The Big Bang by Linda Joffe Hull

Author:Linda Joffe Hull
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9781440545221
Publisher: F+W Media
Published: 2012-01-17T22:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

7.7.21. Hazardous Activities: No activities shall be conducted on any Lot, Common Area, or Licensed Property which are or might be unsafe or hazardous to any person.

Maryellen nibbled the corner of the most delicious, fudgy, chocolate-chip-filled, caramel-drizzled brownie she’d ever eaten.

Not counting the one she’d already devoured.

There had to be at least 400 calories of pure sugar, fat, and carbs floating through her system, but it wasn’t like she’d had time to eat much of anything else since her morning half-grapefruit. From the second she’d arrived at the playground pavilion, she’d been too busy accepting compliments on behalf of Frank, pouring champagne, and handing out slices of playground replica cake to take a bite herself. An afternoon’s worth of poolside streamer hanging and balloon tying left her starving, but she wasn’t about to have any of the greasy dim sum Laney arranged for the volunteers—she being the primary and most voracious volunteer of them all, at least where eating pot stickers was concerned. Once the casseroles, not-quite-homemade buckets of fried chicken, bread machine loaves, and bowls of fruit salad began to arrive, she had too much to do to sample anything. She managed to munch on a veggie or two while arranging various incarnations of Chinese chicken, Greek, and green salad around the stunning Mediterranean salmon salad she had every intention of making her dinner. Would have, had Laney not forgotten to buy enough of the reusable plates and plasticware she was also insistent be worked into the budget.

By the time Maryellen returned from an emergency trip to Safeway, the salmon salad, along with her second choice, a simple tossed romaine with feta and raspberry, had not only been polished off, but cleared away by the youth group.

How could she complain about not getting exactly what she wanted to eat when the teenagers seemed to be taking their job so seriously? Even Eva seemed blissful as she directed the others around.

A leader, just like Frank said.

After Eva’s initial fit of rage and Maryellen’s attempts to mollify her in the face of Frank’s decision made, Eva had been quiet. So quiet, ominous silence permeated the house in the same way that used to have Maryellen running to check on her toddler daughter to make sure she was just coloring and not on the walls.

Not tonight though. By agreeing with Eva that the kids deserved to be let off from cleanup duties by 8:45 so they could enjoy the party, there’d be no meltdown.

The word meltdown made her think of chocolate—and the dessert table, overflowing with all the pies, cookies, and cakes that had appeared, like magic, while she was at the store.

Maryellen broke her brownie, the best dessert of them all, and stuffed half in her mouth.

What damage could a couple of brownies really do anyway?

Meg Pierce-Cohn, who’d exited a dull-sounding conversation about environmental tax credits, appeared beside her and surveyed the array of offerings. “What do you recommend?”

“These brownies are to die for.” She handed one to Meg from

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