A Midsummer Night's Scream

didn’t have late Saturday classes and could find their own dinners. She was only providing bottled water, a few sodas, a large carafe of coffee, and would bring along some chips or store-bought cookies.
    But Imry threw another wrench into the mix. “Since we missed one rehearsal,“ he announced as they assembled, “I’m rescheduling for Sunday afternoon from one to four.“
    “I’m sorry, but we’re not available then. I’m spending Sunday with our daughter and grandchildren,“ Ms. Bunting said quite firmly. “I’ve promised to take them to lunch and the zoo since it’s cooled down a little.“
    “And I’m committed to taking a group of schoolchildren on a walking trip along the lakeshore,“ Jake said. “They’re inner-city kids I volunteer to take somewhere every Sunday afternoon.“
    Denny’s replacement, Norman Engel, had other plans as well. He had his parents visiting from Indiana for a family wedding. Joani also claimed she was busy, declining to explain what the appointment was.
    “Then we’ll do it Sunday night. You can provide catering, can’t you, Ms. Nowack?“
    “Not on such short notice,“ she replied. “And the rest of the group will probably still be busy. Afternoon weddings go on forever. And anyone who takes on a mob of kids for a whole afternoon is entitled to rest later. I myself have other commitments as well. A bake sale at our church.“
    Jane looked surprised, then realized this was simply Shelley’s way of thwarting Imry.
    “Then we’ll just have to meet earlier Monday, and work later,“ Imry said.
    This raised another storm of protest. Most of the college volunteers were enrolled in the intensive summer-school session, in which classes started early and went on until at least five-thirty to qualify for the credits for a full semester.
    Imry was forced to give up—slightly. “Then we’ll just add an extra half hour to each evening’s work.“
    Apparently the people who had objected to Sunday had no good reason to object as strenuously to a half hour here or there for a few days.
    “A bake sale?“ Jane said as she and Shelley left the theater later.
    “I thought it was an honorable excuse.“
    “I don’t imagine anyone believed it,“ Jane said, eating the last two chocolate chip cookies that were left. “Didn’t you see Tazz and Ms. Bunting exchange smiles?“
    “I’m sure you’re mistaken,“ Shelley huffed. “Probably neither of them has ever been to a church bake sale.“
    “But we’ve done our share of them,“ Jane said, tossing the paper plate into the trash.

Eleven

    Mel came over Sunday morning to have a big breakfast with Jane and her kids. She’d really gone all out. It was what she called “a dining room meal.“ Not something to crowd around the kitchen table to eat.
    There were homemade corn muffins, an egg casserole with scallions in a cheese sauce, sliced ham with a thick black-cherry sauce, and crispy baked new potatoes with rosemary, as well as orange juice for the kids and mimosas for the two adults.
    Everyone was impressed and all the food was quickly gone. “That was wonderful, Mom. A long way from dorm breakfasts. You must have been down early to get all this done,“ Mike said.
    “Nope. Most of it was made yesterday and just put in the oven at the right times to come out at the same time, fresh and hot.“ ,
    Mike had to leave right after they ate. He was working again this summer at the garden center, and Sunday was their biggest sale day of the week. Katie was going to the town pool. She’d passed her lifesaving course and was actually being paid to sit around and get a good tan. Jane didn’t really approve of tans anymore.
    “You must slather yourself with sunscreen,“ Jane said. “I’ll drop in later and see if you’re good and greasy.“
    “Oh, Mom,“ Katie objected, patting her mother’s hand in a patronizing way.
    Todd had arranged for two of his friends to come over and play games on the living room television.
    “I should load the dishwasher,“ Jane said, “but it’s such a nice day, let’s finish off the mimosas on the patio.“
    “Are you going to use sunscreen?“ Mel joked.
    “No. We’ll be shaded by an umbrella.“
    “I see that you’ve actually done some real gardening this summer. What kind of tree is that spindly one in the middle of the yard?“ Mel asked, propping his feet on an extra chair.
    “It’s a bing cherry.“
    “I don’t see any cherries on it.“
    “Mel, it’s a baby