The next day, Purity and Bea got up early.  Prudence’s cat had been yowling and the girls kept shushing her.  They fed her from a cat food can they found in the pantry and then watched TV in the spacious living room.

“We should make Prudence breakfast,” said Bea.

“That’s a good idea,” said Purity. They got eggs out of the fridge and made their oldest sister scrambled eggs just as she had taught them to make.

Bea went out into the garden and cut a few roses off the bushes.  They also found a breakfast tray in the front coat closet and put their sister’s homemade breakfast on it.

“Don’t forget the coffee,” added Bea.

After they made the coffee, Purity carefully carried the tray down the hall to her oldest sister’s room.  They could hear the keys of her keyboard typing away, so they knew she was awake.  They opened the door.

“Happy Mother’s Day Prudence!” said the girls in unison.

“What a nice surprise!” said Prudence looking up.  The girls handed her the tray.  They moved Prudence’s laptop and ate their breakfast right there on the bed.

The day was filled with preparations for Prudence’s New Moon Celebration.  The house had already been cleaned, but the girls needed a bit of sprucing up.  Prudence had a professional manicurist come to the house to privately see to the girl’s beauty needs. They spent the morning taking showers if needed and getting their nails and feet done.

After the manicurist left, the girls decided to take a walk down to the marina to get some lunch.  The boats on the lake glided effortlessly along the still blue water.  It was cool to see everyone enjoying themselves.  Life by the lake seemed so relaxing.

The girls had pizza at a local pizza place.  And then walked back to Prudence’s house.

By this time, a party planner had come and gone. She had decorated the house with lots of new moon paraphenalia.

 

Bea and Purity were not necessarily fans of Twilight.  Neither was Prudence.  But they did love Christina Perri’s “Thousand Years,” song. It was playing in the background as they looked at all the neat party accoutrement (stuff).

https://youtu.be/M0xNVAy1gkQ

There were tears in Prudence’s eyes as she turned toward her sisters.

“This is a very special night tonight.  The women coming tonight, many of them don’t come out very often.  So, I hope you put your best feet forward and act like good hostesses tonight.  Be sure you smile and look at each person square in the eye when you meet her.  Shake hands with a strong, but gentle grip.  Please help me make sure all our guests get enough to eat and drink.  We want them to have a wonderful time.

A professional hair dresser showed up with her assistant around three o’clock and the girls got their hair done.  When they put on their dresses, the girls looked lovely.

“You both need just one more thing…” said Prudence.  She went into her jewelry case and brought out her ruby ring, earrings and necklace for Purity.

As she put them on her younger, but significantly taller sister, Prudence recited a part from the Bible:

“A woman of valor and bravery, seek her out.  For SHE is a prize above rubies.”

“These will be yours someday, Pure.  So that you NEVER forget your value.  You are worth that which is far above the price of rubies.  And…it is your birthstone. On that beautiful day in July, I saw you come into this world.”  Prudence reached to kiss her sister’s forehead.  Purity knelt down so that she could receive the kiss.  It was soft.  It was mother-like.  Purity straightened up taller than she had before and smiled.

“And you, Ms. Bea.  For you, there are pearls,” said Prudence.

Prudence opened one of her favorite books, Anne of Green Gables.

“But pearls are for tears, the old legend says,” Gilbert had objected.
“I’m not afraid of that,” said Anne.  “And tears can be happy as well as sad. My very happiest moments have been when I had tears in my eyes—when Marilla told me I might stay at Green Gables—when Matthew gave me the first pretty dress I ever had—when I heard that you were going to recover from the fever. So give me pearls for our troth ring, Gilbert, and I’ll willingly accept the sorrow of life with its joy.”

“We’ve had some sadness these last few years,” said Prudence. “Remember that joy accompanies sadness.  These will remind you to find the joy.  But you must have the “eyes” to see it.  Prudence reached to kiss Bea. Bea felt the soft kiss and she also smiled.

When the guests started to arrive, the house was a bustle with excitement.  It seems ALL the amazing strong women that Bea and Purity were introduced to knew of them and their situation.

“She talks about you all the time,” said Faith.  It was explained to Purity and Bea that Faith taught Special Education in a school close to Prudence.

“Have you seen ALL those posts?” pointed out Mavican.  Mavican was a college friend of Prudence’s.  She was studying for her doctorate in mental health practices.  And she was a domestic violence counselor.

Grandma and Aunt Bee also showed up.  They hugged Purity and Bea for a long time.  Aunt Bee was especially happy to see her nieces as she hadn’t seen her in so long.

Other women arrived…several older women, who were cloaked. They were very friendly, but they refused when Bea offered to take their cloaks to the front coat closet.   When they went outside, their cloaks became transparent.  In the slight moonlight, it almost looked as if the women disappeared.  Bea kept looking at them.

“Who are they?” Purity asked Aunt Bea.

“Just some ladies Prudence knows, I guess,” asked Aunt Bee.  “I don’t know.”

“Let’s get this party started!” said Prudence.  The food was brought out by a costumed waitress in a cloak.

The fires inside and outside were lit.  The women began drinking wine and enjoying themselves.

“What would you like to drink?” asked the waitress.