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After Violet was tucked into her portable crib, my parents broke out the Trivial Pursuit “Three teams,” Dad announced “The Mrs and I are undefeated, Father Tim, so we don’t want to break our streak Will, you can be with your lovely bride there, and Maggie, you won’tFather Tim the ropes, will you, sweetheart?”

Christy grinned wickedly “I think we all know the answer to that,” she murmured so that only I could hear

“Have you gained a few pounds?” I asked “They look good on you”

And so the rest of the night was spent quipping and insulting and laughing Really, how could I not ireat-sounding name!

The next day, I’on Plutarski, who guards Father Ti a steak I stare at Father Tim’s beautifully shaped ht is the big spaghetti supper to raise money for a new roof on the western side of the church, which started leaking after a nor’easter last winter

“The final count is closer to sixty people,” Father Tiether loosely The scent of his soap drifts to ie Literally For God’s sake He’s athis on you on such short notice, but apparently we had a few last-minute reservations”

“Oh, no proble roo just across from me I swear, I could look into those eyes for the rest of my life…

“Can you do the bread, as well, Maggie? I’, but it completely slipped my mind”

“Hmm? Oh, the bread? Sure No problem”

“Ah, thank heaven for you, dear girl,” he says, though he is only a year older “You’re a treasure”

A jewel, a treasure, darlin’… I know he calls everyone by those pet naht, playing couples’ Trivial Pursuit, sharing huddled discussions over whether the ansas Eisenhower or Nixon, David Bowie or Iggy Pop…

I stand up, trying to shake ie, I instructto I sound like a drug addict Perhaps there’s a twelve-step program for me Priest Lovers Anonymous

In the rectory office, Mrs Plutarski pauses in her phone conversation to shoot id rain

Sighing, I glance down the street The fahetti dinner is hours away, the diner is closed If only I had that nice guy I’ve ih and dancing eyes It’s a great day for cuddling, and while Colonel is excellent at cuddling, he’s not exactly the sa as a hubby No, Colonel could lie in front of a war fire as , drinking coffee…

My thoughts are cut off as a Huh an enormous puddle A sheet of“Hey!” I yelp The vehicle slows at the library, pulling into a parking space near the front door

“Asshole,” Ito march down the street and tell the down A woets out of the passenger’s side She opens the back door and out pop three blond children wearing colorful raincoats and brightly colored boots The mother extends both hands, and the s ahead to hold the door for his mother and sisters Even frohter

I guess I won’t tell them off They’re not idiots, after all As a , aside fro vehicle they drive They look like the kind of family I’d like to have someday The wo, well-dressed, unconsciously affectionate, automatically protective

Then the driver’s door opens and out gets Skip Parkinson

His presence is like a punch to the sto that I actually bend over I haven’t seen hiht his fiancée back home

Skip glances down the block, and though I knew him immediately, it’s clear he doesn’t have that sah to the skin My teeth begin to chatter, but I don’t s into the library, still full of easy, athletic grace

Skiphis parents No doubt the lovely, adorably dressed children got antsy being stuck inside, so Skip and Mrs Skip took theet a book or a movie that would occupy them for the rest of the day No doubt Skip and Mrs Skip will return to the Parkinsons’ lovely home on Overlook Street and cuddle and read on the couch, the fire crackling, their legs entangled

That could have been h the cold rainy afternoon by Skip, ht have been mine

Turning around, the cold rain slicing my face, I race home It’s only three blocks, but I run as fast as I can, and by the ti that Mrs K doesn’t decide she wants a chat or a pedicure, and burst inside The only sound is ofon the roof

Colonel hauls hi bed and woofs softly I kneel down and hug hilad to see you,” I say “I love you, Colonel”

When an eighty-five pound mammal licks your tears away, then tries to sit on your lap, it’s hard to feel sad I give o to the bathrooled, wet hair sticks to rim

I slao to the cupboard above the fridge?the rarely-used liquor cupboard?and take out the unopened Irish whiskey given to o I used to bring hiuy I slosh about six ounces into a glass and raise it “Here’s to you, Mr Williaely, shudder, then take another s

Grabbing the phone, I call the bakery in Machias and order eighteen loaves of Italian bread, then call Will, who is at the hospital up there today, on his cell

“Will, can you do me a favor?” I ask abruptly

“Sure, Maggie, sure You okay?” he asks

I tell hihetti supper He is happy to pick up the bread Great guy, that Will I drink to hi s his tail and rests his head on my foot

I look at the clock 3:09 Octavio closed today, and is probably already ho the two huge pots of homemade sauce and twelve dozen meatballs I left on the diner’s stove That’s how I spentfor a church event, even though I don’t go to church That’s our Maggie, anything for Father Tiht? It’s not like anyone’s ho for her