1
Take a Breath
Sunday, October 10, 1937
“I think she’s pregnant again,” Rose announced. Betty listened to the conversation as she sipped a lemonade. Rose’s chin-wag was focused on the unfortunate circumstances of her neighbor. The afternoon with the girls was just underway, and Betty was already tired of the gossip. If gossip were the only topic, she’d prefersilence.
Betty left Rose at the card table and went into the kitchen, where she found Helen standing at the counter, cutting a cucumber sandwich intofours.
Helen Johnson was Betty’s best friend, and a perfect hostess. Despite having two rambunctious kids, her house was always impeccably neat and smelled of freshly baked cookies. It was no wonder she was so thin; she was too busy toeat.
“Can I help you with anything?” Bettyasked.
Helen had a narrow face that easily betrayed her lack of sleep. She regarded Betty with tired eyes but an energetic smile. “We’re ready,” she said, pointing at two plates piled high with finger sandwiches. There were a variety of tiny crustless breads. Choices included ham, chicken salad, egg salad, and cream cheese. “Could you put these on the endtables?”
“I’d be happy to,” Bettysaid.
Betty returned to the parlor with the plates of sandwiches. After setting them on the end tables, she took her seat at the card table next to Rose. Their game of euchre would start when Gladys arrived. Gladys was the latest member of their card club. She and her husband had moved to town a couple of years ago. Betty wasn’t sure exactly where they hailed from but got the sense that they had moved around a lot. Gladys would take the seat to Betty’s left as Rose’s partner. The seat across from Betty would be taken by her partner and friend since high school, Helen. Living within blocks of one another in a suburb of St. Louis, these same four women played cards every Sunday. The hosting duties were supposed to rotate each week; however, this marked the third week in a row that Helen hadhosted.
With both hands holding a tray of drinks, Helen used her backside to open the swinging door to the parlor. The silver tray held a pitcher of lemonade, bottles of Moxie and root beer, and someglasses.
As Helen set