A Special Visit – I

SB and I met many years ago through our children. She had two daughters in junior high who were the same ages as my two sons. Our two younger children became the very best of friends and remained so all during their high school years and beyond. L would even come over and spend the night just as if she were at a girlfriend’s house. We still laugh about the first morning she had breakfast with us and looked with horror at the bowl of grits taking up the center portion of the table. Being the L she is, she bravely tried some.

She was a cheerleader, blond and blue-eyed and our C was a football player, handsome and burly. He was an adventurer and she was a nurturer – she was like family and we loved her as though she were. SB and I always shared a secret yearning that something would develop between them somewhere down the line, but that was not to be. So we settled for what we had and enjoyed one another’s offspring. Our older two dated a couple of times even – our lives paralleling through the years.

We have seen less of each other these past few years since I moved from the area, but SB has been to visit and we have enjoyed our treks to the city, taking in shopping and theatre, catching up on the kids’ lives, sharing wine, good food and always laughter. We often marvel at how alike we are in some ways. Our latest visit found us with exact ‘tan lines’ on our feet, similar shoes, similar clothes and, of course, very similar senses of humor.

This visit was very special because L and her two children were visiting her mom. L’s husband is currently serving his residency at a large hospital in the midwest so it was just L and the kids. They really livened up our house I can tell you. J is three and pretty little E is just one.

The visit began as so many other times have been when SB and I get together – mass confusion and tons of laughing and giggling. SB came over the night before on the ferry and L spent that day and night with her old college roommate in the city. SB and I spent a leisurely afternoon catching up on each other’s lives and laughing together that we were actually discussing our grandchildren for goodness sakes! George arrived home and early evening found us relaxing outside among the flowers sharing some good wine until the evening coolness carried us inside for more conversation, wine and a good dinner.

L was to arrive the next morning with J&E to pick SB up and head home. She called as they exited the ferry and I gave her directions which she completely failed to follow. Several phone calls later amid cellphone black-outs due to the mountainous surroundings…we lost her. Couldn’t reach her by phone at all – no idea where she was and she had no idea where we were. I had told her the turn to take onto our street, so SB and I looked at each other and said at the same time “Let’s go out to the road and watch for her”. So off we went in the car giggling all the way.

As we sat at the end of the road SB realized that she didn’t really know for sure what the rental car looked like – “…some sort of van maybe white or silver…” So there we sat scrutinizing every car that passed us by. Once again, we both had the same thought at the same time. We should have brought the cell phone so we could continue to call her – well, Duh! Back to the house, grab the cell phone (still can’t reach her) and back into the car. This time we drive up and down the main road, turning around a couple of times just in case that car we just passed was L and the kids. Finally, we spot her pulled over on the side of the road where she has had to stop for J who couldn’t hold it any longer. She saw us drive up and began to shake her head…and smile. She was as beautiful as ever.

After following us home, she unpacked the kids and the ten tons of equipment that goes along with them – came into the house and we immediately began a non-stop dialogue that continued for hours. SB and L then decided it was time for them to head home as they had a five hour drive in front of them. They loaded back into the car and amid much hugging, tears, waving bye-bye and promises to keep in touch, they backed out of the drive as I stood waving good-bye. I returned to the house and could actually feel the absence of their voices – it was so quiet.