"No problem," said Tom. "That just means she'll end up in Hell alot."

"Do I need to bring anything?" asked Rainie.

"Junk food," said Tom. "Nothing healthy."

"That's Tom's rule," said Douglas. "You can bring anything youwant. I'll be putting out a vegetable dip."

"Yeah, right," said Raymond. "Mr. Health."

"Mr. Quiche," said another man.

"Tell her what we dip in your vegetable dip, Dougie."

"Frankfurters show up a lot," said Douglas. "And Tootsie Rolls. Once Tommy stuck his nose into the dip, and then the HealthDepartment came and closed us down."

"Ida!" Minnie's voice was sharp.

"I'm about to get fired," said Rainie.

"Minnie can't fire you," said Tom. "Nothing bad can ever happento Those Who Feed the Baby!"

But the expression on Minnie's face spoke eloquently about thebad things that could happen to her waitress Ida Johnson. As soon asRainie got behind the counter with her, she whispered in Minnie's ear,"I can't help it that it's at Douglas's house. Count the chaperones andgive me credit for a little judgment."

Minnie sniffed, but she stopped looking like she was about to puta skewer through Rainie's heart.

The Boys' Table lasted a whole hour, and then Douglas looked athis watch and said, "Ding."

"The one-o'clock bell," cried Tom.

Raymond whistled between his teeth.

"The one-o'clock whistle!"

And in only a few moments they had their coats on and hustledon out the door. They might act like boys for an hour at noon, butthey were still grown-ups. They still had to get back to work, and righton time, too. Rainie couldn't decide if that was sad or wonderful. Maybe both.

By the time Rainie's shift was over, Minnie was her cheerful selfagain. Whether that meant that Minnie trusted her or she had simplyforgotten that Rainie was going to feed the baby with the boys tonight,