The Postman Always Purls Twice by Anne Canadeo Page A

wares on Crafty-Cricket, too.
    â€œWow, these are great. I’m going to order some,” Alicia promised. Phoebe looked pleased.
    Was a celebrity endorsement in the offing for Phoebe? Maggie wondered. She imagined the quote: “I love my Socks by Phoebe. I have a fresh pair flown in daily!” Signed, Jennifer Todd.
    Maggie was suddenly snapped from her daydream by a question from the movie star, who was quite an experienced knitter.
    â€œDo you walk around and help people? Or only if they ask?” Jennifer asked.
    â€œI do walk around if it’s a class. But I only help my friends if they send up a flare,” Maggie explained. “This is basically what we do. Sit and knit. Learn a new stitch or two. Have some dinner and chat,” she added.
    â€œWe have been known to dish the dirt about mutual acquaintances, too,” Lucy admitted.
    â€œThat sounds fun. Did we miss any good gossip?” Jennifer asked.
    â€œThe movie crew coming to town is definitely the hot story this week,” Dana replied.
    â€œEspecially since you grew up right in Newburyport,” Maggie added. “Has it been hard to come back and film a movie here? It must look very different to you.”
    â€œWhen I read the script, all I could picture was this part of New England. I suggested the location to Nick and our producer, Regina Thurston. They loved the idea. But I don’t have much family here anymore. My parents got tired of the cold winters. They live near me now, in San Diego.”
    In a beautiful home Jennifer had built for them, Maggie had read somewhere.
    â€œThere are a few friends I’ve kept in touch with over the years,” Jennifer added. “I hope to visit some of them while we’re here.”
    â€œI bet everyone says that they knew you,” Suzanne said.
    â€œNot everyone. But there are a few that do and I have no recollection,” Jennifer admitted with a small laugh. “Maybe I’m just getting old and my memory is going.”
    â€œThere are a lot of people I went to high school with I’d like to forget,” Suzanne said.
    â€œHave you ever thought of being an actress, Suzanne?” Alicia asked. “Your energy totally projects. Doesn’t it, Jen?”
    â€œOh yes. She’s a natural.” Jennifer agreed.
    Suzanne looked surprised, then lit up with pleasure. “Thanks for the compliment. But I think my talents are best used around here for now. In the real-estate biz. I should get an Academy Award for the way I handle some of my clients.”
    â€œIf not acting, maybe just stand-up comedy,” Lucy observed. Maggie thought she was joking, but Suzanne took the comment seriously. Hamming it up for the visitors?
    â€œThat has crossed my mind. Maybe after the kids go off to college. I know they’d kill me now for embarrassing them,” Suzanne mused. “But how do you get to be a personal assistant for someone like Jennifer?” Suzanne asked Alicia. “I bet there was some tough competition for that job.”
    Alicia smiled and glanced at her boss. It was obvious the two had a close bond. Jennifer was a little young to be Alicia’s mother, but seemed to be a mother figure in some way to the younger woman. Alicia clearly adored her.
    â€œLet’s see . . . it’s hard to remember how it all came about. I think I started off just walking Jen’s dogs and watering the plants, and maybe cooking sometimes for her and Nick. That sort of thing.”
    â€œI can hardly remember, either,” Jennifer admitted. “But she was clearly a gem. When my last assistant left for a job writing sitcoms, Alicia was the obvious choice. For one thing, she already knew our entire schedule. And all our little quirks.”
    â€œIt was my dream job. Quirks and all,” Alicia confessed. “But I never thought Jen would actually hire me.”
    â€œWhere did you grow up, Alicia? In California?” Dana