crinkles and she points like he’s
some type of disease.
“Aunt Prudence, this is Henry.” I know he’ll
grow on her like he has on me in the last twenty minutes.
I leave Henry in the car barking and put
her luggage in the trunk. There are a lot of people coming out the terminal
doors, but no signs of Lucy and Georgia.
“Where’s Lucy and Georgia?” I ask.
“Okay first off, I bought you that Prada,
and why’s it in the trunk and clinking?” She props her hand on her hip. Aunt
Grace’s china is still in the trunk. She pulls her glasses down on the bridge
of her nose. “Secondly, they’re waiting for their luggage. Who are you, and where’s
Hallie?”
“Shut up and get in.”
Lucy and Georgia come running out the
revolving door. My strange mood turns to complete elation as I realize my
girlfriends are finally here.
“Hallie! I’m so glad to see you.” She’s
drags out her words with her southern accent she does when she’s really tired.
“I don’t think I can live another two months without you.”
“We don’t know how you do it.” Georgia
lightly pats me. “She is high-maintenance. When are you coming home?”
“Tell me about it. It’s been on a nice
break.” I roll my eyes, smile and point to Lucy.
I’m really joking. She’s never been
high-maintenance. Or maybe I’m just used to her after all these years.
“Henry.” Prudence holds up my new cute
little companion. “Meet Aunt Georgia and Aunt Lucy.”
“What the hell kind of dogs do they
raise here in Cincinnati?” Georgia’s eyes bug out of their sockets.
“I guess you’ve never seen a pink male
poodle.” I motion for everyone to get in the car. I don’t think I can wait another
minute to start our girls’ trip. “Long story.”
None of us shut up the entire way to Hyde
Park. Henry sits in my lap hanging over the door, with his long fur flapping
like he’s been here all his life.
I let Henry out in my back yard so I can
show the girls around. They love the cottage feel of the apartment, and I am
proud of it. Even though it was already furnished, I have added a few “Hallie”
touches to make it home.
“Hallie!” There is anger in Wilson’s
voice. “What the hell, Hallie?”
Crap. Crap. Darn. I forgot about
Wilson. I hope he isn’t allergic to dogs.
“What is this?” Wilson walks into the
room, holding Henry. “No dogs. Especially a pink one. Orders of the landlord. Poor
guy. You should be ashamed, taking away his masculinity like this.”
I can’t think up a good excuse at the
moment. But Prudence is quick on her feet.
“First off, who said she can’t have a dog?
And real men wear pink.” Prudence gets into Wilson’s face.
Little does he realize who he’s messing
with. A lawyer who loves to test the laws.
“Besides, who are you?” Prudence plants
her hands on her hips.
I stand between them. “This is Wilson.
He lives in the basement apartment.” I completely forgot to tell them about
Wilson during our phone calls.
What little time we do get to talk on
the phone, I play catch-up on what they are doing without me.
“Well, well.” Lucy turns her head,
checking him out. “Nice to meet you.”
“I’m Georgia.” She puts her hands on
Prudence’s shoulders. “This is our single lawyer friend Prudence.”
“These are my friends I was telling you
about.” I remind him.
“Oh, the spa thing.” He nods as though
he remembers.
“According to article…”Prudence isn’t
going drop the confrontation with Wilson.
While they continue to argue, Lucy,
Georgia, and I quietly make our way downstairs to catch-up.
I tell them about Hyde Park, Aunt Grace-including
Henry, the boutique, and what little I know about Wilson. Wilson and Prudence join
us with smiles on their face. I guess they settled out of court.
“He’s a lawyer for Proctor and Gamble.” Prudence’s
eye brows lift in delight.
She gives me “the look.” The look she
gets when her hormones are on high alert for a
some type of disease.
“Aunt Prudence, this is Henry.” I know he’ll
grow on her like he has on me in the last twenty minutes.
I leave Henry in the car barking and put
her luggage in the trunk. There are a lot of people coming out the terminal
doors, but no signs of Lucy and Georgia.
“Where’s Lucy and Georgia?” I ask.
“Okay first off, I bought you that Prada,
and why’s it in the trunk and clinking?” She props her hand on her hip. Aunt
Grace’s china is still in the trunk. She pulls her glasses down on the bridge
of her nose. “Secondly, they’re waiting for their luggage. Who are you, and where’s
Hallie?”
“Shut up and get in.”
Lucy and Georgia come running out the
revolving door. My strange mood turns to complete elation as I realize my
girlfriends are finally here.
“Hallie! I’m so glad to see you.” She’s
drags out her words with her southern accent she does when she’s really tired.
“I don’t think I can live another two months without you.”
“We don’t know how you do it.” Georgia
lightly pats me. “She is high-maintenance. When are you coming home?”
“Tell me about it. It’s been on a nice
break.” I roll my eyes, smile and point to Lucy.
I’m really joking. She’s never been
high-maintenance. Or maybe I’m just used to her after all these years.
“Henry.” Prudence holds up my new cute
little companion. “Meet Aunt Georgia and Aunt Lucy.”
“What the hell kind of dogs do they
raise here in Cincinnati?” Georgia’s eyes bug out of their sockets.
“I guess you’ve never seen a pink male
poodle.” I motion for everyone to get in the car. I don’t think I can wait another
minute to start our girls’ trip. “Long story.”
None of us shut up the entire way to Hyde
Park. Henry sits in my lap hanging over the door, with his long fur flapping
like he’s been here all his life.
I let Henry out in my back yard so I can
show the girls around. They love the cottage feel of the apartment, and I am
proud of it. Even though it was already furnished, I have added a few “Hallie”
touches to make it home.
“Hallie!” There is anger in Wilson’s
voice. “What the hell, Hallie?”
Crap. Crap. Darn. I forgot about
Wilson. I hope he isn’t allergic to dogs.
“What is this?” Wilson walks into the
room, holding Henry. “No dogs. Especially a pink one. Orders of the landlord. Poor
guy. You should be ashamed, taking away his masculinity like this.”
I can’t think up a good excuse at the
moment. But Prudence is quick on her feet.
“First off, who said she can’t have a dog?
And real men wear pink.” Prudence gets into Wilson’s face.
Little does he realize who he’s messing
with. A lawyer who loves to test the laws.
“Besides, who are you?” Prudence plants
her hands on her hips.
I stand between them. “This is Wilson.
He lives in the basement apartment.” I completely forgot to tell them about
Wilson during our phone calls.
What little time we do get to talk on
the phone, I play catch-up on what they are doing without me.
“Well, well.” Lucy turns her head,
checking him out. “Nice to meet you.”
“I’m Georgia.” She puts her hands on
Prudence’s shoulders. “This is our single lawyer friend Prudence.”
“These are my friends I was telling you
about.” I remind him.
“Oh, the spa thing.” He nods as though
he remembers.
“According to article…”Prudence isn’t
going drop the confrontation with Wilson.
While they continue to argue, Lucy,
Georgia, and I quietly make our way downstairs to catch-up.
I tell them about Hyde Park, Aunt Grace-including
Henry, the boutique, and what little I know about Wilson. Wilson and Prudence join
us with smiles on their face. I guess they settled out of court.
“He’s a lawyer for Proctor and Gamble.” Prudence’s
eye brows lift in delight.
She gives me “the look.” The look she
gets when her hormones are on high alert for a
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