Less than a minute later, I heard her voice float my way, “I heard you honey, I’m just pulling my garden gloves out so that I can unlock the door, alright?”

After a few rustling sounds on the other side of the door, I sensed she was trying to pull the door open. “Do you want me to push it in?” I called out.

“That could work!” she answered with a laugh.

“Stand aside!” I answered, and then laid my shoulder against the door. After leaning and thumping against it several times the door swung open.

The door opened into a lush garden, which surprised me given the extended drought that had befallen the Golden State. “I’m redoing my garden, trying to convert it to a more drought-resilient one,” Mrs. Morris explained as she walked slowly toward me. I extended a hand in greeting.

“I’m Aerin,” I said, stating the obvious.

“Sheryl Morris,” she answered with a friendly smile and shook my hand. “Please call me Sheryl.”

“Was I too early?” I asked.

“Yes, just a little, but that’s not a problem,” she answered.

“I didn’t realize this was just a mile and a half from my hotel!” I exclaimed. “Next time I could just jog or walk over.”

Sheryl chuckled. “You could do that if it’s early in the morning or from the early evening onwards. I wouldn’t suggest it if you wanted to stay fresh and came over during the day. It can get a little hot out here, you know.”

We continued to chat amiably as she led me into her welcoming home. She continued to talk about her plans for her garden and, as we walked into her kitchen, I told her a story about mine and Chris’ failed attempts to grow herbs in the garden of the terrace section of my penthouse.

“Do you want to have a look at Lance’s house?” she asked softly when we fell quiet as we sipped on the home-made minty iced-tea Sheryl had served us.

It was still Lance’s house, despite everything that had happened since Chris’ brother had passed.

I nodded after I drew a breath in and blew it out.

We walked a couple of houses down from hers and I stopped when she did. We were in front of a stunning home. I looked at Sheryl, mouth hanging open.