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your friend. But also as someone who wants to see her neighbors drop a flower vagina onto a giant wooden penis and then dance around that penis by torchlight. I can honestly say I’ve never anticipated a community event more in my life.”
    Mary buried her face in her hands again.
    Penny pursed her lips. “I don’t know how much Angie’s presence will help you with the mayor, but I can pretty much guarantee she’ll distract you from your woes. Especially once discussions about the Maypole begin.”
    â€œGoodness gracious,” Mary muttered.
    â€œAnd the rest of us will support you in any way we can, Helen,” Constance said. “You have our word.”
    With that promise, Helen’s heart lightened for the first time in a few days.
    â€œI wonder if Sam would want to apply for an IT position at the library,” Penny said, tilting her head in thought.
    â€œSam?” Mary asked.
    â€œSam Wolcott, my half brother who lives on the Eastern Shore. Same mother, different fathers. Thus the different last names,” Penny explained.
    Oh, Jesus. No. There’s no way . Once more, Helen’s heart dropped to her feet.
    â€œPenny . . . You never mentioned Sam’s last name before,” Helen said.
    â€œMaybe not.” Penny shrugged. “Why does it matter?”
    â€œDoes Sam happen to work in a library right now? Say, one in Salisbury?” Helen asked, hoping to God Penny would answer with a resounding and definitive “no.”
    â€œHow did you know?” Penny’s brow furrowed in confusion.
    Now Helen assumed Mary’s usual position and spoke through her hands. “Remember that guy I met at a conference three months ago? The one I sort of . . .”
    â€œSlept with and conveniently neglected to give your phone number to?” Penny scrubbed her eyes with her hands. “Jesus, Hel.”
    â€œI wanted to erase the memory of Wes from my body,” Helen defended herself.
    â€œWith my brother ?” Penny groaned.
    â€œI didn’t know!”
    Leaning over, Penny buried her face in Angie’s shoulder. “Oh, God. Does Purell make some sort of disinfectant for the brain?”
    Angie patted Penny’s shoulder and grinned. “Well, well, Helen. Aren’t we the woman of the hour?”
    â€œI’ve slept with two men in thirty-five years. Two!” Helen moaned. “Why is this happening to me?”
    â€œJust lucky, I guess,” Angie said.
    â€œMy brother is a catch,” Penny mumbled into Angie’s sweater.
    â€œHe is,” Helen hastened to agree. “I simply didn’t want more than what we had.”
    â€œAnd what they had was sex,” Angie said, leaning in close to Penny’s ear. “Hel had sex with your brother. Hot, sweaty, naked sex.”
    Penny whimpered and plugged her ears with her fingertips.
    â€œYou’re evil,” Sarah said. “I like it.”
    Mary lifted a finger to get everyone’s attention. “Maybe the library won’t offer a new IT position. Or maybe Sam won’t want it. And maybe the mayor won’t play a big role in the May Day planning meetings.”
    Helen’s forehead hit the table in front of her with a distinct thunk . “That’s not how my life works, Mary. Unfortunately.”
    This , she thought. This is why I should have remained a virgin forever. Maybe I could have thrown on a sheet, called Zeus my father, and become a huntress. Or lived in a cave and marketed myself as an oracle. Or flung myself into an active volcano to prevent an eruption. Anything but this. Anything.
    Angie lifted a hand to get the attention of the waitress. “I can’t wait for the first May Day Celebration Committee meeting,” she said, beaming. “Let the games begin.”

3
    W es regarded the half-full meeting room from behind the podium, watching more and more people file into the space he’d reserved at City Hall. He