Seems Like Old Times Read Online Free Page A

driveway, and two badminton rackets and a birdie cluttered the
lawn. Parked at the curb was a shiny and aging Astrovan .
    As she reached for the bell, the door opened.
    "Lisa!" Cheryl rushed out of the house and threw
her arms around her in a tight, smothering hug.
    Lee's first reaction was to stiffen, but soon she hugged
Cheryl back.
    Lee studied the woman her friend had become. Thirty years
ago Lisa Marie Reynolds and Cheryl Ann McConnell met on the first day of
kindergarten. Cheryl had lived two blocks away, in a town in which little girls
could go two blocks--even two miles--from home and not worry. They went from
playing with Barbies to sharing secrets about first
loves to learning how to dance. They wore each other's clothes and talked by
the hour on the phone.
    After high school, when Lee went to live with her aunt in
San Diego, Cheryl stayed in Miwok and got married. Lee’s career took off, the
years passed, and their friendship went on hold.
    The photos Cheryl had sent over the years were of her
children, not of her. She had always battled weight problems when they were in
high school, and now was past the pleasantly plump stage. She wore navy blue
slacks and a blue and red plaid, short-sleeved blouse. The tail of the blouse
was worn over the slacks rather than tucked in. Red clip-on earrings were a give away that she’d dressed up a bit to see Lee. She’d
said she was cleaning house when Lee phoned. No one wore earring to vacuum.
    "It’s so good to see you, Cheryl. You look
great." Lee smiled into her friend's eyes. Cheryl’s sun-tanned skin was
smooth and wrinkle-free, her hair short, straight, and a deep rich brown. She
appeared happy and at peace with herself.
    "You, too," Cheryl said. "No, on second
thought, you look even better. God, I can't believe you're here." Cheryl
hooked Lee's arm and led her into the living room.
    The sofa and loveseat were a matching blue floral print,
with the centers of the seat cushions dark and shiny from use. There were three
overstuffed chairs in the room. They matched nothing else, not even each other.
A television set had the place of honor. The last time Lee was here, Cheryl had
three small children and looked exhausted. The living room had been
wall-to-wall toys, and a big playpen for the baby had stood in the center.
    "It's hard to believe how long it's been."
    "Me, too. Ten
years, at least. You haven’t aged a day. And here I thought it was all
TV make-up!" Frank brown eyes surveyed the dark green jersey dress with a
matching jacket, gold jewelry, the immaculate hairdo and the classical face,
flawless still. Lee remembered that when she last saw Cheryl, she wasn’t yet
working in New York, hadn’t yet learned how to use the best made-up, or to
select the tailored clothes, or to find the most suitable hair style that made
her stand out from the pack. It was that visit to Miwok, in fact, that led to
her decision to pursue her career. "Miwok is a bit off the beaten
path."
    "Tell me about it!" Cheryl frowned, hanging
Lee’s jacket in the coat closet off the entry hall. "I need some coffee.
Do you still drink it?"
    Lee grinned. "Of course. More than ever."
    Cheryl hurried into the kitchen. "Still use
half-and-half?" she called.
    "Black. Got
to watch my weight."
    "Your weight?" Cheryl
came back with a tray, set a cup and saucer before them both, and filled the
cups with coffee. "I’ve seen fatter straws. I’ll bet you have to run
around in the shower just to get wet."
    They both laughed uneasily, then looked at each other, letting the years melt away.
    "At least the Christmas cards helped," Cheryl
said.
    "And that long talk on the phone after my mother
died," Lee added.
    Cheryl looked surprised.
    "That’s right. I appreciated your call, Cheryl. It
meant more to me than you’ll ever know." Lee took a sip of coffee. When
Judith was suddenly gone, although condolences poured in from around the world,
and Bruce had offered comfort, there was too much that he simply