"Plural?"

"One for me and one for Todd."

"Explain this to me on the way. I want your full attention on the contract while we eat. You need to drive. My van is making a funny noise."

Jane was astonished. "You'd ride in my disreputable station wagon? I'd have cleaned it out if I'd known."

"No, you wouldn't have. But I don't care. Just as long as there's somewhere to sit where there aren't bags of birdseed, dry cleaning, or school papers."

Jane explained how she'd spent the weekend. Shelley, flipping through the contract one last time, paid very little attention except to mutter, "Good for you, Jane."

When they reached the restaurant, Shelley said, "Let me order for both of us. I know what you always get. Start reading."

Jane had known Shelley most of her adult life and knew when it was possible to object to her bossiness. This wasn't one of those times.

She applied herself as diligently as she could and hoped she could finish before they were through eating so Shelley could pay their bill while she tried once again to reach Mel.

It wasn't to be. Shelley finished eating first, continually warning Jane not to spill anything on the contract.

"What would it matter?" Jane said, slightly snippily. "You can always print out a fresh one."

"I want to show Bitsy what a well-done, well-presented contract should look like without sticky bun icing smeared on it. And I don't want to go back home to print a new one. Aren't you through yet?"

"With the contract or my breakfast?"

"Both."

Jane sighed, looking longingly at her now-cold second waffle. "I guess I am. Let's go."

When they'd almost reached the construction site, Jane asked, "Do you think they got rid of the smell? I don't want to go in if they haven't."

"We'll see. I'm determined to get Bitsy away from Sandra anyway. We might just ask her to come outside to talk."