Gina’s elderly mother was the sweetest woman in the world, and could easily be convinced to say that Leah looked younger than she was. All she had to do was bring up her childhood with Gina, and Gina’s mother would be lost in memory right away.
Leah walked over to Gina’s mother and took a seat next to her.
“Hi, Elizabeth,” Leah said sweetly. Elizabeth looked at her. Her wrinkled face broke into a broad smile.
“Leah! I know I only saw you last week, but it feels like years. I miss when you were around constantly.”
“Back when I was a kid?” Leah asked, seizing the opportunity. Elizabeth nodded.
“Yes.”
“I miss those days, sometimes. It was a lot of fun, growing up with Gina, knowing her since diapers.”
“Yes, I’m very glad my darling girl found such a lovely friend,” Elizabeth said. She sighed. “Some days, I feel like I’m back when you girls were children.”
“Really? Why?”
“Well, I look at you and I see the girl I knew all those years ago,” Elizabeth said, her eyes misty with memory. Leah’s heart began to race. This was it! Elizabeth was going to say the magic words! “Why, now, I swear, you still look like…”