The Mystery at Sag Bridge

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"How's your daughter, Valerie?" Sissy asked, looking up while tossing salad. "She's what, nine now?" Valerie, as usual, didn't bring food, leaving that for someone else. There was always plenty of food, but the others found it annoying.

"I know it's a cliché," she said, running a hand through her pixie-cut dark hair, "but Molly is nine going on twenty-nine. She's quite the little person, elegant and dignified. When we shop she turns her nose up at everything I pick. I always thought I had good taste, but let me tell you, that little girl of mine is quite the fashion guru. She's very particular what she wears to school every day, and smart! She amazes her teachers, they tell me." Valerie was animated, clearly delighted by Sissy's interest in Molly.

"You're not proud of her, are you?" Marty's tone said she was commenting, not asking.

"She's the center of my life. I don't know what I'd do without her." Cora was surprised to see Valerie's eyes shining with emotion, which seemed uncharacteristic.

"Does she see her father?" Sissy asked, as the women filled their plates and took seats around the kitchen table.

"He's in California. She visits him every summer, by court order. I'm a wreck while she's gone, afraid he's trying to take her from me. Now that Thanksgiving is coming up, I'm getting nervous he'll try to pull something. I've had a visit from a social worker, thanks to him, and I just found out he's got a detective trying to prove I'm unfit. I'm furious!"

"I'm sure you have nothing to worry about," said Jean.

Valerie went on and on about Molly as the women ate. In an effort to open up the conversation to other topics, Jean turned to Cora. "How is the library election campaign going?"

Cora laughed. "It's not much of a campaign-I just get signatures and write a bio for the paper."

"Do you think you'll be re-elected?" Sissy asked.

"I hope so. I've been on the board for ten years, and I think I've done a good job. Voters don't pay much attention to the Library Board, but with only three people seeking two positions, I think I have a good chance." Cora's words were positive, but her eyes shifted uneasily and she focused them on her plate.

"How would you feel if you didn't win?" Betty asked, picking up Cora's concern.

"Pretty bummed, I guess," she admitted. "I suppose it could happen. Many voters just pick a name that sounds good to them and don't know anything about the candidates." She hesitated and set down her fork, blinking rapidly. "I really enjoy serving the library. I'd feel like a failure, like my work was no good, if I didn't win."

"Well, I'm going to tell everyone in town to vote for you!" Betty said.

"Me too," Jean echoed, wiping her lips with a napkin.

"Thanks. Would you mind spreading the word and sending some emails? I guess it's more important than I let on." Cora looked around the table with a sheepish grin.

"Say, Cora," Lu said, "I hope I'm not insulting your Irish heritage when I tell you Italian food is a whole bunch better than Irish food."

"You wouldn't say that if we were having her corned beef," said Marty.

Valerie remained silent, looking alternately at her nails or the empty plate in front of her. The moment of enthusiasm she had shown earlier seemed to have spent itself. Cora guessed she was sulking since she was no longer the center of attention, or because no one had picked up her empty plate. The plate would probably still be sitting there when she left.

"Have you heard from Joe and Rosie," Marty asked, helping Betty carry empty dishes to the sink. Joe was Cora's other son, Rosie his wife. They lived two hundred miles away, which meant Cora saw little of her grand-daughter Maria, soon to be a year old. Both professionals, Joe and Rosie needed to be where the jobs were, and that was not, unfortunately, Lemont.