Trouble When You Walked In (Contemporary Romance) by Kieran Kramer Page B

to make themselves at home.
    “You use Chessmen cookies from Pepperidge Farm, don’t you, in that banana pudding?” Mrs. Donovan asked Mrs. Hattlebury sweetly.
    Mrs. Hattlebury glared at her. “I’ll never tell.” She put her hands on her hips. “How is the newspaper reporter going to be able to tell we’re sitting in? This looks like a party.”
    “Well, it’s not,” said Cissie. “It’s a protest. Big difference.”
    “I’m not really against the library moving,” Mrs. Donovan reminded her. “I’m here for Laurie. She couldn’t come. The boys both have earaches from all the Play-Doh they stuck in them today. I’m her placeholder.”
    “Wasn’t that nice of you,” Cissie murmured, and tried to be thankful she had a placeholder for Laurie rather than be annoyed at Mrs. Donovan for disagreeing with her about the library. “Laurie called and told me.” And Cissie was glad she had. Laurie had sounded sorry she couldn’t be there and promised they’d get together soon. She’d also apologized for her mother in advance.
    Nana came in a few minutes later with her sleeping bag and pillow and stopped flat at the door. “Wow! This looks like a party!” She was wearing her red-and-white-striped footie pajamas.
    “It’s not ,” said Cissie. “But we sure have a lot of food.”
    Nana held up a canvas bag. “And Jameson and cigars.” She chuckled in her naughtiest fashion.
    “Oh, no,” said Cissie. “This is an alcohol-free, cigar-free sit-in.”
    “I thought I’d try,” Nana said. “I did bring the paper plates and plastic forks you asked for.”
    Mrs. Donovan and Mrs. Hattlebury had settled in at the front desk and were playing cards.
    An hour went by. Everyone kept well occupied. The homesteading kids got to watch Frozen . Their parents quietly read the Whole Earth Catalog . The gin rummy tournament, which now included Nana, was in full swing.
    Cissie didn’t feel she could really participate in all the happy activities. She had to maintain the sit-in presence and act serious and troubled—because she was.
    But no else came in. Not even a reporter from the Bugler .
    “You need to call Edwina,” Nana said.
    “I shouldn’t have to call the newspaper editor to get someone down here.” Cissie acted nonchalant, but her feathers were definitely ruffled. “This is a legitimate story. Not much happens in Kettle Knob.”
    “That’s right. We’re such a happy place,” said Nana, just like Boone’s parents had said.
    Cissie eyed her suspiciously. “Do you really believe that? I heard someone else say the same thing today. Or are you spouting propaganda?”
    “We are happy. Aren’t we?” Nana laid down three aces on the desktop.
    “Yes.” Cissie sighed. “We’re happy.”
    What was wrong with her? Why did she not feel happy deep down? Was she really going to be one of those women who needed a soul mate to be truly fulfilled? She loved her job. She loved her friends. She loved where she lived. She was fine .
    Another half hour went by. Still no one else came to sit-in. And the newspaper didn’t show. She’d even left a flyer with the local radio station.
    “Let it go!” Hank Davis shouted. “Let it go! Let it go!”
    Sally came out from the back. “Hank Davis and Charles are hungry. It’s time to eat.”
    So everyone ate, and with each passing minute, instead of being happy that her good friends and family had shown up, Cissie fretted.
    Nothing was being accomplished.
    Nothing.
    “But it is,” Nana reassured her when she hovered by the card game and expressed her frustration. “The wheels of justice turn slowly, imperceptibly. Nothing we do is wasted. Every vote counts at every election. Every protest matters.”
    “Speaking of elections, we’ve got one in a little over three weeks,” said Mrs. Donovan. “Governor, US congressmen, Kettle Knob mayor, and some school board members.”
    “Well, Boone’s got it locked up again,” said Nana.
    “I don’t remember the last