Minnie Goes to Heaven (58)

(a novel continued)

Minnie and John both woke up at five Saturday morning.
"It must be time for breakfast," John said.
"I think so," Minnie said.
"Bacon and eggs."
John put four strips of bacon in the microwave and fried up two eggs, over easy, just the way they liked them.
Minnie set the table.
"Hershal himself couldn't have done a better job, " Minnie said when John brought the food into the dining room.
"You haven't tasted this yet."
"The smell alone tells me." 

They sat side-by -side enjoying every bite. "We should fast more often," Minnie said.
“I love you.” John said.

They kissed. “Remember how our kids didn’t want us to kiss in front of them?” John said.

“They said it was gross.” .

“It’s  not,” John kissed her again.

“Do you know that the bay is frozen over already?” Minnie said.

“Do you want to go skating?”

"We'll have to wait until it's light out."
"How about this afternoon when it's warmer."
They found their skates in the basement on a shelf behind the furnace. John’s blades were sharp, shiny and ready to go. Minnie’s blades had rust on them. “Shoot, I let Nan use them last year. I forgot to check them when she brought them back.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll sharpen them up.” John took the skates out to his workshop and had the blades sharp and almost shiny in less than twenty minutes. 
They dressed in warm sweaters and drove down to the bay. Several dozen people were skating up and down, avoiding bumpy spots and the game of pick-up hockey over to the left. “Do you want to play?” Minnie asked John.
"If only I had my stick." John said. "He took Minnie's hand to show her he wasn't serious about the hockey.

They had skated around in a large circle on the smoothest part of the ice several times when Minnie noticed a  familiar face. “I know that woman,” she said to John, "not the man with her, but the woman."

“Go say hi.”

“I can’t do that, I don’t know her.”

“You just said you know her.”

“But, I don’t know how.”

“Ask her who she is?”

“That’s totally embarrassing. What if I only think I know her?”

“At least you'll find out.”

They skated past the couple again. The woman nodded at Minnie.

“She must know me.”