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Show 30. Perched on the tall kitchen stool, Stephanie held the phone in one hand and brushed her hair full length with the other. It was never easy to break away from Carol Dougan. "I still have to wash my hair and do some math," she twisted around to check the clock above her head. "No, I'll tell you more about it later. JD made me promise." Stephanie held on for another minute of listening. Carol Sue was never going to quit. She'd saved it up all weekend and had to get everything in right now. "Look, Dougan, I have to go," Stephanie slid off the stool. "I'm going to hang up now . . ." It was her last resort. '"Bye." Now she'd really have to hustle. She liked to wash her hair in their deep, old-fashioned kitchen sink, but if she didn't hurry everyone would be home and she'd still be dripping. She closed the kitchen curtains and took off her shirt. Then, just as she was working up a good lather, she heard her mother's steps on the front porch and knew she shouldn't have stayed on the phone so long. "Well, hi there, Dumplins'!" her mom said, coming in. She set a grocery sack on the counter and took off her coat. "I didn't think you were home yet." "Hi," Stephanie managed an upside down smile from the depths of the sink. "Where's JD?" "He went to Garth's. He said he'd be home by eight." "Now, why's he bothering Garth on a Sunday night?" Stephanie ran her rinse water, glad she didn't have to answer. "Did you have a good time?" her mother asked, tying on an apron. "Uh huh." "You didn't freeze Saturday night? It went down to thirty-five here." "Nope." "Did JD see any elk?" Her mom went right on, seasoning the pork chops and bustling around. |