---Elaine---
When we arrived at the house, the men were already planning a barbeque. The weather was unseasonably warm for late October, and they had decided a final outdoor meal would be just the thing. Potatoes were already baking on the grill and the steaks were marinating, filling the air with the promise of a feast.
Helen immediately slipped into her super-hostess mode, pulling salad fixings out of the fridge as though she had been preparing all day. Phoebe excused herself to head home for pies she had baked earlier, while Zoe and Rose busied themselves with plates, cutlery, and napkins.
I was sent to count how many of us would actually be sharing the meal. Standing in the doorway, I began ticking off each person in my mind—Kave and myself, Helen, Zoe, Phoebe, their husbands and ch
