Susan nodded her head vigorously. “I so agree. How many times are we going to have this silly academic argument spill out of the English Department and totally disrupt the entire college? What is it, at least twice a year? They need to settle it once and for all. English majors, I tell you.”
“They are a different bunch, aren’t they? But where would we be without—” Riley’s throat slammed shut as she entered the kitchen. There sitting at the center island was the woman from the grocery store.
She slowly turned around, her eyes growing wide. “You.”
“You.” Riley echoed the word, her mouth hanging open as she froze. Susan plowed into her from behind, nearly knocking her over. She barely even noticed. She could only stand and stare. The woman from the grocery store—how could it be?
Caroline whirled around, dropping the pasta sauce ladle on the floor. “What? You two know each other?”
Susan glanced from Riley to Lisa, her mouth agape.
A slow grin replaced Lisa’s initial look of shock. “Yeah, this is the woman who kept stealing my vegetables at the supermarket.”
Susan now found her voice. “You were stealing her vegetables at the supermarket, Riley?”
“Caroline, I thought you said her name was Kate?” Lisa leaned forward, the question more playful than accusatory.
Riley finally shook her head, still trying to understand. Here was the mysterious woman from the grocery store, sitting in her best friends’ kitchen. Talk about a small world. She had never thought she’d see her again. If not for the pungent aroma from Caroline’s secret family recipe pasta sauce she might well have thought she was dreaming. But she only ever had bad dreams, so she gave herself a quick mental pinch. When she again opened her eyes she realized everyone was waiting for her to say something, anything. “Ah…ah…yeah, my name is Kate but only Caroline calls me that. Everyone else calls me Riley.”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa.” Caroline jabbed the ladle at them, looking as if she were directing a symphony. “How on earth do you two know each other?”
Susan jumped up beside Caroline. “Forget that. I want to know why Riley was stealing Lisa’s vegetables.”
Both Riley and Lisa looked at each other and started laughing. Riley waved her hand in protest. “Seriously, I wasn’t stealing her vegetables.”
Lisa put a hand on her hip and bobbed her head. “Um, excuse me. You most certainly were.” She went on to share the story with Caroline and Susan.
“Oh, I can soooo see Riley doing that.” Susan shook her head while watching her best friend.
Riley wrinkled her nose at her.
Lisa began to laugh again watching the interaction between Riley and Susan. “It really was cute.”
Riley sighed inwardly. Cute. Great, she was never going to live that down.
“And when she followed me to the wine aisle—”
“I didn’t follow you to the wine aisle, you were just there.” Riley could now feel her face burning five shades of red. Forget about living it down. By the time Susan and Caroline were done telling everyone, it was sure to become an urban legend.
Lisa nodded to Riley’s two bottles of wine on the counter next to a third identical bottle that was already opened. “I see you went with the demi-red.”
“Well, it did come highly recommended.” Riley smiled. No matter how badly the dinner went, they wouldn’t run out of wine.
Susan walked over and nudged Riley in the ribs with her elbow. “I was wondering why you finally brought some decent wine.”
Lisa covered her mouth, trying to stifle yet more laughter.
“Yeah, yeah.” Riley rolled her eyes.
“Okay everyone”—Caroline waved an oven mitt like a police officer directing traffic—“dinner’s almost ready so let’s stop gabbing and get everything around.”
The next few minutes were a flurry of activity. Riley pulled plates from the cupboard and quickly set the table. Lisa fetched silverware from the drawer and finished the place settings while Susan uncorked another bottle of demi-red. All the while Caroline bustled around the stove, draining the linguine and sliding her pride and joy—authentic homemade garlic bread—from the oven.
They all gathered around the table, Lisa sitting directly across from Riley. As soon as Caroline piled the plates of pasta and garlic bread along with a large tureen of sauce in the middle, they all dug in. Riley broke off a huge chunk of the bread, mopping it through her sauce before taking a bite. “Wow Caroline, as usual this is exquisite.”
Susan and Lisa nodded in agreement, their mouths too full to reply.
Caroline sat up taller, obviously pleased. “Why thank you. I’ve been working all day on my bread.”
Riley pulled off another huge chunk. “Historically, bread has always been a mainstay of life and the breaking of bread has been practiced by almost every culture as a means of thanksgiving and goodwill. To share bread with someone is to share the very basis of life. Even the Eucharist symbolizes this practice.”
Susan leaned forward, dabbing her lips with her napkin. “You’ll have to forgive Riley, Lisa. She sees everything through the eyes of an anthropologist.”
“Oh, that’s really fascinating.” Lisa cocked her head to the side, her expression dead serious. “Anthropology—isn’t that the study of ants?”
The room went completely silent. Susan stared open-mouthed, pasta sliding off her fork now forgotten in midair onto the table. Caroline paused with her wine glass to her lips, her eyes growing wide. Riley, meanwhile, choked, her fork slipping out of her fingers and falling to the table with a clatter, scattering pasta and sauce across Caroline and Susan’s best linen tablecloth without her even noticing. She narrowed her eyes, looking dumbfounded. “Ants?”
Lisa nodded her head, still deadpanning it. “Yeah, don’t you get them to march in formation and stuff?” She now waggled her eyebrows.
Guffawing, Caroline blew out wine onto her chin. Susan rolled back in her chair and pounded her fist on the table, snorting loudly with each gasp as she laughed. Riley jabbed her fork toward Lisa. “You, you…” She was lost for words.
“Gotcha.” Lisa lifted her eyebrows again, with that smile that Riley was coming to appreciate more fully.
* * *
“So, Lisa, what do you think of Kate—oh, I mean Riley?” Caroline slid another dish into the dishwasher.
Lisa handed the last plate to Caroline and then leaned back with her hands on the kitchen counter, looking out the French doors onto the deck where Riley and Susan were obviously in the middle of a very animated discussion. At that moment Riley began to gesticulate wildly as if making her point. Lisa began to smile. “Well, Caroline, I’d have to say that Riley is definitely intriguing. Then again, I already knew that.”
“Yeah, how was it you met again?” Caroline joined her, propping herself up against the countertop.
“It was last night at Meijer out on Twenty-eighth Street. Out of the blue, this woman grabbed the same eggplant that I was going for. She was so lost in thought she didn’t even realize I was there.”
“Oh, that sounds like Riley all right.”
“It was pretty cute.” Actually it had made her day. Something about Riley, the way she just drifted absent-mindedly, all wrapped up in her own thoughts, reminded her of Jessie but she wasn’t going share that with Caroline. Maybe in a way that was why she had been so playfully friendly with a stranger. It was that sudden, shocked realization of Riley’s that there were other people around. She had seen that look thousands of times on Jessie when she had been completely absorbed in thought and she was interrupted. She took a deep breath, bringing herself back to the present. “After that we kept bumping into each other. And then when she walked through the doorway today I nearly fell out of the chair.”
“Tell me about it. I don’t know which one of you was more surprised.”
“I’m not sure surprised is the correct word.” She never thought she’d see Riley again. But then, twice in two days—and at her bes
t friend’s house no less—it really was a small world.
“And what was that with the ants comment?” Caroline nudged her lightly with her elbow.
“You liked that, did you?” Lisa giggled, the sound soft and light. “I was just seeing if she had a sense a humor.”
“Well, Riley does have a sense a humor albeit a bit—”
“Different?”
“Yeah, different. If there’s one thing you can certainly say about Riley it’s that she’s—”
“Different.” Lisa finished the sentence for Caroline and they both hooted in amusement. Caroline reached out and threw an arm around Lisa’s shoulders, pulling her close in a friendly one-armed bear hug. “See? I knew you’d have a good time. And to think, at first you didn’t want to come.”
“Yeah, you were right. I am having a good time.”
Caroline finally released Lisa but left her hand on her shoulder. “Good. You can’t keep yourself locked away forever.”
Caroline was right but it was hard. Everywhere she looked she saw signs of Jessie—faces in the crowd, places they went, things they did. Although she wasn’t ready to ‘move on’—she wasn’t sure she would ever be ready for that—it wouldn’t hurt to make a new friend. Besides she rationalized, that’s what Jessie would’ve wanted.
Maybe sensing where her thoughts were going, Caroline pulled her in tight once again. “Say, why don’t we get out of this kitchen and see what those two out there are up to anyway?” She nodded toward the deck where Susan and Riley were still engaged in conversation.
“Hey that sounds good to me.” Lisa grabbed her wine glass while Caroline picked her glass up in one hand and the wine bottle in the other. Long shadows crawled across the backyard as the sun began to set behind the trees. Even though it was mid-September the evening was still warm and balmy. Lisa breathed in the thick air, feeling it weigh heavily. The day had turned out much better than she had thought possible. She pulled up a chair across from Riley.
Still standing, Caroline held up the bottle of wine and gave it a small shake. “Anyone need some?”
“No thanks, I’m okay.” Riley waved her off.
“I could use some of what you got, babe.” Susan gave Caroline her best devilish grin and pulled her close.
Caroline swatted at Susan’s now wandering hand and scowled. “Behave, hon. We have guests.” However, her protests seemed halfhearted at best.
Lisa watched the playfulness between her friends. That was perhaps what she missed the most with Jessie. As she sat there she felt that old, familiar longing. She turned away and met Riley’s eyes across from her. There was something reciprocated there, just for a moment, and then it was gone—a look of surprise, as if she had been caught staring and now she was embarrassed. She wasn’t sure if it was only her imagination but Caroline’s voice broke the moment.
“So what have you two been out here gabbing about without us? It looks like you were really in a heated conversation at times.” By now Caroline sat in the loveseat beside Susan, her arm draped over Susan’s bare leg.
Susan kicked back, throwing an arm around Caroline’s shoulders. “Riley and I were just discussing how the digital age with all the access to the internet and social media and texting has nearly destroyed the younger generation’s ability to think critically.”
Riley slid to the edge of her seat. “It’s horrible too. These kids nowadays have absolutely no ability to think for themselves. Susan and I were talking about a study done by Donald Leu from the University of Connecticut where he took a group of middle school students and showed them a website by author Lyle Zapato with a photoshopped image of an octopus in the top of a tree. He called it the Pacific Northwest tree octopus. It goes on to describe how it’s endangered and its main predator was Sasquatch, you know—Bigfoot! Twenty-four of the twenty-five seventh graders shown this article believed it true and even when told it was fake, a bunch of them refused to believe it was a hoax. Since it was on the internet, it must be true.”
Lisa had heard of this. Last spring at their in-service, the presenter had highlighted how the internet generation, kids who had never lived without it, were almost entirely dependent on it now. Lisa leaned forward. “I’m seeing this even with my kindergarteners.”
Riley sat up straight, now brimming with excitement. “How fascinating. I would love to hear your perspective on this.”
Lisa wasn’t prepared for the intensity of Riley’s stare. She felt as if she were back in college and her professor had just asked her to defend her position in front of the class. She swallowed as she considered her answer. “Actually, I think it could be a good thing. As teachers, we need to embrace those technologies that best reach our students so we can teach them better.” Not the most concise answer, but still not too bad considering she had been put on the spot.
“I couldn’t disagree more.”
Lisa stared in stunned silence, feeling as if she had been slapped. Talk about being shot down. No consideration, no concern, just I couldn’t disagree more.
As the awkward moment drew out, Susan sat up. “You’ll have to forgive Riley. She may teach undergrads about complex sociocultural practices in Intro to Anthropology but she seems to lack any social graces herself.” She shot a scowl at Riley.
It was Riley’s turn now to look stunned. “What? I didn’t mean…”
“It’s all right, Riley. That’s what we love about you.”
Lisa couldn’t help but join in as everyone else started to laugh, including Riley. For a second she had been really put out. But if Susan’s comment was any indication, it was nothing personal. Riley was a bit different. And who was she to talk about social graces? She had spent the past year living as a hermit.
Riley now lowered her head, looking rather contrite. “Okay, okay, I’m sorry to be so dismissive.”
Lisa had seen that look before when she scolded one of her kindergarteners. Or Jessie—Jessie used to do that when she did something wrong. But instead of pain and loss, it rather warmed her heart to see it here once again. “Apology accepted. So tell me, why is it that you disagree? I’m always game for another point of view.”
Riley perked up immediately. “Well, as I was telling Susan, I ran the same experiment with my Intro class. These are mostly freshmen and a few sophomores. We were talking about human effects on the environment and I showed them that website to highlight how rainforest deforestation by humans can lead to endangered species. I then had them come up with one thing that could be done to save the Pacific Northwest tree octopus.”
Lisa was now right on the edge of her seat. She found what Riley was talking about utterly fascinating. “So, did they catch on?”
“You would’ve hoped, right? I’m not kidding, only one student caught on that the article was a hoax—one.” Riley rolled her eyes.
Caroline now spoke up. “Oh, come on, Riley. Surely, more than one had to realize it was fake.”
Riley waved her hands again, emphasizing her point. “I swear I’m not kidding. And if that weren’t shocking enough, I could barely convince them that it was all a fabrication. ‘But professor, it said so on the website.’” She then turned pointedly to Lisa. “That’s why I think the digital age and the internet have destroyed critical thinking.”
Lisa met Riley’s intense gaze, but this time it wasn’t accusatory. It was just Riley’s way. Caroline had warned her that Riley was different, but this was a difference she could respect. However she still couldn’t quite buy Riley’s argument. “But shouldn’t we embrace technology at an early age and combine it with teaching critical thinking? That way instead of the two being opposed, they could work together.”
Riley’s mouth dropped open and she cocked her head to the side, shaking a finger at Lisa. “Good point, good point. I hadn’t thought of that.”
It wasn’t until several hours later when Susan and Caroline stood that Lisa realized how late it was. The backyard had grown dark and the drone of hundreds of crickets was making it hard to hea
r. Caroline stifled a yawn and Susan pulled her in tight. “I’m sorry guys but it’s getting late and Caroline’s about to fall asleep on me. As they say at the bars, ‘you don’t have to go home but you can’t stay here.’”
Lisa jumped up and pushed both her fists into the small of her back, stretching until it popped like a string of fireworks. She may not have realized how long she had sat there talking, but her back certainly did. “Oh wow, where did the time go? I really should get going before Breslin tears the house apart.”
Caroline shook her head. “I swear, Lisa, I don’t know who runs your house, you or your cat.”
Riley joined her, suddenly somber. She took a deep breath. “I should be going too.”
Still feeling the stiffness in her back and legs, Lisa stepped forward, first wrapping her arms around Susan in a strong heartfelt hug and then turning to Caroline. When she pulled her into a tight embrace, she leaned forward, her lips almost touching her ear. “Thanks.”
Caroline gently patted her on the back, her voice barely above a whisper. “I hope you had a good time.”
“I really did. Thanks for convincing me to come.” When she pulled back, she could see the mistiness in Caroline’s eyes even in the dim light. She waited while Riley quickly made her goodbyes as well. Their conversation had been refreshing. She missed stimulating adult conversation. After a day with Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Did You See?, her only mature exchange was with the helicopter parents wanting daily—or hourly if they could get it—progress reports. Still, she wouldn’t trade it for the world. She loved her kids and she knew Caroline felt the same.
Riley now joined her as they walked down the steps and around the corner of the house. Out of sight, Riley cleared her throat and leaned over. “I really did have a great time talking with you tonight.”
Lisa slowed her feet, in no hurry to get to her car. “I did too, Riley. It’s been a long time…” She trailed off. A long time since she’d enjoyed an evening with friends quite so much, a long time since she had met anyone new, a long time since Jessie. Still…
Joie de Vivre Page 3