AN: Thanks for the reviews. I know it's hard with chapters not showing all the time.

Helen's POV

I don't know where I've gone wrong with that daughter of mine. She is so ungrateful, I have worked hard to get Joseph Morelli over for dinner and played up Stephanie's looks, even with that unruly hair. Maybe we can get the chemical straightening done, especially with an upcoming wedding.

It's been so embarrassing having to explain where she's been for the last ten years. She's only been home a few times, usually for a holiday or wedding. For some reason, she goes on vacation all over the world. There are a few respectable places to go on a vacation, such as Point Pleasant, Niagara Falls or Disney World. It's been acceptable for us to go to California only because Valerie and her family live there. That was a scandal when she moved with her new husband but Steve had a good opportunity with a prestigious law firm. It wasn't an opportunity he'd have in Trenton or even Newark.

Now, there's a good Burg wife. My darling Valerie has done everything right. I mean nursing is an acceptable job until you have children. She went to nursing school and obtained her license both here and in California. She worked in a nice doctor's office until she had Angela Katherine then two years later, she had Mary Alice. She of course stopped working while pregnant with Angela. She stays home to care for the girls, keeps her house clean and ensures a full home cooked dinner with dessert every night for the family. She hosts beautiful dinner parties for Steve's colleagues and he has moved up to a junior partner already. I'm so proud that he's now being considered for a full partnership.

Valerie and Steve have a beautiful home on the beach in Malibu and he has a sporty Mercedes Benz convertible while Valerie has a Mercedes Benz SUV. I would prefer they drive Cadillacs but they insisted these vehicles were more prestigious in California.

The phone rang and I hurried over to the wall phone. I wish Frank would get a cordless phone but he refuses and has been pushing me to get rid of it and just stick with a cell phone. "Plum residence," I answered cheerfully.

"Good morning, Helen, it's Angie Morelli. I wanted to know if you would be available to come to lunch today."

"Of course, Angie," I quickly said. Angie is my best friend and has been since elementary school.

"Wonderful," she said, "would 11:00 work. That way we'll still have plenty of time to get dinner on the table by six."

"Perfect," I replied.

After the call ended, I finished the breakfast dishes and quickly got to work on a batch of chocolate chip macadamia nut cookies. I know Angie loves them but has never been able to afford macadamia nuts due to the financial strain of an alcoholic husband who left her nothing when he died young. She began selling Melaluca products to the housewives as well as Amway. She no longer sells Amway or Melaluca. She now has a home cleaning and dog walking business she runs from her home. Several Burg widows who have grown children work for her cleaning the homes of career women in Hamilton Township and Princeton. Women with children in school will walk dogs for single men or the elderly. It's acceptable if they are able to keep a clean home and care for their children before and after school.

Today being Friday is laundry day. I stripped the beds and remade them with the help of my mother. I then took the sheets, towels from the bathroom and the clothing hamper down to the laundry off the kitchen. I was never so happy as when Frank took the back porch and converted it to a laundry room and half bath. There was a small porch now that acted as a mudroom. I started the laundry and could move items from the washer to dryer while making the cookies. My mother said she would finish the laundry while I got ready for lunch. I had set the ironing board in the living room so she could watch her shows while ironing.

I was dressed in a proper dress, unlike these young women in capri pants, shorts or leggings. My dress had cap sleeves, a round neck that showed no cleavage and came below my knee with a pair of flat sandals. It wasn't a bold print or color but a pretty lavender. My make up was light and age appropriate, with my hair in an age-appropriate bob. I had my shoulder bag which matched my sandals. The only jewelry was my wedding set with a pair of pearl studs and a single strand of pearls. I had a pill box hat on my head.

Bella answered the door and ushered me in. I can't knock Angie for Bella's lack of manners. She was a saint to take in her mother-in-law after Bella's sister passed away. The women lived together and Bella inherited the small row house but sold it. Bella and Angie were both young widows. Bella moved in to help with the children. Three teenage boys and a little girl were a lot to take care of. The only life insurance was through the button factory and was equal to a year's salary. Without Bella they would've been on the streets.

I followed Bella to the dining room which was laid out with the Morelli family china and crystal goblets and a pitcher with iced tea with lemon circles. The goblets had lemon circles on the rim. Angie was an exemplary hostess and I knew we would have to work on Stephanie to get her to be half the hostess Angie and I were.

"Thank you for inviting me to lunch Angie," I graciously said, "I brought you some of your favorite cookies," I continued handing her the cookie gift box. I always kept some gift boxes on hand. They make for a lovely presentation and no need to worry about getting my Tupperware containers back.

"Oh, thank you Helen. I do love your cookies. We can have them with coffee after our lunch. Please sit down," Angie said.

Bella sat at the head of the table, I took a seat next to her and assumed Angie would sit across from me. Angie brought a delicious cucumber soup in the tureen to match the china pattern and shrimp salad. Both were perfect for the summer heat. We caught each other up on gossip, you must be well informed to stay at the top of the heap.

Bella took her coffee and cookies to the living room to watch her stories. She watched the only stories left on TV, Young and the Restless, The Bold and The Beautiful and General Hospital. Angie and I sat at the table with coffee and the cookies I brought. Angie started the conversation.

"Helen, what happened at dinner last night? Joseph was so upset, he's always had a bit of a crush on your Stephanie," she asked.

"You know that girl was always different. She never played with baby dolls or learned to cook and bake. She had her head in the clouds and then got that bug to join the Army. What good Burg girl does that, but Frank encouraged her along with that good for nothing brother of his," I began.

"Well, she decided to finally leave the Army. I was so happy to hear she was coming home but she still doesn't want to be a housewife or mother," I shook my head. "She wants to have a career. She does something with computers. She rented an apartment and didn't even tell me where it is. Who does that," I asked.

"Helen, we can work out a plan. First thing, you need to find out where this apartment is. Then Joseph can casually drop by with dinner. She'll have to let him in. I know it's a bit unseemly but he can seduce her. She'll have to marry him then," Angie said.

"Yes, that will work. I don't really like the idea, but she needs to conform," I said.

We finished up our plans and I went home. I walked in the door to see Frank and my parent getting ready to leave. "Where are you off to?"

"We are going to stop by Stephanie's new apartment. I want to make sure it's safe. I was going to take your parents out to dinner," Frank said.

"Well, I'd like to go if we are eating out," I said.

"Actually, I have thrown together dinner in the crock pot. I don't know why you put it in the basement. I was lucky to find it. I put one of those liners in so clean up is a breeze. It's a good meal we can serve with a salad. I have the salad already made, we can add croutons and dressing when we serve it," my mother said.

"How can you use that infernal contraption. That type of thing is for those lazy women who insist on working and with a liner," I huffed.

"Can it Helen. I like what your mother made and it's good for my diet. Low in carbs. I know the doctor wants me to cut red meat but I like it too much to cut it completely," Dad said.

We hustled out to the beautiful Buick Frank bought; it was a lovely sedan. He drove over the Trenton Watch Factory Apartments. These were fancy and expensive, Angie said Joseph couldn't afford them and had to find a cheaper place. My daughter will never be able to afford this place, I don't care what she does for money. We went up to door and pressed a buzzer. Hmm, this girl had to allow us in. Who would think this is appropriate?

We went up to her apartment and there was a man there. He wasn't white or Italian. She said he was a neighbor and she was having dinner with him. I don't know where I went wrong with her. We left and drove home.
My mother told Dad and Frank what I said. They weren't happy with me. We had the dinner my mother made. She served Middle Eastern Beef, it had green beans and tomatoes in the crock pot. She used allspice and cinnamon in it, those are for baking. I can't understand why she chose a foreign dish but Dad liked it. She served with brown rice, I'll never understand why because we should only have white rice. She had groceries delivered from the Shop and Bag. Who heard of such a thing. Then she made a low fat, low sugar cinnamon coffee cake. She used apple sauce in it.

"Mother I don't understand this meal, it's not a traditional meal we serve in the Burg," I said.

"Helen, your meals will kill your father. You said you'd make heart-healthy meals if we moved in, but you have yet to do so. You need to evolve, and think of your own health," she argued.

I knew better than to argue with them, I'll keep doing what I'm doing. How dare she. After dinner we have a low fat, low sugar mango sorbet for dessert. Who heard of such a thing.

After dinner I called Angie from the kitchen, "Angie, she is living in Trenton Watch Factory Apartments, building 2. There is a door buzzer so he can't just walk in."

"Oh, I'm sure he can use his badge to get in. Afterall, he's a respected policeman," Angie said.

We made a plan and she would contact Joseph. Stephanie will be married before by this time next year I smugly thought.