“Okay, Moishe. We have to go.” Norman carried him out to the living room and set him down on the couch. “Do you leave the television on for him?”

Hannah nodded, hoping Norman wouldn’t think she was crazy. “It’s company for him when I’m gone.”

“That makes sense. I’ll do it while you get your coat. Which channel does he like?”

“Anything except Animal Planet. They run vet programs and he hates vets.” Hannah went to the closet and grabbed the coat she’d chosen, a previously owned cashmere that she’d found at Helping Hands. When she came back into the room, Norman was frowning. “Is there something wrong, Norman?”

“I was just kicking myself for forgetting to tell you how gorgeous you look. I should have said that right away. Mother would have a fit if she knew.”

Hannah laughed. “So would my mother. Delores made me promise to tell you how nice you looked and I forgot. If we run into them at the party, we won’t mention it. How’s that?”

“Good.” Norman opened the door and waited for Hannah to step through. “Uh…Hannah?”

“Yes, Norman?” Hannah double-locked the door with her key and they walked down the stairs to the ground floor.

“We’re going to run into them at the party. As a matter of fact, we’ll see them before that.”

Hannah winced. “Don’t tell me we’re picking them up!”

“Not exactly. I did that already, before I came to get you. They’re both waiting for us in the backseat of my car.”

Hannah felt as if she were stuck in a time warp as they drove to the Woodleys’ mansion. It was a lot like being a kid again, dragged off to a party by her mother. To make matters worse, Norman’s mother had brought a camera and she’d blithely announced that she planned to take pictures of them. Hannah had feared that this evening might turn out to be an ordeal, but it was going to be even worse than she’d anticipated.

The Woodley mansion was ablaze with lights and when they pulled up, a red-jacketed valet came forward to take Norman’s car. Another parking attendant opened the doors, and Hannah and their mothers were assisted out of the car and up to the front entrance.

Hannah gazed around her as she entered the foyer on Norman’s arm. It had been decorated for the occasion with banks upon banks of tropical blooms. Of course they were imported. Birds of Paradise, Royal Poinciana, and Chinese Hibiscus didn’t grow in Minnesota, even in the summer. They had been transported from warmer climates, and Hannah knew they had to have been outrageously expensive.

There was a harpist, seated in an alcove, playing classical music. Hannah thought that was a nice touch. Leave it to Judith Woodley to provide a touch of class from the moment they entered the door.

“Your coat, ma’am?” A pretty maid, dressed in a dark green uniform and a frilly white apron, helped Hannah out of her coat. “Would you care to freshen up in the ladies’ powder room?”