Gloria spots an empty table at Betty’s and waves at Holly. “Better make it decaf,” she says, pushing the coffee cup toward the edge of the table. “Full lead would keep me up all night.”
Holly fills the cup and checks the creamer pitcher to make sure it’s full. “What are you doing in here this late? Is Marshall coming to meet you?”
Gloria stirs the cream into her coffee, shaking her head. “No. He’s finishing up some things at the store. I’m meeting someone here.”
Holly rests the coffeepot on her hip. “Do you want to wait to order?”
“I think I’ll just stick with coffee.” She pauses for a moment and leans over in her seat, looking at the bakery case. “You probably don’t have any of those chocolate cream cheese pastries left at this hour, right?”
“I actually think we do. Would you like one?”
Gloria crosses her arms, shaking her head. “No. I haven’t had my supper.” Holly steps away from the table when Gloria adds, “Warm it up just a bit before you bring it to me.”
* * *
Jake’s BBQ has filled up fast. Lauren checks the time on her phone: 6:30. She texts her mom, saying, I’m in a booth against the back wall.
As Lauren takes a sip of Coke her mom replies, Be there in just a couple of minutes.
Each time the front door opens Lauren turns to see who is walking into the lobby. Although it has been seven years she is convinced she would still recognize her mom. So far the people who’ve arrived are in pairs or groups, none are by themselves. To settle her nerves she reaches for her phone and checks e-mail, discovering that her e-mails to both Mary Richards and Laura have bounced back to her. She sends them again only to receive a bounce-back notification. She looks to the front door and wonders if she has enough time to call Holly at Betty’s. She looks back on her phone log and redials the number, hoping that Holly will answer. “Betty’s Bakery.”
It’s Holly’s voice! “Holly! It’s Lauren.”
“Hey! Are you meeting your mom?”
Lauren keeps her eyes on the door. “She should be here any minute. I know you won’t believe this, but I’m supposed to meet that same woman as before, Mary Richards, and a little later I’m meeting another woman named Laura there. I sent them e-mails but they keep bouncing back to me. If you see a woman waiting by herself would you please tell Mary that I can’t be there?”
“Sure. But I haven’t seen anyone that I don’t know yet.”
“Maybe she’s running as late as my mom. Thanks, Holly!”
* * *
At 6:50 Miriam walks into Betty’s and heads for the bathroom to straighten her hair and freshen her lipstick. When Gloria spots her she lifts a menu in front of her face but it’s too late. “Whatever are you doing here at this hour?” Miriam asks, removing her coat.
Gloria slaps the menu on the table. “Why is it that whenever you see me in Betty’s you always have this accusatory tone in your voice?”
Miriam looks at her watch. “Because by this time of night you and Marshall have already eaten and you are about to put on that pair of ridiculous pajamas that you wear! You are never seen at Betty’s at this hour eating a…” She taps the plate in front of Gloria. “What was that? A chocolate cream cheese pastry? At this hour? Have you eaten ‘supper’, as you call it?”
Gloria wipes her mouth and crumples the napkin, throwing it onto the empty plate. “Could I also say that you are never seen at Betty’s at this hour! What exactly are you doing here?”
Miriam folds her coat over her arm. “Grabbing a coffee.”
“At almost seven?” Gloria points her finger at her. “You’re up to something, Miriam Davies!”
Miriam pulls out a chair and sits down. “I was just about to say the same thing to you, Gloria Wilson! I mean, I know you love pastries but to eat one before your precious supper?” She leans across the table, staring at Gloria. “What is up with you? What are you doing here?”
* * *
Lauren checks the last text she received from her mom: Be there in just a minute. Took the wrong exit.
OK, Lauren had texted back. It’s the same exit for all the fast food chains and the city park.
Turning around. Be there in five.
Five minutes turns into ten and Lauren tries calling. No answer. She texts: Are you close?
Very. Needed gas.
What a stupid time to get gas, Lauren thinks. She thinks of Holly and feels bad for taking up this waitress’s table for so long without ordering. She asks for a barbecue sandwich and fries and a refill of Coke. She decides to text. I just ordered. Do you want me to order something for you?
No. Just about there.
* * *
“You seem disappointed to see me,” Miriam says.
“I was just thinking the same thing about you!”
Miriam presses her elbow into the table and points at Gloria. “You are here to meet that young woman from the Internet!” Gloria’s mouth opens wide as she gropes for words. “Aha! For once in your life you’re speechless so I know I’ve caught you!”
Gloria narrows her eyes looking at her. “You’re here to meet her too, Miriam! You have that little line of sweat on your upper lip that you always get when you’re caught at something.”
Miriam touches her lip, swiping away the moisture. “I told you not to meet her!”
“Since when do I take direction from you? And why are you allowed to meet her and not me?”
“Because I’m more street savvy than you!”
“Street savvy! You use words like ‘collywobbles’ and ‘bits and bobs’! Only someone at the intersection of Piccadilly Circus and Full of Hot Air Street would know what you’re talking about!”
Miriam sighs. “Out of curiosity I checked out her ad on Craigslist and found myself taken by her story.”
Gloria raises both her arms in the air. “It’s a Christmas miracle! Miriam has a heart!”
* * *
Lauren pushes aside her empty plate at 7:40 and reads the last texts between her and her mom.
It’s 7:15. Are you still getting gas?
Talking with the cashier. 2 mins.
7:20. Here yet?
Her mom never replied to the text and Lauren called again at 7:25. Her mom didn’t answer and Lauren didn’t leave a message.
“Would you like dessert?” Lauren looks up at the waitress and wishes for a moment that it was Holly.
“No. I’d just like to get out of here.”
The waitress lays the bill on the table and says, “I can take it or you can pay at the front.”
She leaves cash on the table and grabs her coat.
* * *
“I can’t imagine what happened,” Gloria says. “She seemed excited to meet.”
“Maybe she looked through the window and saw you waiting in here and decided she didn’t like the look of the merchandise,” Miriam says.
“Or maybe she was running late and by the time she got here you were already sitting here and you looked too street savvy for her, scaring her off.”
Miriam waves her hand in the air, dismissing Gloria. “So now what? Should we explain to her that we know one another and just meet her together?”
Gloria nods. “If she still wants to meet. I’m sure several people responded to her. She might have gotten the times mixed up and was meeting someone else tonight.”
Miriam crosses her arms, looking at her. “So what did you cook for you and Marshall tonight?”
“Pot roast in the Crock-Pot.”
“With the potatoes and carrots in there with it?”
Gloria puts her coat on and ties a red scarf around her neck. “For crying out loud, Miriam! Why don’t you just say you’d like to come eat?”
“That would be rude, Gloria. But if you’re asking I think I’m free.”
Gloria reaches for her purse, shaking her head. “I really need to stop coming in here. Every time I come in to meet potential family members I keep running into you!”
They laugh that deep laugh that only friends can share, then leave together.