reduced rate. From what he said she shouldn't be on her own. But she absolutely refused. So he backed off."
Tracey was right. It wasn't any of her business and what else could Ron have done? Still…
Tracey met her at the door, her smile radiant. Maxine felt her stomach twist. Her husband had just died. And this … this whole thing seemed way over the top. She might not have actually danced a jig on her husband's grave but she certainly had an unusual way of grieving.
"Lindy and Ric are at their aunt's place. She's taken them shopping but she'll have them back by 12:30. Does that give you time to get everything set up?"
"It should be fine," she said.
"That assistant of yours, Heath? – is setting up a chocolate river in the living room. Really, I'm just amazed at what you can achieve."
Maxine smiled. "That's our job, to create whatever the client wants."
"Whatever? Does that mean anything?"
"Within reason," Maxine said hastily.
"Well – your assistant's just in the living room. If there's anything I can do to help just let me know."
"Will do," Maxine said as she motioned for Ally and Marcus to follow her in with containers filled with everything they'd need to transform the living room into a Willy Wonka wonderland. She noted with relief that Heath seemed to have everything pretty much set up for the fountain and chocolate river.
She gave Ally the tiles of green grass she'd made to put around the river bed. Over by the window she placed the larger tree.
She frowned briefly. It was true Tracey had air conditioning and right now the sun wasn't heating up the living room, but if it did…Deciding it was better to be safe than sorry she moved the tree over to the other side of the living room. Next she put some of the chocolate boulders she'd made and then a chocolate ground area.
Marcus was busy helping Heath. They were still working madly away to get everything set up just perfectly when Tracey breezed back in.
"I can't believe what you've done with this place. It's absolutely marvelous. Nikki just called to say she's on her way back with Lindy and Ric."
Maxine smiled at her. "We'll be out of the way by the time she gets here."
Heath looked at her as if she was crazy which she ignored. First rule of catering. Anything that wasn't done in time – wasn't done. The party must go on. And really – it looked good.
"I'll set up the adult's area now if you'd like and then we'll be in the kitchen getting everything ready.
Tracey smiled at her, but for the first time Maxine got a sense of nervousness from her, of barely contained fear. "Lindy will love this! It's just what she needs – to – well, you know…"
Maxine nodded. "They've gone through a lot. You all have."
"More than you can imagine," Tracey said, with a hint of bitterness in her voice. Then she gave a forced smile. "Things are going to get better now. You'll see."
"I certainly hope so," Maxine said. She'd wanted to ask what, if anything the police had said about Ron's case but that would have to wait. Right now it was party time!
As Lindy and Ric arrived with their aunt Nikki, Maxine felt her face freeze in shock. Nikki was their aunt? As in Nikki Benshaw, the columnist for Look, their local gossip paper? How had she not known that?
Lindy squealed in delight while Ric seemed impressed too, although at fourteen he seemed to feel it beneath him to show too much excitement. As their friends began to arrive Maxine was happy to hear exclamations about the flowers, the chocolate river, the grass, everything.
Heath just grinned as Ric stopped to point out his caterpillar to a couple of his friends. Judging by the noise level Maxine felt the party was a big success. Particularly since Lindy seemed to be actually forgetting herself and just having a good time for once. Maybe Tracey had been right. A party was what they needed to bring some light back into their lives.
She arranged a tray of assorted chocolate truffles and took them into the ladies who
Tracey was right. It wasn't any of her business and what else could Ron have done? Still…
Tracey met her at the door, her smile radiant. Maxine felt her stomach twist. Her husband had just died. And this … this whole thing seemed way over the top. She might not have actually danced a jig on her husband's grave but she certainly had an unusual way of grieving.
"Lindy and Ric are at their aunt's place. She's taken them shopping but she'll have them back by 12:30. Does that give you time to get everything set up?"
"It should be fine," she said.
"That assistant of yours, Heath? – is setting up a chocolate river in the living room. Really, I'm just amazed at what you can achieve."
Maxine smiled. "That's our job, to create whatever the client wants."
"Whatever? Does that mean anything?"
"Within reason," Maxine said hastily.
"Well – your assistant's just in the living room. If there's anything I can do to help just let me know."
"Will do," Maxine said as she motioned for Ally and Marcus to follow her in with containers filled with everything they'd need to transform the living room into a Willy Wonka wonderland. She noted with relief that Heath seemed to have everything pretty much set up for the fountain and chocolate river.
She gave Ally the tiles of green grass she'd made to put around the river bed. Over by the window she placed the larger tree.
She frowned briefly. It was true Tracey had air conditioning and right now the sun wasn't heating up the living room, but if it did…Deciding it was better to be safe than sorry she moved the tree over to the other side of the living room. Next she put some of the chocolate boulders she'd made and then a chocolate ground area.
Marcus was busy helping Heath. They were still working madly away to get everything set up just perfectly when Tracey breezed back in.
"I can't believe what you've done with this place. It's absolutely marvelous. Nikki just called to say she's on her way back with Lindy and Ric."
Maxine smiled at her. "We'll be out of the way by the time she gets here."
Heath looked at her as if she was crazy which she ignored. First rule of catering. Anything that wasn't done in time – wasn't done. The party must go on. And really – it looked good.
"I'll set up the adult's area now if you'd like and then we'll be in the kitchen getting everything ready.
Tracey smiled at her, but for the first time Maxine got a sense of nervousness from her, of barely contained fear. "Lindy will love this! It's just what she needs – to – well, you know…"
Maxine nodded. "They've gone through a lot. You all have."
"More than you can imagine," Tracey said, with a hint of bitterness in her voice. Then she gave a forced smile. "Things are going to get better now. You'll see."
"I certainly hope so," Maxine said. She'd wanted to ask what, if anything the police had said about Ron's case but that would have to wait. Right now it was party time!
As Lindy and Ric arrived with their aunt Nikki, Maxine felt her face freeze in shock. Nikki was their aunt? As in Nikki Benshaw, the columnist for Look, their local gossip paper? How had she not known that?
Lindy squealed in delight while Ric seemed impressed too, although at fourteen he seemed to feel it beneath him to show too much excitement. As their friends began to arrive Maxine was happy to hear exclamations about the flowers, the chocolate river, the grass, everything.
Heath just grinned as Ric stopped to point out his caterpillar to a couple of his friends. Judging by the noise level Maxine felt the party was a big success. Particularly since Lindy seemed to be actually forgetting herself and just having a good time for once. Maybe Tracey had been right. A party was what they needed to bring some light back into their lives.
She arranged a tray of assorted chocolate truffles and took them into the ladies who
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