She recovered quickly; she had to. “Oh, Gust, you’re just teasing me!” She was doing her best to swim to the shore of convention, to keep from drowning in his eyes.

He smiled then, relieved. “Don’t you know,” he said, pretending along with her. He replaced his hat, and offered his arm to her again; she took it, and they started up the steps to the house. “And how do you think that line will work on the ladies, then?”

“Oh, wonderful!” she said, laboring up the steps. “You’ll be married in a fortnight.”

Though she invited him in, he bid her good-bye on the front porch. “Forgive me,” he said, and she shivered at the light in his eyes. She watched him as he ran down the steps. When he reached the bottom, he turned and tipped his hat to her, then broke away into a run. The Bear Trap River babbled in the distance, and the baby in her belly kicked. Do not, she told herself again, and turned to go into the house, shedding her cloak, desperate to return to her piano.

Chapter 5

The Family Hostess’ Creed

Happy family relationships are part of my responsibility; therefore—I will save enough energy to do the job of being a happy and helpful hostess to my family day after day.

—The Modern Family Cook Book, 1942

PINE RAPIDS WOMEN’S CLUB MEETING
Thursday, June 29, 1950

The ladies insisted that Dolly join the Pine Rapids Women’s Club, which, according to Mrs. Fryt, had evolved out of the original Beautification Committee. “One day we noticed Pine Rapids didn’t look so bad,” she explained. “So we decided we could branch out. It was during the thirties; we raised money for needy children and such.” And, during the recent war, she told Dolly, the Women’s Club had sold an amazing ten thousand dollars’ worth of war bonds.

The meetings were held the last Thursday of each month at the town hall. Dolly was a little concerned about throwing off her schedule at home—Thursdays were when she cleaned house, and she needed at least six hours to do everything properly—but she supposed that if the other ladies could take time away from their homes, she could figure out how to make things work, too. Besides, all the magazines said that community work could be a homemaker’s saving grace, and after nearly two months in Pine Rapids, away from the companionship of her mother, sisters, and friends in Battle Point, Dolly was beginning to think she just might need a saving grace soon.