Page 39 of Must Love Flowers
Joan offered her newfound friends a weak smile. “Jared died four years ago, and I’ve mostly kept to myself since then.” She added a few details about how her husband’s sudden death upturned her life.
“I know exactly how you felt,” Sally said when Joan finished. “My husband had a heart attack and was gone before the ambulance arrived. We had booked two cruises and had all these plans for when George retired, and then, poof, he was gone in the flash of an eye. We loved cruising, letting someone else pamper us.”
“But, Sally, tell Joan,” Mary Lou inserted. “You went on those cruises anyway and had the time of your life.”
Sally grinned. “I did. My best friend from high school came with me. In the beginning, I didn’t want to go, since they were planned for George and me. My kids were the ones who insisted I follow through, and I’m so pleased I did.
“In some ways, seeing Spain and Italy was exactly what I needed. I wished it could have been with George, but every site I visited, I felt he was with me in spirit. Those cruises and this group have helped me realize that, while George is gone, I have a whole lot of life left in me.”
Mary Lou looked toward Joan. “There is life after a significant loss, Joan. Each one of us is here because we’re working toforge a path to find meaning again. You will, too. I’m happy you’ve decided to join us.”
Joan nodded. “I’m beginning to see that.”
Dr. O’Brien looked well pleased.
Doug shared next and said he’d gone onto a dating website, even setting up a profile.
“Oh,” Warren said, perking up, all ears. “You find anyone interesting?”
Warren was a younger member of the group, around fifty, Phil guessed. They weren’t that far apart in age. His wife died of cancer several years back. His youngest daughter was in college, and he’d mentioned dating a time or two with little success. It was clear he was interested, although shy and unsure of himself.
“No one I’d seriously consider,” Doug answered. “But I’ve got to say checking out what interested these women scared me plenty. We all know the importance of being careful these days. Women look at my picture and all they see is dollar signs.”
Both Mary Lou and Sally burst out laughing, and Phil noticed that Joan had a hard time holding back a smile.
“What age span are you considering?” Dr. O’Brien asked, clearly amused herself.
“I was thinking someone in her forties.”
“Forties,” James scoffed. “You old coot. What would a woman in her forties see in you?”
“I’m not that old,” Doug insisted. “I’m thinking a twenty-year difference isn’t that much. Not in this day and age.”
“In other words, you’re looking to date a woman young enough to be your daughter?” Sally asked.
“Or granddaughter,” Mary Lou added.
Doug’s face flushed pink. “Go ahead and tease me all you like. It’s still worth a try.”
Phil didn’t envy his friend entering back into the dating world. At this stage of life, finding the right woman was bound to be difficult. While he knew Doug was partly joking, he was serious, too. He suspected the older man’s sudden interest in dating was an attempt to spur a reaction from Mary Lou. If the smile she struggled to suppress was any indication, Doug’s plan had failed.
After an hour, the meeting came to a close. As was their tradition, several members met up afterward at a local restaurant for coffee and chitchat. Phil often attended, although this evening he needed to get home.
As he folded his chair and set it against the wall, he heard Mary Lou invite Joan to join the others for coffee. He didn’t hear her response.
Exiting the room, he slapped Doug on the back and wished him well. “Don’t give up hope finding the right woman,” he said, sending his friend a subtle message regarding Mary Lou.
“I don’t intend to,” Doug responded with a grunt.
When he passed Joan, Dr. O’Brien was talking to her. He wanted to welcome her and tell her he hoped she’d return. He wanted to reassure her if she harbored any doubts about the two of them attending the same group. Standing around, waiting until Joan finished with Dr. O’Brien, would be awkward for them both, and so he left, determined to clear the air the next time he saw her.
He’d need to look at his schedule to confirm the next time he was due at her property. That was likely to be the best time for them to chat. With that in mind, he walked across the parking lot to where he’d parked his car and headed home.
Chapter 16
Maggie was eager to hear about Joan’s experience with the grief therapy group, and she wasn’t disappointed. From the moment she returned, Joan couldn’t stop talking about the group and how it was unlike anything she’d expected. Apparently one of the widows had been a big encouragement. Joan mentioned Mary Lou several times and the fact that she had lost her husband as well. Everyone had been open and had welcomed her. She’d said her biggest fear was that the grief others had suffered would be a weight too heavy for her to bear, but that hadn’t been the case at all.
That night Joan spoke to Maggie for the first time about what had happened to her husband. Until then, Joan hadn’t mentioned Jared’s name. All at once she seemed to have a lot to say about him and the aftermath of his sudden death.
