Betty & Doris

Was it really true? Betty did her best not to show it on her face, but she was completely devastated for her close friend Doris. True, they hadn't been the closest for some time now, but ever since Doris' husband, Bill showed up in Betty's back yard (unsure where he was or even who she was)...Betty had made an effort to be there for Doris.

First, she was certain her sons Draco and Nico would make some quick decisions about their father. They had to have plan about their father.  Yet, it was more wait and see. They didn't want to rush in, to anything. Unfortunately, time marched on and there were little revelations that were becoming more prevalent.

1. Their father had some debt. Part of it..perhaps a lot more than they wanted to admit, his gambling.

2. The house was rundown. There hadn't been an upkeep.

3. Bill did have a good pension (after all, he'd been a cop) But was it enough? For the help that he needed now with his Alzheimer's?

Doris had been a high school secretary once. She'd worked part-time with the school system, off and on.  As of late, she hadn't worked in years.

Betty felt she was watching Doris crumble before her eyes. She spent sleepless nights with a man who wanted to wander. Between the two of them, they kept him on de-caff coffee and hiding his car keys from him.

Yes, he'd taken off in the car. Luckily, he'd only hit some orange cones and it didn't get reported.

Doris supposed it was time to sell the car. She never liked driving, anyway.

It was easy to see Doris was dependent on a man, who was too harsh, in Betty's eyes. She never witnessed him being actually kind to his wife. Betty saw someone gruff and practically an alcoholic. He always ate what he wanted, which wasn't the healthiest of foods.

"I never really liked him, even when he was sane." Betty confessed. She knew of his extra-martial behavior. "You, are truly a saint to put up with him, as long as you have."

Yes, a part of her wanted to tell Doris to kick him to the curb. But she told her, it was time for her to sell the house and get him into a place where he could be kept from making anymore disasters. Of course, it would leave nothing for Doris.

"You'll, just have to move in with me." Betty thought it was time to make some changes, this summer.