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Show 58 "I'm Lillian Suggs," her grandmother amended. Parker looked up. For some reason, he'd been curious about Dyna's "Gram," but seeing her now-gray-haired, wearing a blue cloth coat she resembled most of the grandmother types he saw in stores or on buses. "And these ladies are our neighbors, Aunt Grace and Miss Mary-" Dyna went plunging on, not bothering with proper names. "This here-" she steered Oscar out from behind the others, "is my long time friend and dear ol' buddy, Oscar Pruitt." Parker knew them instantly, of course, from Dyna's writing. Oscar especially. Suited and tie'd, he looked as formal as a whiskey ad, "I'm delighted to meet you," Mrs. Simpson said warmly to all of them. "You are so nice to come and support my students." Parker continued uncoiling an extension cord, exchanging grins with Dyna as she walked past him ahead of the old people. "Hope it's okay to be early," she said with a sheepish shrug. "We wanted to get the best seats." She chose a table at center front, then busily began arranging the chairs so her Gram and the others would face the performers. "How's this?" she asked them. Then Dyna insisted Parker come over to the table, where she went through introductions again. He shook hands with Oscar, smiled and nodded at the ladles. When Mrs. Simpson commandeered Dyna to help get the coffee pot going in the kitchen, Parker excused himself to make a last-minute audio check, though he knew everything was ready to go. A few minutes later, in the men's room, his hands trembled as he wiped them on a paper towel. How can Dyna be so cool, knowing she has to recite in front of all those people? He thought of Tiffany at rehearsal, pacing her lines with the taped wind chimes, spilling her "Thoughts of Love" all over the place. Parker shuddered. How can they do it? He found no comfort in the stricken face in the mirror, so he turned his back on himself and leaned against the sink. He looked at his watch. 7:52. Eight more minutes* He heard people arriving outside the door, heard Simpson's voice |