May 2020

“Marguerite!” I heard someone call to me. “Marguerite!”

 

I turned and glanced behind me to find Isabel holding a sign with my name. I recognized her right away and was grateful that she hadn’t left me hanging in an airport in a country I’d never been to before. I knew that had been a possibility all along and that she could change her mind, or anything could come up. But she was there, and I was relieved and excited yet still nervous.

 

We exchanged greetings and hugs. Isabel was even more beautiful in person.

 

“You’re lovely,” she told me, “and it’s great to finally meet you.”

 

“Same here, despite the circumstances.”

 

She drove me to her Leipzig home which was a cute little place. It was cozy yet spacious. As I got settled, my thoughts turned to Emilie. She and Isabel were still connected, as far as I knew, and I wondered if we might end up meeting through Isabel. I doubted it, though, assuming Emilie would do everything she could to avoid me.

 

I found Isabel to be a very easy going person. We got along well, and she made me feel very welcome. She even seemed grateful for the company. She had many friends, but she lived alone.

 

Isabel didn’t ask for much as far as money went since it was agreed upon that I would take care of the house. I even did much of the cooking and laundry. I simply used my money to buy my own personal necessities.

 

She set me up with a job cleaning office buildings owned by some people she knew. She dropped me off there on her way to work and picked me up at the end of the day. I wasn’t sure what the future held for me, but I tried to live in the moment and not worry too much about it. I was able to relax a little more since I seemed to be doing Isabel just as much of a favor as she was for me.

 

It was late summer, and I wasn’t at all looking forward to the upcoming cold and eventual snow. One day I finally got up enough nerve to ask about Emilie. “I know she hates me, but I really miss her at times. Yes, she could be a bit judgmental, but I wasn’t perfect either and I still miss her. I hope she’s doing well. Do you two see each other in person very often?”

 

“Perhaps two or three times a year we get together,” Isabel told me. Sometimes she comes here. Sometimes I go down to her apartment. Other times we meet in Turkey, which as you know, is a popular holiday spot for us.”

 

“Yes, I know she always loved going there and considered retiring there or in Greece.”

 

“We’re both thinking of Turkey, but we still have a handful of working years left before we can really start making any serious decisions about that.”

 

I took a sip of my wine, an evening ritual I often joined Isabel in once we got home and comfortable.

 

“While we’re on the subject of Turkey, we’re going on holiday in a few weeks and wondered what you would prefer to do. Would you like to join me, or would you rather just stay here?”

 

Staying in the house alone would be cold, lonely and boring, especially for more than just a day or two. “I would definitely love to come along!” I said happily.

 

And then I realized Isabel had said “we’re” going on holiday.