“I noticed it took you time to warm up, but then you were really present.”
“I feel like I got over some kind of obstacle or wall. Who knew pounding a drum could be so inspiring.”
“And liberating.” Windy nodded. “When I first started going, I was trying to find myself. I had gotten so confused ... I was trying so hard to fit into a traditional role that I think I swept my unconventional childhood under the proverbial rug. But my traditional world had been vanishing too. When I lost Bill and my house and my job, I started to feel pretty lost. And invisible.”
Riva pointed to Windy’s tie-dye shirt and flamboyant leggings. “You don’t look invisible to me.”
Windy laughed. “I suppose clothes make me look more visible, but that’s not what I mean. There was something deep inside me that made me feel like I was slowly disappearing. I was worriedabout getting older, being alone, having no home. More and more I felt invisible, like the vanishing woman.”
“I guess I sometimes feel invisible too. But I think I’ve gotten used to it. Maybe even comfortable with it. I assumed it was just part of aging. Especially in our youth-worshiping culture. Older women tend to blend into the woodwork.”
“If they choose to. But I think we can live differently. We can keep embracing life. Just because we’re older doesn’t mean we can’t have fun.”
“Like last night with Laurel and Kitty?” Riva teased.
“Okay, that wasn’t exactly fun. It could’ve been though.”
“Speaking of that, did you come up with any brilliant ideas for how we can convince Kitty to move on?”
“Get her married off?” Windy chuckled.
“Right ... that might take some time.”
“Evict her?” Windy suggested, tapping her chin. “No. Maybe we need to go about it more creatively.”
“Creatively?”
“Yes. Find out what gets under her skin and devise a way to dish it out.”
“Such as?”
“Like if she wants peace and quiet, we’d become noisy. Although I don’t think that she’d care. And if she were a neat freak, we could create messes. But I got a sneak peek in her room the other day, and the woman’s a slob.”
“I have a feeling that Kitty would be better at getting to us than we could ever have luck getting to her.”
Windy nodded. “I remember a Melanie Griffith movie where this guy, I think he’s played by Michael Keaton. Anyway, he’s this lowlife who moves into this couple’s basement and starts to drive them absolutely wild. His goal is to take their house from them, and it gets pretty gnarly.”
Riva cringed. “I hope you’re not suggesting that Kitty would do something that depraved.”
“No, of course not. But it was a creepy movie.” Windy turned down Riva’s street, revving her VW’s engine to climb the hill.
“I think your first idea was the best.” Riva waved to a neighbor walking their dog.
“Huh?”
“You know, to get Kitty married off.”
“Well, don’t expect Marcus to help us with that.” Windy chuckled. “Poor guy got so exasperated with her last night, if there’d been a bus running, he might’ve tossed her right under it.”
“Your brother is too much of a gentleman to do that.”
Windy parked in the driveway. “Maybe, but if he gets pushed too hard...”
“I felt kinda guilty leaving Kitty and Laurel home alone in the house when we left.” Riva got out. “But the place appears to still be standing.”
“I bet Kitty has a hangover today. She’s probably not feeling energetic enough to torment Laurel.”
“Speaking of energetic.” Riva stretched her hands skyward, inhaling deeply. “Drumming made me feel ready to take on something.”
