“You’re definitely not old, Etta,” Larissa returned with a smile.
“Do you have to run right away? Frances is out there parking the car. The only spot in the back was that super small one by the trees, so I got out of the car before she attempted to control her road rage and park.” Etta laughed again.
“Frances?”
“My wife,” Etta said.
“Oh, I didn’t know.”
“That I was married?” Etta held up her hand with her ring prominently displayed on her finger. “Or that I’m married to a woman?”
“Both, I guess. You and I haven’t spent a lot of time together, and I don’t think that I’ve asked you any personal questions. I only knew you were away for a while.”
“We were on our honeymoon,” a woman that Larissa guessed was Frances said as she walked into the room. “Hi, honey,” she greeted her wife.
“Frances, this is Larissa. Larissa, this is my wife of one year, Frances.”
“Our anniversary was last week, technically,” Frances added.
“Congratulations,” Larissa said.
“Are you married?” Frances asked as she moved to stand beside Etta’s chair.
“No, I’m not,” Larissa replied with a little laugh.
“Larissa is our resident doctor,” Etta said.
“Oh, I’m not a doctor yet; I’m working on my Ph.D. I’m way behind on it, actually, but I should be done soon.”
“That’s great. In what?” Frances asked.
“Psychology.”
Frances laughed and asked, “And what would your psychology degree tell you about us?” She nodded toward Etta.
“I don’t know. Whatshouldit tell me?”
“A whole book’s worth of stuff, probably.” Etta laughed.
“Why?” Larissa asked.
“You haven’t told her our story? You love telling our story,” Frances said.
“Larissa is only part-time because of school and hasn’t worked here that long, dear. We’ve been gone for six months. Give me a few minutes to catch my breath.”
Larissa smiled at both of them and said, “Can I ask you two something? You can say no.”
“Okay,” Frances replied.
“I’m working on a book that’s about finding love and how things get in the way of it sometimes. I’ve been interviewing people about that, having them tell me their stories, and I’ve been looking for things like stress hormones and the science, but I think this book is going to be more about obstacles and conquering them than about the science. I have years to write about science, and I’ve got an almost finished dissertation that does enough of that. Could I maybe interviewyouwhen you have some time? I’d love to hear your story, and if you’d be okay with it, include it in the book. I can change your names and anything else you might not want people to know.”
“You want to interview us?” Etta asked.
Larissa sat down in the chair opposite Etta and replied, “Love has always alluded me, so I think that’s why I’ve been so fascinated with it.” She paused when she realized something. “You know when I started getting these ideas for this book I’m trying to write?”
“No. When?” Frances asked.
“I think right about the time I realized that I was in love with my best friend.”
