06.S02 Chapter Six, Snippet Two

New Prairie Woman
Susie Rosso Wolf
Chapter Six, con't

The night ended in an anticlimax as we drove through the gate and into the driveway. Our dogs, Cutter, Lilly and Dinky, were barking their heads off obviously happy to see their masters after so many hours alone. Kurt helped me out of the truck while the doggie tales wagged from side to side and Lilly howled like a wolf in prissy complaint. We unloaded the truck of the tailgate party remnants then all three dogs sat perfectly still right in front of the cookie can, telling me it was time to give them some well-deserved attention and reward for being such good dogs. Three cookies each, then it was time to check my gardens and have a soak in the Jacuzzi so we could relax and I could loosen up my stiff and aching body from that long drive up and back. My left knee had locked up and became swollen on the way home, so all I could think about was getting into that hot water.  But the moment I walked down the Jacuzzi steps the phone rang. I turned sharply to head back into the family room and picked the phone up on the fourth ring. It was Jo.

“I’m sorry to call so late but I couldn’t go to sleep without asking how everything went out there in Ontario?”

“It was grand, Jo. Surreal beyond words. I’m floating on air, and can’t believe we just had an evening with Robert, his mom and his children! It was amazing, Jo! Amazing!”

“He was nice to you?”

“Yes! He was nice, and sociable, and he was even sweet and kind.”

“This is great news, Susie! Well, get some rest now and we can talk tomorrow, you can tell me all about it in the morning. Do you want to come over for some fresh orange juice?”

“Sure! Just give me a call when you’re ready and maybe we can go for a walk too, I need a good stretch of the legs after all of this sitting.”

“Okay Honey, I’ll call you in the morning. I’m glad you guys had a good time and made it back in one piece.”

“Thanks Jo, we’ll talk in the morning!”

Back outside, Kurt was waiting for me in the Jacuzzi. The moon was full and the air was warmer now that the winter rain was far behind us. The fragrance of my roses filled the late night air and helped to relax both of us. There were even a couple of stars visible in the smog filled sky over San Fernando.

“Look how bright that star is up there Kurt!” He looked up to study the star shining so brightly.

“Sorry Baby, that’s not a star, it’s a satellite.”

“Oh you’ve got to be kidding! That’s so disappointing…”

I drifted off in thought about the fragility of life and how up and down it all is. One moment we are shining stars in the sky and the next moment we are crying devastated over a loss or illness or break up or the fact that life can be just plan hard. We went to bed an hour later after a snack of milk and the last of the biscotti.

The next morning, as promised, I enjoyed a large glass of fresh squeezed orange juice from the delicious oranges picked an hour earlier off of Ralph and Jo’s orange trees. Jo was snacking on a bowl of shelled walnuts and almonds which she shared with me and added raisins to them. It was a healthy lite breakfast before our long walk. Jo was absolutely captivated as I gave her a detailed editorial of our reunion with Robert.