The Old Woman

Someone was knocking on the door. A sharp rapping it was, and Gina hurried to answer.

Through the peek hole she saw a slight elderly woman on her door step, holding a cane and looking impatient. Throwing back the locks Gina opened the portal.

"Hello there," she said. "Can I help you?"

The old lady pushed past her into house.

"Hello," Gina called after her. Closing the door Gina followed her uninvited guest down the hall.

She found her in the kitchen. "Can I help you, ma'am?"

The old lady focused on Gina's face with an inscrutable expression on her own.

"I'd like a cup of tea, dear," the old woman replied.

"Alright," Gina said slowly. "Why don't you sit down?"

Hooking her cane over the back of a chair, Gina's visitor sat and glanced disgustedly around the room.

"What have you done to my kitchen, Beth?"

"You don't like it?" Gina asked.

"It's cold looking," the old lady answered. Gina grinned, remembering the yellow walls and green linoleum floors that had been in place when she'd first purchased the house six months ago.

The woman watched her critically as Gina poured boiling water over a teabag she'd placed in a coffee mug.

"Don't you even have a teapot, Beth?" she asked, again calling Gina by a name that wasn't her's.

"I don't drink much tea," Gina admitted, bringing the cup to the table. "Do you take milk or sugar?"

"I like lemon, you know," the old lady replied, accusingly. "I don't suppose you have lemon?"

"No," Gina replied.

The white haired visitor sipped her tea and sat back more comfortably in her chair.

"I had such a long walk this morning, Beth," she said, adjusting her shawl. "I didn't think I'd make it back before the rain."

Gina didn't point out that the skies were quite clear. "Where did you go?" she asked.

"I went to visit young James. His children were driving me nuts, though," she added. "I swear they have no discipline." She took a longer sip of her cooling tea. "So I didn't stay long."

"That's quite a walk to James's house," Gina commented, having no idea who James was.

The old woman gave a short laugh. "At my age it sure is." She smoothed her hair with her aged hand and gave a sigh. "I do miss my truck. I could go anywhere in my truck. I went all the way to Atlanta once in that old piece of junk."

"Would you like something to eat?" Gina asked.

The old lady winced. "Beth, you never could cook."

Gina couldn't help laughing at that. Beth she wasn't, but it seemed they shared at least one trait.

"I still have some late season berries, fresh from the garden," Gina said. "I just picked the last of them yesterday."

"Do you remember when we planted the first blueberries?" the old lady asked, her eyes growing distant.

"Tell me," Gina replied.

"Your daddy said he chose the blueberry plants because blueberries reminded him of your big - blue - eyes." Gina hoped the older lady wouldn't notice that Gina's eyes were more green than blue.

She rose up from the table. "Would you like some?" she asked.

"Yes," her guest replied definitely. "With cream if you've got it. Sugar will do if you don't."

Her guest excused herself to visit the "little girls' room". There was no need to direct her to where it was.

Gina reached for her cell phone and dialed the police. Leaving the bowl of blueberries on the table with a dish of sugar, she stepped out the back door.

Returning a few minutes later she found her white-haired guest comfortably devouring the berries.

"I went out to check and see, but there are no more berries to be had," she said.

"Oh, Beth, that's fine. These are delicious." The old woman scooped up the last two and rubbed them in the sugar before popping them into her mouth. "I'm so glad you saved the last ones for me."

Gina smiled. There went her desert for the night. "Would you like more tea?" she asked, gathering up the dishes.

"No thank you."

"Why don't we go sit in the living room? You'd be more comfortable there."

"No. I looked in there on my way back from the little girls' room."

"Beth," the old woman began, sounding confused. "Where have you been all these years?"

Gina replied gently. "I don't know what happened to Beth. My name is Gina. I bought this house six months ago." Her guest continued to gaze at her doubtfully. "Your grandson, James, is on his way to pick you up."

"Well I'm glad I don't have to walk back," the old lady said.