Free Revolutions of the Heart by Marsha Qualey Page A

She and Sasha got away quickly.
    “He knows,” Cory whispered.
    “Don’t be silly.”
    “I’ll be punished for this.”
    “Only when you get to hell. Now relax.”
    Two-beer drunk at her mother’s funeral luncheon. Cory stood by the buffet table and concentrated on the display of food. The man next to her said something.
    “That’s nice,” said Cory. “Thank you for coming.” The man looked confused and left with his plate of food. Sasha giggled.
    “What’s funny?”
    “He just told you his sister died of the same heart disease as your mother. You said, ‘That’s nice.’ It’s obvious you had better eat something. Oh, no, here comes the minister.”
    “The bathroom, let’s hide in the bathroom.” They retreated quickly, elbowing their way through clumps of people and arriving at the bathroom just as Cory’s sister-in-law was about to step inside.
    “Emergency,” Cory said. “Sorry.”
    Elaine pounded on the door after they closed it. “Don’t take forever.”
    “Go upstairs,” Cory shouted back. She and Sasha leaned against the door and laughed.
    “We can’t stay here forever.”
    “Two minutes if we’re lucky.” Cory turned on the cold water and splashed her face. “You have corrupted me. I will rot in hell.”
    “Probably. But at least you’ll get through today.”
    “That’s my motto: Just get through it.”
    “Cory!” Elaine pounded again.
    “I said go upstairs.”
    “Someone named Mac is here and he’s asking for you.”
    “Oh, oh,” said Sasha.
    Cory closed her eyes. “Wonderful. My boyfriend makes a surprise return from putting his alcoholic brother in a halfway house and he finds me drunk at my mother’s funeral.” She looked at Sasha. “Do you think he’ll find it funny?”
    “Two beers, Cory. Only two.”
    They left the bathroom. As she walked into the living room Cory took a peppermint from a candy dish on a table. Sasha left to find Tony.
    Mac was standing in front of the fireplace, listening to Mr. Bartleby. They both turned to greet Cory. She nodded to her former boss and smiled at Mac. “This is a nice surprise.”
    “Barb called me last night and threatened to dump my things in a snowbank if I didn’t get back today.”
    “An empty threat,” said Mr. Bartleby. “The weather has been so warm that there are no snowbanks, just the usual layer of early March mush. Well, Cory, do you want your job back? I can offer a little raise. When fishing season opens, we’ll be getting busy.”
    “Maybe I will do that, Mr. Bartleby. Thank you. I won’t be needed around here anymore.”
    He kissed her on the cheek. “She was a sweet person, Cory. Let me know about the job.” He left.
    “I’m really glad to see you,” Cory said to Mac.
    He nodded slightly. “I talked to Tony. He said you and Sash put away most of a six-pack in twenty minutes.”
    Cory felt flushed but suddenly sober. “Don’t disapprove. I don’t think you have the right to disapprove.”
    “Is this sort of thing going to be a habit?”
    She sucked on the last chip of peppermint, then let it slip down her throat. “Would you dump me if I said yes?”
    “I think I would.”
    “Don’t make me grovel in shame, Mac. It was a little bit of craziness on the crummiest day of my life.” He didn’t answer. He put his hands in his pocket, took them out, then tightened the knot on his tie. “You look nice,” she said softly.
    “I’m sorry I didn’t wear a suit. I don’t have one.”
    “Doesn’t matter. You’re perfect.”
    “No, I’m not.”
    “Am I forgiven?”
    “After four days with my brother I guess I just didn’t appreciate the timing of your ‘little bit of craziness.’ I’m sorry.”
    “Cory, I found you!”
    Cory felt a gentle tug on her sleeve and turned. “Hello, Pastor Lunden.”
    “Hello, dear. I need to get back to Rice Lake, but I wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed meeting your family and how I wish I had known your mother. She certainly was loved. Who’s