12.6.16

“You have good timing. We just got in from the holiday party,” Maga said.

“That sounds lovely. The holiday party, I mean.”

“There were lots of people. It was a busy situation.”

“Did you know anyone?”

“I know lots of people. I’ve been here since May.”

I wasn’t sure where to start. She’s only ever said the place was full of odd, old people, so I didn’t realize she was such the social butterfly. Also, she moved in July.

“May, Maga? Really? I thought it was July. The first of the month right before the fireworks. Mom, Dad, and Sister E were visiting you before they went onto Seattle for the Fourth.”

“I may have gotten re-settled in July, but I’ve been here since May.”

Her tone was more clipped than usual. I decided not to push the issue and potentially unleash some emotional fireworks. “Well,” I said, “speaking of moving…I moved on Friday.”

“Oh, that’s right! Your new home. How is it? How’d it go? Your dad came up to help, right?”

“It’s good. It was an exhausting weekend, but so so wonderful that my dad could be here. I’ve got almost every box unpacked.”

“So you have all the furniture you need?”

“Not even close. I have a completely empty, extra bedroom at the moment.”

“You didn’t have a bed for your dad?”

“I gave him my bed and I slept on the air mattress.”

“Did you?”

“Age before beauty.”

That garnered a laugh from her, which I packaged in my heart.

“So are you going to get a bed for that extra room? What else do you need?”

“A bed, a couch, more interior design expertise. But I need to save more money before I can invest in those.”

“That’s a good point. It’s necessary to save money when you want to spend it.”

And here I thought Jobo was the one who had handled all their finances. Turns out Maga has some financial sense of her own. I guess I really need to stop keeping my assumptions of people cast in stone.