's desk. More as needed."

"The pews for the church are almost finished," Albert said. "Maybe they can work the desks in between other orders."

"I won't keep you," Edward said. "I'll see you both Saturday."

We walked back to the lumber mill to get the wagon.

"You may never run out of woodwork to do here," I said. "The more people move in, the more furniture they will need."

"I plan to help as much as I can. I'm hoping the church work will keep me busy. But I can always help with the desks for the school."

"Anything else you needed to do?" Albert asked.

"No, but maybe lunch would be nice. We won't be back until after lunchtime."

"Sounds good. Then we can pick up your order."

We went back to the restaurant and went inside. We sat at a table next to the window. They were serving soup and cornbread. With tea and pie we were able to eat for fifty-eight cents. What kind of tip do you leave for fifty-eight cents? I left sixty-five cents and went to the general store to pick up my order. Albert had went to get the wagon.

"I see your ride is here," said the clerk.

"Yes. We're all ready to load up. Thank you for your help."

"Anytime. Anyone who pays cash is my favorite customer, even if they do talk kind of funny."

"Miss Mabel, are you giving Liza a hard time?" asked Albert, tying the horses to the post in front of the store.

"No, she's my favorite customer today," Miss Mabel answered. We loaded the wagon with the supplies and headed home. Once there, Albert helped me unload and put everything away.

"What should we have for our first supper?" I asked him.

"I'm actually headed to Edward's house for dinner tonight. I'm going to meet his niece, she arrived yesterday. John Martin said I could stay at his house tonight. Don't forget to talk to Ben about the desks, and tell him I'll be at James' tomorrow to help in the shop. Do you need me to do anything before I head back into town?"

"Could you help bring some water in? I want to scrub everything down in the kitchen before I start dinner."

"Sure thing."

We brought in enough pails of water to fill the sink. Albert gathered his things from the bedroom he was using and went out to the corral to saddle his horse. I waved from the doorway and went inside to get busy. Everything needed to be wiped down, it was dusty. I spent an hour cleaning and then decided I better start supper. I really wanted to fill the tub with hot water and soak. No reason I couldn't. So I brought in more water and heated it on the stove while I started dinner. I found a towel and soap and a clean set of clothes. When supper was where I could leave it, I sat in the tub of warm water. I scrubbed my hair and body like I was trying to remove my skin. I had a bucket of clean water next to the tub and dumped it over my head. I wrapped myself in the towel and sat in the rocker to brush my hair. I needed to leave Beth a note to cut Liza's hair next time she was here. Maybe a well-planned accident close to the fire...

"Hey there!" Ben said coming in the door.

"Good gosh, Ben, you scared me!"

"Then latch the door, silly," he said walking to me and giving me a kiss on top of the head. "Where's Albert?"

"Staying with Edward, he's meeting his niece, the new teacher. He's staying in town tonight."

"House all to ourselves tonight?"

"Unless you brought someone home with you," I said. "I need to get dressed and check on dinner."

"Do I have time for a bath?"

"Absolutely. I'll make time for you not to smell like your horse."

Ben drug the tub outside to dump the water. I heated up some more water and got dressed. Ben had to bring in more water from the well, and he still had to water and feed the animals. By the time he was done, his bath was ready. I gathered his dirty clothes and put them with mine in the bedroom. I scrubbed his back clean and left him to finish his bath while I finished dinner. The water was filthy. How did humans survive like this? Outdoor plumbing. No refrigerators to keep food fresh. Milk came straight from the cow (but then again, the cow didn't eat any pesticide infested grass or grain). Meat had to be cooked immediately and eaten quickly, or made into jerky. Which is what we were having for dinner from the general store. Along with biscuits that I had made all by myself. And some corn and green beans I had bought there, too. I'm guessing I would need to look up gardening in the plains so that we could grow our own food.

We ate dinner and I cleaned up. Ben cleaned his rifle at the table. A thunderstorm started with a blowing wind and downpour of rain. Nothing like a romantic evening as the wind comes sweeping down the plain. The clock on the mantle said 8:00 when I finished cleaning up. I didn't have a book to read. No homework to do. No television or radio. Not enough light to go upstairs and start on curtains. I decided to change into my oh so sexy nightgown. But first, I really needed to use the bathroom. I wondered if the storm would subside anytime soon. The sound of the water beating on the roof and the windows was really not helping matters.

"I need to go to the outhouse," I told Ben.

"You can always use the chamber pot."

Please tell me he didn't just say that. "I'll try to hold out. Maybe it will blow over soon."

"Maybe, maybe not. Sounds like it's here to stay for a while." Ben, finished with his gun, stood up to put it on the hooks he had put on the wall. He put up his rifle cleaning kit. At least he was neat.

After fifteen more minutes, the storm didn't seem to be letting up anytime soon. I went into the bedroom and found the chamber pot. It looked like a pot with a lid. If it had been me unpacking it, I would have put it in the kitchen. I closed the door to the bedroom and undressed. I knew this would be easier without skirts in the way. I squatted over the infernal thing and tinkled. Then I realized I didn't have any toilet paper. Great. I was in reach of my dirty clothes from before bath time. I found my undies and patted myself dry. I stood, put the lid on the pot and dreaded having to clean it tomorrow. I put on my nightie and went to wash my hands in the kitchen.

"Ready for bed?" Ben asked.

"Yes. There doesn't seem to be anything left to do."

"I can think of something to do." His eyes had that twinkle.

The next day is what I would think of as a normal day for Liza. We awoke early, trekked to the outhouse, I carried in water while Ben started a fire. I made breakfast while Ben fed the animals. Ben went to check the fields on the way to James' to work in the woodshop. I cleaned up everything there was to clean. Then I decided I would learn how to use the sewing machine. I climbed up the ladder with all of the fabric I had bought. I looked through the baskets that Ben had set up here. There were some scraps of fabric I could practice on. I sat at the machine and had a looksee. Luckily, it was already threaded. I studied the threading, then climbed down the ladder to get my notebook and pencil. I wrote notes and drew myself a picture. I folded a piece of cloth in half and put in under the needle. I slowly pedaled with my foot the metal grate underneath the desk part of the machine. It really was a beautiful machine. I practiced all morning on scraps of fabric.

I heard the clock chime the noon hour and decided to break for lunch. I climbed down the ladder and tossed Pup a piece of jerky. He had been none too happy about staying with me this morning, but had been good while I had been upstairs. Lunch was a very limited affair. I grabbed an apple, some jerky and two left over biscuits that I drowned in honey. Not too bad. I cleaned up after myself and headed back up to try my hand at a curtain. I decided to try one for our house first out of the gingham. If I messed that up, I had more to practice on. I had the two curtain rods upstairs with me, the window was square, so I just had to make the curtains big enough to fit in that square. I laid everything on the floor, deciding on doing two panels for each window. I could make tiebacks with some of the material. I folded enough over at the top for the rod and pinned it. I cut the material about six inches longer than the other rod. I wanted them longer than the window, and this way I could put in a hem. Deciding I had thought of everything, I took my creation to the machine and worked on the pocket for the rod. It came out nice and straight. I put the rod through and hung it on one of the windows in the loft. I danced a little jig and went to the loft opening.

"Guess what Pup, I did it!"

Pup gave a bark and chased his tail around in his own little jig.

"Just you wait, I'll be making you a shirt for this winter." O, crap. I bet I had to make shirts and skirts and pants and knit sweaters and all kinds of crap. I would definitely need to look that up. But not to panic, I could make curtains!

I hemmed the bottom of that one and then made the other one. I took that set downstairs and put them on the window to the left of the door.

"Beautiful, Pup. Just beautiful. How about a trip to the outhouse?"

"Ruff, ruff." I took that as a yes. We headed out. Pup went sniffing around the side of the house and I tried not to sniff inside the outhouse. I would probably need to give the place a good scrub tomorrow. But not today. Curtains were calling.

I took another apple upstairs with a tin mug of water and started on the preacher's curtains. Then I did the one for Mary's room. The clock chimed four. I decided I better start dinner. Supper. I took the curtain for Mary downstairs so that Ben could take them to her tomorrow. I looked around the kitchen for inspiration for dinner. Ben had snared a squirrel last night and left it hanging outside. I have never skinned a squirrel, but how hard could it be? Dang it, I could sew curtains. I went outside with a chair and unstrung the squirrel from the corner of the house. He had beheaded it and it had drained in a bucket all day. I decided to let Ben deal with the bucket. I was thankful I didn't have to look into little brown squirrel eyes. I took him in and put him in the sink and grabbed a knife. I knew Ben would want the pelt, so I tried my hardest to do just like I had seen Ben do so many times on the way here. I didn't tear it up too bad. I decided a stew would be best, I wouldn't have to worry about cutting it too pretty. I deboned and grilled the meat, making a nice gravy. I set potatoes and carrots to boil and added some salt and pepper. No stove and oven yet, it was hard to cook more than one thing at a time. So I got everything going for the stew, then mixed some cornbread and put it in a skillet and sat it on the grate. I would just have to watch everything carefully.

I sat in a rocking chair and wrote a diary entry. Then I started a letter to Molly. I would be able to mail it on Saturday. I told her about Liza's American Girl Doll and how Beth was trying to quit smoking. I told her I didn't know how that would harm the time line, but there wasn't really anything I could do about it now. I checked on the food often, pulling the cornbread off and setting it on the table. I heard Ben in the yard, putting away his horse. I stirred the stew one more time and went out to help him. Pup bounded out ahead of me. He was unsaddling his horse. I drew a bucket of water to take to him.

"How was your day?" I asked.

"Good. We really got a lot done. Finished our benches, and the pews for the church. I'll take the wagon tomorrow to bring them home."

"That's great. I made curtains."

"I see one curtain," he teased.

"I did Albert's curtains and one for Mary. You can take it to her tomorrow."

"Well, that's good. He finished with the saddle and took the bucket and poured it in the trough. I took it back to get more while he fed the horses and cow.

"We need a bigger bucket, this takes forever to fill."

"I know. Maybe at some point I'll be able to put in a pump. One in the house, too."

"I'm going to check on dinner. Squirrel stew and cornbread."

"Sounds good. Did you remember you are supposed to take two pies for Saturday?"

"Oh, yeah. That may be hard without an oven."

"That's true. Maybe you can think of something else. Or you can go with me tomorrow and use Lily's oven."

"I'll think about that. I still need to get Albert's bedding finished."

I headed back into the house and spooned out some stew. The meat, potatoes and carrots where all tender. I took the pot off of the fire and placed it on the table. I grabbed the lemonade I had squeezed earlier and put it on the table. No ice is hard for me, but no one else seems to mind. Ben came in and washed up. We ate. It was pretty good as long as I didn't think about it being squirrel. The cornbread was good. And the warm lemonade was tolerable. I cleaned everything up while Ben took Pup out one last time. I checked out the pantry to see if I could make anything besides pie. We had oats, brown sugar, and apples. Maybe I could make some sort or apple crumble, like we used to have in elementary school. I would experiment in the morning.

Sleeping on the prairie is hard for me. I'm used to having noises around me- the television, car sounds, voices- here it is silence. And if you do hear something, it's not supposed to be there. The wind blowing. Coyotes Howling. If I heard a voice, I would jump out of my skin.

The next morning was spent getting Ben off to work with a hearty breakfast and cleaning up the dishes. I climbed the ladder to the sewing room with my own sheets in tow. Pillowcases were easy. Sheets were not hard, just burdensome. No fitted sheets like home. Two flat sheets, like in a hotel. I took a lunch break and let Pup out. I still needed to figure out about a dessert for tomorrow. I sliced some apples and added flour, oats, butter and brown sugar. I mixed everything together and put it in a cast iron skillet and put on the grate in the fireplace. I then heated up some leftover stew for my lunch. I cleaned up my dishes and pulled the apple concoction from the fireplace. I dug a spoon in. Not bad. I took another bite. And another. Okay. This could be dessert for tonight. I had enough apples to make two more, but that would be the end of the apples. I mixed two more up and put them on the grate. Keeping a fire going kept a house really warm. I had the door open and walked out to check on everything. Pup was laying in the shade. Buttercup looked at me and mooed. I drew the bucket and gave her some water. That's when I saw her. She was a young Indian girl. She was holding the hand of a toddler. I looked around to see if there was anyone else with her.

"Hi," I said holding up my hand.

She drew her child behind her, not answering.

I held up the bucket, offering it to her. I went back to the well, giving her a wave to follow me. I drew up a fresh bucket. She had come around the corral, slowly. I went inside and brought out tin mugs and filled them. I sat those on the edge of the well and backed away to the doorway. She walked to the well, helping the child first, then drank herself. She refilled the mugs and drank again.

"Are you hungry?"

She blinked in response.

"Hungry. Eat." I made a scooping motion with my hand to my mouth. "Food."

I backed into the house, beckoning her to come with me. She brought the mugs with her. I motioned that she should sit. I pulled my apple crumbles out of the fireplace and sat them on the counter by the sink. I poured what little stew I had left in a bowl and took to the table. She sniffed it and tipped the bowl up to her mouth. Deeming it not poisonous, she fed some to the kid. They finished it off. I spooned some of the apple crumble from the first batch into a bowl and sat that on the table. I gave her a spoon and showed her how to use it. She took a bite and smiled. Her and the kid finished eating and drinking and then stood to go. I didn't know how to communicate that I was wondering where they were going, if they had gotten separated and left behind.

"Do you need help?" I asked.

She furrowed her brow and shook her head.

"Okay, but come back if you need anything. Understand?"

No, she didn't understand. But she did smile and backed out of the house. I watched from the doorway as they walked away.

"Come on Pup," I said, getting him to come inside so I could shut and latch the door. I went back upstairs to finish my sewing. I finished up shortly after I heard the clock chime four. I went back down with everything. I had a kitchen covered in dirty dishes and a bed without sheets. And I still had to scrounge around for some dinner. I gathered dishes and set them in the sink. I went out and filled the metal pail and placed it on the fire grate to warm. I poured some cold water on the dishes to soak them while I made the bed. Ben came in as I was washing dishes.

"Hey, honey. How was your day?"

"Interesting. We had visitors," I said drying my hands.

"Who?"

"An Indian girl and her little one. They were out around the corral when I went out to water Buttercup."

"What did you do?"

"I offered them water and fed them and they went on their way. Pup was a great help. Not a bark one out of that dog."

"Maybe he didn't feel threatened."

"I guess. Anyway, no harm done. Sewing's finished. Dessert for tomorrow is done. But I haven't thought much about dinner."

"How about I try my hand at fishing in the creek?"

"That sounds good. I'm behind on some housework. I'll start some corn and taters. When I get some dishes clean."

"I'll leave you to it. I'll take Pup. You sure you're okay?"

"Yeah. I'll latch the door behind you."

He kissed me and grabbed his fishing gear from the corner. He and Pup headed to the stream on foot. I cleaned and started dinner and snoozing in a rocking chair when he unhooked the latch from the outside. Wasn't much of a lock if you knew how to do it, but if you didn't, I guess it would stop someone from walking on in.

"I only got one, but it's big enough for two."

"Looks good. And we have dessert. We'll need more apples tomorrow."

He looked at the crumble in the bowl I had put on the table. He put a fork in and ate a mouthful.

"Pretty good."

"Thanks, the Indian girl liked it. I have two skillets of it to take tomorrow."

"I'll get the fish ready to throw on the fire."

We both busied ourselves finishing dinner and sat down to eat. We did our nightly routine of cleaning up and feeding animals and headed to bed. Tomorrow would be a busy day in town. My first day around people I probably should know, but wouldn't. I hoped I could fake my way through it.

Early to bed, unfortunately early to rise. Up before dawn again. I cooked up some bacon and we ate the remaining cornbread with molasses. Pretty good. Not Jenna approved, I'm sure. I grabbed the sewing for Albert's room and headed out to the wagon that Ben was hitching. I climbed aboard while Ben tried to convince Pup to stay behind.

"You're going to have to tie him up," I said. "The only reason he doesn't follow you to James' is that he's shut in the house with me."

"Okay, but he's gonna have to learn to stay. Let me get him some water."

I waited patiently in the wagon and watched the sun come up. I needed to remember to start catching the diary up during the day, when Ben was away. There wasn't any time alone once he came home. I would work on sneaking in an entry tonight when he was taking care of the animals.

"All taken care of," Ben said getting in the wagon.

"You should let him go with you to James'," I said. "He doesn't do me any good here."

"He will, when he gets a little older. Maybe I should look into getting him a playmate. Someone he can settle down with."

"Oh great," I said. "Then I'll have two dogs to fight for your attention at night."

"This one could be yours. We'll get a girl. They can have puppies. Then he'll want to stay home."

"I doubt it," I said. "That dog has deadbeat dad written all over him."

"Deadbeat dad? What's that mean?"

"It means he doesn't do his job now, why would he do it with puppies around. He'll just run away faster and leave me and the poor girl dog to do all the work."

"He's not that bad, he's just a puppy."

"He's an awful big puppy. How old is he now?"

"Two. He's two. Maybe he's more of a rebellious teen now."

"Humph."

We rode the rest of the way in silence. When we got to the side of the church, Ben hopped down and came around to help me down.

"There's Miss Mabel," Ben said pointing. "She's the one organizing the women with the food and drinks."

"Well, I'll just head that way. Can you help me with the skillets?" Tupperware really needed to be invented.

"Sure. Need help?"

"No, I can manage. See you later."

I walked over to Miss Mabel. Her I remembered from the general store.

"Good morning, Liza. What have you brought?"

"Apple crumbles. I couldn't make pies, no oven yet."

"Well, you can make pies all you want. Your oven came in yesterday. We can load it up sometime today."

"That would be great. Will the store be open? I was hoping to pick up some supplies."

"Sure. Isaac is running the store today. I'll run back and forth if I have time."

Just then other women arrived with other food items. Miss Mabel directed some to help her set up makeshift tables from sawhorses and boards. We organized desserts and breads and meats. Mabel told Lily and me to mix lemonade back at the store. I carried Mary and Lily carried Little James and we went to the store.

"Hello Mr. Isaac. Miss Mabel told us to come here to mix the lemonade. She said she had everything ready in the back," Lily said when we entered.

"Yes, yes. Come right through here," he said lifting part of the countertop to let us through. He showed us to a little room with a sink that they obviously used for storage and washing up. There were lots and lots of lemons. We settled the kids down and I started cutting lemons while Lily did the squeezing and measuring sugar.

"That's two pitchers made. I'll take those over to get them started and be back," I said. I had a feeling I would be running lemonade all day unless Mabel had someone else take a shift. By the time I got back, Lily had two more ready to go, so she took those. I cut more lemons. We ran pitchers back and forth until lunch time, when Mr. Isaac's told us to come and have lunch, he was closing the store for an hour. Lily took the children and Mr. Isaac and me grabbed the five remaining pitchers and headed over. We found Ben and James eating already. We left the kids with them and grabbed plates to join them.

"Where have you two been?" James asked when we sat to join them.

"Oh, you know. Being pampered with massages and foot rubs," I said. Lily laughed.

"Were you rubbed with lemons?" Ben asked.

"Oh, yes. Lemons and sugar. We were on lemonade duty in the back of the store. I bet we've made 30 pitchers."

"At least," Lily chimed in.

We ate our potluck meal, asking about the progress of the church. We could see walls up.

"Going good, after we stood around talking about what we were going to do for 45 minutes. After we broke into groups and worked on our own, three of the groups got their walls up."

"What's wrong with the fourth wall?" Lily asked.

"The group," Ben whispered. "Too many chiefs."

"Oh," I said. "What is your group doing after lunch?"

"I think we can start hanging windows in our wall. Ours is the front wall. The others will have to wait until the back wall is up. Then we're on roof duty with another group while the others do the floor. Hopefully they'll finish in time for us to put in the pews."

"Maybe that other group can get group four to move it."

"Or maybe group four can go home and take a nap," James said. "They are a little cranky about being behind."

"We were able to get the dividing wall up for Albert's room, "Ben said. "We and groups two and three snuck that in when they were taking a break."

"Maybe you should sneak their wall in on their next break," Lily said.

"I would love to see the looks on their faces if they came back and saw a wall already up."

We finished eating and Lily and I checked in with Miss Mabel to learn our afternoon assignments.

"Why don't you two clear the tables and then take a break. No one out here worked as hard as you did this morning. I've sent two others with Isaac for lemonade duty."

"Momma, I sleepy," Mary said rubbing her eyes.

"Why don't you find a spot to rest the kids? I can clear the tables."

"Are you sure? Little James is getting awfully fussy."

"Absolutely. Then I'll see about doing my shopping. I'll check in with you later."

Most people had cleaned up after themselves. I cleared away pitchers and a few plates and utensils. There were a group of women at washtubs in the shade washing away. The hotel had volunteered the tables and chairs for the day and people were moving them back inside. I took the clean pitchers with me back to the store. Mr. Isaac's let me in the back with them.

"Here you go, ladies. I've got to do some shopping, are ya'll doing okay?"

"Yes, it's nice to be out of the sun."

"Tell me that when you're on pitcher number twenty."

They laughed and I headed out to look around the store. I now knew I could buy salted meat. Apparently, people cured and salted meat here in the Wild West. Who knew? I picked out what I hoped was enough food for a week. I told Mr. Isaac's that I would bring the wagon later to get my oven and supplies.

I found Mary sitting on her quilt under a tree. Both kids were zonked out.

"I'm back. Did you need to do anything? I can watch the kids."

"I do need to go to the post office. And to the general store."

"Wait just a second. I have a letter in the wagon. Can you take it?"

"Sure." I ran to get the letter and checked my little change purse. How much is a stamp? Probably not much, I grabbed a quarter, she could bring back the change.

"Here you go," I said. I may stretch out here and just rest my eyes for a few minutes. I stretched out next to Mary on my back and shielded my eyes from the sun. The next thing I knew I was waking to a baby crying. Where am I now?

"Aunt Liza," Mary said. "James is awake."

"Oh, yeah," I said sitting up. I grabbed James and almost dropped him. He was soaking wet. "Eww."

Mary giggled.

"Where's the diaper bag." Mary looked at me like I was crazy. Miss Mabel came up. James was bawling loudly and I was holding him at arm's length.

"What's the matter?"

"He woke up wet. I don't know where Lily has his dry things."

"Let me take him. Look in that basket there." Mabel took James to the table by the wash tubs. I looked in the basket and found a dry diaper and little gown. I took them to Mabel. She had James stripped and was bathing him clean.

"Grab that towel and put down."

"Liza, I'm thirsty," Mary said pulling my skirt.

"Okay, just a minute. Let's get James dressed. Then I'll get you some lemonade."

"And a cookie."

"And a cookie."

Between Mabel and myself, we managed to get James dressed. He was still fussy, I'm guessing he was hungry. I found a bottle in the basket and Mabel sat in a chair with James. I poured lemonade for all three of us and put some cookies on a plate. I managed to get everything to the table.

"Okay, Mary." I helped her with her drink and handed her half a cookie. "How's the church coming?"

"Better than this morning. All the walls are up and the roof is done. Windows and doors are done. If they ever get the floor finished, maybe they'll let us ladies take charge of the inside. Then we could all be home before dark."

We ate cookies and watched the men. Lily joined us and handed me twenty-three cents in change. She started to share Mary's lemonade, but saw cookie floating in it and went to get her own glass. We made our way back to the blanket so that Mary could play with her dolls. We watched the men start unloading pews from ours and James' wagon. They must have finished the floors. Other ladies started going in to help. Mary and I decided we would just sit tight for a while. Ben and James joined us.

"I have an order and the stove is in at the store," I said.

"We'll go pick it up. Just let us have some pie first," Ben said.

"You girls can probably help Albert out with his room. They're taking in his furniture now."

"Okay. Let me get my stuff out of the wagon."

"Me, too," Mary said. "Can you watch the children for a few minutes?"

"Sure, sitting under a tree, I can handle that." Yeah, until James wakes up soaked and Mary is hungry. Then you'll be looking for help.

We found Albert in the middle of the church, directing where to put everything.

"Brother Albert," I said. "Do you have time to help is in your little home?"

"Absolutely," he said. "I think we're just about finished in here anyway."

We stepped outside a side door and went in through the door in the back. Inside were two men putting together a bedframe in one corner. The preacher had one large room to himself. Bedroom in one back corner, kitchen to the right of the door, living area behind the kitchen with a rocking chair and a cushioned chair and small table. There was a desk set up in front of the bedroom area. The two windows were above the desk and above the sink. I'm guessing there was an outhouse somewhere nearby. He was lucky, he had a pump that filled his sink.

"I have curtains that we can hang," I said. "And your sheeting. Lily has a quilt she's made."

"This all looks nice. I'll have to make a list of what else I'll need."

"Lamps," said one of the men who was working on the bed. "It's going to be dark soon."

"Definitely," Albert said. "I'll have to get to the general store."

"We'll get your curtains up, then we can help you make your list," Lily said.

In a matter of minutes, we had curtains hanging on his windows. The men finished the bedframe and went out to get the mattress. Lily and I put the sheets and put the quilt on. A group of ladies came in with some things they had made. There were two pillows, one lamp, a couple of needlework art framed for the walls with bible verses and a seat cushion for the rocking chair. Before long it looked like a home. Kind of like a dorm room. Albert needed another lamp and everything you can imagine for his kitchen. Lily and I made our way back out to the quilt under the tree.

"I think we're finished. Anything you two need to do?"

"Nope. Just swing by the store and we can head home."

Lily and I walked to the store while the guys brought the wagons. All of our stuff was waiting on us in the back room.

"Your stove is around back. You can bring your wagon around back and we can load everything from there."

"Okay. Here, let me help you, Lily." We each grabbed a box of groceries. James had taken the kids in the wagon.

"Ben, Mr. Isaac's says to go around the back and we can load from there." I put the box in the back of the wagon.

"I'll come around to help load," James said. "Then we'll follow you home and I'll help you get it set up."

We drove the wagons around to the back, James left his wagon at the corner. Between the four of us, it took a lot of work to get it in the back of the wagon. I hoped we could get it out once at home. We loaded up our supplies and headed home. Without a cell phone to check, I had no idea what time it was. The sun was directly in our eyes, so I knew it was late in the afternoon. There was a lot to do at home. Setting up the stove, unloading the groceries, feeding the animals, and we got to bath tonight! Baths on Saturday to be clean for church on Sunday.

The oven was way easier to get out of the wagon than to lift into it. We put it in the kitchen and the guys went to work venting it. I was glad that I had stayed with Lily those first few days and knew how to set the wood and light it. I unloaded the food with Lily's help.

"I haven't been here since you moved in," Lily said. "It looks really good."

"Thanks," I said. "I can work on my own curtains next week."

"Mary's curtain looks nice in her room. You'll have to come over for dinner one night next week."

"That would be great. Just let me know. You should stay and eat with us tonight."

"Maybe another night. I need to get the kids bathed and things ready for church."

"Okay, but come on Tuesday."

"We're all set here," James said. "We'll see you tomorrow at church."

"Thank you for your help," I said. "See you tomorrow."

After they left, Ben took care of the animals. Pup was nearly beside himself to get off his line. I went in and started dinner. We ate and I cleaned dishes while Ben started warming bath water. I soaked in the tub while Ben cleaned his rifle. Then we dumped that and started filling the tub again.

"An indoor pump would be handy," I said.

"Yep. Maybe after the barn. Maybe I can run one to the barn, too. Jacob Miller ran the one to the church. Maybe he can come help."

My, my, indoor plumbing on the way. We went to bed exhausted that night. At least tomorrow was a day of rest.

Sucked through Jell-O with a soft landing. Someone was shaking me and yelling in my ear.

"Lizzie time to get up. This is the last time I'm going to tell you. Lizzie Andrew Borden, I need the eggs gathered now!"

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Thanks so much for reading my book! It would be great if you could take a moment and leave a review at your favorite retailer. I hope you will watch for the next installment.

