‘Is that a new blouse?’ Irma asked, fiddling with the fabric of Siiri’s old shirt. ‘It’s a pretty lavender. I once had a sofa this colour.’
‘Is it lavender? I thought it was violet,’ Siiri said, and only then did she notice the lovely shawl that Anna-Liisa was wearing. ‘Your throw is violet too, isn’t it?’
‘Well,’ Anna-Liisa said, straightening the scarf and looking as if she were about to begin a long lecture on colour definitions. But all she said was that she felt her wrap was more of a pale shade of purple. ‘Irma’s dress, on the other hand, might be called lavender, if there even is such a colour.’
‘You are such a ninny, Anna-Liisa. This dress is blue. Or is it? Maybe it does tend more towards purple. Did you notice how all of us happen to be wearing something this colour today?’
They laughed at the coincidence, and soon none of them could remember whose turn it was to start the next hand of cards. It hardly mattered, though, since they had been playing the same game for much too long already. Irma let out a deep sigh and Siiri took her lace handkerchief out of her handbag and wiped her eyes. For a moment it was terribly quiet, until Anna-Liisa started to drum her fingers on the cloth-covered card table. But that didn’t do much to lighten the mood. Life at Sunset Grove was certainly dull, if their only bright moment was when they noticed that they were all wearing the same colour, and they all called it by a different name.
‘I’ve finessed it!’ Irma suddenly crowed, her voice so high and loud that Siiri jumped. ‘Listen, you know how there are all sorts of things happening here at Sunset Grove? We could start snooping around, do some meddling.’
‘What exactly do you feel is happening?’ Anna-Liisa asked, but Irma was undaunted.
‘We’ll start a detective agency. I think that’s what I’m thinking.’
‘So you reckon you’re Miss Marple? Lord above, you are childish,’ Anna-Liisa said, and fumbled for her Zimmer frame to indicate that she’d had quite enough nonsense for one day.
‘It might be fun,’ Siiri said helpfully. ‘We certainly could use a little play in our lives.’
‘Exactly! There’s no harm in having some fun. And I already know what the name should be: The Lavender Ladies Detective Agency.’
Irma pronounced this ceremoniously, her voice trembling as if it were a stroke of genius. Siiri laughed approvingly, but Anna-Liisa didn’t say anything. She headed towards the cafeteria, shoving her Zimmer frame so forcefully that her purple shawl swung from side to side.