That'll do

It was a beautiful, balmy afternoon to be about and about, no?

Lunch with Susannah went well. It has been so long since the three of us have talked, we had a lot to catch up on. Susannah took control to ensure we covered as much ground as possible in an hour. Once she and Eve reported on developments in their lives, Susannah gave me one of her sidelong stink eyes. “Should I even bother asking you about Blaine?”

I had prepared for this. I gave a full report, everything she has always wanted me to cover, most of which I’ve never said out loud to anyone but Mica (and Blaine). Even Eve has never heard it from me.

Susannah set her fork down rather dramatically, placed one hand over her heart and extended the other to high five Eve across the table. “Finally,” she said to Eve.

After lunch I went to the antique mall. I found an old roadmap that I thought my brother would like. After a few more stops, I added a book of historical photographs and a gift card to what I had already gotten for him. Not my best effort, but I felt better about it.




I drove across town to meet Eve, Paul and Blaine for after-work drinks.


“Well, hello.” Blaine greeted me when I found them at a hightop in our usual corner of our usual place. He stood and helped me out of my coat.

Eve gave Paul a light slap on the arm with the back of her hand. “I remember when you used to do that sort of thing for me.”

“I still do,” he said patiently.

“You do, that’s true.” She patted the spot she had just swiped. “Doesn’t count as much if no one is around to notice,” she added.

He rolled his eyes, then smiled.

Blaine said to me, “I hardly saw you this week.”

“I noticed that. We’re going to have to do better.”

“You know what you can do to fix that for good, Blaine,” Eve said in the tone she uses when she’s ribbing him.

“And what is that, Eve?” He leveled one of his patient stares at her.

Her mouth turned up ever so slightly at the corners. Then his did too.

I drew in a breath and caught Paul’s eye. “This is going to be one of those nights, isn't it.” He laughed. Under the table, Eve grabbed my knee and give it a tight squeeze.

“That’ll do, Pauline,” I said softly to her.

Pauline is our shorthand for a guardian angel. If I ever get around to writing about our trip to New York, I’ll tell the story.

Paul crossed his arms. “Well, we’re nearly finished paying off coaches and athletic directors,” he stated, starting a more comfortable thread of conversation.