The Hot Flash Club Chills Out Read Online Free PDF Page A

aching muscles and creaking bones, and Marilyn knew that Ruth’s genuine interest in other people was one of the things that kept her going.
    “I’ve been studying the garden,” Ruth said now. “You’ve got lilies of the valley coming up all around the tulips. Whoever lived here before did a lot of landscaping. But all the beds could use a good weeding.”
    Marilyn suppressed a sigh. One more responsibility for which she had no time. “I’ve got a full schedule today,” she told her mother, “but I’ll see about hiring a landscaper.”
    “We’ll need the lawn mowed, too. Unless Ian wants to do it.”
    “Ian’s pretty stressed out with work right now,” Marilyn reminded Ruth. “He’s the new kid on the block in his department.”
    “Oh, I understand.” Ruth’s face grew melancholy. “I wish I could help.” Not so long ago, she’d been strong and active.
    “You’ve got so much to do!” Marilyn reminded her. “Are you going to the Senior Citizens Center today?”
    Ruth’s wrinkled face brightened. “I am. I’ll take a cab. Ernest is meeting me there, then he’s taking me out to lunch.”
    “What fun. Tell him hello for me, will you?” Marilyn drank the rest of her coffee and rose. “I’ve got to go. I’ve got a nine o’clock class.”
    “I wonder, darling, could you pick me up some bananas?”
    Marilyn swallowed a sigh. With four people to feed, it seemed she was always at the grocery store, and in a busy city like Cambridge, even going through the express lane required a good chunk of time. She tried to make lists so she didn’t have to go every single day.
    Ruth’s voice was apologetic. “I put bananas on yesterday’s list, honey, but you bought me grapes.”
    No, Marilyn remembered, Ruth had not written
bananas
on her bluebird-bordered note paper. She had put
grapes,
because Marilyn recalled standing in the produce section, wondering whether Ruth wanted green or red grapes.
    “I wouldn’t ask, darling, except without bananas, I tend to get a little constipated.” Ruth’s forehead crumpled slightly, with embarrassment. She looked like a very sweet, very old, little girl.
    “Of course I’ll get you some bananas,” Marilyn said, forcing a smile. “Anything else?”
    “No, that’s all, thank you.” Ruth brightened. Helpfully, she offered, “Would you like me to call a skyscraper?”
    Marilyn ignored the little verbal slip. They were just part of Ruth’s speech these days. “No, Mom, I’ll ask around for some references today. You just enjoy yourself.”
    “I will, sweetheart. I always try to remember that today is the first day of my restful life.”

4
    P olly often wished she were more like Alice. Alice was a lioness. Polly was a possum. Alice was a champion at assertiveness, which was why Alice had been an executive in an enormous insurance company and why Polly had made her living as a seamstress, working by herself and meeting her clients in the security of her own home.
    Perhaps, Polly decided, as she returned from The Haven in the early afternoon, perhaps she’d ask Alice how to go about solving her problem. Alice had been head of personnel, and this was a personnel problem.
    Or perhaps she wouldn’t ask Alice, because Alice was, after all, so close to Shirley and might see Polly’s overture as some kind of insult to Shirley.
    Perhaps Polly should just get in bed and eat ice cream until she exploded.
    When Polly had agreed to supervise the five Havenly Yours employees who made the clever outfits that sold from The Haven’s shop as fast as they could be made, she hadn’t really realized what an enormous task she was taking on. In the rush of excitement last summer, when she and Faye had designed and sewn the trial garments, Polly had been so exhilarated she’d felt she could do almost anything. As the months went by, the satisfaction of watching a dream come true had buoyed Polly up. They’d put together a business plan, got a loan from a bank, installed