“I know I don’t, but I can ask the others.”

“Is there a reason you don’t?”

“Would you believe I’ve never been asked?”

Roxie smiled. Aha! “Might you be amenable to such an idea?”

He nodded as he looked at her. “We could talk about it.”

“Good. I’ll be in touch. Thank you.”

“Good to see you again, Loren.” He paused. “Excuse me, I need to get this.” He answered a call. He waved as they turned to leave.

“Mother, what were you doing? You have never encouraged staging.” Loren put a down twist on the word when they reached the parking lot.

“Who knows, perhaps there will be a property that would be enhanced with that.” Roxie slid behind the wheel. “Thanks for coming with me.” And who knew where this might lead?

Chapter Six

Amalia picked up the phone and punched in numbers she knew by heart. One ring. Two. Ginny answered.

Amalia got right to business. “So do you still have more tomato plants?”

“Amalia, where are you going to put in a garden?” Ginny asked. “I thought Maple Reach wasn’t going to have a community garden this year.”

“They aren’t. So I am going to do pots on my deck. Two tomato, one cucumber, a lettuce basket, and some flowers. I can do the tomatoes and cukes on trellises; I have the sweet peas on one now. So what kind of tomatoes do you have?”

“How about I give you either a yellow pear or a sweet grape and say either a Roma or Early Girl? I have pickling cucumbers and lemon cucumbers started. One of each in that pot might work well. I’d put marigolds in the pots to help ward off the bugs.”

“Sounds perfect.”

“I can either bring them to you or Fred can pick you up on his way and you can come for lunch.”

“Lunch. You know me, I never turn down food.” Amalia reached out and slid her door to the deck open.

“Are your sweet peas blooming?”

“Yes, they are scenting my whole apartment now that the door is open. Any idea when Fred will be here?”

“Soon.”

“’Kay, tell him I’ll meet him at the side door.” Amalia clicked off and stepped out on the deck to sit down in the one chair in the shade. Mornings like this made waking up a delight. She’d already had her breakfast sitting at the round metal table, with bright floral cushions on the teal chairs to match the table.

Jehoshaphat came wandering disdainfully out onto the deck and flopped down beside her chair. His ragged ear tipped toward her, the only acknowledgment he made of her presence. He raised his ragged gray head to sniff and look about. A hummingbird swooped into the feeder. The cat gave it a passing glance and settled onto his belly, his paws tucked under his chest.

Amalia had been afraid the first time he came out on the deck that he might leap up on the rail and escape. Were he to get out into the world, he would die quickly, unable to hunt or defend himself, because Ima had never allowed him out of the house. For his own good. But no problem. He was too old and too arthritic to jump up on a chair, let alone the rail.