She sat on the bench at the bus stop, a smidgen too close to me.  She smelled of maple syrup and soap.  Her smile was relaxed in the way only people who smile often can pull off.

 

"Hot out here," she said, settling her big black purse in her ample lap.

 

"Sure is," I said.  I hated making small talk but I couldn't leave her hanging. I wasn't rude, just not social.

 

"Fall will be here soon enough."

 

It was July.  

 

"Time speeds up as you get older.  You're thinking I'm tetched in the head.  Don't worry, I'm not offended." Her laugh was light, delicate like the waterfall of piano keys.

 

"My mom says the same thing."

 

"Its true.  You're young, you're still on the first leg of your journey.  Just waiting for life to take off. The anticipation of possibilities has you aching to get going.  But when you get older, that clock starts speeding up and you start slowing down."

 

"Fall's my favorite time of year," I said. 

 

"I like 'em all."  She opened her purse and pulled out a roll of butter rum Lifesavers.  She peeled the wrapper back, and offered one to me.  "What's your favorite part of fall?"

 

I took a piece of candy and thought about her question before I popped it in my mouth.  "I love wearing sweaters and sweatshirts."

 

"I love the color of the wind."

 

"The color of the wind?"

 

"The leaves blow.  The wind is red and gold."

 

I nodded.  I'd never thought about it. It made total sense.

 

"Winter is blue and white.  Like a lacy curtain."

 

I closed my eyes and remembered the frosty windows on the car.

 

"The spring has crowns made of dandelions.  You ever make those?"

 

I shook my head no.

 

"My sisters and I used to weave dandelions together most every day.  Pretend we were princesses."

 

"My sister and I don't get along."

 

She looked over and frowned.  "You best make amends.  Time don't wait."

 

"We're complete opposites."

 

"Well, maybe you should look for common ground."

 

I shrugged.  "Maybe."

 

"Winter isn't anything like the summer.  And spring is when new life starts and autumn is when things start to die.  They're nothing alike.  But you need all the seasons.  You understand what I'm saying?"

 

"Do you get along with all of your sisters?"

 

She looked up at the cloudless sky.  "Oh, we did.  Thick as thieves when we were young'uns.  But Diane passed when she was just thirty.  Bea died last year.  It's only me and Martha left."

 

"Oh, I'm sorry."

 

"Don't be sorry.  Wasn't your fault.  I didn't always get along with them, but I loved them and prayed for them every night."

 

The bus came to a stop right in front of us.  "It was nice talking to you." I stood up and dug my bus pass out of my pocket.

 

"Good luck with your sister," she said. "You look for that common ground.  You'll see." She didn't stand up.

 

"Aren't you waiting for the bus?" I asked, stepping up through the open doors.

 

"I'll wait for the next one, honey."

 

I put the pass under the scanner.

 

"Remember, times a funny thing.  You never know how much you've got.  Say hello to your sister." She smiled and waved the bus driver on.

 

I settled into a seat and looked at my phone.  Common ground, she had said.  Find common ground.

 

When my sister and I were younger we used to make blanket forts in the living room and watch movies and eat popcorn, giggling over silly things.

 

Common ground.

 

I called her.  "Hey, I'm on my way home. Want to watch a movie?"

 

"I guess so." Her voice sounded hesitant.

 

"Grab as many blankets as you can and take them to the living room."

 

"Wait.  Why?  It's July."

 

"Think about it.  Why would we need blankets?  How else are we gonna build a fort?"

 

"Oh my gosh.  Blanket forts, are you serious?"

 

"I'll be there soon." I pressed end call and settled back on the seat.  I closed my eyes and thought about the days my sister and I used to be constant companions.  What had happened to us?  When did movies and blanket forts give way to barely acknowledging each other?

 

It didn't really matter.  All I could do was look for our common ground in a blanket fort on the living room floor.

 

Time was tricky in its own way.  But today, I was going to push rewind and go back to a time when all we needed was buttered popcorn, a stupid movie and my sister. Even if it was only for an hour.