“That’s generous.”
Marlene lifted her chin.
“I’d rather help people than throw good things away.”
“Very charitable,” I said.
She didn’t hear the sarcasm.
Then Carol reached for a silver cake server.
And everything changed.
“MARLENE?”
Carol turned the server over.
Her face went blank.
“Why is my wedding date engraved underneath this?”
Marlene froze.
Carol stared.
“I loaned this to you last year.”
“You told me you returned it.”
Marlene waved one hand.
“I must have forgotten.”
“No.”
Carol’s voice hardened.
“I asked you twice.”
George suddenly picked up an old red toy truck.
“What the hell?”
Marlene looked toward him.
George turned it over.
“This was my son’s.”
“There are thousands like that.”
“Not this one.”
He pointed toward the wheel.
“My son and I repaired this with a brass screw when he was eight.”
His voice changed.
“It has been in my den for twenty-five years.”
Suddenly—
nobody was shopping.
Everyone was searching.
THE TABLES ERUPTED
Megan grabbed the wooden jewelry box.
“These are my initials!”
She turned it over.
“My daughter made this for me.”
Another woman snatched up two books.
“Emma’s name is inside.”
Voices rose everywhere.
“I’ve been looking for this!”
“You told me you returned mine!”
“This belonged to my mother!”
Marlene raised both hands.
“Everyone calm down!”
Nobody did.
Then Susan reached the table.
She saw the blue ceramic bowl.
Stopped.
Picked it up.
Turned it over.
Written underneath:
FOR SUSIE
Her face went white.
“My mother made this.”
Marlene stepped backward.
