a better place to store your recyclables?” Nora offered. “It’s
a sin to use this lovely umbrella holder like that.”
Nana Mary
waved her hands. “What fool needs that many umbrellas in the world? I think
it’s better off holding empty bottles, at least then it has a useful purpose.”
Vivienne
caught Nora’s eyes widen in shock at the remark. Her mother had given the
expensive holder as a Christmas present last year along with a stylish Vera
Bradley umbrella. “Didn’t someone give you a beautiful umbrella to display in
that?”
Nana Mary
scratched her chin. “Oh, maybe they did. Haven’t seen that umbrella around her
lately. Flora Rogers, down the hall likes to borrow things and keep them. She’s
even been known to pull name labels right off whatever she’s using. Can you
believe that?”
“I’m sure
she’ll return it soon.” Nora was quick to add. “Then we can display it in the
holder.”
Nana Mary
winked at Vivienne. “You’re right, Nora. Why don’t you go down and talk to her
today and while you’re there see if she has a red KitchenAid coffee grinder in her apartment? Agnes McCarren loaned that out almost six months ago and she’d really like it back.”
Nora walked
over to the small coat closet to hang up her jacket. As she opened the door, a
pile of magazines spilled onto the cream carpet. “Good heavens.”
“I was saving
those to put down in the lobby.” Nana Mary smiled. “I’ll leave that job for you
too.”
“Thanks,
Mother.” Nora winced and bent down to sort the magazines into piles according
to date and subject.
“Vivienne, you
come and help me sort through these boxes from the hall closet. I put them all
in the living room to make it easier.” Nana Mary wandered off toward the
kitchen. “Would anyone like something to drink?”
Nora and
Vivienne declined as they assumed their work stations in the apartment. Nana
Mary poured herself a cup of hot ginger-spiced tea and sat down in the rocker
that was surrounded with cardboard boxes.
Vivienne
opened the first box only to discover it was quite empty, save for a few glass
ornaments. “This one doesn’t look too bad.” She peered further into the box and
found everything wrapped carefully in bubble wrap and tucked into empty
Styrofoam egg containers. “Actually, it looks perfectly packed.”
“They’re all
organized and ready to be labeled.” Nana Mary whispered with a twinkle in her
blue eyes. “I thought we could focus on the important things instead.”
Vivienne
nodded. “So, where do I begin?”
“Right at the
beginning, of course.” Nana Mary smiled and took a sip of her tea. “Don’t leave
anything out.”
“Okay.”
Vivienne spent the next half hour telling Nana Mary everything that had
happened with Natalie, Eddie, Connor, and lastly Miss Octavia. She was careful
to keep her voice low and look busy as Nora wandered into the living room from
time to time to give them tips on how to separate trash from treasure, how to
group items to make labeling easier, and an occasional health tip from the
Doctor Oz Show that was airing on the small television mounted above the
kitchen counter where she was re-arranging the cabinets to make things easier
to find.
“I’ll die of
thirst before I ever find a drinking glass again.” Nana Mary joked to Vivienne
as Nora disappeared back into the kitchen.
Vivienne
laughed. “At least she only spends an afternoon organizing your place. I get
two days at the very least now that Joshua is spending most of his time there.”
Nana Mary
chuckled and rocked back and forth in her chair. “Things are going well with
you both?”
Vivienne
nodded. “I’d like to think so.”
“That doesn’t
sound too terribly affirmative.” Nana Mary watched a red cardinal perch upon
the bird feeder outside her window and peck at the seeds stored inside. “It’s
not easy trying to live with someone.”
“We’re
figuring all that out. We still have our own places, but we’ve
a sin to use this lovely umbrella holder like that.”
Nana Mary
waved her hands. “What fool needs that many umbrellas in the world? I think
it’s better off holding empty bottles, at least then it has a useful purpose.”
Vivienne
caught Nora’s eyes widen in shock at the remark. Her mother had given the
expensive holder as a Christmas present last year along with a stylish Vera
Bradley umbrella. “Didn’t someone give you a beautiful umbrella to display in
that?”
Nana Mary
scratched her chin. “Oh, maybe they did. Haven’t seen that umbrella around her
lately. Flora Rogers, down the hall likes to borrow things and keep them. She’s
even been known to pull name labels right off whatever she’s using. Can you
believe that?”
“I’m sure
she’ll return it soon.” Nora was quick to add. “Then we can display it in the
holder.”
Nana Mary
winked at Vivienne. “You’re right, Nora. Why don’t you go down and talk to her
today and while you’re there see if she has a red KitchenAid coffee grinder in her apartment? Agnes McCarren loaned that out almost six months ago and she’d really like it back.”
Nora walked
over to the small coat closet to hang up her jacket. As she opened the door, a
pile of magazines spilled onto the cream carpet. “Good heavens.”
“I was saving
those to put down in the lobby.” Nana Mary smiled. “I’ll leave that job for you
too.”
“Thanks,
Mother.” Nora winced and bent down to sort the magazines into piles according
to date and subject.
“Vivienne, you
come and help me sort through these boxes from the hall closet. I put them all
in the living room to make it easier.” Nana Mary wandered off toward the
kitchen. “Would anyone like something to drink?”
Nora and
Vivienne declined as they assumed their work stations in the apartment. Nana
Mary poured herself a cup of hot ginger-spiced tea and sat down in the rocker
that was surrounded with cardboard boxes.
Vivienne
opened the first box only to discover it was quite empty, save for a few glass
ornaments. “This one doesn’t look too bad.” She peered further into the box and
found everything wrapped carefully in bubble wrap and tucked into empty
Styrofoam egg containers. “Actually, it looks perfectly packed.”
“They’re all
organized and ready to be labeled.” Nana Mary whispered with a twinkle in her
blue eyes. “I thought we could focus on the important things instead.”
Vivienne
nodded. “So, where do I begin?”
“Right at the
beginning, of course.” Nana Mary smiled and took a sip of her tea. “Don’t leave
anything out.”
“Okay.”
Vivienne spent the next half hour telling Nana Mary everything that had
happened with Natalie, Eddie, Connor, and lastly Miss Octavia. She was careful
to keep her voice low and look busy as Nora wandered into the living room from
time to time to give them tips on how to separate trash from treasure, how to
group items to make labeling easier, and an occasional health tip from the
Doctor Oz Show that was airing on the small television mounted above the
kitchen counter where she was re-arranging the cabinets to make things easier
to find.
“I’ll die of
thirst before I ever find a drinking glass again.” Nana Mary joked to Vivienne
as Nora disappeared back into the kitchen.
Vivienne
laughed. “At least she only spends an afternoon organizing your place. I get
two days at the very least now that Joshua is spending most of his time there.”
Nana Mary
chuckled and rocked back and forth in her chair. “Things are going well with
you both?”
Vivienne
nodded. “I’d like to think so.”
“That doesn’t
sound too terribly affirmative.” Nana Mary watched a red cardinal perch upon
the bird feeder outside her window and peck at the seeds stored inside. “It’s
not easy trying to live with someone.”
“We’re
figuring all that out. We still have our own places, but we’ve
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