“Heck yes!” Phyllis threw her head back and laughed. “I thought I would combust on the spot. And Truman? Oh, boy. Let’s just say he had a hard time coming back from the edge.”

“And all that felt good to you? The kissing and…stuff?”

“Better than good.” Phyllis narrowed her eyes. “Why all the questions? Isn’t Sam a good…kisser?”

“No… I mean, yes. I mean… I suppose.”

“Maybe he needs more practice. None of the guys our age are any good at this stuff. They need to do it more to figure it out. At least that’s what I’ve heard.”

Mary doubted the veracity of that. It sounded like something a guy would say to get a girl to give in. “Yeah,” she answered dubiously. Idly, she wondered what it would feel like to kiss Phyllis. Her lips looked soft, like rose petals. I bet that would feel a lot better than kissing Sam. Oh, my gosh! Where in the world did that come from, Mary Elizabeth? She shook her head to clear it.

“You’ve got to give him an answer. You can’t leave him hanging like that. It’s not fair.”

“I know.” Mary swallowed hard.

“Guys like Sam don’t grow on trees. If the quality of…hanky-panky…is your only problem with him, I say marry him and train him.” She winked.

“Right. Train him.” Mary thought she might throw up. She stood. “I’ve got to go. I told Mother I’d be home for dinner.”

“Thanks for stopping by. I’m glad you did.”

“Me too.” Mary hugged her friend. “Take care of yourself and your mom. I’ll come by again soon.”

“I’d like that.”

“Me too.” Mary opened the bedroom door. “I can see myself out.” She took her leave.

Her stomach churned all the way home. Her experience with Sam didn’t sound anything like what Phyllis described. What was she going to do?

Nora followed the porter as he carried her suitcase down the train steps and onto firm ground. She rubbed her eyes and smoothed her dress. It seemed like everyone on the train was disembarking at the same moment. People of every size and shape swarmed over the platform, many of them talking excitedly.

The station sign read, “Knoxville.” Nora knew that Knoxville was in Tennessee. Beyond that, she knew virtually nothing of the place.

“Oh, my goodness. That’s a lot of folks,” Josephine exclaimed, coming up alongside her. “Do you think we’re all going to the same place?”

“I don’t know.”

“I guess we’ll find out soon enough.”

“I imagine so.” In the near distance, Nora spotted a man in a suit holding a sign with her name on it. “I must go.”

“Go? Go where?” Josephine stretched. “Will I see you again?”

“I don’t know.”

“I hope so. But just in case, it was nice to meet you, Nora.”

“You too.”

“See you.”