"Is this good-bye?" Victoria finally asked. "I mean…" She couldn't finish her thought.

"No! We'll see each other at Christmas." Melanie, of course, the consummate optimist.

"You three need to get the hell out of here. I don't want any potential tenants to think this place is a brothel." Elka was fighting the tears.

"You old bat. I'll…miss you." Joy hugged Elka for a long time. She thought she felt a hitch in Elka's deep breath.

They all hugged Elka and took one last look at the house they called home. On cue, the trees began to sway as if waving goodbye to them. It was all so poetic if you thought about it for long.

Melanie tried to convince herself during the whole, quiet cab ride to the airport that she was doing the right thing. Her kids needed her and she needed them. She put up with being married to Anders for so long because of her children. They were her life's breath. Cleveland was just supposed to be a diversion by way of her 200 Things Every Woman Should Do Before She Dies book. But fate had a funny way of dealing the cards at the right time. And before she knew it she was living in a fabulous house with her 2 best friends. And doing things she never dreamed she would do as a middle aged woman.

"So what time are we going to call?" Joy finally broke the silence. She was, admittedly, having a hard time with this. "I arrive at Heathrow at 8am tomorrow."

Melanie was headed straight to LAX and would be home in time to get settled at Jenna's apartment and start searching for a new house. Joy and Victoria would both be on the same flight to Newark but Joy's layover wouldn't be long enough for them to enjoy a last dinner together.

Victoria stared out the cab's window. "I can't believe this is happening."

They decided on a respectful time for each of them and agreed to Skype. It wouldn't be the same as sitting around that old wooden table drinking wine and laughing and complaining about something or other but it would give them a connection to each other.

At the Cleveland Airport, Melanie could barely let go of her friends in time for her flight. But, reluctantly, she boarded the plane back to the city of angels. This is right. Or so she kept telling herself.

In the Newark airport, Joy and Victoria sat together at a small table away from the crowds. They couldn't muster anything to eat. Their stomachs both in knots. The tears slowly seeped from Joy's blood-shot eyes as Victoria softly laid her hands over her dear friend's.

"Joy, darling," Victoria started in a low, husky voice, "this isn't the end of our friendship. You know that, right?" Joy nodded.

Victoria reached into her fabulous Louis Vuitton purse. "Remember these?" She opened her fist.

Joy's eyes widened. "Our wedding rings?" She stared at the matching gold bands. "I thought you got rid of these?" Their dog medicine-induced, Canadian wedding had been an accident with good intentions. Underneath it all, Joy needed to find a way to stay in the United States and Victoria would do anything to make that happen.

"Yeah well, who says I'm not sentimental?" Victoria looked around quickly. "We may not be legally married in the state of Ohio but in the State of Canada we are."

"Canada is a country, Victoria."

"Oh right. Whatever. I'm just trying to say that… that… you're my very best friend, Joy. I'm not sure how I'll ever be able to…you should get going. They're boarding your plane soon." Victoria sighed.

"Wait." Joy took one of the gold bands and put it on her right hand ring finger. "You and me." Victoria followed suit.

The PA system announced boarding of Joy's plane. Joy and Victoria embraced tightly.

"It won't be long and you'll be back." Victoria whispered just as a flash of light caught her eye. They both jerked back and saw a paparazzi a few feet away with a garishly large camera.

"This is what you've been waiting for." Joy put her purse on her shoulder, softly kissed Victoria on the cheek and walked to her gate. She looked back and saw Victoria posing and smiling brightly for the camera man.