(Chapter Seventeen)

A Visit to Remember

It was a beautiful fall morning. The leaves were falling and the colors of golden brown melted into a delicious shade of orange. Elizabeth decided to take a walk over to Rosemary's before the school year began again. She was about to start walking but the scene before her eyes made her take a seat on a porch chair. As she sat drinking in the deep colors of falling leaves and just the beauty of the season, she thought of Rosemary. How was her dear friend doing? She had seen Rosemary often, but the two had not had a good, long talk since the one in which Rosemary excitedly told her of the coming baby. Elizabeth could hardly think of anything else. Just the coolness in the air; the sweet smell made her stomach churn. She felt an irresistible urge for coffee.

"Oh no!" she half thought, half verbalized. "Not the cravings again!"

By now she was feeling a very strong craving for coffee. She was not sure it would be good for the baby, but she was feeling sick now. "All this, just for a baby," she laughed inwardly. "Oh well. I had better get going now," she decided not to give into this craving.

Meanwhile, Rosemary was having a hard time with her life. She felt that all the weight was on her. In reality, it was actually in her. She felt that Lee was not helpful and accused him of not caring about her or loving her.

"That simply is not true, sweetheart," Lee tried to make his wife understand.
"Rosemary – I do love you." She sighed, and Lee leaned over to plant a kiss on his wife's forehead. "I love you, sweetie. Now, I have to go to work."

After feeling, more than hearing Rosemary sigh again, he added "I'll stop by next door to see if Elizabeth will look in on you from time to time. You two could have a nice visit. I'm sure Elizabeth could use some company too. Love you, Rosie. Goodbye."

And before Rosemary could reply to her husband, he slipped quietly from the house.

Lee walked out the door and immediately caught sight of their neighbor sitting on her porch. "Oh, Elizabeth. I'm glad I found you. Rosemary is feeling a bit down today. I was wondering if you wouldn't mind popping in on her from time to time," Lee explained.

"Of course. I was actually just on my way over now. I was just sitting here thinking. This weather helps me think more clearly," Elizabeth responded.

"Ah – it does . . . this weather seems to clear my mind. Just a wee bit," Lee motioned with his fingers to show just how much a "wee bit" was. "I have to be going now. Thank you so much, Elizabeth."

"No problem, Lee. I could use the company just as much. And – we have a lot to talk about."

Lee nodded his understanding and turned to leave as Elizabeth slowly eased herself out of her chair to walk next door.

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There was a knock on Rosemary's door. "Come in," she said as she put down her book. As the door opened and Elizabeth appeared, Rosemary's face brightened.

"Hello," Elizabeth said cheerfully as she entered through her friend's door.

"Elizabeth!" Rosemary exclaimed. "I've missed you so much!"

"How are you doing, Rosemary?"

She sighed softly. "I'm okay, Elizabeth. How are you?"

"I'm alright. Have you had much morning sickness? How about cravings?" Elizabeth asked, her stomach still screaming for coffee.

"Ugh – it's terrible, Elizabeth! Do you have it too?"

Elizabeth nodded in the affirmative.

"What are you craving right now?" Rosemary asked curiously.

"Coffee!" Elizabeth exclaimed loudly. She thought back to when the smell of coffee had made her nauseous. Now she was craving it! Why do such ridiculous things happen to you when you're pregnant? she thought.

"What are you craving?" she suddenly came back to the present to relay the question for her friend to answer.

"Pickles!" Rosemary announced, and they both laughed together.

"Well, let's see what I have in the fridge," Rosemary said after a few minutes of laughing.

They ate and drank whatever they were craving at that moment. It went from coffee to ice cream, pickles to eggs, chips to pancakes. They laughed, chatted, and ate.

By the time they were finished, they were both stuffed and exhausted from the excitement.

"Oof – I can hardly move," Elizabeth chuckled and Rosemary joined in with an uproarious laugh.

"Oo – oww," Rosemary laughed. "That hurts."

"Well, I had better get going. It might take me a long time to get home," Elizabeth teased. They laughed again, said goodbye, and Elizabeth left the little house and drank in the beauty all over again.