both felt to be soothing. Long gone was Evelyn’s shoulder-length hair, often done up in a French twist or a bun. The current bob displayed more gray than auburn now. It always looked in need of an extra-conditioning treatment. The eyes that watched Lizzie in the mirror were a dull green, lacking curiosity and animation.
She remembered sitting on the edge of the bed, as a child, watching Mama getting ready to go out on a date with Daddy. He’d phoned her after meeting in town with someone, although Lizzie couldn’t remember if she’d heard who or just forgotten those details. He told Evelyn to get all dressed up and to see if Lizzie could go to a friend’s house for the evening because they were going out to dinner at the dining room in the old Sheridan Arms Hotel. Her mama had pulled a floral chiffon short dress over her head and then set about combing her hair, securing it behind her ears with a set of pearl barrettes. Her eyes had danced as she’d applied some red lipstick to her smiling lips.
She’d promised Lizzie they’d all go out on a picnic the next day. And they had. They’d chased each other around the park. It had been a day of laughter. Evelyn had been so full of energy and fun in those days. She’d love to take her mama out for a run now, something to get her muscles back in shape. To get her laughing again.
Not going to happen.
The brushing done, Lizzie steered her mama back to her favorite beige lazy-lady chair, turned at right angles so that she’d have a view of one of the many colorful gardens surrounding the Manor. A stately moss-covered elm provided the backdrop.
A sharp knock at the door surprised Lizzie. She openedit to find Molly cradling a large bouquet of freshly cut autumn flowers.
“I thought I’d find you here, honey. How’s our gal doing today?” Molly asked, kissing Lizzie on the cheek and moving swiftly over to Evelyn Turner to do the same.
“About the same, Molly. We just finished reading, and I was about to go.”
“Do wait for me, Lizzie. I just wanted to stop by with these. I think there’s a large vase on the shelf in her closet.” Molly looked as colorful as the bouquet, dressed in an orange and gold sheath, her hair held back with a large taupe bow.
Lizzie found it and filled it with water from the bathroom sink. “They’re beautiful, Molly. They’ll really brighten up the room. Thanks so much.”
Molly nodded and passed the flowers to Lizzie, who arranged them in the vase. Molly sat down on an ottoman next to Evelyn and took her hands in her own. “Evie, I’ve been thinking about you a lot lately. I need to talk to Lizzie, so I won’t stay. But I’ll be back soon, dear friend, and we’ll spend a lovely afternoon together.”
She squeezed Evelyn’s hands, gave her another kiss on the cheek and waited at the door while Lizzie said good-bye.
Once out in the hall, Molly grabbed Lizzie’s elbow and steered her toward the front door. “I’m taking you out to lunch, honey. I’ll bet you didn’t eat here and besides, I do need to talk to you.”
They agreed to meet at the Green Willows Restaurant, and Lizzie led the way out of the parking lot. At the restaurant, Molly asked for a table by the window, and they were seated overlooking the Tallapoosa River. Glasses of ice water appeared, as did the menus. Molly ordered them each a glass of Pinot Blanc.
“I think you deserve it and I need it,” she said with a wink. They placed their orders, Molly choosing fried bass with a mixed greens salad and Lizzie opting for prawns andgrilled vegetables, then toasted each other and took a long sip.
“Your mama is looking in good health, Lizzie. Did she do any talking today?”
“No, but she seemed to be trying to follow along with the story. She gets a look of concentration sometimes, like she’s trying hard to come out of herself, but that just may be wishful thinking on my part.”
“Nothing wrong with wishful thinking, honey.” Molly slipped her boxy
She remembered sitting on the edge of the bed, as a child, watching Mama getting ready to go out on a date with Daddy. He’d phoned her after meeting in town with someone, although Lizzie couldn’t remember if she’d heard who or just forgotten those details. He told Evelyn to get all dressed up and to see if Lizzie could go to a friend’s house for the evening because they were going out to dinner at the dining room in the old Sheridan Arms Hotel. Her mama had pulled a floral chiffon short dress over her head and then set about combing her hair, securing it behind her ears with a set of pearl barrettes. Her eyes had danced as she’d applied some red lipstick to her smiling lips.
She’d promised Lizzie they’d all go out on a picnic the next day. And they had. They’d chased each other around the park. It had been a day of laughter. Evelyn had been so full of energy and fun in those days. She’d love to take her mama out for a run now, something to get her muscles back in shape. To get her laughing again.
Not going to happen.
The brushing done, Lizzie steered her mama back to her favorite beige lazy-lady chair, turned at right angles so that she’d have a view of one of the many colorful gardens surrounding the Manor. A stately moss-covered elm provided the backdrop.
A sharp knock at the door surprised Lizzie. She openedit to find Molly cradling a large bouquet of freshly cut autumn flowers.
“I thought I’d find you here, honey. How’s our gal doing today?” Molly asked, kissing Lizzie on the cheek and moving swiftly over to Evelyn Turner to do the same.
“About the same, Molly. We just finished reading, and I was about to go.”
“Do wait for me, Lizzie. I just wanted to stop by with these. I think there’s a large vase on the shelf in her closet.” Molly looked as colorful as the bouquet, dressed in an orange and gold sheath, her hair held back with a large taupe bow.
Lizzie found it and filled it with water from the bathroom sink. “They’re beautiful, Molly. They’ll really brighten up the room. Thanks so much.”
Molly nodded and passed the flowers to Lizzie, who arranged them in the vase. Molly sat down on an ottoman next to Evelyn and took her hands in her own. “Evie, I’ve been thinking about you a lot lately. I need to talk to Lizzie, so I won’t stay. But I’ll be back soon, dear friend, and we’ll spend a lovely afternoon together.”
She squeezed Evelyn’s hands, gave her another kiss on the cheek and waited at the door while Lizzie said good-bye.
Once out in the hall, Molly grabbed Lizzie’s elbow and steered her toward the front door. “I’m taking you out to lunch, honey. I’ll bet you didn’t eat here and besides, I do need to talk to you.”
They agreed to meet at the Green Willows Restaurant, and Lizzie led the way out of the parking lot. At the restaurant, Molly asked for a table by the window, and they were seated overlooking the Tallapoosa River. Glasses of ice water appeared, as did the menus. Molly ordered them each a glass of Pinot Blanc.
“I think you deserve it and I need it,” she said with a wink. They placed their orders, Molly choosing fried bass with a mixed greens salad and Lizzie opting for prawns andgrilled vegetables, then toasted each other and took a long sip.
“Your mama is looking in good health, Lizzie. Did she do any talking today?”
“No, but she seemed to be trying to follow along with the story. She gets a look of concentration sometimes, like she’s trying hard to come out of herself, but that just may be wishful thinking on my part.”
“Nothing wrong with wishful thinking, honey.” Molly slipped her boxy
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