Diana wondered what it would be like if he lived closer. What if he asked her out? Would she accept?

Joanie poked her in the arm. “Your eyebrows are drawn down like you’re arguing with yourself.”

“You’re right. I was,” Diana answered.

“About what?” Tootsie asked.

“A crazy notion that would never work. You said you’ve got another book for Carmen when she finishes the one she’s reading. Can I read it? I promise I’ll get it done before she needs it.” Diana quickly changed the subject.

“Sure thing.” Tootsie headed to the back of the motor home.

They were on the road when Diana and Carmen finished cleaning up the breakfast dishes. Carmen headed to her bunk to read more of the book that Tootsie had given her. Diana went to her bed with the one that Tootsie lent her. She hoped that by reading she would forget about the way her heart had tossed in that extra beat when Luke’s shoulder had touched hers earlier while they were having breakfast.

Tootsie was glad for a door that closed, offering her a little privacy in the tiny bedroom in the motor home. She picked up Smokey’s picture and sat down on the bed. “Well, darlin’, I made it through the first two things without you. We went to the Old Smokey Cook-Off yesterday, and I stayed strong. The barbecue was good, but not as good as what you make. And it was real nice to have the girls and Luke with me. I’d have been lost out there in the crowd all by myself. And last night I saw Delores. We talked about the past, and I felt old and alone, probably like she has since Jimmy died. The difference is her kids are all scattered across the world, and ours are right here with me. I know they aren’t blood kin, but if we’d adopted like we talked about all those years ago, they could be, so that’s my story, and I’m stickin’ to it.” The corners of her mouth turned up.

Her phone rang, and she answered it with a sigh. “Hello, Midge.”

“How you holdin’ up?” Midge had been Tootsie’s friend since long before either of them could walk. Her voice sounded even weaker than it had when Tootsie had talked to her a couple of weeks ago.

“Pretty good,” Tootsie answered. “How are you feelin’ these days?”

“I’ve got hospice now, but I’m glad you’re coming to Scrap so I can see you one more time. Sissy was going to call, but I wanted to hear your voice. I’m supposed to tell you that the house is ready, the truck has been taken to town for servicing, and the leaves are raked. But you know that’s a never-ending job this time of year.” Midge was panting for breath by the time she finished the last words.

“Hello, Tootsie. Sissy here.” Midge’s younger sister sounded tired. “We have it on speakerphone. Midge can’t talk very long at a time, but like she said, she wanted to hear your voice. And I wanted to tell you that there’s a pot roast in the fridge for your first day, and I bought a few groceries—just the staples, milk and bread and such. The thermostat is set, so the house should be warm, and the beds are all fresh. Anything else I need to have done before y’all get here?”

“No, I believe you’ve covered everything. You shouldn’t have done so much, Sissy, but thank you.” Tears welled up in Tootsie’s eyes. Midge was the last of the little group of girls that she’d started school with three-quarters of a century ago. Gloria, Midge, and Tootsie had been inseparable, best friends from the time they were toddlers in the church nursery and then through all twelve years of school. “I’ll be down there to see y’all day after tomorrow. We’ll get settled, and then I’ll come spend the day.”

“Thanks. We’ll have a long visit,” Midge said.

“See you then. Will you be here for dinner?” Sissy asked.

“Before that. First thing in the morning,” Tootsie told her.

“We’ll have the red carpet laid out,” Midge said, and then there was a pause.

“I took the phone off speaker and brought it to the kitchen. The hospice nurse says maybe a week but probably only a couple of more days, and that might be stretching it. I’m so glad you’re coming. It will mean the world to her to see you,” Sissy said.

“This breaks my heart.” Tootsie’s voice cracked.

“Mine, too, but I’ve seen her suffer so much these past three months that I’ve told God to take her when He’s ready. I just hope He don’t come before you get here. Be safe,” Sissy said. “It’s time for her pain medicine, so I have to go now.”

Tootsie stared at the blank screen for a long time before she laid the phone to the side and turned her focus back to Smokey’s picture. “Midge will be gone within a week. I talked to her and Sissy today. I’m going to see her on Tuesday. I’d go tomorrow, but I’ve got to get the girls all settled in first. Sissy says the house is taken care of. I expect she had one of her grandkids do it this year. Losing you and seeing Delores with a cane, and now losing Midge and knowing that Gloria’s been gone for years—it’s almost too much to endure.”

Luke’s mind went around in circles as he drove north that morning. The last time he’d made this trip with Tootsie and Smokey, he’d been a little boy, so he didn’t remember much about Jefferson. When he traveled to see them by himself, he seldom had time to stay more than one night. So he’d fly in to Texarkana and rent a car to drive on up to Scrap. Now he wished he’d sold his company a year before so he could have visited them more.

“Want some company?” Diana asked as she slid into the passenger seat.

“Love some,” he said. “I was just feeling guilty that I didn’t spend more time with Aunt Tootsie and Uncle Smokey before he died. They’ve always been so active and full of life; I guess I just thought they’d be that couple forever.”

“Life doesn’t come with guarantees. All of us felt the same way when Smokey dropped with his heart attack. One evening he was grilling steaks for us; the next morning he was gone. Guess it’s a lesson to all of us not to take a single moment for granted,” she said.

“Amen,” Luke agreed.

Tootsie came out of her room, got a root beer from the refrigerator, and took it to the table. “I had two best friends the whole time I was in school. Gloria died ten years ago, and Midge is at the end of her life. I’ll be going to see her on Tuesday and probably spending the whole day.”