Linny's Sweet Dream List by Susan Schild

weren’t good for you.”
    The question niggling in the back of her mind came to her. Cocking her head, she gazed at her sister. “Do you think Mama and Daddy had a happy marriage?”
    Kate frowned. “Of course they did.” Pausing a beat, she gave Linny a questioning glance. “Don’t you think they did?”
    Linny rubbed her eyes with her fingers. “I’ve been remembering about when we were growing up, and how Mama and Daddy weren’t together very often.”
    Kate put her elbow on the table, rested her chin in her hand, and asked cautiously. “What do you remember?”
    Linny hesitated. “Daddy in the living room listening to the farm report, and Mama in the kitchen slamming pots around. Daddy going out to buy a pack of cigarettes and coming back hours later. Mama walking around all tight-lipped, giving him the freeze-out for days after.” She gave her a sidelong glance, wondering if Kate would think she made it up. When they were kids, one or two of their friends’ parents had divorced, and the girls had been shocked, and smugly secure that their parents would always stay married.
    Her sister said firmly, “They were happy. All married couples fight.”
    Linny thought about it. “Maybe. Or maybe it’s when you stop fighting and just give up is when things get bad.” But she glanced at Kate and saw she had that stubborn set to her jaw. Her sister wasn’t ready to hear any more.
    â€œWhat’s this?” Her sister rose and peered at the purple flyer on the refrigerator. “This cookout sounds like fun. Wouldn’t hurt you to get out.”
    Linny shook her head. “I’m not ready for socializing.”
    â€œIt’s just dinner, Linny. Your first experiment, right?” Kate slid back in the chair and clicked her pen. On the prime-the-pump side, she wrote G O TO NEIGHBOR’S COOKOUT . Giving her a cheeky grin, she said, “After you go, you can check it off.” She mimicked putting a big checkmark beside the line on the page.
    Linny smiled despite herself. Kate knew all about her lists and how she enjoyed checking off items. She just wasn’t sure about this. “I can’t cook. What would I bring?”
    â€œJerry’s guys and their families are coming that night for supper. I’m already cooking, I can just make extra for you to bring.”
    She started to protest, but her sister raised a hand. “Oh, I insist.” Kate was going to make sure she didn’t have an out.
    Linny was grateful when her phone rang. She glanced at the ID and then Kate, “It’s the lawyer,” she explained as she picked up.
    Diamond trilled, “Yoo-hoo, Linny. It’s Diamond. We’re at the pre-Belmont Stakes parties. So tedious, but it must be done. Can I place a bet for you?”
    â€œNo, thank you,” Linny said politely. Was the woman ever in her office?
    â€œWell, your husband owned a failing Internet parlor. It’s called The Big Break Jackpot.”
    â€œNever heard of it,” Linny said dully.
    â€œJackpot . . . I adore that word,” Diamond purred. “Must be a sign. I’ll put money on a horse with a name just like that.”
    Linny heard the sound of rustling paper, guessed it was a racing form, and rolled her eyes at Kate.
    Diamond muttered, “Let’s see. We’ve got Jumpin’ Jack Flash, Jack Be Nimble, and, ooh! Sure Thing Jackpot. Fabulous. That’s the one.”
    Linny put a hand on her hip. “Can you make your picks later and just focus now?”
    The lawyer gave a tinkling laugh. “Sorry, darling. Do you want to sell?”
    â€œSell what?” Linny asked, frustrated. The woman was hard to follow.
    Diamond tsked. “That business, of course. You’ll lose money, but you can clear that book, settle up, start fresh as a daisy.”
    Linny felt a too-familiar flash of fury at Buck, and said flatly, “Sure.