Part 1 (2/2)
Years ago, our husbands all dead-or in Evvie's case, divorced-we formed a new family unit sworn to care for one another through thick and thin. Mostly it's more thick than thin. We are an odd combination-mixed nuts is what Evvie calls us. My smart, fast-talking sister is also my best friend. Then there's Bella, our sweet, diminutive shadow, who follows us everywhere; roly-poly Sophie, who sees herself as a fas.h.i.+onista, mad about clothes; and last but definitely not least, Ida, our curmudgeon and self-proclaimed man-hater.
Bella is breathless in the face of everyone's attention. ”Have we we got a big announcement to make.” got a big announcement to make.”
Even Ida is grinning.
By now Jack is at my side, puffing a bit, and as the new male alpha dog of our little pack, he decides to nip this bud off quickly. ”Ladies,” he calls out. ”We've all had a very busy day. Time to get some rest.”
”Yes,” Evvie says with a tad of sarcasm, ”let's get some rest.” I can't believe my eyes. Immediately they scamper inside their own apartments, waving cheery good nights as they do. Doors one, two, three, and four-closed and not opened again. I hold my breath in case one of them changes her mind. Jack and I stand there and wait. And finally the looky-loos retreat, too. It seems as if the show is over. But I know better. They'll all be peering from behind their venetian blinds to see what we do next.
My very tall darling bends down to whisper to me, ”I can feel their eyes burning holes in me.”
”Not to worry,” I tell him. ”They'll get bored as soon as their favorite TV show comes on.”
”What do we do now?” he asks. ”Do you want me to come up with you?” A reasonable question since now we are officially a couple.
”It might be a better idea if we go to our own places alone. Let's meet tomorrow and figure out a plan of survival.”
”Good idea. But I don't care if the yenta brigade is watching. I am am going to kiss you good night.” going to kiss you good night.”
I'm so lucky to have this wonderful man. For a brief moment I let myself think of the life-changing events that occurred when we were in New York. It will take a while for me to absorb the truth about my husband's murder so many years ago. But it was Jack who gave this truth as his finest gift to me. It has finally brought us together-forever more, I hope.
And Jack kisses me. Beautifully. Lovingly. I cling to him, not wanting the kiss to end.
From somewhere I hear a low smattering of applause.
Jack, suitcase in hand, walks to his building in Phase Six, his jacket collar turned up against the drizzling rain. He hears a sugary voice calling out to him from the third floor.
”Hi, honeybun. Up here.”
He glances up to see Louise Bannister waving a
handkerchief. His upstairs neighbor is a flamboyant widow in her sixties, who, because she's a bottle redhead, is under the illusion she's a Rita Hayworth lookalike playing Gilda. As she leans over, her Chinese red robe reveals-as Jack a.s.sumes she planned-much cleavage.
”Welcome home,” she says breathily. ”We missed you while you were away.”
”Thanks, Louise,” he answers quietly so as not to disturb the other neighbors. She's hard to take, his overwrought femme fatale neighbor, but Jack has to admit that Louise is a darned good bridge player.
His eye is caught by two men coming toward the building. Both are dressed in the Orthodox Jewish tradition: black hat, suit, and vest; full beard and mustache.
Louise calls cheerily. ”Abe, Stanley, look who's home.”
To Jack, the two men, both in their eighties, seem an odd pair, but they're always together. Abe Waller squints, peering through his c.o.ke-bottle eyegla.s.ses, and nods in recognition. Stanley Heyer smiles openly and waves in greeting. Whereas Abe is big and burly, Stanley is small and feisty. Abe speaks rarely, and smiles little. Stanley is garrulous and upbeat.
”Well, gotta go, boys,” Louise says, straightening. ”See you soon, hon.” She winks at Jack before turning to go back into her apartment.
”I can hardly wait,” Jack says under his breath.
”Good trip?” Abe asks.
”Very,” Jack answers.”Just in time for some heavy rains,” Stanley comments as he plucks a few dead leaves from a hibiscus bush nearby.
Jack smiles politely. Everyone knows that Stanley was one of the original developers of Lanai Gardens back in the late '50's. Apparently he liked it so much, he moved into one of the apartments himself when they officially opened.
The two men separate and go their own way. Stanley crosses the courtyard to building Y and Abe walks into his ground-floor apartment in Jack's building, Z.
Jack's finished gathering his mail and is about to head up the stairs when he hears another voice behind him. Dora Dooley pops out of her first-floor apartment. The pet.i.te eighty-one-year-old soap opera addict is always cold, and wears a bulky sweater and wool scarf no matter the weather. ”It's about time you got back. My garbage has been piling up.”
”I'll take care of it in the morning, Dora. I promise,” he says in his usual patient voice.
Welcome home, he thinks ironically. Women to the right of me, women to the left of me. It's not going to be easy having some kind of life with Gladdy around here with all these clutching women.
The phone has already rung four times. Each of the girls called me to do what they always do: say good night, make plans for the next day, share lastminute thoughts of any kind. Bella is last. Finally, peace and quiet. It's wonderful.
The phone rings again. It's Jack this time. ”I've been trying to reach you, but the phone's been busy.”
I sigh. ”It's a tradition.”
”I can't stand not being with you. I wish it was morning already. Maybe I should wait until dark and sneak over. No one will see me.”
”That's what you think. The native drums will beat your arrival. Got a better idea. Meet me at the bus stop at the main gate. Six-thirty a.m.” This time he sighs. ”Six a.m. all right. Until tomorrow, my dearest. I love you.”
<script>