"If Kendra thinks that this little evening out will bribe me out of the way I feel, she's dead wrong."

"She knows that." He reached out and took her hand. "I think this may be her way of extending an olive branch. Why don't you just take the gift that's been offered and see what might happen next?"

Susan looked down at their linked hands, then smiled toward Julie. "I guess we better hurry and get ready."

Chapter 37.

Susan followed the boisterous teenagers outside to the car. The girls were wearing their favorite outfits. Brian was wearing a T-shirt with a picture of Albert Einstein across the front. Julie wore her usual bermuda shorts and polo shirt. Susan had stared into her closet for what seemed to be a half hour of agonizing over how she wanted to look before choosing a floral sundress she hoped would be flattering.

Gary opened the front and back pa.s.senger-side doors. "Wow, you all make the transition to the modern world in a nice way."

"Why, thank you." Whitney practically danced her way into the backseat. Angie followed with a bit less fervor, but was still obviously happy about getting out. Brian climbed in with his usual deadpan demeanor, leaving Susan to wonder if he really cared one way or the other.

Susan started to climb in beside him, but Julie put out her hand to stop her. "I'll sit with Brian." She effectively pulled Susan out of the way and climbed in, leaving Susan with no choice but to sit up front.

"Looks like I'm the pilot and you're the navigator." Gary closed the door on the backseat and held out a hand to help Susan climb up into the pa.s.senger's seat.

"Too bad for us, then, because I don't know anything about navigating this part of the country."

Gary kept his hand on the door and leaned against it. "Well, we might just have ourselves a problem, then." He leaned a little closer and spoke quietly enough that he wouldn't be heard. "If I'm going to get lost, I'm glad to be in such lovely company."

Susan felt her face heat. She managed to say something to the effect of "We'll just see if you say that when we end up in Kansas."

Gary laughed outright as he closed the door. He climbed into the driver's seat and used his best announcer voice. "Attention, pa.s.sengers. I need to go over the rules for the evening." The car grew dead quiet, although Susan was pretty certain she heard Whitney groan. "The rules are as follows"-he turned his head to face the pa.s.sengers in the back-"there are no rules."

"Woo-hoo!" Whitney led the hoots and hollers from the backseat.

Gary turned the key in the ignition. "And off we go, into the wild unknown."

Several hours later, Gary, Susan, and Julie stood at the entrance to Sue Ellen's Grill, looking for any sign of the kids. They had, immediately upon arrival, disappeared into the center of the mall, with little more than a "see you later." Reservations were at 6:30 P.M. It was now 6:25.

"Do you think they'll show up?" Gary leaned against the wall, arms crossed, an amused look on his face.

"If it were just the girls, I'd say we might never see them again, but they've got Brian with them. In spite of the fact that the kid's a beanpole, I've never known him to miss a meal. They'll be here." Julie nodded toward the mall's center. "It feels really strange, doesn't it? All the lights, the people"- she gestured at Susan-"our own clothes."

"Yes, amazingly so." Susan looked out toward the activity. There was a young mother pushing a couple of children in a stroller. She was tall and thin with hair and makeup meant to kill. Her shorts were just that. Short. And the tank top she wore left nothing to the imagination, including the color of her bra. Susan realized that two months ago, she would have seen this woman and never thought much about it. Now, after the weeks away and modest dress, it was much more blatant.

"Susan, have you noticed today, while we've been out among the people, that this feels, I don't know . . . almost shocking."

Susan nodded. "I was just thinking the same thing."

"It's amazing what you can get used to, isn't it?" Gary said. "I've seen it more times than I care to recall. And it doesn't take long until it's not shocking anymore. Just becomes the new normal."

"Too true, too true." Susan looked back toward the woman, who had disappeared into a store. While she was looking, though, she saw the top of a blond wavy head of hair. "Here come the kids."

All three came scampering up full of smiles, but Brian never stopped. He just headed right past them all and into the restaurant, claiming that he could eat a horse and possibly a pig and a goat, as well.

Everyone else followed. As they waited to be seated, Whitney suddenly squealed. "Look, everyone, that's us!" She pointed to the television over the bar.

Sure enough, they were showing previews of the Lisa Lee show. As a group, they all moved closer so they could hear better.

The background announcer was saying, "Mother and daughter have a life-changing encounter." It showed a fairly dark scene of Susan and Angie sitting at the kitchen table, but there was no audio.

"They filmed that? Are you kidding me?" Angie's hand was over her mouth, her head shaking from side to side.

Then the screen cut to a clip of Susan, wild hair, still in her pajamas, standing outside the house. "What's legal is legal, and I can't argue that. But what's right is right, and I will fight for that. Last night was a breakthrough moment in my family. To have it broadcast would be more than embarra.s.sing for my daughter. While I acknowledge you fully have the right to do it, I want you to understand that, contract or not, we will walk off this show. I'm prepared to pack my bags right now and leave."

"You know that we can sue you for this." Kendra's smirk looked every bit as ominous on the big screen as it did in real life.

"And I expect you will. But I would rather be bankrupt than to live in a home with a daughter who knows that her mother didn't stand up at a time like this. I will do the right thing by her no matter what it costs me, and there is no negotiating that. Period."

Then the announcer's voice was back. "Tune in Friday, to see if all is still well with our Almost Amish family, or if they have really flown the coop."

The group all stood huddled together in silence until the sounds of Angie's quiet sobs broke through. Susan put her arm around her daughter. "I'm so sorry, sweetie. I was just so upset that night, it never really even occurred to me about the hidden cameras."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I wanted to wait until it was all settled, one way or the other, before I said anything."

Angie buried her face on Susan's shoulder, slowly shaking her head. She finally pulled back and looked at Susan. "You really did that for me? Told them you would leave? Won't it ruin your career?"

"You're more important to me than any hope of a career."

"So . . . are we leaving, then?"

When would Whitney ever learn some tact? Susan didn't bother to look over at her, but she kept focused on Angie. "Are we leaving, Mom?"

Susan shrugged. "I think so. We're supposed to talk tomorrow morning before making any sort of final decision, but judging from that snippet, I'm gathering Kendra hasn't backed down, and I'm certainly not going to."

"Oh, Mom, I love you so much." Angie squeezed her tighter than she ever had. In this one moment, Susan came to believe that it had all been worth it.

Julie put her arm around Susan, whose arm was already around Angie. Whitney put her arm around Angie on the other side and then Brian, and soon they were all locked up in a group hug. She couldn't help but smile when Gary joined in between her and Brian. It was one of those rare precious moments that a mother would want to remember for the rest of her life.

"Your table is ready." The hostess motioned for the group to follow her as she led them through the restaurant to the far back room. She looked at Gary. "I thought you might enjoy a table back here where it's a little quieter."

"We appreciate that. Thank you." He quickly turned his attention to pulling out chairs for Julie and Susan.

"You're more than welcome, Mr. Macko."

Something about the way she said his name caught Julie's attention.

As everyone took a seat, she watched as their hostess handed out menus. Although she spoke to everyone as she did so, Julie's gut told her the hostess's attention was focused only on Gary. She wondered if they somehow knew each other. "The specials are listed on the outside of the menu. Mary Jane will be your waitress, but in the meantime, my name is Alice. Please feel free to let me know if you need anything." She smiled especially big toward Gary, then walked from the room.

Whitney said, "It was nice of that lady to give us the back room. She must have seen that we needed to talk."

"Or else she was afraid that if she didn't get us out of there soon, we might break into rounds of *k.u.mbaya.' " Angie smiled for the first time in a couple of days.

Whitney snorted. "Good one, Ang. Well, whatever the reason, I'm glad for it, because you guys have been holding out on us. When were you planning on telling us about this? When we were on the plane home?"

"We wanted to wait until things were official. There wasn't any reason to get you all upset if Kendra was going to change her mind."

"h.e.l.lo, my name is Mary Jane, and I'm here to be your waitress. Would everyone like to order drinks while you're looking at the menu?" Mary Jane smiled broadly all around the table, but again, Julie noticed she kept glancing toward Gary. If he did indeed know either one of these girls, he gave no indication of it. Strange.

After Mary Jane left to get their drinks, Susan filled the kids in on what had transpired.

"Way to stand up to the establishment, Aunt Susan." Whitney nodded her approval, then turned her attention to Gary. "So what's your take on all this? Did Kendra send you on this mission hoping you could soften us all up and convince us to stay on the show?"

Gary laughed. "You know what I like about you, Whitney? You are straight and to the point."

"Something that your answer isn't. Are you trying to duck the question?" She actually quirked an eyebrow at him. Julie couldn't help but laugh at her daughter's audacity.

"Touche. But, no, as a matter of fact, I am not on a secret mission. I got wind of what was going on and volunteered for this a.s.signment. Mostly because, if it is going to be your last night here, I wanted to spend some time with all of you. Because I'm really going to miss you if you go."

His gaze turned ever so briefly on Susan; then he looked all around the table. "Personally, I expect Kendra to back down. She knows she has a good thing going here, and there are some people of influence who would not want the show to end this way."

Julie thought about how much Lisa Lee had seemed to enjoy spending time with all of them. Perhaps he was right. She hoped so.

"Here are your drinks. Let's see, I know sweet tea goes right here." She set the gla.s.s in front of Gary. "Who had the unsweetened tea?" Julie, Susan, and Angie all raised their hands. She set the gla.s.ses before them. "I'm guessing the two root beers go right over here." She set the gla.s.ses in front of Whitney and Brian.

"Before you order, I was just talking to the chef. We have a couple of off-menu specials tonight if you would like to hear them." She smiled directly at Gary. "First off we have . . ."

She went on to list the specials, all of which sounded delicious. Gary nodded politely with each dish mentioned, but he also shifted in his seat and glanced at Susan repeatedly.

"All right, I'll start with the ladies." Mary Jane took everyone's order, smiled once more at Gary, and walked away, leaving Julie to wonder if there was more to this story, or if she'd simply noticed something that wasn't there.

"So, Aunt Susan, now that we're bringing all this out into the open, can I ask a question?"

Susan looked at Whitney, wondering what was left to ask at this point. Still flush with her interaction with Angie, she was prepared to be patient. "Sure."

"What is it you dislike so much about Chris?"

What? Susan knew her mouth was hanging open, but she couldn't seem to close it. This was by no means the question she'd expected.

"Whitney Kate Charlton, that is none of your business." Julie glared at her daughter. "You know better than to ask something like that."

Whitney shrugged, her face showing not a hint of remorse. "Sorry, but I'm just curious. I think he's terrific, and I can't understand why Aunt Susan doesn't." She turned back toward Susan then. "Is it his funky haircut? He's artistic, you know. Those kinds of people tend to be a bit more expressive in their appearance."

"Whitney, stop this right now." Julie reached her hand across and smacked it on the table in front of Whitney. As if that's going to get her attention. Nothing would shut Whitney down when she got in one of these moods.

Whitney shrugged and looked down at her root beer. She mumbled something that Susan couldn't quite make out, then looked up at Angie.

Perhaps it would be best to just get everything out in the open. "As long as we're talking about all these things, I suppose it's only fair that I answer that question. First off, the rules were that you were not supposed to talk with the crew. So for Angie to even speak to him was breaking a rule. Secondly"-Susan held up two fingers-"Angie never came to me and told me she was interested in Chris and asked for my blessing or even my opinion; she simply snuck out of the house to go meet him. Of course, my third experience with the young man in question involved sneaking away from the property altogether. I hardly find that a resume for the kind of young man I would approve for my daughter. However-"

"But, Mom, I-"

"I wasn't finished." Susan looked at Angie and waited until Angie made a circular gesture with her hand for her to go ahead. "However"-she nodded toward Angie-"through the course of our conversation last night, I came to understand that perhaps he is more upstanding than I'd a.s.sumed."

"Thank you." Angie nodded.

"That said, it really doesn't matter, because Kendra found out about last night and kicked him off the job."

Somehow this news didn't bring the reaction of despair Susan expected from the younger crowd. In fact, Whitney actually laughed. "Is that what she told you? That she sent him away because of Angie?" She shook her head. "He was leaving today anyway, because he's got another job lined up somewhere. We've known that since the first time he took us to youth group."

"Really?" Susan marveled once again at the half truths Kendra was prepared to tell.

"But . . . if that were not the case, would you still be opposed?"

"I don't think Chris is the appropriate boy for Angie."

"Be-cau-use?" Whitney leaned forward, waiting for the response.

"Angie is a hardworking, clean-cut Christian girl. I know these quiet, moody boys, the rebels if you will, often turn the corner and become upstanding citizens, but that's mostly in romance novels. It rarely happens in real life." She held up her hand to fend off the argument she knew Whitney would launch. "I know you all are convinced how wonderful he is, but I'm saying that I see a boy who is putting out signals that he is looking for trouble."

Angie shook her head slowly as she stirred her tea. She didn't say anything, but her silence didn't necessarily mean she would follow her mother's wishes. The last few weeks had proven that.

"So I believe I heard someone say that there is some good news to announce tonight. I'm thinking right about now would be a good time for some good news." Gary laced his fingers together, then rested his chin on the back of them, face turned toward the kids' end of the table.

Whitney and Brian both looked at Angie, whose face had gone bright pink. Angie looked toward Susan and licked her lips. "Well, yes, I uh . . . got this thing in the mail today . . ." She reached down and pulled a folded piece of paper out of her purse. She held it up, still folded. "It seems that I am a finalist in a writing contest."

"A what?" Susan reached for the paper, and Angie handed it to her.

"You submit the first twenty pages of your novel and a synopsis. All entries are judged by several experienced judges, and the top twenty percent move on to be semifinalists. Then three published authors read and rank the semifinalist entries, and the top three become the finalists."

"And you're a . . . finalist?"

"That's right."

"Which means you've already been a semifinalist?"

"Yes."

"Since when?"

"Early April."

Susan looked at her daughter, wondering where the joke was in all this. "If you've known since April that you were a semifinalist, why have I never even heard of this contest until this very minute?"

Angie shrugged and looked at her tea. "I knew you would be mad at me for spending so much time doing this, when I should have been working on my precalculus."

Susan stopped long enough to consider that one. She had to admit, Angie had a point. She would have been mad.

"So is that what you've been working on in cla.s.s since you've been here? The notebook that you always put away every time we walk into the room?" Julie was leaning forward, all smiles.