The cold nips at my cheeks as I walk across the driveway.
I look up the road, check for unusual cars, and cross the street before sauntering to the back of her house.
“You sound like someone who would love to live here,” she says.
“Wouldn’t you?” I toss back at her.
“I don’t know,” she murmurs just as I near her place. “I like winter. Snow, cold nights. Long Island. I love squirrels,” she jokes. “And raccoons.”
“I’m sure they have plenty in Miami,” I joke.
“I’m not so sure,” she says, laughing.
“Not live there on a permanent basis,” I clarify.
“Are you testing me now?”
“Maybe…”
A few seconds pass as I follow the footpath to the back of the house.
“I love it,” she says pensively. “I’m in the bathtub now. It’s such a nice place.”
“ I know. Did you go anywhere today?”
“Uh… No. I mean, yes. I went out and took a stroll down the shore. I drank coffee and ate muffins on a terrace nearby, only because I wanted the company of people.”
“You didn’t drive anywhere?” I ask.
“No. Not yet. But I’ll drive. Don’t worry about me.”
She laughs at the other end of the line.
“I’m not worried…” I murmur.
“Other than that,” she continues, “I ordered sushi and took a nap.”
“Baby Raven…”
She laughs.
I chuckle too.
“You needed to rest,” I say seriously.
“Haha. So funny…” she says, amused.
I reach the back of the house.
“Okay. I’m here,” I say in a different voice.
“There’s a key,” she says while I’m looking at the nook in the wall.
I open the wooden box, extract the key, put it in the lock, shift it, and open the door.
“Let’s switch the video camera, so we know what we’re talking about,” I suggest, turning the lights on, and tapping my phone screen.
“Okay.”