“They’re called magic bars,” Therese explained once Carol opened the Rubbermaid lid with Harge’s mother and a few other city wives craning their necks to peer inside the bowl.
“What’s magic about them? Enlighten us, Miss Belivet,” Mrs. Aird smirked in her pink ostrich feathered hat.
“Will I be able to sprout wings and fly?” chimed one of the ladies, causing a few delightful cackles in between.
Therese blushed with Carol quickly intervening,
“Here we have you a golden graham cracker crust, topped with layers of chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, coconut, and raisins…”
“Ooooooo!” went the women, already selecting their own pastry bar. Carol smiled directly at Therese, who relaxed a bit in the cool spring sunshine.
The potluck seemed like it was going successfully with Carol nodding off a few hellos’ and Therese close behind her trying to stay relevant. Her green eyes flashed with annoyance the moment one of the men graciously took Carol by the hands and pulled her too close for comfort.
“Bless me, Angel, who has fallen above,” he spoke too loudly, causing Carol to wince back. “She waits for a kiss, a kiss, I shall not miss!”
“Let her go, Tony, you dirty ol’ pig!” one of the other men yelled.
“I’d much appreciate it, Mr. Ducaster,” Carol was trying to remove herself from rubbing against the leather straps of his suspenders. He released her and blinked his beady eyes as she left him standing there alone.
Therese stepped over in front of Carol on the shady part of the grass placing a gloved hand on her elbow.
“We can go whenever you’re ready,” she hinted.
“Let me say goodbye to Rindy,” Carol replied. She turned towards the yard where the children were running around in their church suits and dresses. Rindy had gotten grass stains on her stockings and silk ribbons were strewn loose and wild in her hair.
At the sight of her mother walking towards her in farewell, Rindy met her halfway and jumped playfully into her arms. Carol scooped her high and held the girl swiping locks off her face and pecking her a few kisses.