Free I Love You Again by Kate Sweeney

Bess.”
    Bess smiled when Helen winked.
    “I can imagine.” Roz laughed and walked back to the bar. Her mind was on everything but mixing the daiquiris. She thought of Kit, looking wonderful and not looking any older since the day she left. She let her hair grow a few inches, as well. She must be happy, Roz thought. She turned and felt the twinge of pain in her knee and caught her reflection in the mirror behind the bar—Bess was right, her hair was all salt and very little pepper. When in the hell did that happen? She picked up the bottle of rum and angrily turned on the blender.
    She poured two drinks and took them back to the table. “ Miladies , your cocktails.”
    “Thank you, my darling,” Helen said. “And be kind to that blender. We’ll need it this weekend. Now sit.”
    “Helen, I have customers…”
    “Sit. There’s no one around. Oh, but that one young man.” She looked at Bess.
    “Nate Hutchins,” Bess said with a wide grin.
    “Oh, really?” Roz said.
    “He came in and introduced himself.”
    “He had no choice. Bess practically threw herself at him.” Helen sighed dramatically. “It was très gauche.”
    “I did not. Anyway, he’s joining me for dinner,” Bess said with an eyebrow wiggle.
    “He seems very…” Helen seemed to search for the right word.
    “Rich?” Roz asked dryly.
    “Don’t be vulgar. You sound like Kit. Worldly was the word I was looking for. And he’s very well dressed. And has nice teeth. And devilishly handsome. Bess could do worse. Besides, she’s alone too much. She needs someone.”
    “Oh, please,” Bess said.
    Roz sat next to Helen. “So it appears Kit has found someone.” She absently played with the linen napkin on the table.
    Helen let out a rude snort. “You two will be the death of me. I gave up the hope of a grandchild a long time ago when Kit couldn’t boil water and you had absolutely no patience.”
    “Hey, we decided we didn’t want children. We talked about it for a couple years. It was a very mature decision.”
    “I’m sure it was. A child should never be more mature than the parents. Now I will not give up hope on you two, as ridiculous as you’ve been.”
    They sat in silence for a moment.
    “She looks wonderful,” Roz whispered. “And happy.”
    “That’s a façade,” Helen said dryly.
    “Well, it’s working.” Roz dejectedly sat back. “And that kid seems to be nice.”
    “Are you listening to yourself?” Helen sat forward. “The woman you adore—the woman you love—is about to make the biggest, if not the worst, menopausal mistake in her life, and you say the kid seems nice?”
    “Are there good menopausal mistakes?” Roz cocked her head.
    Bess chuckled at Helen’s near hysterical tone. “See, Helen, you’re being redundant or oxymoronic. Oh, just calm down before you blow a gasket.”
    “Kit is a grown woman,” Roz started.
    “Who’s afraid of getting old.” Helen shook her head. “She’s about to embark on a ridiculous affair with this young child.”
    Bess laughed. “Helen, Dale is not a child. She has to be at least…” She thought for a moment. “Well, doesn’t she?”
    Helen looked at Roz. “I don’t know. You saw her driver’s license.”
    “I can’t tell you.” Roz folded her arms across her chest. “She’s a customer. It’s a matter of confiden —”
    “Rosalind Anne Maguire.”
    “Thirty-two.”
    Bess nearly choked on her drink. She quickly picked up a napkin and wiped her mouth. “Thirty-two?”
    Helen shook her head. “Kit, Kit. You are such a little fool.”
    “Kit is not. She’s—”
    “Menopausal,” Bess interjected as she wiped off the front of her blouse.
    “Whatever the reason, turning fifty is a big deal for her. And you brought her here, Helen. Geez.” Roz ran her fingers through her hair.
    “You love her,” Helen whispered.
    “It doesn’t matter.”
    “It’s the only thing that does matter, and both of you know it. And you’re both petulant. I have a