All Roads Lead Home (Bellingwood) Read Online Free PDF

dinner. You shouldn't have to do
anything. It's simple."
    "Oh, Lydia , y ou didn't have to do that. You guys already left me a lot of food ." Polly said.
    "I know. But it's Friday night and you can take
this up to your bed, curl up with a book and fall asleep. That is, if you don't
mind a few crumbs in your bed," Lydia said. "And, I have another
reason for pampering you a little and then calling you. ”
    She went on before Polly could speak, "Tomorrow evening I have tickets to a play over
at Iowa State University. Beryl and Andy are going. I asked Sylvie if she
wanted to take her kids, but it sounds like her mother is coming into town, so
she declined. We thought we'd make an evening of it. Dinner and the play and
maybe drinks or something afterward and then ... you come stay at my house for
the night. Pack a bag. We're going to have a slumber party. You'll get a real
chair to sit in, carpet under your feet, a bed you don't have to make in the
morning and breakfast on the table. How about it?"
    "I'd love to go out with you, but a slumber
party? I don’t think I’m ready for that." Polly said.
    "Sure you are. It will be great," Lydia
responded, "The girls and I plan to hang out in front of the fireplace. The
old man is leaving town tomorrow and won't be back until Sunday night. I
thought we could have some fun."
    Lydia's enthusiasm was contagious. Polly hadn't been
to a slumber party since she was in elementary school and she certainly hadn't
been to one with women who were so much older. What was she supposed to think
about all of this?
    She opened her mouth, but before she could respond,
Lydia said, "You have to. You have to!"
    "Alright ,
I'm in." Polly said, then continued "But, Lydia, this has to be the craziest thing I've ever heard!"
    "Oh, honey," Lydia said. "You just
wait. Crazy is what we do when we get bored around here. And don’t think the
play will be the most wonderful thing you’ll see tomorrow. W ait until Beryl
gets a couple of my famous chocolate martinis in her! That will be wonderful."
    Polly had stood up while she was talking and walked to
her front door. She opened it and there was a small , square, blue basket with a
pretty red checkered napkin wrapped around its contents. She picked it up, pushed
the door shut, clicked the lock and walked to the stairs. She sat down and
opened the napkin.
    "Lydia!" she exclaimed .
    "Yes dear?" Lydia asked.
    "I opened the basket. This is beautiful! Thank
you!" Polly said.
    "Well, you have a good night. Sleep well, sleep
late and be ready for us to pick you up at four o'clock tomorrow afternoon. Beryl's
driving, oh lordie , so the rest of us can start the party at the
restaurant. She'll catch up when we get back to my house," Lydia responded.
    "Thank you so much, Lydia. I'll see you
tomorrow!" Polly ended the call , and then went back into the kitchen to shut the
lights off. She'd clean the coffee pot out tomorrow morning. She slipped in
past the plastic draping to Henry’s
temporary shop and saw everything was
tucked in and turned off for the night. Walking back to the main floor
switches, she flipped them down and walked up the steps to her room.
    Brad Giese’s Monday
telephone call , telling her he had a buddy
with a big truck and would take the boards to Henry's friend Butch for milling
on Wednesday , had gotten everyone moving . She peeked into the room and smiled. Just getting
the wood frames bu ilt around the room
made it feel warmer already . She turned the light back off and wandered across the hallway to her bed .
    Slipping off her shoes and tucking them under the
table, she set the basket on the bed, then took her clothes off and walked back
across the hall to the shower in her apartment. There was nothing better than
practically scalding, hot water pouring over her head after a busy week. This
shower was one of her personal luxuries. Water flowed from the ceiling of the
shower as well as from the walls, along with a regular shower head. When she