FIFTY-EIGHT

"HELLO!" LYDIA waved at Doris who did not respond but stared at her with her mouth still hanging loose in shock.

"Here, take a seat, we've been waiting for you," Charles said, pulling out a chair for Lydia.

"Thank you," Lydia said as she sat down. "I'm sorry I'm late. The traffic was tragic." Then, she glanced at Sam. "Hello, Mom. How have you been?"

Sam beamed. "So far, so good. You?"

"Same old," Lydia replied, and then slowly, she turned her attention back to Doris who was still flummoxed. She smiled at her. "You know, I get exactly how you feel at the moment. I had the exact expression on my face when the news was broke to me a few days ago."

Doris blinked, struggling to comport herself. "How?" She managed to drag the word out of her throat as she turned to her father for an explanation. "And did she just call her, Mom?"

Charles cleared his throat. "Doris, let me explain. . ."

~~

It had all started back in college when Charles and Sam had first met. Th