are you?”
“I think it’s a decision you need to make, Avery.”
“Well, I’m not going to think about it today.” Avery brightened. “Today I’m going to go decorate the church basement for the Deerwood party.”
Betty blinked in surprise. “Goodness, I’d nearly forgotten that today’s Friday.”
“And tomorrow’s the big event,” Avery said. “The church secretary told me that I could come anytime after eleven today to get everything all set up for tomorrow.”
Betty tried not to look too concerned. But she was feeling more than a little worried that she’d still not seen what Avery had been secretly preparing in her room. “Do I get to have a sneak peek?” she asked.
“Nope.”
Betty frowned.
“Don’t you trust me?”
“Yes, you know I do, Avery.”
“Do you trust me to drive your car today?”
Suddenly, Betty wasn’t so sure.
“I’m a good driver.”
“I’m sure you are.”
“And I need to load and unload everything without you seeing it,” Avery continued, “or else that’ll spoil the surprise. So you’ll have to let me use your car, Grandma.”
Just then the dog barked from outside. “You’d better let him in,” Betty said, “before he wanders off.”
Avery went to open the door, then came back and asked again to use the car.
“Well, I suppose I don’t have much of a choice,” Betty finally said.
“No, I suppose you don’t.” Avery grinned. “You won’t be sorry.”
Betty wanted to say, “I hope not,” but she knew that would sound rather pessimistic. And so she just smiled and tried not to think about lime- or magenta-colored flowers. She tried not to imagine piñatas or pirates or multicolored balloons. No, she trusted Avery with this. Her granddaughter would not let her down.
“I still have some things to get ready,” Avery said.
“And I have a hair appointment at nine,” Betty suddenly remembered. She had booked the appointment a month ago. Going to the beauty parlor was a luxury that Betty budgeted for only twice a year. One time before Christmas and again before Easter. The rest of the time, Betty tended to her own hair. Whether it was cutting or curling it, she’d become rather adept at it over the years. Still, it always looked nicer when it was done professionally.
For nearly two blissful hours, Betty sat and listened to the hairdresser talk about everything and nothing while she worked on Betty’s hair. Betty welcomed this break from thinking about runaway dogs, mixed-up granddaughters, frightening neighbors, angry daughters-in-law, and circus-like anniversary parties. And when she left the salon, she told herself that somehow everything was going to be okay. She could just feel it.
But when she got home, she found a flustered and unhappy Avery. “It’s after eleven,” Avery said. “And I need to get the stuff to the church.”
“I know, but you can use as much time as you like to do your decor—”
“And Ralph is gone again. I checked at Jack’s, but his pickup is gone too.”
“Now, don’t worry,” Betty said. “You just go ahead and pack your things up in the car and head on over to the church. I’ll find the dog, and everything will be just fine when you get back.”
Avery seemed somewhat relieved, and then she smiled. “Hey, your hair looks pretty, Grandma.”
Betty patted her hair. “Why, thank you.”
“So, do you mind waiting in the living room while I get things loaded into the car? So that you don’t see anything?”
“I’ll just go and put my feet up.”
“Thanks. It should only take about fifteen minutes.”
“That’s fine.”
“And then you’ll go and look for Ralph?”
Betty nodded. “I will do my best to find him.”
By the time Betty heard Avery backing out of the driveway, it was close to noon. And despite being on the verge of a nap, Betty forced herself up, put on her jacket and gloves, got the dog leash, and headed out to search for the dog. She called up and down the street but
“I think it’s a decision you need to make, Avery.”
“Well, I’m not going to think about it today.” Avery brightened. “Today I’m going to go decorate the church basement for the Deerwood party.”
Betty blinked in surprise. “Goodness, I’d nearly forgotten that today’s Friday.”
“And tomorrow’s the big event,” Avery said. “The church secretary told me that I could come anytime after eleven today to get everything all set up for tomorrow.”
Betty tried not to look too concerned. But she was feeling more than a little worried that she’d still not seen what Avery had been secretly preparing in her room. “Do I get to have a sneak peek?” she asked.
“Nope.”
Betty frowned.
“Don’t you trust me?”
“Yes, you know I do, Avery.”
“Do you trust me to drive your car today?”
Suddenly, Betty wasn’t so sure.
“I’m a good driver.”
“I’m sure you are.”
“And I need to load and unload everything without you seeing it,” Avery continued, “or else that’ll spoil the surprise. So you’ll have to let me use your car, Grandma.”
Just then the dog barked from outside. “You’d better let him in,” Betty said, “before he wanders off.”
Avery went to open the door, then came back and asked again to use the car.
“Well, I suppose I don’t have much of a choice,” Betty finally said.
“No, I suppose you don’t.” Avery grinned. “You won’t be sorry.”
Betty wanted to say, “I hope not,” but she knew that would sound rather pessimistic. And so she just smiled and tried not to think about lime- or magenta-colored flowers. She tried not to imagine piñatas or pirates or multicolored balloons. No, she trusted Avery with this. Her granddaughter would not let her down.
“I still have some things to get ready,” Avery said.
“And I have a hair appointment at nine,” Betty suddenly remembered. She had booked the appointment a month ago. Going to the beauty parlor was a luxury that Betty budgeted for only twice a year. One time before Christmas and again before Easter. The rest of the time, Betty tended to her own hair. Whether it was cutting or curling it, she’d become rather adept at it over the years. Still, it always looked nicer when it was done professionally.
For nearly two blissful hours, Betty sat and listened to the hairdresser talk about everything and nothing while she worked on Betty’s hair. Betty welcomed this break from thinking about runaway dogs, mixed-up granddaughters, frightening neighbors, angry daughters-in-law, and circus-like anniversary parties. And when she left the salon, she told herself that somehow everything was going to be okay. She could just feel it.
But when she got home, she found a flustered and unhappy Avery. “It’s after eleven,” Avery said. “And I need to get the stuff to the church.”
“I know, but you can use as much time as you like to do your decor—”
“And Ralph is gone again. I checked at Jack’s, but his pickup is gone too.”
“Now, don’t worry,” Betty said. “You just go ahead and pack your things up in the car and head on over to the church. I’ll find the dog, and everything will be just fine when you get back.”
Avery seemed somewhat relieved, and then she smiled. “Hey, your hair looks pretty, Grandma.”
Betty patted her hair. “Why, thank you.”
“So, do you mind waiting in the living room while I get things loaded into the car? So that you don’t see anything?”
“I’ll just go and put my feet up.”
“Thanks. It should only take about fifteen minutes.”
“That’s fine.”
“And then you’ll go and look for Ralph?”
Betty nodded. “I will do my best to find him.”
By the time Betty heard Avery backing out of the driveway, it was close to noon. And despite being on the verge of a nap, Betty forced herself up, put on her jacket and gloves, got the dog leash, and headed out to search for the dog. She called up and down the street but
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