Hope Springs - 05 - Wedding Cake Read Online Free PDF

situation to handle, and Beatrice wouldn’t let her or George get a word in edgewise.
    She stood at the window, watching the empty street, thinking about her friends and feeling grateful for them. And then she turned back and walked to the table again. Louise found herself once again missing Margaret.
    If Roxie had introduced Louise to the sea that was love, Margaret had been her anchor. Friends for years, they had become like sisters, Margaret keeping Louise calm, centered. Margaret was a presence of peace and wholeness and guidance in Louise’s life, and since she died, there was a large, gaping hole in Louise’s heart. She thought she would never bear the loss of Roxie, but she had, and it was mostly because of Margaret. Beatrice and Jessie had helped a lot. Charlotte had been there for her too. But Margaret, Louise remembered, Margaret had held her together. Margaret had soothed her, calmed her, loved her. And since she died, Louise felt pieces of herself falling away that no one else seemed to be able to catch and hold for her the way Margaret had always seemed to be able to hold things.
    She reached up and wiped away the tears. “Damn those women,” she said only to herself and the spaces in her heart. “It’s always the good ones who go first.” She shook away the grief and saw the car pulling in the driveway. She took in a breath and walked to the front door.
    George Cannon stepped out of his car and stretched. He tucked his shirt in his pants and smoothed down the sides of his curly gray hair. He looked behind him, at the street, and then up to the front porch and saw Louise standing at the top of the steps. They just stood looking at each other for a few seconds until he finally shut the car door and headed in her direction.
    “Nice day for a drive,” he said, taking hold of the railing and pulling himself up the steps.
    “No weather up north?” Louise asked, trying to sound friendly, noticing how much Roxie’s husband had aged over the years. She could see the trouble he was having getting up the steps and she wondered if something was wrong with him and that was why he hadcome, maybe to make some final peace with his dead wife and his dead wife’s best friend.
    George shook his head. When he reached the top of the landing he held out his hand. “Hello, Louise,” he said, trying to catch his breath.
    “George.” Louise nodded and took his hand. It was an awkward moment for them both. “Come in,” she said, pulling her hand away and opening the door.
    George walked in behind her.
    “You need to freshen up?” she asked.
    He nodded, and she pointed him to the bathroom down the hall. She went into the kitchen and got out the pitcher of tea, filled two glasses with ice, poured the tea, and set the glasses on the table. She kept rearranging the pitcher and the glasses while she waited for him. Finally, George came into the kitchen and smiled.
    “Iced tea,” he noted. “I know I’ve landed south,” he added.
    Louise nodded and they both sat down.
    “How’s the girls?” Louise asked.
    “Everybody’s fine.” He paused. “As far as I know,” he added, taking a swallow of tea. “Good,” he said, referring to the tea.
    There was an awkward silence. Louise was at a loss in knowing how to make small talk with her best friend’s widower.
    “You run into much traffic?” Louise asked.
    “Just around Richmond,” George replied.
    Another pause.
    “You been doing okay?” he asked, settling into his chair.
    “A few old people’s ailments, cataracts, arthritis, you know, the usual, but I’m doing fine,” she responded.
    George smiled nervously. “I was sorry to hear about your friend,” he commented.
    “How did you hear about Margaret?” she asked, not knowing how he had received news of her life and the lives of those she loved.
    “I get your local paper,” he replied.
    Louise was surprised. “Why would you do that?” she asked. “It’s a good paper, but it can’t give you any