Cat Laughing Last Read Online Free PDF Page B

of growing weak and helpless, of being unable to care for herself.
    Even though she was getting up in years, she felt young inside, and she kept herself in good shape, cleaning houses all day. She could still walk a mile into the village, buy her groceries, and carry them home again, and not be breathing hard when she plunked the bags down on the kitchen table. Still wore a size 4, even if all she bought was white uniforms in the used-clothing shops. Only when she looked in the mirror at her wrinkles and crow’s-feet did she see the truth about her age.
    She had no children to look out for her if she got sick. Now that her niece was dead, she had only her brother Greeley, and what good was he? Older than she was, and he’d be all thumbs, trying to care for a person. Irresponsible, too. Living down there in Panama like some foreigner. The last time he flew up to see her, look at the trouble they’d had, him stealing, right there under her nose, robbing from the village stores.
    No, she couldn’t depend on Greeley. When her timecame, she prayed for one massive stroke. Zip. Gone—to whatever lay beyond.
    Maybe she’d see Lou again, maybe not. Two old folks wandering hand in hand again. Or maybe they’d be young again. No aches and pains. Wouldn’t that be nice.
    She hadn’t been to church for years, didn’t remember how a priest described Heaven. Well, if there wasn’t any Heaven, if there was nothing after this life, she wouldn’t know it, would she? Might as well think like there was, and enjoy the promise.
    Anyway, now she wouldn’t be alone if she got decrepit, now she had a new kind of family to depend on, and to depend on her.
    She’d balked at first at the idea of the Senior Survival club; it had seemed silly, and she’d never been a joiner. But maybe it would work. They were committed now, the five of them set on making their lives easier by their own efforts, not depending on some agency that they had no control over. Susan said they were reinventing their futures. Well, they weren’t planning on nothing fancy, no grand cruises or flights to Europe. Just a way to grow old with more security, by helping each other, using the money they were making right now as they picked over the McLearys’ cast-off junk, plus the money they’d all make selling their houses.
    Mavity had to smile. This all sounded like a confidence scheme. Except there was no outsider to rip them off. It had been their own idea, the five of them, all friends for years. Four of them widowed, and Wilma divorced, all alone now and tossing out ideas for their futures. She paused a moment, looking across the garden at her friends, at Gabrielle, and at Cora Lee.And for a moment, she couldn’t help it; she felt a nudge of envy.
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    â€œMavity’s daydreaming again,” Dulcie said. “Wool-gathering.” She watched Mavity, who was watching Gabrielle and Cora Lee, and she could almost guess what Mavity was thinking—a little of Mavity’s indulgent daydreaming.
    Across the McLeary garden, Gabrielle was inspecting a tableful of silverware, her tall slim figure handsome in her pale blazer, her short, soft blond hair catching the sunlight. Beyond her, Cora Lee French sorted through some boxes of books, her café-au-lait coloring and long white sundress making her look about seventeen, despite the salt and pepper in her black hair.
    â€œWhat are you grinning about?” Joe asked, cutting her a look.
    â€œAbout Mavity—at what she’s thinking.”
    â€œWhat? You’re psychic suddenly?”
    â€œShe’s thinking, In my next life, I’ll be tall and willowy like Gabrielle and Cora Lee .”
    â€œCome on, Dulcie…”
    â€œShe is. I’ve heard her say it often enough, rambling on while she’s helping Charlie clean someone’s house. It’s Mavity’s one discontent, that she isn’t tall. If I was born again