Megan needed only five seconds to establish this fact as she shook the other woman’s hand after a rather lukewarm grip from her husband. Tall and elegant in her casual shirt and beige pants, Elisa filled Meg with the same awe she remembered from her first day of kindergarten. Elisa’s hair was longer now, piled up in an artistically disarrayed chignon. And she wore less make-up than before. That was pretty much everything that was different about the woman who had provided gossip for the whole town for years. Her large blue eyes remained the same, as did the sweet, shy smile that made her look girly even though she was in her late forties. ‘Megan? What a nice surprise, darling.’ Suddenly, Meg found herself in Elisa’s embrace. The faint scent of lilac and irises reached her delighted nostrils. There was nothing artificial or fake about Elisa’s exuberance. Her usual warmth and spontaneity hadn’t changed. ‘I remember you playing with Ry and Matt, sweetheart. It’s so nice that you are still in touch, dear.’ ‘Well, Mom, you could say her and Ry are much more than that.’ Matt’s blue eyes sparkled as he watched Meg blush.
