Tuesday Dec 10 Meeting Gloria.

Bobbie awoke early and took her coffee to her office to do a bit of work before Maddy woke up. Fossie climbed up and draped himself over her shoulder which was his habit when she sat at her desk. She answered a few emails and checked on her Christmas party planner. It seemed to be working well. She texted Mark to ask if it worked for him.

Then, she got a text from Marla, Johnny’s sister, who was not working with him any more on the house he bought from Rick. It was finished and Johnny was renting it. He was anxious to pay off the loan he took to buy it.  Marla and Kirby were staying with him now. Johnny liked having Kirby around. He was a nice kid who was interested in the small engines and appliances Johnny was starting to repair, as a new business in his workshop. He also thought the recording studio Johnny was making was cool. Johnny was even teaching him to play the guitar.

Marla was not fitting in quite so well. In her text to Bobbie, she said Johnny had mentioned that Bobbie needed a new dishwasher at the motel and Marla wondered if they could talk about it. Dishwasher was not the most glamourous job thought Bobbie, as she read the text. The salary was OK, considering but she needed the dishwasher to bus a few tables when needed, help with food prep when necessary and work in the garden a bit. Marla could even serve out front if she was needed so Bobbie decided she liked the idea.

Bobbie asked her to come up to her place to discuss. Marla replied that she could be up in 5 minutes. Bobbie then texted Will to come up to her house with his hiring package because she might have found a new dishwasher. Will replied, “Yay, I’ll be up right away!”

Maddy was waking up, so Bobbie hurried to help her with her toiletries. She checked to see if she had enough coffee and got out cups for the guests and a few muffins that would be breakfast for Maddy; along with a glass of milk. Bobbie guiltily shuffled Maddy into the theatre with a yogourt and juice popsicle and cartoons so she could talk to Marla and Will.

They both arrived at the door at the same time. Marla rushed in. “Hi Bobbie, thanks for giving me the job. I ran into Will and he explained all the duties I might have and gave me an iPad with all the motel procedures. Where do I sign up and get my apron?”

Bobbie was a little surprised it was such a done deal. “Marla, we’re glad to have you. I was just surprised that you were interested. I sort of see the dishwasher as a spring board. If you work out really well you can advance, working here.”

Maddy came into the office crying. She had dropped her popsicle and it was melting on the rug in the theatre room. Bobbie knelt down and comforted her.

Will patted Maddy’s head. “That’s good for now Bobbie, I can do Marla’s orientation right now, if she has the time. And we’ll leave you to Maddy.”

Will and Marla left and Bobbie picked up Maddy and suggested they go get some damp rags to clean up the popsicle and wash her hands and then they could both get a new popsicle and watch TV together.

They sat in the Theatre and Bobbie put some music on and did a little knitting while Maddy played with a big puzzle. Bobbie hid the last piece of the puzzle and played warmer, colder until she found it. Maddy thought it was a great game and they played it a couple more times. Bobbie smiled to herself remembering how much Charlie and Eddy like the game and used to bug her to play it over and over.

“All right Maddy, how about I take you to lunch at the restaurant? We’ll see if Marla has started yet.”

They got ready and went out the back door. Bobbie held Maddy’s hand and they counted each stair as they carefully stepped down. There were twenty and Maddy sang 11-teen 10 times. She definitely was able to count to ten.

They went into the restaurant, grabbed a menu and sat down and Mink came right over. “What can I get my two favourite girls today.”

Bobbie looked up from the menu. “I think I’d like the soup; I love buttercup squash soup. And a biscuit.”

Mink leaned over with the menu and helped Maddy decide. They stood up, “Maddy ordered the kid sized beans and brown bread, I’ll be back with some water and drinks.”

Mink just knew Bobbie would want coffee and Maddy would want milk. Bobbie didn’t know if Maddy liked baked beans. She decided to wait and see.

“After lunch, maybe we can have a little nap before going to see your Gramma Great.”

Maddy nodded and their drinks came and then the food.

Bobbie’s soup was quite hot so she blew on a spoonful and surreptitiously watched Maddy for her reaction to baked beans. Maddy was in a booster so she leaned over with her spoon and took a bean. She ate it and then took another spoonful. “Yummy.”

Bobbie smiled. “Well, only eat as much as you want to. The brown bread is good too.” Mark had cut the bread into stars with a big cookie cutter and it was a nice touch.

Not knowing what Maddy liked to eat was another reminder of how little she really knew about her. Bobbie couldn’t dwell on that; she would just have to make up for lost time. She wanted to make Maddy’s first Christmas magical for both Maddy and Etta who was gone too soon and never got to share a Christmas with them.

When they finished up, Bobbie took Maddy out of her booster. “Let’s go to the kitchen and say hi to Marla and then we’ll go to SPOKES and see if Chase is in there.”

Maddy didn’t answer but headed for the restaurant. She would probably ask Mark for a cookie. Maybe she was taking a growth spurt because she ate almost her entire lunch. They finished their visits. Marla was learning the ropes and Chase was happy to be back behind the bar. Lochland helped for a few hours in the afternoon and he often helped in the dining room and at the market on the weekends. He was part time now.

They got back to the apartment and Bobbie offered to read a chapter of the book they were reading. She was amazed that Maddy had the patience to listen to the story without pictures. They were reading a book that her dad, Walter had read to her. It was a Maggie Muggans story, based on a radio program, actually published a long time ago.

Bobbie left her after reading one chapter and Maddy’s eyes became heavy. Bobbie went into her office and did a bit of new condo business. She was surprised that her mother’s name was on the list to buy a penthouse. She would have to ask her this afternoon. Bobbie freshened up and went to her closet and found some of the clear Christmas light covers she’d rescued from George’s warehouse. She decided to put them in a gift bag and Maddy could give it to Florence. Maddy was stirring so Bobbie went in and picked her up to take her to the washroom.

20 minutes later, they were on their way and got to Florence’s house at 2 o’clock. Bobbie knocked and entered and Maddy followed behind her. She scampered in with her package and beelined it past Gloria who was standing to greet Bobbie. Gloria was Peter’s mother. She worked with Florence for years but fell out of touch when Peter, her son, who would have been Maddy’s Grampa, was killed overseas.

“Hi Dear, it’s lovely to see you. My you really haven’t changed too much Bobbie, other than the grey hair.”

Bobbie hugged her. “Hi Gloria, it’s nice to see you. I’m glad you could come to meet your great grand daughter. You look good too.”

Gloria hadn’t aged but her face showed a lot of pain. After Peter died, she joined a church and met a man she married and he had just died. It seemed like she just kept losing her loved ones.

Florence was sitting with the bag Maddy gave her, waiting for everyone to greet each other. Maddy was sitting on Linda, Johnny’s Aunt whom Maddy just called Great Aunt Linda. Linda joked that it made her feel important. They all sat down and Florence glanced in her bag. She took a double take. “Bobbie, where did you find these? I didn’t know they even made them in clear. I have the yellow ones that look gold when they light up but now, I can use these when my tree is silver.”

“I got them at Georges hardware warehouse. He was cleaning out a lot of old decorations. I have a whole bunch. I’m going get the guy who’s designing the motel decorations to use them on the tree in the gallery.”

Bobbie’s attention went to Maddy who had moved over to Gloria and was chatting with her. 

“So, you’re Maddison? I’ve heard a great deal about you. I was your… I am one of your Great Grandmothers.”

“Gramma great?”

Bobbie spoke up. “That’s what she calls Florence. Maybe she could call you Great Gramma G. If it’s OK with you.”

“Oh my, yes that sounds charming. So, tell me Maddy, Your Great Gramma G wants to know if you go to church.”

Bobbie’s heart sank and Florence raised her eyebrow. Maddy smiled and piped up. “I go to Sunday school.”

This seemed to satisfy Gloria and they all relaxed a bit and Florence poured some tea. She gave Maddy some warm milk with a few drops of tea and then she passed around some cookies. Bobbie knew Florence made them. They were small shortbread cookies that Bobbie remembered from her own childhood. “Mom, you haven’t made these cookies in a while.”

“They were Walt’s favourites. I stopped making them for a while. I lost Walter right around the time you lost your husband, Gloria.”

“Yes, thank you for coming to the service Florence, it was so thoughtful of you. Bobbie, I must say, Maddy has your looks and manner already. She’s much paler than Peter was but I see him around her eyes a little; his were big and brown, hers are big and blue, but they are same eyes.”

Bobbie nodded and thought she didn’t see what Gloria saw but Gloria had never seen Etta either. They chatted awhile and Maddy played quietly with a little tea set Florence had. It must be new because Bobby didn’t recognize it. Around 3:30, Gloria stood and thanked Florence and went over and hugged Maddy. “Thank you for bringing Maddy over Bobbie. She is perfectly charming and she’s lucky to have you.”

Bobbie just smiled and said, “Good bye,” wondering if it was a real compliment or really condemnation for not being there for Etta. Maybe Bobbie was reading too much into it.

After she’d gone, Florence cleared up the cups and called to Bobbie from the kitchen. “When did Maddy go to Sunday school?”

Bobbie giggled. “June took her last Sunday. Maddy didn’t like the nails in Jesus’ hands.”

Florence shook her head. “It’s a good thing she’s so precocious. It shut Gloria down anyway. I don’t think you’re supposed to like the nails.”

Bobbie nodded. “So, Mom, I see you bought a condo on Starlight Green. Are you buying it as an investment or something.”

“Maybe, I may want a little less responsibility and I trust this condo to be constructed to a high standard.”

Bobbie was surprised. “Do you think you’d sell this place?”

Florence frowned. “You know I will always love this place but your father is in every room and I think of this house as ours. We’ll have all our memories but I might need to sell it to move on and it wouldn’t hurt me to downsize. Do you want to take home the rest of the cookies?”

Bobbie nodded and went to get Maddy. After Maddy was in bed, Bobbie might need a glass of wine and some cookies and be a little sad about her mom selling their family home.