How Donna Reed had worked out the financial end of things regarding the house in the movie was not specified that Dolly could recall. Well, she would take things one step at a time. Maybe she could fix up the house without anyone knowing, and then Byron would buy it for her. In any case, the first step was to get the house in shape for him to view. It seemed clear by the state of things that none of the Mickelsons was ever going to come back.

The first thing she did was run the water in the kitchen sink until it changed from rust-colored to clear. Like Mrs. Fryt had said, the Mickelsons had kept the water connected. Now that Mr. Wojtas was dead, Dolly would have to take over his daily duties, too.

When it was time to go home to start Byron’s supper, Dolly left some supplies in the Mickelsons’ pantry, packed up the rest, and tossed her bag out the parlor’s side window. The parlor was her favorite room in the house, with a front window that looked out over the grand front porch, and a side window that opened onto the line of fir trees on the west edge of the property. It was papered in a misty lake-blue, with brocade draperies of the same shade. The blue rug was adorned with pink roses. In the center of the room stood a dusty grand piano, and there was an old phonograph in the far corner.

With a last look over her shoulder, Dolly slipped out the window and landed in the weeds next to her bag. She had been able to remove the screen by reaching out through a gash that ran down its center, twisting its stops out of the way, and letting it fall to the ground. Now she closed the storm window almost all the way and put the screen back in place, though she could reach only to twist the bottom stops back on. Now Dolly could come and go as she pleased, not just when she knew Mrs. Fryt was away from home. She would just have to bring something to stand on to boost herself up into the house.

It was four o’clock when Dolly headed in the back door of the library. The Ladies’ Home Journals were just where she had left them, and, after she sat for a moment to catch her breath, she gathered them up and brought them through the stacks to the librarian’s desk, handing them over with a smile.

“Did you find what you were looking for?” the woman asked.

“Oh, yes, thank you!” Dolly said. “But I’ve so much more to learn—I’ll be back!”

Chapter 12

THE MICKELSON HOUSE
502 W. First Street, Pine Rapids
Friday, April 6, 1917