******
"I think that's the last of it." Jerry called out as he entered the house. "Your car is full, Mattie."
"We're almost done in here." Fran called back from the kitchen, as she and Mattie put the last dishes away in the cabinets.
"You know, Fran. There's that bottle of white wine in the fridge."
"I'll get the glasses." Fran laughed.
Mattie opened the bottle, and they went back into the living room and sat on the sofa, as Jerry collapsed in the chair near the window, holding his hand out as Fran took him a glass.
"I think we'll all sleep well tonight." Mattie laughed. "Thanks again for your help." She looked from one to the other. "I'm going to miss you two terribly, I hope you know that."
"Let's make a toast, Jerry." Fran sat upright on the sofa and turned to Mattie. She thought for a moment, then held up her glass, and Jerry followed suit. "Our dear, dear, Mattie." Fran brushed back her gray bangs and Mattie felt her eyes sting as they smiled at each other. "Our hope is that you will find both joy and contentment in this next chapter of your life, with Clay in Cape Breton." They both sighed. "To quote Elizabeth Barrett from one of her letters to her future husband, Robert Browning...
"If thou must love me, let it be for nought.
Except for love's sake only.
Do not say 'I love her for her smile - her look - her way
Of speaking gently, - for a trick of thought
That falls in well with mine, and certes brought
A sense of pleasant ease on such a day' -
For these things in themselves, Beloved, may
Be changed, or change for thee, - and love, so wrought,
May be unwrought so...
But, love me for love's sake, that evermore
Thou may'st love on, through love's eternity."
"That was beautiful, Fran." Mattie wiped her eyes. Jerry leaned forward, and held up his hand.
"Mattie, I hope you find as much happiness with Clay as I've found with Fran...who is truly the love of my life." Jerry smiled as he looked over at his wife. "Sometimes, I'm an old fool, and forget to remind her how much she means to me." Mattie was sure she saw a spark fly between the two as he winked at Fran and she raised her brows at her husband, her eyes sparkling. "We've had some good times, that's for sure," he added as they all clinked their glasses and took a sip of their wine. "And, we do want to visit you at some point, if we're welcome," he laughed.
"Of course, you are." Mattie wiped her eyes. "You two will be our first guests, I promise you."
They spent the next hour reminiscing as they finished off the bottle of wine, laughing over some of their most memorable excursions around New Hampshire.
"Well, it's getting late, Jerry." Fran glanced at her watch and stood up, motioning to her husband. "We need to let Mattie get ready for her trip."
Mattie walked them to the door and hugged her friend goodbye.
"Thank you so much, for everything you've done for me." Mattie smiled at them. "Thanks, Fran, for your advice that night."
"What advice was that?" Jerry looked at Fran, as he pulled out a cigarette and his lighter.
"Never mind, Jerry." Fran waved her hand at him.
"Have a safe trip." Jerry gave Mattie a hug as Fran waited on the porch, wiping her eyes again. The couple walked down the steps and Fran turned back to wave goodbye as they headed down the sidewalk. Mattie leaned on the door jamb, watching them, and she saw the red glow of Jerry's cigarette in the darkness as they turned to enter their home. She sighed and walked back into the living room, locking the door behind her. She picked up the glasses, and took them into the kitchen, washing and drying them before putting them in the upper cabinet. She decided she would pick up something to eat in the morning when she stopped for gas since there was nothing here now. A bag of snacks for the trip sat on her empty desk, but she wanted to save those for later.
Mattie looked around the living room, so bare-looking now without her personal belongings. She had to leave her oak desk behind, with Jerry promising to get it the next day and store it at their house until they visited Cape Breton, and she sighed, and turned out the lights, and headed upstairs. Only a few more hours and she would be starting one of the most exciting and daunting trips of her life.