Page 30 of The Sandbar saga

"She's not there if that's what you're asking. It's been a few months since I've seen any lights on or a car in the driveway when I've gone past," said Dr. C.

"Maybe she's dead." She looked and found him frowning. "I'm just saying, if nobody has checked on her, maybe she fell down the stairs and couldn't get back up."

He pointed the long lighter he held in his hand at her. "That's morbid, Katie."

"Well, you can't say it never happened somewhere before, and that's how I thought of it." She shrugged. "It doesn't matter. Even if she were there, I wouldn't go over and see her."

"Let it go and concentrate on you. Healthy relationships and responsible choices." He put two patties on the grill. "Don't get too close."

She stayed back. "I didn't know you could cook."

"I have to know how to cook." He raised his brows. "If I didn't, who would feed me?"

"I would if I was living here." She walked over to a lounge chair and stretched out on her back. "I'd have to learn first, though."

"They should teach cooking at St. Mary's," said Dr. C.

She laughed. "There's an idea. I'd rather take cooking than math."

"You need math to cook."

"Right," she said.

"It's true."

She thought that over. He could be right. She remembered Betsy using a cup with measurements on it when she was younger.

"Okay, follow me inside." He used the toe of his shoe to wiggle her chair. "You can tell me what kind of things you like on a burger."

"Chocolate." She giggled.

"Nice try. Pick your normal vegetables. Lettuce. Tomato. Pickles."

"Tomatoes are a fruit." She walked inside and stood next to the island. "And, pickles aren't vegetables, they're something else."

"Wrong." He pulled the pickle jar out of the fridge. "They're made from cucumbers."

"Are they really?"

He opened the jar and pulled out a pickle. "Think about it. They taste different, but they look the same."

"If you say so." She looked in his fridge. "Do you have cheese?"

"In the drawer."

Together, he helped her make up the buns with all the things they liked on a burger. Then, he went outside and brought in the meat. When she put the top bun on, the hamburger looked huge. The ones at school were made with a thin piece of meat and a slice of cheese, no vegetables.

"Do you want to eat in here or outside?" He handed her a paper napkin.

"In here." She walked over to the table, carrying her plate. "Where do I sit?"

"It's just us two. Anywhere you want." He sat down at the side of the table.

She stepped over and sat at the head of the table. "Even here?"

"Sure." He'd already taken a bite of his hamburger.

Deciding that seat wasn't the right one, she walked around to the other side and sat across from him. The moment she took a bite, Dr. C got up and went back into the kitchen.

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