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By Root 493 0

that there was something different about Josie. It wasn’t just that she was staring out the window with a dreamy look in her eyes. She looked relaxed and at peace. Finally. She and her twin were so alike yet unalike in so many ways. Yes, they were tuned in to one another; yes, they thought alike on a variety of subjects ; and yes, they wanted the same things out of life. Somehow, though, after their parents’ deaths, Josie had never been the same. The shadows never quite left her eyes, and while she smiled, it always seemed like a practiced effort. So many times she’d bemoaned the fact that she didn’t get a chance for that one last final good-bye. Life wasn’t always fair, and sometimes life threw flyballs you were unable to catch no matter how hard you strained.

Kitty wished now that she had woken Josie when she got in last night, but it had been way too late, and she didn’t want to disturb the dogs and set up a ruckus. Lately there hadn’t been many of those sit-cross-legged-in-the-middle-of-the-bed-and-tell-secrets times. She missed them. She was going to miss them even more when she moved away in January.

Kitty nudged her sister. “I want every single detail and don’t leave a thing out. Everything, Josie. By the way, why is Zip still here? I swear, you look positively iridescent.”

“Paul asked me to marry him, Kitty.”

Kitty clapped her hands. “And you said . . . what?”

“I said yes. Do you believe that, Kitty? I said yes. I didn’t even think about it. Marie Lobelia is his mother. He found his niece and her little boy. I went with him. He gave up the family business and is now a partner with Jack Emery. He’s . . . he’s . . . wonderful. It’s like he shed this skin that wasn’t his and now the real Paul Brouillette is here. My God, I love that man! Mom approves. It’s so weird. First it was the lilies of the valley and then it was the pearls and . . . I know she approves. Everything just suddenly fell into place. I couldn’t want or ask for anything more. Is that how it was with you and Harry?”

“Yes, and it’s still like that. I’m glad you didn’t get upset when I called in for the extra day. It’s nice to have reliable help to take up the slack. That was a good decision on our part to hire her. So, when’s the wedding?”

“Paul wants it soon. I don’t have a dress. I told him maybe August at the earliest. What I would really like is a double wedding with you and Harry. Can you switch up?”

“I might be able to twist Harry’s arm. I’ll have to cancel the hall and a bunch of stuff if we have it here in the garden. That’s what you want, isn’t it?”

Josie nodded. “If we do it here, Mom and Dad can come. Their spirits are here, Josie. I feel it. Mom always said the only thing she wanted was for the two of us to be happy. But, maybe once we get married, and she sees we’re happy, she’ll leave. Do you think that will happen?”

“I don’t know, Josie, but you have to let it go. Mom’s gone. Life goes on.”

“I know that, Kitty. I know, too, that it’s all wishful thinking on my part. My pearls broke because I pulled on them. The lilies of the valley are flowers and flowers give off a scent. Branches sway and leaves rustle because of a breeze that comes out of nowhere. I know all that. It just makes me feel better to believe. All I wanted was to say good-bye.”

“Things will change now, Josie. You have Paul. You’re going to get married, and you’ll have kids and so will I. It will be our life like Mom had her life. We’ll still have our memories even when we’re old with gray hair. We have each other. That’s never going to change. If it’s any consolation to you, I felt exactly the same way until I met Harry.”

“You never said a thing. Why?”

“I thought you’d laugh at me. Like you, it was wishful thinking on my part. I didn’t get to say good-bye, either. There’s a logical explanation for everything if you look hard enough to find it. We simply didn’t want to look. I wanted to believe, too.”

Josie felt her eyes mist over. “If ever we needed a sign, now is the time.” Both girls grew quiet and looked around. Nothing happened. The fan overhead whirred