of her life alone.”
“Maybe she doesn’t want to be with anyone else. After mine died, well...I’m done with that.”
“Marie is only forty-five. It’s too young to dry up and be the cranky old Italian grandmother. All of her friends are...us.”
“There’s nothing wrong with us.”
“Except that we’re sitting in my basement, drinking Herb’s beer and playing poker. But we lie and tell everyone we’re playing pinochle and sipping tea like the old broads we are.”
Maudine sniffed. “I am not an old broad.”
“You most certainly are. But it’s okay. We play cupid rather well.” Helga shifted her cards.
Maudine’s phone beeped. “Another text. They’re on the porch drinking sweet tea and holding hands. Everything is coming together.” She sounded like some kind of movie villain.
“Tell that child to get in bed.”
“She is.”
“You know what I mean.” Helga nodded. “And are we matchmaking or playing poker because I’m about ready to beat you.”
“I know. Which is why the matchmaking is so much more fun.” Maudine sighed.
“You’re a sore loser, Maudine.”
“I never lose when it counts.” Maudine grinned.
“This is like herding cats. I give up.”
“You fold? I win.” Maudine looked very pleased with herself.
“No, you don’t, you old bat. But what are we doing? I don’t have that paperwork on my desk yet.”
“You will. Tomorrow, we’re going to shove them together every chance we get.” Maudine started putting the cards away. “Frogfest is magical.”
“Not for the frogs,” Helga offered helpfully.
Maudine growled.
“Look, I just don’t understand why you think they need to get married. Gina has her whole life to decide.”
“But I don’t have mine.”
Helga narrowed her eyes. “Yes, you did. You made your choices and now you’ve got to let her make hers.”
“But they’re all wrong.” Maudine huffed.
“So were yours when you made them. So were mine. And we turned out fine.”
Maudine raised a brow. “Maybe so. But I’ve already lost a granddaughter, the daughter I never had, and my son...who knows. Gina and Amanda Jane have known so much pain and so much loss. So has Reed. I didn’t do right by that boy. But I am now and you’re going to help me.”
Helga harrumphed. “You say that like I haven’t been part of every scheme that’s hatched in your head like a goose egg since we were babies.”
Maudine returned the harrumph, with interest. “You don’t seem like you’re on board.”
“I am on board. With Gina’s happiness, not your idea of what it should be. That’s for the girl to decide.”
“Youth is utterly wasted on the young.” Maudine shook her head.
“That’s kind of the beauty of it, don’t you think?”
“No.”
Helga laughed. “She will find her way, Maud.”
“Maybe. But we need to help her at least see the path.”
“Okay. How do you propose we help her see the path? I mean, we’ve practically shoved her nose in it.”
“Well, I haven’t gotten that far. At least not past Frogfest.” She shifted in her seat.
Helga laughed. “Then I suppose we’d better get to plotting, but first, you’re going to tell me how you are.” She held up her hand. “How you really are. Not what you want everyone else to think.”
Maudine shifted in her chair a bit. “Some days are better than others. I’ve had my last chemo treatment, but I still feel like refried turds. Is that what you wanted to hear?”
“Yes.” Helga grinned. “Because I want you to be honest with yourself and me. I don’t care about everyone else. But this? You’re my best friend and you didn’t have to do this alone.”
“I did.” She nodded. “Because if you were there? I wouldn’t have had any courage at all. I’d have leaned on you too much.”
“I could handle it.”
“But I couldn’t, Helga. It was easier to be strong if I knew I had to, if that makes sense.”
Helga nodded. “I suppose it does. But I still think you should tell Gina.”
“And put more on her shoulders?”
“Wouldn’t you want to know if your positions were reversed?”
“Stop playing devil’s advocate. This isn’t the courtroom. It’s my granddaughter’s and great-granddaughter’s lives.”
“Exactly my point, Maudy.” Helga gave her a disapproving look.
“Yes, fine. I’d like to know if our situations were reversed. But that’s the luxury of being a grandmother.” Then Maudine wilted in her chair. “She’s had enough to deal with, and I should’ve done more when she was younger. I feel like I failed her. I failed Crystal. If I’d—”
“If you’d what, Maudine?” Helga interrupted. “What exactly was there you could’ve done to save Crystal when she didn’t want to be saved? I know this is hard to hear, but you can’t help someone who doesn’t want it. You did everything you could.”
“No. I didn’t.” She shook her head, guilt weighing down on her shoulders. “If I’d been a better mother, maybe my son wouldn’t have left his wife. Maybe then, his wife would’ve had insurance and maybe she would’ve had a shot at beating this same cancer.”
“Oh, honey.” Helga’s eyes watered in a rare show of emotion. “I see kids in my courtroom all the time who wouldn’t be in the trouble they’re in if they had parents who cared. And I see kids who have parents who’ve done everything humanly possible and their kids are still in trouble. I can tell you, you’ve done all you could do.” Helga straightened. “You know if I thought you’d fallen down on the job at any time, you’d have gotten an earful from me. Friendship does not rose-colored glasses make. At least not for me.”
Maudine sniffed, her own eyes watering because she knew it to be true. “Thank you.”
“Now are we going to plot or finish up this hand?”
“We’re going
