Page 44 of Finding Basil
“Matchmaking? You?”
“And why not me?”
Herb laughed but said, “Just don’t seem the type.”
Lila sat back, rubbing her belly after she finished her huge portion of food and said, “I may not seem the type, but like any decent person in the world, when we’ve known great love, we tend to want others to do the same.”
He’d seen the pictures of a much younger Lila with a handsome man, and their smiles invoked pure joy. “Your husband.”
“We never married, to be truthful. We never felt the need, but in every way except the legal one, yeah, he was my husband.”
It wasn’t everyone that a person could know in various ways. To the general population, meeting Lila, they’d see a rather cranky older woman, set in her ways, stubborn and forceful.
Herb was lucky in that he saw her in that moment too. Her eyes were soft as she thought of the love of her life. Her smilewas warm, melancholy, and her voice was like a songstress, harmonic and lilting.
He saw the years fade from her, and there was the young woman who was deeply in love, and knew what it meant to be with a true partner.
It was beautiful. She was beautiful.
“Lila, all I can say, then, is how grateful I am. To show me to a man that…possibly could be for me what your man was to you is the greatest gift anyone could have given me.”
“Love his family too,” she warned. “No matter what. That boy is a family man, through and through. He glows when he’s with them, like he does when he’s with you.”
“That’s not hard. They’re wonderful people.”
“They are that. And tough. They work hard and play hard.” She smiled awkwardly, then mentioned, “Speaking of the Jimenez family, uh, I’m going to help Basil’s grandma today make two quilts for the new babies’ bedroom wall.”
“Oh, that’ll be beautiful.”
“Yes, and quilting, it takes a long time. I’ll probably be gone, oh, until six or so.”
Herb nodded and said, “I’ll be at the house, cleaning up.”
“I’d rather you stayed around here, you know, watch the place, and, well, maybe ask Basil by to…you know, visit with you.”
Her eyes were shining with mischief, and Herb finally got the heavy hint she was throwing. “Oh. Oh, sure, watch over the place. It’s the least I could do.”
“Yes, it is. How else could you possibly repay my generosity?”
“I’d be an ingrate to deny you this favor.”
“Yes, you would,” she said as she rose and grabbed his empty plate.
“No, please, I’ll clean up. You go feed your chickens and get to quilting.”
“I like that. See ya later, Herb.”
He hurried to clean the kitchen and then he was on the phone, inviting Basil over for a day of love, like Lila had so casually insisted upon him having.
Basil giggled like a little kid at the invitation and the explanation. “She didn’t.”
“She never came out and said it, but that was the implication.”
“She’s terrible, but I love her. I’ll ask Abuela to make sure the quilting lasts a very long time.”
“Just don’t tell her why. I don’t want on her bad side.”
“No, you don’t.”
