She'd have preferred the electric chair as a pendant to the cross which she now wore around her neck. Who was it who said if Jesus was killed nowadays little Catholic girls would all be wearing electric chairs instead of crosses? But she had to wear it; Grandma was coming to Sunday dinner and the family was big on making a half-assed show of religious values. Not like anyone even went to church anymore unless Grandma was around. Nellie flipped her hair in the mirror and made a face, then went downstairs to where the rest of the family was already in full pre-Grandma panic.

"Oh, there you are," said Mother, a frazzled lock of hair hanging over one eye. "Go set the table, would you please? And check underneath; your brothers built a fort there; it's been raining all week..." Sam and Beany ran through the room, as if to demonstrate further pent-up energy,