The bag of popcorn kernels sat on the counter, while the warmth spread through the metal pot. ’Renee salty or sweet this time?’ I called out to the living room.

’You’re sweet.’ Bette whispered while brushing past me in a bathrobe. ’She prefers salty, but you really didn’t have to go all out.’ She retrieved the scissors from the drawer and snipped off the price tag from the dress she held. ’I won’t be late. You know how these beneficiary dinners are. I will try to escape after dessert.’

’I told you, we will be fine. Try to enjoy.’

She grimaced and looked into the living room. Renee’s silver hair was carelessly sprawled out on a stack of fluffy pillows. Her glasses rested on her stomach, next to the papers. The last days she needed rest more often, then not. And cold. She was cold all the time. Bette returned her gaze to me. ’You look tired.’

’I am.’ With a quick twist of my wrist, I tore open the bag and poured the kernels into the pot, the soft sound of their landing echoing in the kitchen. ’Actually I’m considering to take a few weeks or so off. It’s a lot.’

’Maybe I should stay.’

’Don’t be ridiculous. Renee and I will watch a movie, we will have fun. Go!’ I said, but I didn’t want her to. Often in the past, wether the week had been hectic or not, we chose to stay in, instead of going out. We would pull the curtains down, order food, share a blanket and watch movie till we would fall asleep. This almost felt like the start of one of those nights.

I placed the lid on the pot, the glass window allowing me to catch glimpses of the kernels as they started to dance in the heat. It didn’t take long before I heard the first faint pop. The rhythmic sound of kernels bursting into life gradually picked up pace, filling the air with a comforting scent.