Autumn in San Francisco was so lovely. The air was cool and crisp but it was no too cold--the trees throughout the city turned lovely shades of red and gold--at night ghostly jack-o-lanterns were lighted in windows throughout the city. And though the days were bright the nights were hazy and mysterious as a fog moved in from over the bay. It was all so beautiful that it was almost too much for Juliet.

Juliet was over-excited anyway--because Bea was coming! Bea and David--and they were bringing little Linda! Juliet spent the better part of a week making sure that everything in the house was perfect for their arrival. She ironed all of the table linens and aired out the spare room, polished all the silverware and made sure there were big baskets of mums on the front porch. She was so busy that she didn't notice when Allan's big car pulled up in the driveway, back from the airport.

"Jul-i-et! Get your bones down here!"

"Bea!" She flew downstairs.

The girls hugged in the yard--hugged long and hard. They stood that way until David and Allan, who had already shaken hands, sighed and put down the luggage, and little Linda began to fidget with impatience. Finally, Juliet wiped her eyes and said, "Come and see my humble abode, Beatrice darling. Friend of my heart, I'm glad you're here."

"So am I," Bea agreed cheerfully. "I think. Who's that old crow at the window of the big, ghastly house next door? She's looking at me and tapping the glass. Oh, Juliet, she doesn't eat children does she? She looks just like the witch from Hansel and Gretel. David, darlingest, take Linda inside, quick, quick!"

"That's Mrs. Hepzibah Thomashaw," Juliet said. "She might eat children but you'll love her." To Miss Eppie she waved back and called, "Later!"

Bea exclaimed over everything in the house, though she had seen most of it before during countless visits to New Moon. She had a list of things she wanted to do while she was here--shops she wanted to visit--places she wanted to see--she even wanted to learn to water-ski!

They had a laughing , gay supper in the kitchen and afterwards while the men went into the parlor to talk, Juliet and Bea sat in the warm kitchen and gossiped. In the flickering firelight Juliet told Bea a secret that no one knew as of yet--no one but her and Allan--a secret that was very close to her heart. Juliet wanted Bea to be the first to know--she told her what they were hoping for, sometime next spring.

"A baby!" Bea said. "Oh, Juliet, that's marvelous! You want a girl, don't you? Oh, don't give me that 'As long as it's healthy' spiel. You know it--and I know you do! Won't it be wonderful? I hope your wee girlie--yes, it will be a girl!--and mine will be as good friends as you and I have been all of these years." She kissed the top of the sleeping Linda's head as she dozed. Her hair glowed as gold as Allan and Bea's in the firelight.

"I've been happy these past few months, but now I'm overjoyed," Juliet murmured as she drifted off to sleep in her own bedchamber sometime later. She thought of Bea and David and Linda, sleeping themselves in the little spare room down the hall. It made all the difference knowing they were near.

* * *

Juliet took Bea over to meet Miss Eppie and theWar-Widows the next day. Now that Bea knew her secret she was free to tell Maggie, and she did, eyes sparkling, in the kitchen of Haight Cottage. As Maggie exclaimed and embraced her, Mona, who had been lurking in the doorway, flashed her eyes dangerously and let her expression darken.

"That was the one thing I had that you didn't," she said hoarsely. "You, who have a husband--and a home--and a family that loves you--and now you shall have that, too! Oh! It isn't fair--but nothing in life is."

"Aren't you happy for me, Mona?" Juliet's lip trembled precariously.

"Happy for you! Why do you need anyone else to be happy for you? You have everything--everything--but you shan't have my good wishes. No, I'm not happy for you!"

Juliet felt hurt. She had thought that things were beginning to be cordial between her and Mona--they would never be friends--and now this! But the most amazing thing was that Mona was very kind to Bea--she laughed and joked with Bea--she seemed to really like Bea!

"Why did you tell me she was mean?" Bea asked Juliet as Mona finished telling a funny story to a burst of laughter. "She's wonderful--a true kindred spirit if I ever met one!"

"She's not--normally--like this," said Juliet, in a daze. She was glad that Mona liked Bea--but why? Surely Juliet had been just as nice to Mona over the past months as Bea was being to her now?

"Go on home," Bea waved Juliet off after they had finished lunch at the cottage. "You look peaked--and you must be sure to rest enough now, you know that!"

"Aren't you coming, Bea?"

"Oh, I'll be along later," Bea laughed. "Mona's going to show me some of her records. She's as big a music buff as I am--you didn't tell me that!"

"I--didn't--know." Juliet bit her lower lip.

"You don't mind if I don't come along now, do you dearest? You're just going to nap. I'm not tired--it wouldn't be very fun for me, with the men away at the wharf. And can't you take Linda with you--it would do her good to have a nap, too."

Juliet went back to her house with Linda, feeling very left out. She could see Bea and Mona silhouetted against one of the cottage windows, their heads bent together. They were laughing. Bea's raucous giggles joined together with another silvery peal on the wind. It was Mona, Juliet realized with a start. She had a nice laugh--a beautiful, bell-like laugh.

Juliet had never heard Mona laugh before.

* * *

"I loved them!" Bea flopped on the bed next to Juliet, waking her. "Even terrible Miss Eppie--she's the mean one, not Mona. Hello, sweet girl," she cooed as she lifted Linda from her crib. "And that Maggie is so sweet--but I don't know why you'd waste your time on a girl like her. She's almost too sweet--it's no fun. Mona is a laugh and a half, though! I still can't believe you don't like her!"

"Mona's never been a laugh and a half to me," Juliet said, a trifle peevishly. "She's always making snide remarks, and saying things to hurt my feelings. Maggie isn't too sweet though. I think she's wonderful."

"When will Dave and Allan be home?" Bea glanced at her watch. "I want to take you all out to dinner tonight--it was going to be a surprise. I want to bring Mona, too--and yes, your precious Maggie can come. Miss Eppie said she'd watch all the children. I suppose you are right--Maggie's just sweet enough. I guess I was just surprised that she's able to be so good-tempered when she's dying of cancer. I really admire her--I don't think I'd be able to do it."

Juliet sat up in bed. "Maggie--cancer?" she heard herself saying faintly. "What--are you talking about, Bea?"

"You know," Bea said, wide-eyed. "Don't you?"

"No, I don't know!" Juliet cried. "Who told you that?"

"Mona!" Bea cried back, tears beginning to form in her big blue eyes. "Juliet, don't look like that. Surely you knew!"

"I didn't!" Juliet tumbled out of bed and began pulling on her shoes. "It isn't--it can't--be true! Mona is lying to you, Bea! Although why she would I don't know! She must be even crueler than I thought."

"Juliet!" Bea reached for her friend's hand, but Juliet was already gone--she'd flown down the stairs and out the door, to the little house across the street.

* * *

Juliet let herself into the little house and closed the door with a slam. Then she whirled into the parlor--and stopped short.

Maggie was lying on the sofa, as usual, her big, liquid eyes peering dreamily up at the sky through the window panes. Her face was very white, and her familiar little smile touched her lips. She turned her head slowly, as one underwater, at the sound and as her eyes met Juliet's gaze, Juliet knew.

"Why didn't you tell me, dearest?" she said, crossing the room in two big strides, to take Maggie in her arms.

"Oh--!" Maggie said. "Juliet, dear, don't cry. So you've found out my secret, have you?"

"You should have told me, Maggie," Juliet said fiercely, fighting back tears.

"I know," Maggie said tremulously. "But Juliet--when people find out--I--I wanted you to like me because you liked me, not because you felt sorry for me. I made Mona promise not to tell you, because I liked you so much."

"But you can't really be dying," Juliet said. "Surely someone can do something to make you better!"

"I go to the hospital once a week for treatments," said Maggie matter-of-factly. "But no, Juliet--there's really nothing anyone can do."

Juliet sat back on her heels.

"Don't look like that, darling," Maggie sat up and smiled, echoing the words that Bea had just spoken to her. "I'm not going to die today, nor tomorrow. Not anytime soon. It will happen sometime, but Juliet, I'm not afraid. I'm not. But fear not, dearest--there's still some life in this old girl yet."

* * *

Juliet waited until she had closed the door to the cottage behind her before she began to cry. She sat down on the porch with a thump and buried her face in her hands.

"Oh, stop your crocodile tears," came a disgusted voice from beside her. Juliet looked up, her eyes blurry and red.

"You can't care that much about someone you've just met," Mona said coldly. "I detest actresses."

"It's not an act," Juliet said wearily. "I know you don't believe it but I love Maggie--she's my friend--and she is very dear to me." She covered her face again and her shoulders heaved. "Mona, why can't we be friends?" she questioned in a muffled voice.

"Why would you want to be friends?" Mona asked, as if it were the most ridiculous thing in the world.

"Because--" Juliet faltered. "Because, Mona, under your pointed exterior, I think there's a nice person! I saw a glimpse of her today--you were so nice to Bea! Why--why do you hate me so?"

"Because you're trying to steal my best friend!" Mona roared, tears in her own green eyes. "Maggie is all I have--you have so much--she is my only friend! And you want to take her from me--you want her to like you better!"

"I don't--I don't!" Juliet protested. "You must believe me, Mona--I'd love to be your friend. And I don't want Maggie to like me better--I want her to like me as much as you. But not more. Please, can't we be friends? For her sake?"

Mona was silent for a long while. "All right," she said unemotionally. "We can try to be friends. But only for Maggie's sake. It doesn't mean I like you. And for Pete's sake--Juliet--stop your caterwauling. Maggie doesn't like to see people cry."

"All right." Juliet dried her eyes.

Mona looked at her critically. "I'd say you'd better go home and change before Bea takes us out to dinner."

"Are we still going?" Juliet asked in surprise. "If Maggie's not well enough"

"Honestly, Juliet, she's not dead yet! And I don't think she will be. Not of this, anyway. I think she'll beat it, I really do." Mona lifted her chin and spoke firmly. Then she smiled--Juliet was amazed at the change in Mona's face when she smiled. "Plus, Maggie loves going out. We so rarely go anywhere. Or we didn't, until you came along. You have been good for that--and I'm grateful, I suppose. It will be good for all of us to go tonight. I really like your Bea--I wasn't just pretending to make you jealous. Oh, and Juliet--wear that blue dress of yours. You're not as pretty as Miss Eppie makes you out to be, but you do look well in it. I've always wanted a dress like that. Now, go!"

With the beginnings of a smile on her face--but still a heavy heart--Juliet went.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews, everyone--especially marzoog and Windowseat Wonderer! (Marzoog, when are you going to update YOUR story! I'm waiting with bated breath.)

Andrea1984: Yes, Emily is still alive! Don't worry, there will be more about her later.

Terreis: The 'Melanie' was intentional. Consider it a little homage to one of my favorite writers. Hope all is going well with your stories--can't wait to read more!