Thursday dawned with the familiar ocean mist blocking any hope of sun. With any luck, the sky would clear as she got closer to Portland. After a quick shower, Brenna put on her new flowered dress, reasoning even if the weather didn’t turn springy, she would feel springy herself. She braided her hair and put on some coral earrings. After a last critical look in the mirror, she fed the animals, putting them and their bowls outside. Because she would be gone all day, she hooked Zoe up to a new run in the back yard, a large dog house nearby. As she walked to the Blazer, Zoe whined and barked.
“Oh, you’ll be fine, I’ll be back tonight. I’ll bring you a present.” Brenna shook her head as she drove away. Maybe getting her a present could ease Brenna’s conscience, but it wouldn’t help Zoe any. She turned up the radio and drove south on the highway, the wild beach roses gradually dwindling away the farther inland she drove.
As she neared the city, the mist burned away and there were fleecy clouds here and there casting large shadows over the river and the downtown area. She wondered briefly if she’d been crazy to move away from her job and friends, but soon decided it was the best thing she could’ve done as her anxiety level rose merely due to some light traffic. She could always visit after all.
Stopping briefly at her favorite gourmet coffee shop, she bought two pounds of coffee for the nurses on her floor and sped to the hospital. It was time for Molly to get off work and she didn’t want to be late.
Walking quietly up to the NICU desk, Brenna leaned over and said, “Hi,” loudly into Liz’s ear. Liz threw her head up, the beads on the ends of her tiny black braids clicking softly.
“Hey, girl, don’t you know it’s not polite to sneak up on people?” she snapped, reaching over the counter for a hug. “How have you been?”
“I’m doing pretty good. How are things around here?”
“We miss you, girl. Nobody brings us coffee anymore.”
“You brat, I should return this just for that,” Brenna said, holding the bag of coffee just out of Liz’s reach.
Suddenly the bag was snatched out of her hand and she whirled around to find Molly had snuck up behind her.
“Good work,” Liz laughed. Molly handed the bag over the counter to her.
“Hey, Brenna, do you want to go out to dinner tonight with these guys? They promised to semi-behave.” Molly lowered her voice. “And I actually got reservations at the new Chinese place.”
Brenna pretended to consider the offer. “Well, I guess if I get to have Chinese food...”
“You are bad. Come on, I’ve got to change.”
Outside, the clouds had burned away completely and the air was warm and breezy.
“You brought good weather with you; it’s been awful here lately. Do you want to go shopping, go home, what?”
“I have a few things I want to pick up. Why don’t we get something to eat and then hit Annie’s store?”
“Sounds good to me.”
After munching warm chocolate chip cookies from their favorite deli, they walked down the street to a small store centered in a large brick complex of shops. Entering, they inhaled the familiar potpourri fragrance of the shop owned by an old friend of theirs, another woman who had loved nursing, but had moved on. Now she owned and managed ‘Homegrown’, a shop carrying items made in Oregon, some of them made by Annie herself. Handy with a loom and a variety of hooks and needles, Annie supplied the store with shawls, lap rugs, scarves and the like. Brenna and Molly loved to go and visit every so often to see what new items she had in stock, occasionally bringing home more than they intended to purchase.
“Annie,” Brenna called, as no one was in sight. The curtain to the store room parted and Annie rushed out to give Brenna a hug.
“Hey, stranger, how’ve you been?” Annie asked.
Brenna smiled as she hugged her back, Annie’s long thick hair slightly rough under her hands.
“I’m doing well. How are you? The shop looks great.”
“Oh, this old thing?” Annie waved her hand at the room, hand-made jewelry and clothing displayed alongside rustic pottery and blankets. “Here, look at this new line of jewelry. A girl just moved up here from Roseburg who does some beautiful work.” She showed them the display case.
Nestled in black velvet were fine pieces cast in silver and gold.
“Oh, Annie, these are beautiful,” Brenna said softly, bending over the case. Molly looked, but just smiled. Jewelry was Brenna’s love whereas Molly just wore the necessary watch and occasional earrings. Brenna knelt to look in the lower case. “Are these hers too?”
“Yes, aren’t they beautiful? She has an extraordinary eye.”
Brenna and Molly spent time alternately checking out the store and catching up with Annie. Molly bought a green cotton sweater and a couple of glazed mugs while Brenna bought a soft cranberry shawl for Helena and some rose agate jewelry.
“Okay, Annie, we’ve done our duty for this month. Tell Ted hi for us and kiss the baby,” Molly said, hugging her goodby.
“You got it,” she replied and turning to Brenna, said, “Don’t be a stranger, okay?”
“Not a chance. I’ll probably be up next month,” and they left, bells on the door ringing behind them as it closed.
Brenna drove home that night with a smile on her face and a large cup of coffee in her hand to counteract the effects of a full stomach. She had missed her friends more than she realized, but she was glad to be going home.
Chapter 35