had been calling Phil. It turned out she needed help getting the queen-sized mattress back on the bed. It was thick but inclined to sag. Betsy arrived in time to help guide the thing into place. Bershada wadded up the sheets and pillowcases and found a hamper in the closet to stuff them into. On the floor in front of the linen closet in the bathroom, Betsy found a fitted sheet and a top sheet that didn’t match, but were in the middle of a heap and therefore clean. She also found a single pillowcase of yet another color. Phil went back to the living room while Betsy and Bershada made the bed.
“She’s really upset,” said Bershada, pulling on a corner.
“I know.” Betsy floated the top sheet out. “I wish there was some way to comfort her.”
“I know she’s in a lot of pain, but maybe what comforts me when I’m sad will help to comfort her just a little, too,” said Bershada. Betsy looked at her inquiringly, and Bershada leaned forward to murmur, “Chocolate!”
Betsy smiled. “I wonder if she has any cocoa in the kitchen.”
“Don’t just stand there, honey, go and see.”
Of course Doris had cocoa, though it was an inexpensive brand that needed just hot water. In a cabinet Betsy found six mismatched mugs, one a thick diner-style claiming to come from the Chatterbox Café in Lake Wobegon. Betsy knew it was Doris’s favorite, so she set it aside for her. There was another stamped SOUVENIR OF THAILAND and others printed with many-hued roses. Betsy started the kettle and put into each mug a little more dry cocoa than the carton called for. As soon as the kettle boiled, she filled them, added a splash of condensed milk, stirred, set them on a tray, and called Phil and the women into the living room for a break.
Doris came to sit on the couch beside Phil. Betsy sat on his other side, Alice took the shabby old upholstered chair, Shelly took the desk chair, Bershada sat on the floor. “It’s yoga,” she said, when Doris remarked on how easily she got down and how erect she sat. “You still goin’ to that water aerobics three days a week?” she asked.
“Oh, yes,” Betsy replied. “It’s horribly early in the morning, but that way it doesn’t put a hole in my day. I like the stretches best—they keep my spine flexible.”
Phil said, “I worked damn hard all my life, and I said that when I retired the most strenuous thing I’d ever do again was casting a line into a lake or river. Turns out I like weeding a garden, too.”
“And walking,” said Doris. “We do a lot of walking.”
Phil said, “In the winter we walk around Ridgedale Mall; in the summer we walk up to Gray’s Bay and back.” He smiled at her. “She carries me part of the way.”
“And he carries me the other part,” Doris said, but she looked down at her hands as she said it, as if repeating a joke so old it had lost its humor.
“Have you taken an inventory?” Alice asked Doris in her brusque way.
Doris widened her eyes in surprise, but then she took a breath and said, “Yes, the police were very nice about that. They made me take my time to be sure I didn’t miss anything. The burglar took my wonderful new ruby necklace and ring that I bought in Thailand, and a silver and garnet ring that Phil bought for me, and that silk brocade panel and”—she had to stop for another breath—“my laptop.” She looked over at the desk. “What I don’t understand is why they had to tear the place apart! How could they be so cruel?” She burst into tears.
“There, there!” said Phil, turning to put his arms around her. He gave Alice an angry look.
“I’m sorry,” said Alice. “I didn’t mean to upset you, Doris.”
“They why the hell did you bring it up?” demanded Phil.
Alice gestured around the room broadly enough to take in the whole apartment. “I didn’t think I needed to bring it up. After all, what are we here for, if not to clean up the mess the burglar left?”
“You’re right, Alice, you’re
“She’s really upset,” said Bershada, pulling on a corner.
“I know.” Betsy floated the top sheet out. “I wish there was some way to comfort her.”
“I know she’s in a lot of pain, but maybe what comforts me when I’m sad will help to comfort her just a little, too,” said Bershada. Betsy looked at her inquiringly, and Bershada leaned forward to murmur, “Chocolate!”
Betsy smiled. “I wonder if she has any cocoa in the kitchen.”
“Don’t just stand there, honey, go and see.”
Of course Doris had cocoa, though it was an inexpensive brand that needed just hot water. In a cabinet Betsy found six mismatched mugs, one a thick diner-style claiming to come from the Chatterbox Café in Lake Wobegon. Betsy knew it was Doris’s favorite, so she set it aside for her. There was another stamped SOUVENIR OF THAILAND and others printed with many-hued roses. Betsy started the kettle and put into each mug a little more dry cocoa than the carton called for. As soon as the kettle boiled, she filled them, added a splash of condensed milk, stirred, set them on a tray, and called Phil and the women into the living room for a break.
Doris came to sit on the couch beside Phil. Betsy sat on his other side, Alice took the shabby old upholstered chair, Shelly took the desk chair, Bershada sat on the floor. “It’s yoga,” she said, when Doris remarked on how easily she got down and how erect she sat. “You still goin’ to that water aerobics three days a week?” she asked.
“Oh, yes,” Betsy replied. “It’s horribly early in the morning, but that way it doesn’t put a hole in my day. I like the stretches best—they keep my spine flexible.”
Phil said, “I worked damn hard all my life, and I said that when I retired the most strenuous thing I’d ever do again was casting a line into a lake or river. Turns out I like weeding a garden, too.”
“And walking,” said Doris. “We do a lot of walking.”
Phil said, “In the winter we walk around Ridgedale Mall; in the summer we walk up to Gray’s Bay and back.” He smiled at her. “She carries me part of the way.”
“And he carries me the other part,” Doris said, but she looked down at her hands as she said it, as if repeating a joke so old it had lost its humor.
“Have you taken an inventory?” Alice asked Doris in her brusque way.
Doris widened her eyes in surprise, but then she took a breath and said, “Yes, the police were very nice about that. They made me take my time to be sure I didn’t miss anything. The burglar took my wonderful new ruby necklace and ring that I bought in Thailand, and a silver and garnet ring that Phil bought for me, and that silk brocade panel and”—she had to stop for another breath—“my laptop.” She looked over at the desk. “What I don’t understand is why they had to tear the place apart! How could they be so cruel?” She burst into tears.
“There, there!” said Phil, turning to put his arms around her. He gave Alice an angry look.
“I’m sorry,” said Alice. “I didn’t mean to upset you, Doris.”
“They why the hell did you bring it up?” demanded Phil.
Alice gestured around the room broadly enough to take in the whole apartment. “I didn’t think I needed to bring it up. After all, what are we here for, if not to clean up the mess the burglar left?”
“You’re right, Alice, you’re
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