Rose moved the coffee pot to make room for the teacakes. “Does is seem odd to you, Dawn, that we’re eating teacakes with coffee instead of tea?”
Dawn stared at Rose with an incredulous look. “Do you even think before you open your mouth, Rose? Who asks those kind of crazy questions?” The octogenarians laughed at each other and continued their morning coffee with teacakes in Rose’s cozy kitchen.
Rose handed the church bulletin to Dawn. “It says here that Lyla is moving to Lynnwood. That means she’ll be changing churches,” she pointed out to Dawn. As Dawn read the article, she raised her eyebrows and made a whistling sound.
“Did you notice that it says she’s moving IN with her daughter? She’s buying a new house in Lynnwood big enough for her and her daughter’s family. How can she afford to do that? Is Lyla rich?”
Rose poured more coffee and pondered. “I don’t think I’ve ever noticed that she was rich. Maybe she’s borrowing the money from the bank.”
Dawn again stared at Rose. “Are you kidding? What bank would lend money on a 30-year mortgage to an 80+ year old woman?”
“Oh yeah, good point Dawnie. She’d be 110 by the time it was paid off. I know she’s healthy, but I don’t know if she’s THAT healthy.”
“Well, let’s make a coffee date with her and pretend to be concerned friends and get to the bottom of the mystery,” Rose suggested.
Dawn grimaced and countered, “But we ARE concerned friends. We don’t have to pretend. And I think it seems a bit nosey.”
“Nosey, shmosey. I want to know what’s driving this move and who’s paying,” Rose laughingly stated.
The girls finished their coffee and moved to the living room to watch a tape of The Rockford Files that Rose had saved from the 1970s. “I love James Stewart.” Dawn mooned as the tape was rewinding in preparation for playing.
“James STEWART?” Rose chided. He’s not in this TV show. It’s James Garner, silly.” “Oh that’s right. Well, I love him too. So handsome. Wait, didn’t he pass away?” Dawn asked.
The mood in the room changed. “Oh dear, I think you’re right, Dawn. How sad.” Rose and Dawn looked at each other. They were thinking their own thoughts about the future when the TV show began with its familiar theme music.
Rose pushed the Stop button and looked at Dawn. “You know dear friend, we are very lucky to be here…I mean here on this earth. We’re no spring chickens, you know.”
Dawn nodded in acknowledgement. “We both have our aches and pains,” Rose went on. “But our health is good. We are blessed.”
The girls got up from their respective recliner chairs and hugged right there in the middle of Rose’s living room. There was a tear in Dawn’s eye. “Rose, let’s be friends forever… and even in the next world. Caring, loving friends.”
Rose looked wide-eyed at Dawn. “Of course we will be, honey.” Now both girls were crying.
“Well, so much for watching an old TV show,” Rose sniffed. Let’s go visit some old friends to remind them how much they mean to us. And let’s start with a visit to Lyla. If she’s getting ready to move, I’ll bet she could use some skilled packing hands.”
“Now we’re not going over there to snoop are we, Rose?”
Rose responded with a resounding NO. “We are much bigger than that. We aren’t snoopy. It’s only important our friends know we care about them.”
Again the girls hugged each other. This was one of life’s moments that they would never forget… the moment they realized that they cared more about their friend Lyla and what she needed than they cared about the gossipy part of life.
At least mostly.
They got into Rose’s car and made the short drive to Lyla’s house on the other side of Greenlake.
