"See the poem? That's for you.

"My apology I'll

Not prolong

I am so sorry

If I went wrong."

Chuck stared at her. "Went wrong? What do you mean, went wrong?" He cocked his head. "You went through my things?"

"No, I-"

"What have I told you about going through my things?"

"I didn't go through your things. Let me show you. I'm so ashamed."

"You're so ashamed!"

"Don't wake the baby."

"You're so ashamed you come at me with crossword puzzles and you're just afraid I'll wake the baby?"

"Come outside."

"What?"

"I have to show you something."

"And you'd like all the neighbors to see?"

"No one's gonna look at us. If we don't shout,"

Mimi added. With the baby sleeping on her shoulder, she jerked open the front door.

Chuck followed her out into the yard. "Mimi, what's going on?"

"You notice how I parked the car? Angling away?"

"So you're terrible at parking. I kid you about it. What's the big deal?"

Mimi led him around to the far side of the car. Pointed to the freshly repaired fender. "I backed into a light pole. I'm really sorry. I know how much you love the car."

Chuck looked astounded. "You dented the car?"

"Yes. I'm really sorry."

Mimi waited for the explosion.

Instead, Chuck started to giggle. "That's what this is all about? The car? You thought I'd be upset about the car?"

"You're not upset?"

Chuck took her by the shoulders, kissed her on the forehead. "You're very sweet, you know. You think you're the first housewife ever dented the family car?"

"I was so worried about it."

"And getting that woman to make up a crossword puzzle. If that don't beat all. Come on, sweetie, let's go in."

Chuck put his arm around Mimi and his daughter, and led them into the house.

He glanced over his shoulder as they went in the door. But there was no one there.

ACROSS.

1. 1 "Huh?"

2. 5 Faultfinder's find 3. 10 Room at the top?

4. 14 Hopscotch space 5. 15 Loosen up 6. 16 About, in lawyerspeak 7. 17 88 days on Mercury 8. 18 Consume with gusto 9. 19 Bond in court 10. 20 Start of message 11. 23 Chinese shell food 12. 26 Ahead of time 13. 27 Chilean-born pianist, 14. Claudio ___ 15. 28 Wander about 16. 31 Part 2 of message 17. 34 Z, as in Zakinthos 18. 38 Falco of "The Sopranos"

19. 39 Unhappy fan, maybe 20. 40 Rock group?

21. 41 Wanton look 22. 42 Part 3 of message 23. 44 Just say no 24. 45 Take the honey and run 25. 46 "Be prepared," for one 26. 50 "Even if it fails..."

27. 52 Part 4 of message 28. 56 July 4 or 5, e.g.

29. 57 Oohed and ___ 30. 58 Invasion site of 2003 31. 62 Turkish military title 32. 63 Bump and ___ 33. 64 Only 34. 65 Look for 35. 66 Roll-on alternative 36. 67 Had a big mouth DOWN.

* 1 A question of motive * 2 Break ground?

* 3 Docs' bloc * 4 Long essay * 5 Baguette or challah * 6 Lutzes and Salchows * 7 Tone of voice?

* 8 Manhandle * 9 Industrial show * 10 Tripoli's locale * 11 Broadcast booth sign * 12 Something extra * 13 Set for the BBC * 21 "What's ___ problem?"

* 22 Ring stone * 23 "Doonesbury" square * 24 Eat away * 25 Bandleader Shaw * 28 Spacious * 29 Small bills * 30 Farming prefix * 32 Off-Broadway award * 33 Baguette or challah * 34 Animal behavior expert * 35 Mistake * 36 U. of Maryland athletes * 37 Thus far * 43 In stitches * 44 Unknown John or Jane * 46 King with a golden touch * 47 Old enough * 48 Tax of a tenth * 49 Fine-tune * 50 Battleground * 51 Hot alcoholic drink * 53 Acts like a shrew * 54 Ballpark cover * 55 Sound from a fan * 59 "Winnie-the-Pooh" baby * 60 Part of "snafu"

* 61 End-of-proof letters ACROSS.

* 1 "Huh?"

* 5 Faultfinder's find * 10 Room at the top?

* 14 Hopscotch space * 15 Loosen up * 16 About, in lawyerspeak * 17 88 days on Mercury * 18 Consume with gusto * 19 Bond in court * 20 Start of message * 23 Chinese shell food * 26 Ahead of time * 27 Chilean-born pianist, * Claudio ___ * 28 Wander about * 31 Part 2 of message * 34 Z, as in Zakinthos * 38 Falco of "The Sopranos"

* 39 Unhappy fan, maybe * 40 Rock group?

* 41 Wanton look * 42 Part 3 of message * 44 Just say no * 45 Take the honey and run * 46 "Be prepared," for one * 50 "Even if it fails..."

* 52 Part 4 of message * 56 July 4 or 5, e.g.

* 57 Oohed and ___ * 58 Invasion site of 2003 *

* 62 Turkish military title * 63 Bump and ___ * 64 Only * 65 Look for * 66 Roll-on alternative * 67 Had a big mouth DOWN.

* 1 A question of motive * 2 Break ground?

* 3 Docs' bloc * 4 Long essay * 5 Baguette or challah * 6 Lutzes and Salchows * 7 Tone of voice?

* 8 Manhandle * 9 Industrial show * 10 Tripoli's locale * 11 Broadcast booth sign * 12 Something extra * 13 Set for the BBC * 21 "What's ___ problem?"

* 22 Ring stone * 23 "Doonesbury" square * 24 Eat away * 25 Bandleader Shaw * 28 Spacious * 29 Small bills * 30 Farming prefix * 32 Off-Broadway award * 33 Baguette or challah * 34 Animal behavior expert * 35 Mistake * 36 U. of Maryland athletes * 37 Thus far * 43 In stitches * 44 Unknown John or Jane * 46 King with a golden touch * 47 Old enough * 48 Tax of a tenth * 49 Fine-tune * 50 Battleground * 51 Hot alcoholic drink * 53 Acts like a shrew * 54 Ballpark cover * 55 Sound from a fan * 59 "Winnie-the-Pooh" baby * 60 Part of "snafu"

* 61 End-of-proof letters

Chapter 11.

MIMI COULDN'T BELIEVE her good fortune. Her husband was taking it like a prince. An absolute prince. Chuck had seemed in a cranky mood when he got home. But when he saw the dent in the car, he couldn't have been nicer. Mimi knew why. The puzzle softened him up. But not the puzzle itself. The fact that she'd gone to the trouble to get it for him. Gone so far as to ask the Puzzle Lady. A famous person. A professional. It was like asking a doctor for a diagnosis at a party. It simply wasn't done. But she'd done it. And how it had paid off! Chuck had gone from testy and irritable to virtually calm. He'd read the poem, seen the damage, and that was that. Mimi shuddered to think what his reaction might have been if he hadn't read the poem.

It was a shame nobody knew. It occurred to Mimi that, like most selfless gifts, it would go unnoticed. She wished she could do something about that. Let people know what a savior Cora had been. Cora was famous, yes, but not noted for her good deeds. And stars got such bad press. The tabloids Mimi read on line in the supermarket each week-but of course never deigned to buy-owed their existence to the public's opinion of the foibles of the rich and famous. Celebrities were notorious, always censured, never praised. Any act of generosity went unappreciated. Which was so unfair. If a star visited a children's hospital, either no one knew, or it was regarded cynically as a photo op.

Mimi picked up the crossword puzzle from the desk. It occurred to her she could take it to the paper, give them a human interest story. They'd surely run it, what with it being about Bakerhaven's most famous citizen.

Except Chuck had taken the car. He'd been in such a good mood, he'd kissed her and gone out. That didn't sound right. But he deserved a night out with the boys after her wrecking the car and all that. So she was stuck at home. And Darlene was asleep. Mimi couldn't go anywhere until the baby woke up. Even if she called a cab.

Wait a minute. Chuck had a fax machine. She never used it, and he hardly ever did, but there was one in his study. She wondered if she could figure out how it worked. Chided herself for the thought. In this day and age, not to know how to send a fax!

Mimi grabbed the puzzle off the coffee table, went into the study. The fax machine was on a stand next to the desk. It had a telephone receiver, and way too many buttons. Well, some of them were the same as on a telephone. Others said COPY, START, and STOP.

One button said HELP. Mimi wondered if she should press it.

She sat down at the desk. Chuck's computer was on. Mimi had used it before, to type lists and letters. She called up WordPerfect, clicked on FILE. Clicked on NEW DOCUMENT, as she always did to select the custom letterhead Chuck had designed for her. Instead, she scrolled through a series of choices on a series of screens until she found what she wanted. She clicked on it, and a document appeared with the heading: FAX:.

Mimi filled it in, stopping only to look up the number of the paper.

TO: Bakerhaven Gazette

FAX: 203-555-1415.

FROM: Mimi Dillinger

DATE: 5/16.

SUBJECT: Human interest story

PAGES: (including header) 2

COMMENTS: I banged the fender of my