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you both.  Are there more bags we can help with?"
     
    "Thank you, girls, yes there are more," Mrs. Gundlach said. She began putting things away as the others brought the bags in.
     
    "Is something special happening, Mrs. Gundlach?" Emily asked. "This is a huge amount of food."
     
    "I forgot to tell you. Joseph, our son, is coming in today for a visit," Mrs. Gundach explained. "He'll be here for three days only, for Labor Day weekend. He's a resident in internal medicine in Cincinnati, Ohio, so he doesn't get much time off," she explained proudly.
     
    "Emily, why don't you and Ann join us for dinner tonight?" Mr. Gundlach invited.
     
    Emily looked at Ann. "Would you like to come?"
     
    "I'd love to," Ann smiled. "What time, and what can I bring?"
     
    "Six o'clock, and if you bring any more food into this house there won't be room for Emily," Mr. Gundlach teased, winking.
     
    "Ach! Out of my kitchen," Mrs. Gundlach clucked. "Out, all of you!"
     
    Emily walked Ann out to her truck. "I guess I'll see you this evening," Ann said.
     
    "I guess so," Emily smiled. As Ann pulled away, Emily ran back into the house, bounding up the steps two at a time all the way upstairs. She wanted to shower and get some work done, so she could relax and enjoy this evening.
     
     

Chapter 7
     
    J oseph Gundlach arrived sometime in the afternoon while Emily was at her office. When she returned to the house at four-thirty, he was on the front porch with his father. As he stood for introductions, Emily sensed this is what Mr. Gundlach must have looked like at thirty. Joseph was over six feet, perhaps six three, with thick blond hair combed back off his forehead. He had his father's blue eyes and smile. Emily liked him immediately.
     
    Joseph looked at her quizzically. "You look so familiar to me," he said.
     
    "You know, I was thinking the same thing," she said, perplexed.
     
    "Have you been to Cincinnati?" When Emily said no, he shook his head. "What a weird feeling."
     
    She went upstairs to change into khakis with a crisp white shirt. Then she went down to see if Mrs. Gundlach needed help. Ann arrived at quarter to six with a bottle of wine despite Mr. Gundlach's warning. After being introduced to Joseph, she went into the kitchen.
     
    "Hello! Can I help?" she asked. When Emily turned to say hello, she stopped short. Ann was wearing white slacks and an indigo blouse that highlighted her eyes, making them seem even bluer. 'She's stunning,' Emily thought.
     
    Ann smiled self-consciously. "Do I look all right?"
     
    Emily blushed and stammered, "You look great," then moaned to herself as she realized what she'd said.
     
    The women brought the food to the dining room table. Mrs. Gundlach had outdone herself with roasted chicken, mashed potatoes, peas, fresh salad and fresh bread. She had been cooking all afternoon. As they all sat, Emily noticed that Joseph seated himself next to Ann. His parents wanted to know all about what he was doing, so he did most of the talking. He was almost finished with his residency, and planned to stay in Cincinnati.
     
    "It's a great city," he said to Ann. "Have you ever been there?" When she shook her head, he said, "You really should see it sometime."
     
    Emily tried to squelch the negative feelings stirring within her as she listened to him. Joseph seemed like a nice guy. Ann might really like him.
     
    "I think a city like Avignon is more my style," she said, smiling across the table at Emily. It took a second for the remark to sink in through Emily's reverie. She looked up with surprise and smiled back at Ann. Much of the remainder of the dinner conversation was the Gundlachs catching up on family news. Emily and Ann listened politely.
     
    After dinner, the younger women insisted on doing the dishes while the Gundlachs visited.
     
    "What a wonderful meal," Ann sighed as she washed. "I'm stuffed!"
     
    "I know," Emily laughed as she dried the dishes and put them away. "That's how she feeds me most