trying to do?"
"They are friends. They would appreciate a home cooked meal. They know I'm not Suzie Homemaker."
"So I am?"
She smiled.
I sighed. "You're the boss, Karen." That seemed to pain her. "I'd be happy to do a turkey di nner for you and your friends."
"Thank you, Madeline," she said. She reached out and squeezed my shoulder. "I appreciate it."
The brief contact felt nice.
I waited a couple of hours and called Mom. I relayed the conversation. She helped me work out a menu that would stretch me slightly, but not too badly. By the time we were off the phone, I had a complete schedule for what had to happen when. I felt pretty good about it.
Then something occurred to me. I found Karen. She was in her office. "Are you going to do this to me for Christmas Eve, too?"
She looked up at me and smiled. "It sure would be nice if you could."
"You must really like turkey," I told her.
I called Mom back. "Are there any people in common between the two events?" Mom asked.
"Just Karen and me," I told her.
"Then use the same menu," she said. "And your silly boss will just have to deal with it. Do you need help?"
"No, but I might call you while I'm cooking."
She laughed. "I'll keep my cell phone handy."
"Thanks, Mom." I paused. "This is a very strange job. I feel like she's trying to turn me into June Cleaver, and that is so not me."
"You have always been able to do anything you set your mind to. This is no different than all the strange things you did for Marsha."
* * *
I spent the early part of the week finishing Karen's Christmas shopping, buying the last few presents I needed at the same time. I practiced making breads the rest of the week. By Friday I was pretty pleased with the results. I baked more krumkake and took care of last minute planning for the dinner party.
I didn't sleep very well Friday night. I had never cooked for a dinner party before, and for some reason, I wanted Karen to be proud of me. I did the last minute grocery shopping in the morning. The bird was in the oven at two. Throughout the afternoon I took care of the other needs.
I had a window of time at four thirty to get ready. I took my time to look nice, then went downstairs and put on an apron over the dress.
Karen was still upstairs getting ready when her first guest arrived. I opened the door to be met by Sally and Loraine. We shared introductions and I immediately drafted them to man the door and take drink orders. I headed back to the kitchen and ignored the bustle after that.
The other two couples arrived before Karen appeared. Loraine brought both of them to the kitchen to meet me. First were Steven and Sue. After that were Ursula and Irina, who spoke with Russian accents. I received hugs from everyone and compliments on the house, how wonderful everything smelled, and they'd already be en diving into the cookies and krumkake I had set up around the house.
Karen appeared and apologized. She looked stunning. I looked harried, I was sure. I asked her to bring me a glass of wine, and when she did, offered her a cheek to kiss.
The meal was timed for six thirty. I drafted help for the last several minutes. Sue carved the bird. Ursula and Irina moved things into serving bowls and brought them to the table. I made the gravy and watched Ursula whisk it out to the dining room. Then I checked my list and looked throughout the kitchen to make sure I hadn't left something left hiding somewhere. I took my list to the dining room and scanned the contents of the table.
Everything was there and looked good.
I took off the apron, fluffed at my hair for a moment, then took my place at the dining room table. I was on the end closest to the kitchen.
Everyone passed the food around. I received compliments, which were nice to hear.
"I was expecting delivered pizza," Sue said a minute or two into the meal . "Madeline, this is fabulous."
Karen mouthed from the other end of the table, "thank you." I nodded to her.
The meal went well. I largely
"They are friends. They would appreciate a home cooked meal. They know I'm not Suzie Homemaker."
"So I am?"
She smiled.
I sighed. "You're the boss, Karen." That seemed to pain her. "I'd be happy to do a turkey di nner for you and your friends."
"Thank you, Madeline," she said. She reached out and squeezed my shoulder. "I appreciate it."
The brief contact felt nice.
I waited a couple of hours and called Mom. I relayed the conversation. She helped me work out a menu that would stretch me slightly, but not too badly. By the time we were off the phone, I had a complete schedule for what had to happen when. I felt pretty good about it.
Then something occurred to me. I found Karen. She was in her office. "Are you going to do this to me for Christmas Eve, too?"
She looked up at me and smiled. "It sure would be nice if you could."
"You must really like turkey," I told her.
I called Mom back. "Are there any people in common between the two events?" Mom asked.
"Just Karen and me," I told her.
"Then use the same menu," she said. "And your silly boss will just have to deal with it. Do you need help?"
"No, but I might call you while I'm cooking."
She laughed. "I'll keep my cell phone handy."
"Thanks, Mom." I paused. "This is a very strange job. I feel like she's trying to turn me into June Cleaver, and that is so not me."
"You have always been able to do anything you set your mind to. This is no different than all the strange things you did for Marsha."
* * *
I spent the early part of the week finishing Karen's Christmas shopping, buying the last few presents I needed at the same time. I practiced making breads the rest of the week. By Friday I was pretty pleased with the results. I baked more krumkake and took care of last minute planning for the dinner party.
I didn't sleep very well Friday night. I had never cooked for a dinner party before, and for some reason, I wanted Karen to be proud of me. I did the last minute grocery shopping in the morning. The bird was in the oven at two. Throughout the afternoon I took care of the other needs.
I had a window of time at four thirty to get ready. I took my time to look nice, then went downstairs and put on an apron over the dress.
Karen was still upstairs getting ready when her first guest arrived. I opened the door to be met by Sally and Loraine. We shared introductions and I immediately drafted them to man the door and take drink orders. I headed back to the kitchen and ignored the bustle after that.
The other two couples arrived before Karen appeared. Loraine brought both of them to the kitchen to meet me. First were Steven and Sue. After that were Ursula and Irina, who spoke with Russian accents. I received hugs from everyone and compliments on the house, how wonderful everything smelled, and they'd already be en diving into the cookies and krumkake I had set up around the house.
Karen appeared and apologized. She looked stunning. I looked harried, I was sure. I asked her to bring me a glass of wine, and when she did, offered her a cheek to kiss.
The meal was timed for six thirty. I drafted help for the last several minutes. Sue carved the bird. Ursula and Irina moved things into serving bowls and brought them to the table. I made the gravy and watched Ursula whisk it out to the dining room. Then I checked my list and looked throughout the kitchen to make sure I hadn't left something left hiding somewhere. I took my list to the dining room and scanned the contents of the table.
Everything was there and looked good.
I took off the apron, fluffed at my hair for a moment, then took my place at the dining room table. I was on the end closest to the kitchen.
Everyone passed the food around. I received compliments, which were nice to hear.
"I was expecting delivered pizza," Sue said a minute or two into the meal . "Madeline, this is fabulous."
Karen mouthed from the other end of the table, "thank you." I nodded to her.
The meal went well. I largely
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