“Something in your cup?” Thyla asked.
“I thought so, but it’s gone now. Maybe one of the tea leaves escaped the bag. “Why don’t you and Jack join me, my treat.”
“That sounds good. I’ll call Jack and he can drive us through that awful snow. Too bad you didn’t live in Arizona when we came back from Vesda,” she joked.
“So you broke down and got a phone,” I said, ignoring her jabbing comment.
“I did. These smart ones are amazing devices. I just have to trim some of my fur away from my fingertips to touch the screen,” she replied as she began poking in Jack’s number.
JackOput, his full name, was another one of us lost souls who had been kidnapped into Vesda. One of the scientists, Finindaddle, called it a Dyson world, a world where you live inside. Jack is a farmer from Norway and now runs his own farm between Firth and the next town to the north, Shelley. He and Thyla decided to live together after they ironed out misunderstandings. Who am I to judge?
Thyla got a hold of Jack on her cell phone.
“Jack? Stop by Susan’s house, we’re going over to Bosloe’s for chili. She’s treating. Okay. Bye,” she said closing her phone.
“What did he say?” I asked.
“He’ll be here in a few minutes. Say, one of your friends called me the other day to invite me to a group quilting party. I wasn’t sure but I told her I’d think about it,” Thyla remarked, wrapping her long furred fingers around her hot teacup while her tail waved behind her.
“Who was it that called you?”
“Sally. I like her, but I don’t want to scare anyone if my tail happens to flip out.”
“But didn’t she see you during Halloween?” I asked.
“I’m pretty sure she did, but I think she thought it was my costume.”
Sally is one of my friends who live down the block from me. She has four young children and can’t seem to stick to a diet. Her weight is a constant problem she has had ever since her high school days. Sally’s family was surprised when she took the time to join our pottery class. I think she wanted or needed a diversion once the kids were in school.
“Well, if you really want to go, we’ll have to hit the thrift stores to see if we can locate overalls for you. After all, you live on a farm, right?” I suggested. “I could go with you if you want.”
“Thanks, but I can’t have you by my side every time I get invited somewhere. We can look for the overalls when you get back. Sally said they won’t be meeting for a few weeks,” she said, downing the last of her tea. “I’ll give her a call back when I get home.”
My doorbell rang and Mickie came running from the kitchen. Recalling my cat friend, he jumped sideways and avoided her by hugging my left ankle. When I answered the door, there was Jack spreading some salt on my cement porch to break up the ice.
“Are you ladies ready to go?” he asked as he pocketed the small can of deicer material.
“Oh, Thyla, you better grab your sweatshirt,” I reminded her, pointing to the fleece garment on the sofa. “Thank you. Jack, I had that de-icing stuff up on my shopping list to pick up later.
“Thanks,” Thyla replied. “I almost forgot how cold it is in this warm house. What about the fireplace?”
“I’d better turn the gas off. No, Mickie, you have to stay here,” I told him with a wave of my hand while I turned off the gas flames near the mantle.
“Come on, let’s get out before he realizes we are leaving,” I remarked, pulling one of my arms through my winter coat.
Chapter 3
Lunch at Bosloe’s
After I locked the front door and trudged through the encrusted snow on the sidewalk to Jack’s car, I saw my neighbor retrieved her mail out of the post box. Jack had left his suburban motor still running by the curb when my bundled up neighbor, Trisha, walked over to greet us. She’s shorter than me and had to take big steps through the snow-covered sidewalk while her curly black hair bounced around her face from under her knitted cap.
“I hope you’re going someplace warm,” she said, clutching the few envelopes she had. Larry watching the thermostat and doesn’t want to raise it over seventy-two.
“I keep mine on seventy-four. Is your husband coming home for lunch?” I asked.
“No, he has to be in court during a bail hearing for one of his clients.”
Larry is a bail bondsman. He leads an interesting but rough life in his job. After I had a break-in, he replaced my window and installed new locks on all the windows and doors.
“You want to come with us? We’re just going over to Bosloe’s for chili or stew.”
“Sounds fantastic. Let me leave my mail in the house and I’ll be right with you.”
I watched as she ran back to her front door as best she could in her knee-high snow boots. After she had locked her door, she returned and climbed into the back seat with me. She knows about Thyla and but never says anything.
“So are you all packed yet?” she asked me as she pulled the car door shut.
“No, I just pulled out my suitcase before Thyla came over. I suppose I should just pack lighter clothes with it being hot in Hawaii,” I said, searching for my seat belt.
“Not this time of year. I’d pack a light coat and a sweater. It’s only sixty-five to seventy with a high humidity in Waikiki. The high humidity makes the air colder than our dry air at home. When we get to Kona, the weather should warm up a bit.”
“How long are you two going to be gone?” Thyla asked as Jack pulled into the small parking lot on the side of Bosloe’s Café.
“Ten glorious
