"But you have to do it," Delores insisted.
"Only if I can work in some of our old family recipes and stories about Lake Eden," Hannah stipulated. "As Andrea would say, it's not a done deal yet."
Another round of congratulations followed Hannah's un- planned announcement, and then Delores clinked her spoon against the side of her champagne flute. When she was sure that all eyes were on her, she said, "Carrie and I have an announcement, too."
Hannah took a deep breath and held it. If Delores and Carrie had cooked up something together, it couldn't be good.
'I'm going into the antique business with Carrie,' Delores declared. 'Everyone who toured the Ezekiel Jordan House urged us to open an antique shop. And since Launne Hanks has shown such an interest, we're hiring her to help us buy stock and run the store.'
'That's great, Mother!' Andrea reached out to pat her mother's hand.
'It certainly is,' Hannah added, giving a big sigh of relief. Opening an antique store would keep her mother busy and out of her hair.
'That's not all,' Delores said, pausing for dramatic effect. 'Carrie and I signed the lease this afternoon, and you'll never guess where we're locating.'
Hannah was almost afraid to ask, but she did. 'Where?'
'Right next to you, dear.'
'You mean . . . on the same block?' Hannah asked, hoping that she'd misunderstood.
'Right next to you, dear. Carrie and I are turning the Ezekiel Jordan House into an antique shop. I've been feeling guilty because I don't spend enough time with you, and now I'll be able to zip over and have coffee with you every morning. Isn't that wonderful, dear?'
Somehow Hannah managed to keep the smile on her face. 'Wonderful,' she said.
MULTIPLE-CHOICE BAR COOKIES
Preheat oven to 350'F, rack in the middle position
' cup butter (one stick) 1 can sweetened condensed milk (14 oz.)
Column A (1 ' cups) Graham cracker crumbs Vanilla wafer crumbs Chocolate wafer crumbs Animal cracker crumbs Sugar cookie crumbs
Column B (2 cups) Chocolate chips Butterscotch chips Peanut butter chips Raisins (regular or golden) M&M's (without nuts)
Column C (2 cups) Flaked coconut (5 oz.) Rice Krispies Miniature Marshmallows (2 ' cups) Frosted cornflakes (crumbled)
Column D (1 cup) chopped walnuts chopped pecans chopped peanuts chopped cashews
Melt the butter and pour it into a 9-by-13-inch cake pan. Tip the pan to coat the bottom.
1. Evenly sprinkle one ingredient from Column A over the melted butter. 2. Drizzle sweetened condensed milk over the crumbs. 3. Evenly sprinkle one ingredient from Column B on top. 4. Evenly sprinkle one ingredient from Column C on top of that. 5. Evenly sprinkle one ingredient from Column D over the very top.
Press everything down with the palms of your hands. Bake at 350'F for 30 minutes. Cool thoroughly on a wire rack and cut into brownie-sized bars.
(Tracey loves to help me bake these ' she gets to choose the ingredients.) '