Mary Kate

Well, one of the best things about living in Harper is you know everybody. And one of the worst things is you know too much about everybody. Like one night Bethel got up from the table to answer the phone. Doreen was spending the night with a friend and me and Bethel and Bill and Jack was sitting there. On the phone was Mrs. Nicholson who lived just up the hill from us. She asked Bethel if we was all okay. Bethel said yes we were and why did she ask. And old lady Nicholson said she was worried when she saw there was only four of us at the supper table.
And that kind of thing is what made me notice Mary Kate. She had lived in Harper all her life and I didn't know nothing about her. After Bethel died I spent two lonely years. I was trying to be a good father, but them kids was about all I could handle. Mary Kate was the head of the cafeteria at Doreen's school. I kept coming by to check on Doreen, but really to get in good with Mary Kate. Before you knew it we was regular courting. Everything looked real good for us. Except for one thing. Mary Kate was a Catholic.