Maga held the most recent set of pictures Sister J sent to her. She couldn’t get enough of the colors and smiles and asked me to go over the kids’ ages for her. I put on my aunt hat and recited them. She then asked me when my parents were next visiting. I put on my daughter hat, searched through my mental files of their upcoming trips, and figured out approximately when they’d next be in her neck of the woods.
“I hope we get to visit again soon,” Maga said.
“Me too.”
“I know I’m living in a good place, but it sure does get lonely.”
“Don’t I know it,” I agreed, wearing nothing but my Abby hat.
“Not much fun living by yourself, is it?”
“It has its perks, but, yes, it does get awfully lonely.”
“And you’ve got a good job and friends, so that’s a little bit of all right.”
As we talked, I’d been sitting next to a bouquet of flowers given to me as a (belated) housewarming present from two former coworkers. I had a belly full of food eaten during a night spent surrounded by my (winning) trivia team. And I had to admit Maga had a point. Things currently are a little bit of all right, even if only for this specific moment in time.
Abigail Mumford 