The Judge. Jan Hudson

drill sergeant mode, and for almost an hour Carrie was too busy keeping the pace to think about much of anything. By the time they stopped to cool down, she was pooped and wet with sweat. She stretched out on the floor, flung her arms wide and sucked in deep breaths. “I may die,” she said to Kelly, who was next to her.

      Kelly laughed. “I doubt it. But Mary Beth’s no wuss. She’s tough. I’ve got to run home and shower and make rounds at the hospital. See you Sunday.”

      Carrie wiggled her fingers. After several of the women had left, she rose. “I thought I was in better shape,” she said to Mary Beth, who was standing with Ellen and Dixie.

      “You’re in better shape than me,” Ellen said. “I still can’t make it through the whole session without resting several times.”

      “Me, either,” Dixie chimed in.

      “Yeah,” Ellen said, “but you had a baby not too long ago.”

      “You’re all doing great,” Mary Beth said. “Remember that I said you should go at your own pace. You should have taken a break, Carrie.”

      She chuckled. “What can I tell you? I’m a high achiever. I’m going to drag myself to my room and take a shower.”

      “Have you had dinner?” Mary Beth asked.

      “No, but I picked up something to nuke later.”

      “Why don’t you join Ellen, Dixie and me at the tearoom for a light supper? It’s only leftovers, but we’d love to have you.”

      Carrie laughed. “I’m a bit odoriferous for a social occasion.”

      “Oh, piddle,” Dixie said with a dismissing wave. “We’ve all been sweating like pigs. Forget about it and come on. Mary Beth has saved us some chocolate cake.”

      “Chocolate? How can I resist? That stuff is sinful.”

      The four of them trudged over to the tearoom. Or rather, three of them trudged. Mary Beth still had a spring in her step.

      They spent a leisurely hour over their simple meal, and Carrie thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the women, making girl-talk. Her job kept her on the road so much that she didn’t have much time to spend with friends, especially female friends. In fact, now that she thought about it, she didn’t have very many women friends left. Their lives had taken them in different directions, and she hadn’t taken the time to cultivate new friendships to fill the void.

      Dixie was the first to rise. “I’ve got to get a move on or Jack will be sending out a posse,” she said. “Great to meet you, Carrie. I hope you’ll join us for as long as you’re in town.”

      “Me, too,” Ellen said. “Nobody will be sending out a posse for me, but I know my sitter would like to get home early, and I’m riding with Dixie.”

      After the two left, Carrie helped carry the dishes into the kitchen. “This was really fun,” she said. “Thanks for inviting me.”

      “We enjoyed having you,” Mary Beth said. “Listen, if you’re going to be around tomorrow night and don’t have plans, why don’t you go to the football game with us? Then, watching high school football may not be your idea of a scintillating evening.”

      “Lord, I haven’t been to a football game in ages.”

      “We have a winning team this year, and everybody in town will be there. It’s the only Friday night entertainment around here. Go with us. We’ll have hot dogs and peanuts, and root for the Mustangs.”

      “With you and Dixie and Ellen?”

      “No, with J.J., Katy and me. I insist. Be ready about six-thirty. Wear jeans and bring a jacket.”

      Carrie tried to weasel out of the invitation, but Mary Beth wouldn’t take no for an answer.

      What the heck. She didn’t have anything better to do, and sitting around a hotel room alone with only a TV for company got very old very quickly.

      “You’re on,” Carrie said. “Shall I bring my pompoms?”