hing on “The View” strikesLola funny and she starts laughing. Paulgrins to himself as well while he takes a drink of orange juice. “Doesn’t Jess have a game tonight?”, Lola asks. Paul pulls out his phone to check hiscalendar. “Yes, Patti will be here at4:45. Dang, I almost forgot.” Paul finishes, rinses his dishes before placing them in thedishwasher and slowly walks back to the living room. As he starts to sit down on the chair next toLola’s, she asks, “Did you remember your pills?”. Paul stands up straight, abit embarrassed that he forgot, and walks to the kitchen. Lola shakes her head and gives a quick glance as goes backto the kitchen. He finds his pillorganizer, removes his pills and returns to the living room and to his seatnext to Lola’s. “The View”continues. A few hours later, the TV is still on, but the two are fastasleep. Brandi lays asleep on thecouch. Heavy rain starts to fall outsideslowly waking both of them up.“Boy, it is really coming down”, Lola yawns. “If I didn’t know better I would say that washail”, Paul responds. He slowly liftshimself up from the chair and walks to the window. Lola gets herself up. “I don’t know if they will have a game or not”,Paul says to himself. Lola walks her waytoward the bathroom. “They play thoselittle league games in hurricanes”, she says before she shuts the door behindher. Later, they sit across from each other at the dining tablehaving lunch. Lola is checking her phoneand giggling at things she reads. Paulis reading a novel on his I-pad. “Looks like the weather is clearing.” Lola notices. Paul glances out the dining room window. “Looks that way. Probably be a bit cold though.” Both of them return to reading. Later in the day Paul is in the garage. It is littered with boxes. He moves the step stool to grab one off thetop. Lola emerges from door. “Good lord, why don’t you wait for Patti or Markto take that down?! They are coming later.” “I’ll be fine!” Paul respondsdefiantly. Lola walks toward him. “No, really, why don’t you wait.” “I said I’d be fine!” Growingmore agitated he starts to grab the box. Lola has made her way to him. Hehas it secure but starts to lose his balance. Lola doesn’t grab him, but braces behind him so he can get his balance. “God Lord! What am I supposed to do if youhurt yourself?”“I’m fine!” as he steps down. Frustrated, Lola responds, “I think you cantake some time off from this sorting anyway. We are in no hurry.” “I figured I can get through this one and get it to Jesstonight so he can make some more money.” “I wonder how much money he actually makes and how muchPatti just sends it directly to the Good Will?” Lola says dismissively. Paulstarts to get a bigger smile as he opens the box. “I wish I had E-Bay and Offer Up, and allthis stuff when I was his age. Reallygood way to make money for kid.” Lolalooks inside the box, “I’m sure he’ll get all of his college tuition with thatbelt buckle.” Paul pulls out a huge beltbuckle that says “Wyoming Born and Bred”. “Well, it’s as good as new.” Paul says. “Yeah, never woreonce. Who got that for you?” Lola asks. “Your mom.” “No.” “Yes, yes. Yourmom” “No”. “Yes. She had gone ona senior trip after your dad passed away. My birthday was just after it.” “Oh my god. You areright.”“Yeah, it was about 20 or 30 years ago.” Paul remembers as he looks at it. “That’s right. Andshe made you open it last because she was so proud of it.” This memory hits them both at the same timeas they share a small laugh. Lola turns to go. “O.K. You keep digging forgold. One box only. I’m sure Jess will be thrilled.” She walks away. Paul pulls out handfuls of novelty shotglasses. Lola goes back into the house.“I have a lot of shot glasses for a guy who doesn’t drink.”Later that afternoon, Paul pours himself a glass ofwater. He hears the TV in thebedroom. As he walks by he finds Lolafolding clothes and towels on the bed. He leers for a bit. Lola doesn’tseem to notice. Brandi lies on the bedas she folds. The front door opens and he turns hisattention there. “Dad. Are you ready?” He walks to the door. Hisdaughter, a woman in her forties, dressed in jeans and sweatshirt is in theliving room. “Come on dad, I saidquarter to five. I want to get somecoffee before the game. I have to usethe bathroom, real quick, though.”“Oh yeah, we almost forgot.” Paul replies. As she passes himon the way to the bathroom, she gives him a strange look. “We?” “Yeah, your mom was just folding, and we lost trackof…….” He pauses as she passes thebedroom which is empty, but the TV is still on. She turns back and looks at him as confusedlook overcomes him. She pauses butdecides not to say anything as she continues into bathroom. He walks back to the bedroom and stands learninginto the empty room with the TV on.Patti emerges from the bathroom. “Dad, are you ready?” She approaches him and hears the TV. “Since when do you watch Hallmark?” She walks into the room and turns the TVoff. Paul stands as a sense of sadnesscomes over him. “Are you o.k.?” Paulstruggles for words, “Um, ……..your mom, um……”. Patti realizes he is in a strange place and instinctively hugs him. “I know, I know.” She takes him by the hand and they walk tothe bed where they both sit. Paul istrying to keep the tears from coming. WhenPatti sees him she is fighting the same impulse. He looks around the room at the samepictures he glanced in the morning. “I know. It is stillhard. I can’t believe it’s been twoyears.” Paul whispers to himself, “Twoyears.” Patti continues. “Sometimes when I wake up I think I need tocall her. Like she is stillaround.” Paul nods to himself and wipeshis nose with his sleeve. Patti clears her eyes, “Are you O.K.?” Paul nods. “We should get going.” Pattistands up. Paul is slow to follow butfinally lifts himself up from the bed. “Do you think it would be O.K. if I just stayed home? Do you think Jess would mind?” “Are you sure? Wewere thinking of hitting Wendy’s after.” “Yeah, I’m just feeling kind of off and it is kind ofcold. He has a lot of games, right?” “Oh yeah. A lotleft. The weather is looking better thisweekend anyway.” She hugs Paul. “Love you dad.” “Love you too, sweety.” He follows her out the door. She notices a piece of sausage on the floor. “Dad, I almost thought that was poop. I thought you got a new dog orsomething.” She picks the sausage up,takes it to the garbage then washes her hands. “Remember, if you want a new dog, just let us know. We can go shopping around. It would be fun.” Paul nods, “Maybe.” She starts to leave. He follows her. “Oh, tell Jess Ihave a new box for him.” She opensthe door. “Oh yeah, he loves that. He makes more off that than his allowance.” Paul nods. “Of course it’s more work for us. Having to drive him to his sales exchanges and to the post office.” They both pause for a moment. “You sure you’re O.K.?” Paul gets enough energy for asmile. “Yeah, I’m fine.” “This Saturday?” Sheasks. “Yeah. Jess can come back here for the box then, too.” “O.K.” Patti sighs. She gives him onemore quick hug and leaves him. He shutsthe door. “You know you have to be careful.” Brandi runs to lick his hand. He turns slowly and knowingly to find Lolastanding in the entry way to the living room. “I know” he responds. “If people start to think you are crazy you will have toleave and we will be gone.” He keepshis head down as he slowly sits in his chair. “I know. I know.” He grabs the remote and turns the TV to CNN. “And you won’t be able to make it.” Lola says as she sits in her chair. “I know, I know. Ineed my routine.” Lola turns her focusto the TV. “And turn it to channel7. “Wheel of Fortune” is on.”Paul aims his remote to the TV and does as ordered.