Lola sat with a cup of coffee, deep in thought. She wondered if her close friends from back then would come to their twenty-fifth class reunion. Its been so long since we've seen each other, she murmured, and only a few telephone calls over the years. Good Lord, it must be twenty years since we got together.
We can catch up with each others life. I hope they won't be shocked when I tell them how I make my living, but I'm sure they won't judge me.
Lola called and made her reservation to fly in first class, then booked a room at the hotel in her home town.
She could have stayed with her mom, but she lived in a small apartment and really didn't have room for anyone extra to sleep comfortably. Besides Lola was used to living alone and like her space.
I'll have to call and see if my new initialed luggage is in and pick that up and shop for something new and subdued to wear. But right now I just want to get into my own cozy bed and read and rest. Later as she was packing, she wrapped a small package inside a slip for safe keeping. On the outside before she covered it up it read, "poison if ingested".
In spite of the hard times Lavern and her family had had, the kids were growing up with good moral values, thanks to their mother's basic beliefs. Her therapy group was going good for her now and she learned how to talk about her problems with courage. She told them about the invitation to the class reunion coming up, and how much she wanted to go.That it would be wonderful to go and see her old friends again, that it had been so long since she had laughed and had a good time. But with all her responsibilities, it was impossible.
Tonight, they had surprised her and had all the arrangements ready. They took her shopping for a great dress, to have her hair cut and shaped, and her nails done. They gave her an airline ticket, a room reservation and a baby sitter to take care of her children.
She was overwhelmed by the generosity of her friends and words escaped her as she tried to say thanks. Then spent the last night at home packing and finally took a long luxurious bath. One of the last things she put in her suitcase was a bottle containing a clear liquid. On the side of it in big bold letters it read, "acid".
Jacob Rierson always read the bulletin board first when he came in to work each day. He felt excitement when he saw a notice posted that said it was time for the kids to start selling girl scout cookies again. There also was a big sheet announcing the twenty fifth year class reunion. He read the list of names of the graduates and recognized three from that year. Pretty blond Lola Lewis, the skinny Randi Mills and Lavern Cruz, the tall one with the long black hair and brown eyes.
For a minute tears came, then a tingle of excitement. He wasn't invited but he would be there. Weeks went by and he was busy as he had to make the old school sparkle for the event.
When he was finally done for the day he went home to get ready to receive his girl scout cookies. He put on clean clothes as he had new jeans and a plaid shirt for special occasions. He looked pretty much the same as always only older, sadder but now his hair had grown out, but in tufts scattered around his head. He was proud because now he had hair, but he didn't realize that he looker stranger than ever.
Jake looked around the house to make sure it was clean and it was. The carpet was almost white now with only vague reminders of the outlines of the big flowers showing. After years of scrubbing the floors, walls, ceilings and furniture, everything seemed to blend into one color of faded foggy nothingness erasing the lines of structures and blending one in to another.
Everything is clean, he whispered, so it was ready for company.
Jacob was born to parents of foreign descent and was their only child. He grew up alone and never knew love. His mother was squat in stature, big busted and wore heavy stockings and laced shoes. Metal curlers were in her hair most of the time and when she did comb it out, it was only slightly, so the tight curls lay in rows. She had no education beyond fourth grade and only knew how to cook and clean. His father was tall, straight laced, red faced with no humor and less emotions. And they lived on a small farm in the country where they barely managed to scrape out a living.
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Follow the adventures of Lindy Lewis from the day her house burns....
