Read Friendship Makes the Heart Grow Fonder Online
Authors: Lisa Verge Higgins
E
very day Becky built a map in her head. A map of her world, ever-expanding. And so much richer than what she could simply
see.
Like now, standing in her hallway, holding a knit cap in her hands. She knew which way it went on—her eyesight had not deteriorated
that much. But instead of depending upon her vision, she oriented the hat by running the pad of a finger along the soft inside
band until she felt the nub that indicated the seam. Only then did she pull the hat over her head, lining that nub against
the nape of her neck.
She also knew, because of the faint creak of the floorboards in the adjacent dining room, that Marco stood right in front
of the windows. The old floorboards had gone slightly warped there from decades of exposure to the afternoon sun. He was standing
there studying the architectural plans he’d fetched from work—the ones he’d be using next week when he was finally back on
the job. She heard the subtle crackling of the curled blue paper as he traced the lines with his fingers.
Then her two kids raced down the stairs, squealing. They plowed into the back of her knees, one after another.
Brian’s excited voice, “I won!”
Becky dropped her hand onto his mop of hair, sweaty-warm. Beneath her fingers, she felt the vibrating energy of the boy, all
power and movement.
“It was a
tie,
” Brianna responded, swinging around to peer up at her. “Right, Mom?”
Becky caressed Brianna’s chin and smelled the scent of her daughter’s favorite strawberry shampoo. She caught a tress that
curled between her fingers and felt, against her knuckles, the tremble of Brianna’s excitement.
“One of you definitely reached me before the other,” Becky conceded. “But don’t ask me which one.”
There were certain advantages to having no peripheral vision.
“Rematch,” Marco ordered as he stepped into the hallway. “The winner will be the first one who comes back wearing sneakers.”
Brian shot up the stairs. Brianna ran after him, wailing, “But I have to
tie
my shoes, and he wears
Velcro
!”
Becky watched until they disappeared around the landing. Behind her Marco’s presence was a perfume of sun-heated cotton and
ink. His slow laugh rumbled through her, through some parts more thoroughly than others. She didn’t turn to face him completely.
It was still easier to talk to him when he lingered just out of the range of her vision. Like this she could bear being honest.
“I know you have a lot of work to do,” she said, reaching for the scarf she’d hung on a peg behind the door, “so I’ll keep
them outside for as long as I can. Judy’s already at the park with Monique. Judy’s walking the dogs so that should keep the
kids entertained.”
She heard the slip of flesh against cloth as he shoved his hands into his pockets. He leaned into her and spoke low near her
ear. “They’re still so thrilled that you’re home, Beck.”
“That’ll wear off when I make them clean their rooms tonight. In the meantime I’ll take the extra hugs and kisses. Two weeks
away must have seemed like an eternity for them.”
“Two weeks is a long time for husbands too.”
His fingers slipped into her hair. He played with it for a moment, and then he gripped her head, silently nudging her to turn
around. With a flutter of nerves she faced him and absorbed the full impact of those melted-chocolate eyes with the impossibly
long lashes. The memory of last night shimmered between them.
“I should just go with you to the park.” His voice had dipped to that low, lovely timbre that now made her think of a Porsche
purring on an open road. “It’s a nice day. I could bring the mitts and play catch with the kids.”
“Marco, you did that for two straight weeks.”
“It rained half the time you were gone.”
“And you spent it playing board games.” She met his eyes, silently letting him know how much she appreciated how he’d kept
the kids, the house, and her world together while she was overseas falling apart. “I know you’re itching to work on those
plans.”
He rolled a shoulder. “I still have a few days to eyeball them.”
She traced his jaw, prickly and unshaven. He always tried so hard to be the best at everything. She remembered now that she’d
fallen in love with him for just that quality. That had gotten lost amid all her anxieties these past years, worries that
had led to nothing. Gina, for all her risky behavior, had never lost herself to drugs, never become pregnant, never crashed
the car, or injured herself or others. Brian, her wild man of a son, had never darted into traffic as she’d worried when he
was a fury of a two-year-old. Brianna had never developed heart problems from the strep throat that had escalated into rheumatic
fever. Marco though on furlough had never completely lost his job.
She was going blind, yes. Someday in the not so far future her eyesight would dim and wink out.
But not today.
“Work on your plans.” She patted the muscled swell of his chest. “Then pick us up in an hour and a half. You can drive us
all to Brian’s soccer game and buy me an orange Creamsicle from the ice cream truck.”
His lips twitched. “You’ve got your cell?”
She reached into her pocket, pulled it out, and waved it. “Don’t forget Brian’s cleats. He can change in the car.”
“That phone isn’t on vibrate, right?” Marco’s eyes crinkled. “Because you’re terrible at picking it up, Beck.”
“It’s at full volume now. When you call, I’ll hear it.”
“Promise?”
“I promise.”
He fixed his mouth upon hers, sealing the deal. He tasted of strong coffee, taken straight black in the morning. He tasted
of forgiveness, and hope, and promise.
Thundering feet soon interrupted along with Brianna’s high-pitched, “Ewww
wwwww
!”
“Mommy, Daddy!” Brian’s little fists pounded on her thighs. “Stop, stop,
stop
.”
Marco reluctantly pulled away. Then he swept Brian up and swung him around. Brianna tugged on the end of Becky’s scarf, urging
her to hurry. Becky hiked her pack on her shoulder, and in a rustle of coats and scarves and one more quick kiss, she and
her kids bounded out the door.
Becky slipped on her sunglasses and followed her guides. Brianna announced that she was the warrior princess that led the
queen, warning her of any wrinkle in the red carpet that stretched from their house to the park a quarter mile away. Brian
was the knight who challenged all the squirrels and chipmunks who dared to cross their path, who destroyed any broken branches
that blocked their progress. When nothing else challenged him, he used one of those sticks to battle invisible dragons.
Becky followed the sight of their little figures, feeling the path beneath the soles of her feet, stretching out her hand
as she passed each city tree, noting the thickness, the texture of the bark, the sound of the wind in the drying leaves and
the warmth of the sun against her skin despite the chill in the air. Even the most familiar of places could be newly discovered
when all of one’s senses were put fully to use.
She glimpsed Judy and Monique just as they turned into the park. Judy was leaning forward, telling a story. Monique threw
her head back to laugh at whatever Judy said. They were waiting for her at the usual place by the big stone, surrounded by
pots of mums, where the new mulch smelled loamy and rich.
The dogs, panting, leaped off their feet as they glimpsed Brian and Brianna, who bounded toward them. Monique and Judy waved
at her. She waved right back.
Every day she built a map in her head. A map of her world, ever-expanding. She’d memorized the center of that map by heart.
All the people she loved lived here.
Friendship Makes the Heart Grow Fonder
Lisa Verge Higgins loves to meet new readers. If your book club has chosen a book by Lisa and you’re interested in arranging
a phone or Skype chat, feel free to contact her at
http://www.lisavergehiggins.com/contact.htm
.