Tues Dec 31 2019

Bobbie was feeling relieved because Maddy was feeling much better. She was well fed, well hydrated and free of infection. She took the last dose of her amoxicillin and was clear to get the tubes in her ears. Dr. Ethan Weaver was going to see her on Friday. He called to ask how Maddy was doing and Bobbie didn’t tell him how sick Maddy felt when she started on the antibiotics because Bobbie felt ashamed that she didn’t know better.

She was taking Trixi’s advice and had an appointment with a therapist who agreed to see her in January. Bobbie wanted to be the best patient ever and was keeping a journal of how she was feeling. It wasn’t long until she had coloured pencils and markers and was decorating her journal entries.

The big day was here and Bobbie felt ready for the New year’s party. The guests included some city councillors, restaurant people and architects and builders she had worked with. She even invited her friend Mary White who was Now the assistant deputy in the department of mines. Mary was helpful when Bobbie was dealing with mining rights on her land.

Bobbie wanted everything to be perfect. Joan, the caterer was pulling out all the stops; she wanted to grow her client base. Lorne and Rocco were hoping to impress potential clients with their staging and decorating also. Truthfully Bobbie just wanted everyone to see how great the motel was but she really didn’t need to impress anyone. She was sitting with that thought and making a few notes in her therapy book when her phone rang.

Maddy was finished her breakfast and was playing in her room. Bobbie answered her phone.

“Hi Sweetie, It’s Mom, have you put any thought into your outfit for the evening?”

“I was thinking of the just my little black dress, I guess.”

“Why don’t you bring Maddy over for a visit and I can show you something of your grandmother’s you might like.”

“I can come over. Mark, Mink and Will have planned every detail of the party tonight and I’m just in the way now. Grandma was around my size, wasn’t she?”

“Just come over and see. Can you stop and bring some of those fancy donuts too?

Bobbie agreed and hung up. She went into Maddy’s room and knelt down to see what she was doing. She was playing with her wooden blocks separating them into colours and moving them around. She pointed at the largest block and said, “This is the daddy block.” She pointed to the next smaller, “This is the mummy block and these are the kids.”

Bobbie couldn’t help but notice that there was no gramma block and thought of her “feelings” notebook but moved on. “Let’s put those away and go get some donuts and visit Gramma-Great.”

Maddy seemed excited, whether it was because of the donuts or the visit; Bobbie was not sure. They went to the shop and Bobbie put her on the counter and they picked a dozen donuts.

Florence met them at the door. “Come in, come in. I have some warm hot chocolate and coffee ready, let’s have our snack and visit.”

They sat at the table and Florence brought a couple big medical texts for Maddy to sit on. “So Maddy I hear you had some sore ears and then a sore tummy but now you feel all better. The ear doctor is going to do a little operation and put some tubes in your ears. As you grow a little, your ears will grow too and the tubes will just fall out. Your Aunt Jenny, the anesthesiologist, will be with you all the way.

“Can Gramma come too?”

Bobbie shook her head. “I’ll be there when you wake up and we can go home and Auntie Trixie and Barb will be there and we’ll have a little sleepover pizza party.”

Maddy seemed satisfied and smiled and took a big bite of doughnut. Bobbie appreciated how her mom didn’t talk down to Maddy.

When they finished, Florence ushered them up into the den where Bobbie saw she had a table with a sewing machine set up and a rack with some clothes and fabric pieces hanging on it. “I thought I’d do a little sewing. I made a list of all the projects I always wanted to make and have been working on them. I have material for pillows I was going to put in Jamie’s room 50 years ago.”

“Mom, know I know where I get it from. I always have lots of projects on the back burner.”

Florence shook her head. “You had a big reset when you sold your house and moved into your apartment. It must have been so freeing.”

“True except now, I’m obsessed with Gramma’s place at the shore.”

“I have a lot of things that used to be in that house. I’ve been going through it and it’s all in storage for you. I couldn’t just store it in the old office; I watched that Marie Condo show where the lady asks if you love something or can part with it and I really want to downsize. The office has to be emptied too.”

“Jamie and I will go through the storage; He might want something too. So, what about this dress?”

Linda appeared to watch Maddy so Bobbie went over to the dress rack. “Is this the dress?” She pulled out a dress that might have been from the 1940’s. It had a, well fitted, deep purple, satin-velvet, sleeveless, sheath dress and along with s a matching over dress; made of a sheer, gauzy silk. “Was this Grandma’s? I’ve never seen it before.”

“I found it in our storage when I was dropping off the antiques. Mom wore it before she was married. I have taken it in a nip there and a tuck there and …”

Bobby laughed and interrupted. “Who knew surgery and tailoring had transferable skills.”

“I’m no tailor but I do use a scalpel to rip the stitched along seams.”

Bobbie put on the dress and the over dress and looked at herself in the large mirror. She stood up straight. “I like it, it’s a little bit “Bea Arthur” though.”

It is quite simple. You’ll need and updo and some good jewellery. I asked Linda to do your hair. Is that OK?”

“Sure, I certainly didn’t have a time fore a trip to the salon. Didn’t Linda used to be a hairdresser?”

Linda and Maddy came in the room and Florence took Maddy’s hand, “Come with Gramma Great, Maddy. Let’s go see your grandma’s old room. We might find some books for you up there.”

Linda sat across form Bobbie. “Hi Bobbie your mom and I worked out a hairstyle for you. Why don’t you change and I’ll get started.”

Linda trimmed her bangs, cut some layers in her hair and put it all in a wispy French roll. She set it with a lot of hair product.

Bobbie stood and looked in the mirror. “Oh Linda, this looks so nice. You are really talented. Thank you so much.”

Linda blushed. “I was a hair dresser long before I was a nurse and now it’s something of a hobby. Can I take a couple pictures; for my Instagram?”

Bobbie was surprised that 70+ Linda was on Instagram but said sure. Then she grabbed her dress and went to look for Maddy. Maddy and her gramma-great came out of Bobbies old room and Maddy had a few kid’s books that Florence kept from Bobbies childhood.  The Whump World was one of her favourites.

They said goodbye and headed over to Charlie’s. Joanne and June were going to stay with all the kids. June was very pregnant and didn’t want to go to the party anyway. She said good bye to Maddy and went back to her car. She sat a minute and wondered if she should get Maddy before midnight and bring her home to sleep, or just leave her at Charlie’s until morning. She decided she’d see how the party went.

She got home and went right up to her apartment. Instinctively she wanted to check with everyone preparing for the party but she knew Will was there managing things and she really didn’t have to. She wrote that in her journal.

She lounged around, played with Fossie, knit a few rows on a sock she was working on and finally went into her room and started to get ready. She had a bath so she wouldn’t wreck her hair.

She really appreciated the simple detail of the vintage dress. She slid it on and stood up straight. It fit well. She put the silk layer on and smiled. This really was a nice dress. She accessorized with some alexandrite that was her grand mothers too. She put on some light makeup and just as she did her last spin in the mirror Trixie and Greg arrived.

“Hi Bobbie.” Trixie wore a simple read sheath dress, the tallest shoes she could manage and her long hair was up. She also had beautiful Indigenous inspirited dangly earrings. “Bobbie is that a vintage dress? It’s beautiful. Your hair is everything!”

“Right? I was at Mom’s and Linda did it. She then put it on Instagram.”

“Greg, you are one lucky guy, escorting both of us beauties to the party.” Greg was still staring at Bobbie and Trixie elbowed him. “Put your eyes back in their sockets Dear.”

Bobbie blushed. “Let’s go down, I’ve been itching to go see what the gallery looks like. Lorne made me promise to stay out. He’s been working on it since last night.”

The patio in front of the Gallery was busy and beyond, the parking lot was filling up. Drey was out there with a safety vest directing traffic. Bobbie leaned over to Trixie. “We’re going to have to pay a lot of overtime.”

Trixie laughed. “Don’t fret, we are going to make a killing at the bar tonight. There is a wine bar and since it’s nice, the bar in SPOKES and patio can be open and the little mobile bar is inside next to the bandstand. We even hired a band; the Small Big Band will be great.”

The whole gallery was alight. Bobbie looked around Lorne had been busy. A big count down clock was hanging above the bandstand where they had set up drums. Keyboard and a base guitar. There was a mic set up for the singer “Jackie Diamond” who was a beautiful, large, singer with a rich voice. They were playing a few standards and people were dancing already.

Bobbie left Trixie and Greg and started to walk around the room. One of the local restaurant owners complemented her on the beef sliders and she gave credit to Joan and Mark and told him that she was raising beef cattle which was part of the farm to table ethos of her restaurant. He said he’d be interested in buying some beef.

The mayor was chatty and wanted to arrange a meeting about another condo development like Starlight Hill, on the other side of the mountain. The city owned the land and was looking for a property developer.

Bobbie was feeling a bit overwhelmed and saw Eddie and Charlie so she excused herself from the mayor and went to see them.

“Wow Mum, you look great in that dress.”

“Thanks Charlie, I think you should come and have a dance with your mother.” Charlie always liked to dance, he and June even took dancing lessons regularly.

They were Twirling around the floor when a man walked over and said, “May I cut in?” Bobbie was surprised it was Dr. Weaver; he must have come with Eddie. He was a very good dancer. Bobbie felt a little swept off her feet. After the song was over, they walked back to Eddy and Charlie. They chatted awhile and Bobbie assured Dr Weaver that his patient would be ready in a few days.

Bobbie mingled some more. She met saw Mary form the department of resources and met her partner Gail who thanked her for getting Mary’s old tyrant of a boss Fired. Bobbie smiled and moved on.

She saw the clock was winding down and saw that Charlie and Eddy and Trixie and Barb and her mom and everyone were around one table so Bobbie went over and started the countdown. “10, 9, 8…. Happy New year. Eddie hugged her and kissed her on the cheek; Charlie did the same and then Dr. Ethan leaned over and gave her a big kiss.

Bobbie didn’t know what to do so she turned away and hugged her mom and Barb and Trixie.

Trixie held her for a moment and whispered, “The dress really worked.”

The party swirled around her for a few more hours and around 2 she was exhausted. Her family was mostly gone so she made the rounds saying goodnight and thanking staff and went over to her apartment. She went up to the stairs to her apartment and went inside. It was very quiet and strangely lonely without Maddy. she got some water and put a couple of painkillers by the bed just in case and to help her get up and at ʽem early to help her mom with the New Year’s Day Levee.