Maddie had put a thick vegetable beef soup on to simmer that morning. They had it for dinner along with a salad. Liza opened a bottle of wine she'd brought and they talked about everything except the elephant in the room. They had just gone to bed, settling in for the night, when headlights swept up the driveway. In less than a minute Liza was rapping on her door.
"Wake up, kiddo." Her voice was filled with excitement. "I think we have unexpected company."
Pulling on their robes, they hurried to the front door, Liza throwing it wide just as someone exited the ugliest station wagon Maddie had ever seen.
"Oh, my God!" Maddie shrieked. "Oh, my God. Oh, my God."
"No, not God," Jenna said. "Just your wandering sister. Sorry about the late arrival."
"Trust you to arrive in the middle of the night," Maddie said, laughing and crying at the same time."
"I can't believe you're actually here." Liza gave her an extra hug. "I thought you couldn't get back in time."