Miss Lola.

Chapter 13.

Freshly showered and dressed in sea shell pink satin pajamas, I'm laying on the sofa talking to Avis on the phone. I'd left the lamp next to the sofa switched on but the rest of the house is in gloom.

"I sat by my phone darn near four hours waiting for you to call." Avis complained.

"Girl, how many times have you done the same to me? But anyway, how are you doing? Did Ronald come home?"

"No." Avis sounded glum. "And he didn't answer his phone when I called him either."

"Have you tried calling his sister or any of those jokers who he hangs out with?" I ask.

"Yes, but they act like they don't know where Ronald is or why he isn't answering his phone."

Avis made a sound like a duck honking.

"What was that? Did you just blow your nose?"

"Yeah, excuse me. I've been crying off and on since I left your shop today." She said.

"Honey, that's a whole lotta crying over a man who's basically walked out on you. Girl, you need to save them tears and get on with your life."

"I'm trying!" Avis wailed. "But...I just miss him so bad and want him to come back home."

"I feel you." I sat up and propped a pillow behind my back. "Look, Avis. I know it's hard but you'll get through it."

Picking up the remote from the floor and switching the t.v on, I muted the sound and said,

"I thought that my life was over when Merlin senior ran off and left me barefoot and pregnant with the twins but I got through it and so can you."

"Yes, I remember how you used to mope around, looking like your world had crumbled." Avis said.

"Now, wait a minute. I don't remember it being that bad."

"Oh, it was pretty bad but you were just a teenager and y'all hadn't been together all that long. I've been married to Ronald for almost thirty years. It hits differently." Avis whined.

"Now that you've said it like that, I can see your point. Hey, maybe I'm not the right person for you to be talking to about this."

"I want to talk to you." Avis insisted. "You're my best friend and anyway, Ronald might come back."

I wanted to caution her not to hold her breath, but that would have sounded too flippant.

Even a blind person can see that Ronald has dumped her and he was probably holed up with his new, younger boo at a hotel somewhere right now.

But I wasn't going to say this either.

"Well, I hate that this happened and I'm here if you need me." I said.

"Thanks, Lola." Avis said.

"I bet you've gone through about two boxes of tissues by now." I said, half jokingly.

"Three." Her voice sounded all foggy and stuffy but she laughed a little bit at my lame attempt at humor.

"Well, if that's what it'll take to get it all out of your system..."

"I just cant understand why Ronald would do this to me. I thought he was happy." Avis said.

"Did he ever say that he was unhappy?" I asked.

Avis paused to think about it.

"Well, no, but he wasn't complaining either."

"Sometimes men won't open up about their feelings but I've noticed that they
don't have a problem letting somebody  know when they're hungry or horny but for this deep, emotional stuff..well, we have to guess." I said.

"So, you're saying that Ronald was probably unhappy and just not telling me?" Avis asked.

"That's about the gist of it." I rolled my eyes. "Have you ever asked him?"

"Asked him what?"

"If he was happy. Goodness Avis, keep up."

"Girl, you know Ronald never had time to talk to me. He was always too busy."

"Now see, maybe that started the problem." I said.

"Lola, you're confusing the heck out of me. How could Ronald's busy schedule cause the problem?" Avis asked.

"Because he doesn't have a steady job. So where was he spending all of that extra time?" I asked.

"I..well...I don't know."

Man, my poor friend is totally clueless.

"Just think about what I've just said and when you figure it all out then please call me back and let me know."

"O..kay." Avis still sounded confused when we hung up.

"Have mercy." I muttered, shaking my head at the futility of it all.

I was just about to put the phone on the charger when it went off again and this time it was my son, Merlin j.r.

"Hi, mother. How are you?"

"Oh, I'm good. I just got off the phone with Miss Avis."

"How is she? I saw Mr. Ronald earlier today..."

My ears perked up.

"You did? Where?"

"He came into the bank this afternoon but I wasn't the one helping him, so I wouldn't know why he was there. It's kinda late, what are you still doing up?"

"I ain't sleepy and what's that to you anyway? I'm a grown woman."

Merlin chuckled.

"You know I'm just teasing you Mother.
So anyway, Gwen and Haley will be at her mom's house this weekend and since I hate staying in this house alone,  can I crash at your house until they return?"

"Sure, son, you know that's not a problem. Umm..why are Haley and Gwen going away?"

"Her dad's sick, it's nothing too serious but you know how Gwen is about her dad. She wanted to be near him..just in case."

"In case of what?"

"I don't know." Merlin sounded a little impatient. "She only said that he's sick."

"And you didn't call anybody to verify this?" I asked, wondering what was really going on because the last time I saw them both of Gwen's parents appeared to be in good health.

"No, and why should I? Gwen would have told me if it was something serious. So, anyway, I'll be over there Friday evening after my shift ends."

"Umm..hmm."

"Have you heard from Rhonda?" He asked.

"I saw her earlier today. Why?"

"I think something's wrong with that girl." Merlin sounded worried. "Every time I try to call her she never picks up. Is she okay?"

"Son, your sister is exploring a whole new world. But other than that, she okay. I guess."

We chatted a while longer and then Merlin said he had to get some sleep and so I told him goodnight and settled down to watch a "Good Times" marathon on B.E.T.

10/18/21.
12/1/21.
2/25/23.