Letha tipped the lid of the heavy cast iron pan so she could stir the savory stew she was preparing for her room mate and her special date. She glanced at Tillie, frantically setting silver on the table and adjusting each piece until it looked like a catalog picture.

"I'm so excited." Tillie was nearly in flight as she scurried around the table. She acted like tonight's date was going to change her life forever.

Letha put the lid back on and turned to her hyper friend. "So, who is so important that you would go to this length to please him? Is there someone you are serious about?"

"Well," Tillie smiled an impish grin. "Let me just say this could turn into something serious."

"Who is he? Do I know him?"

"He is one of the supervisors at the factory where we work. It's Todd Greyfeather."

Letha almost dropped the spoon she was holding. Todd Greyfeather? She had dreamed of getting his attention for ages but he always seemed just out of reach for a casual conversation at work. He hardly even noticed her. She looked at Tillie. How had such a scatterbrain hooked up with someone as special as Todd Greyfeather?

Tillie tilted her head slightly, looking altogether too innocent. "Letha, what do you think of Todd?" she asked.

"He's okay, I guess." She couldn't believe how calm she had stayed saying that. Inside she was seething with dark emotions she didn't even know was in her. Didn't Tillie know Todd was way out of her social realm? "He's probably not your type, though. He is pretty high class, you know." At any cost, Letha knew Tillie must be stopped from this doomed connection with Todd. She reached into the spice cupboard and quietly pulled down a bottle of Firestarter brand pepper sauce. Without being obvious, a third of the bottle made its way into the stew.

"I told him about you." Tillie smiled again. The hussy actually thought she could flaunt Todd in her face. The nerve... more Firestarter went into the stew.

"I'll just stay in my room when your date gets here. That way, you two can enjoy your stew." Letha sounded almost kind as she forced those words. She would have loved to be at the table when they took their first bite of what Todd would think was Tillie's cooking. But she would resist. Her joy would be in knowing that it would be the last time Todd would want to be with Tillie. Just for good measure, she dumped the last of the Firestarter into the stew.

The doorbell rang.

"Well," Letha said, "I'll be in my bedroom so you two can be alone. Enjoy your date, Tillie." She could barely contain her contempt. Tillie was going to suffer for what she was trying to do.

"Oh, no, Letha. Don't leave." Tillie grabbed Letha by the arm. "You need to be here when I let Todd in." She smiled another one of her irritating smiles. Letha felt like a volcano ready to erupt... even hotter than her special Firebrand stew. Then Tillie rubbed it in even deeper. "I'm going to go see a romantic movie." Letha could only imagine what might happen after watching a romantic movie with a man like Todd.

The doorbell rang again.

"You're what?" Letha could barely contain her contempt. "I didn't think you guys were going to the movies."

"Oh, not me and Todd... just me." Tillie opened the door and let that gorgeous hunk of man come into the living room. "Hi, Todd," she said. "I'd like you to meet Letha, your blind date for tonight. She makes the best stew you will ever taste."