While Rose enjoyed her tea, she heard a knock at the front door. I wonder who that is, she thought. Rose walked through the living room and glanced out the window on her way to the front door. A thin petite lady with grey hair, holding a pot of tulips, stood on the porch outside her door. She unhooked the chain, unlocked the door, and slowly opened the door.
“Can I help you?” Rose asked the woman.
The grey-haired lady turned around, and with a big smile she said, “Rose, is that you?”
Rose studied the lady's face and couldn’t figure out who it was, “do I know you?”
“You may not remember me, I’m Mrs. Miller… I was a good friend of your grandma.”
When Rose heard the name, Mrs. Miller, she was able to put two and two together.
“Oh, Mrs. Miller, please come in.”
“I am so sorry for the loss of your grandmother, dear… I miss her dearly,” Mrs. Miller walked inside.
“I brought you these tulips, to brighten up the place… They were one of your grandmothers' favorites.”
“Thank you so much, they are lovely,” Rose took the pot.
“Would you like to have some tea? I’m actually having some already,” Rose asked.
“Sure, I would love to.
Rose walked with Mrs. Miller into the kitchen and turned the stove burner on under the teapot.
“It should only be a minute,” Rose set the tulips on the table.
“Would you like to sit in the living room?” Rose asked.
She and Mrs. Miller walked into the living room. Mrs. Miller sat in the pink wingback chair that she usually sat in when she visited Rose’s grandmother. She heard that Rose was moving in and wanted to come and give her condolences. Rose heard the teapot start to whistle and went into the kitchen.
She poured the water into both teacups and placed a tea bag in each one. On a tray, she put the two cups and a sugar jar and carried them into the living room. She placed the wood tray onto the coffee table and asked Mrs. Miller if she wanted any sugar.
“Only a teaspoon for me dear, I’m trying to watch my figure,” Mrs. Miller giggled.
Rose handed Mrs. Miller her tea and sat down on the sofa.
“You’ve known my grandma for a long time haven’t you?”
“Yes, I have… 40 years to be exact. Your grandmother and I spent a lot of time together.”
Mrs. Miller went on to tell Rose about one of the road trips that they took together. They drove her silver Cadillac convertible from where they are now in Wisconsin to Nashville Tennessee in one weekend. Rose’s grandma wanted to see Merle Haggard while he was there. She told her that her grandmother had a free spirit, and was always open to trying new things.
“Do you hear that?” Rose interrupted.
The two stayed quiet for a couple of minutes.
“I don’t hear anything dear,” Mrs. Miller looked at Rose.
“I could have sworn I heard some music,” Rose said.
Please join me again for more of Rose’s Ghost.
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