If it is too good to be true....it is probably a fraud.

Ron Weber

During the night, another storm passed over the settlement, and the loud thunder kept Lisa awake. The full moon shone brightly through her curtains. Maybe she should get one made of this opaque fabric, even though she didn't like the thought of a completely lightless room. It wasn't until breakfast that she realized she'd forgotten to buy milk and the cereal with orange juice wasn't a good premise to 'make it the best day of your life'. Good conditions to tackle a surprise visit to Grandma Trude. Her life would be a lot easier without those annoying visits and maybe this time Grandma would be softened to stop this nonsense. Hope, as we all know, died last.

Lisa chose a cappuccino-colored wool dress and for once made an effort with her hairstyle. Just as she was about to start the engine of her Renault, her cell phone rang. For Sarah, she activated her hands-free device and parked out.

"Hey, sweetie!" it sounded from the speaker.

"Hey, bunny. What's up?"

"I just wanted to remind you that I made reservations at Sausalitos for tomorrow night. Girls' night out!"

Lisa laughed and turned away. "Great, I'm looking forward to it. 5 p.m., cocktail hour?"

"Of course. Jacob's coming too, but can't stay long because he's getting a delivery to the gallery the next day."

Snorting, Lisa stopped at a red light. "He shouldn't make such a fuss, after all, I'm on duty the next day too."

"Don't you have to be sober then?"

"Basically yes, but we have our community care day. That means an outing. Besides, I don't plan on getting pointlessly drunk."

Sarah giggled. "Of course, we always get drunk sensibly."

"Of course. And how are things going for you?" Lisa glanced at her watch and shifted into the fast lane. 09:45 a.m. "Shouldn't you be teaching?" Abruptly, she slowed down as the car in front of her changed lanes.

"The chicks were so amped up today. Probably because of the thunderstorm or the full moon. Or both. I don't know. I gave them a work assignment and sent them to the library."

Lisa nodded. The full moon might also explain why the people around her were driving so lousy. "Geez, Sarah, these aren't chicks. They're junior police officers."

"Not yet. Not by a long shot. Until they've been on the road a day, they're just chicks. How about you?"

"I'm going to Grandma Trude's now. Guess what, another one came to my house yesterday. I don't know where she always gets them."

"Maybe a personal ad?"

"You don't joke about that!" Lisa again swerved to avoid a driving man who cut her off. "You plug-in impregnator - learn to drive!" she bellowed.

"All right, honey. I didn't know that one yet. Is that even anatomically possible?" Sarah laughed.

"Anyway, good luck with Grandma Trude - knowing her, you'll need it!"

With a snort, Lisa said goodbye at the exact moment she reached the parking lot in front of the Birkenheim senior residence. She found a parking space, got out, and eyed the venerable brick building with a sinking feeling in her stomach. Even though it radiated a certain calm, it was still no home. Before the summer, everything had a fit. Her brother Niklas and Lisa had visited Grandma Trude regularly, taking turns driving her to the hairdresser or into town and shopping with her. Niklas had even mowed the lawn, a pleasure that now belonged to Lisa. But one Sunday in April, Grandma Trude had called them both over to tell them about the retirement home - no, the senior citizens' residence. Lisa entered the Birkenheim through the main entrance and turned immediately to the left, toward the stairwell.

Grandma Trude had wiped away all arguments. Being cared for by her family was not an option. Now she could still take advantage of the benefits. Excursions, bingo afternoons, visits to the hairdresser. Besides, her canasta group was going to visit the Birch Home as a group, and her grandmother would be the one to start it off. That settled the issue for her grandmother. Her feet echoed on the linoleum floor as she hurried up the steps. An older gentleman approached her, winking happily. Yes, the Birkenheim was great, thank you very much.

In the weeks that followed, Grandma Trude had arranged her finances to prevent any ambiguity about her wishes after her death. Niklas and Lisa received the bear's share of her inheritance, which had been clear to everyone else involved. Except her. After all, Trude had raised them both. But there was also enough left over for Uncle Peter and his children so that the distribution went peacefully. On the second floor, Lisa entered the hallway to assisted living.

Lisa had had no idea how wealthy her enterprising grandmother had actually been. The bottom line was that Lisa had then gotten her grandma's little house and Niklas could finally fulfill his dreams of taking a sabbatical and 'really travel', whatever that meant. His job as a journalist in the social policy and health section of the local newspaper had stolen so much of his zest for life, and the time off did him good, even if he missed it.

Her grandmother's corner room was at the very back of the hall. On the walls hung numerous paintings by well-known artists. No one answered her knock. Of course, Grandma Trude had gotten the most beautiful room. She didn't even care, but people just ticked like that, it was natural. When she heard footsteps, she turned and looked into the warm brown eyes of Grandma's favorite sister, Sabine. "She's in the yellow parlor. There's a bingo meeting today." Lisa thanked her and continued to wander the wide hallways. Alcoves always beckoned with cozy sitting areas or old furniture.

The door to the yellow salon was open and Lisa took a look inside. There was a lively hustle and bustle among the older people - they were constantly changing tables and looking at the cards of their fellow players. Whereby these didn't seem to be playing cards, the shape was different.
"44 spoken for!" an energetic voice rang out and Lisa looked at the white-haired speaker, but she didn't know her. Some of the audience grumbled in displeasure and continued to scurry around the room.

At one table, she spotted Grandma Trude frantically discussing with an older man. Her silver hair lay arranged in perms around her head, with only a single white strand falling into her forehead. Although her grandmother was quite small, her presence radiated something energetic. Strange that anyone should contradict her. The man next to her grandmother shook his head and said something, to which Grandma Trude glared at him. Probably now she should save either her grandma or more likely the contrite-looking gentleman. Lisa entered. "Twelve forgiven!" the white-haired woman in the center of the room announced, eliciting a few whistles. The seniors in the room seemed to be having lots of fun.

When she reached about the middle of the room, the elders fell silent one by one and stared at her. The back of her neck prickled.

Grandma Trude looked guilty as she quickly gathered her papers and hurried toward Lisa. Just like when she had hosted that surprise party and lied to Lisa. "Lieschen, my darling. How lovely to see you. And so unexpected." Lisa's hair stood up. Something was up. She peered over the shoulder of a gentleman sitting next to her, watching as he just slid a few photos under his pad. Meanwhile, Grandma Trude had reached her and was maneuvering her toward the door.
"Grandma, listen. What's this?"

"Oh, nothing, dear, just killing time." The cogs were turning in Lisa's head and when they reached the door, the scales fell from her eyes. There had been young people in the photos. Women. Men. Like her.

"Wait a minute, are you guys playing some kind of grandchild bingo? Is this where you get the weird guys who always ring my doorbell?"

Rigorously, Grandma Trude pulled the door shut behind them. "Well, dear, who's going to shriek?"

Then she hooked up with Lisa and led the recalcitrant to her living area. "Grandma, now answer me!"

"Dear, I'm going to make us some nice tea first. You seem groggy. Did you have a bad night's sleep?"

"Grandma, seriously. Are you going to send men over to me that someone here is selling you as a jackpot?" Her grandmother unlocked her door and pushed her in vigorously. Lisa flopped down on the small sofa and added. "They're all duds. So, yesterday you sent a rocker over to me. Motorcycle and all. I thought you hated motorcycles?"

Grandma snorted quite unamused. "I do, but desperate times call for desperate measures."

"There's nothing desperate here!" Lisa didn't know whether to laugh or scream.

Her grandma gave her one of her perfected look-of-steel. "If only you would agree to meet one of the young men, too ..."

"He wasn't young, he was almost fifty!"

"Really? Well, John obviously embellished a little more than he expected. Well, if you met more men actively, there would be more left over for you than the committee we now have to make do with."

"Do we have to?" Lisa couldn't believe it. Her grandma Trude, of all people, knew that she just wasn't cut out for relationships. Time and again she had explained to her the reasons why there was no man in her life. Why she didn't need one to be happy. Relationships might have worked in her grandmother's day, but not today. Everything that was important to her, trust, politeness, humor, were certainly no longer found in men who defined the length of their fidelity by bra size.
"Honey, you're not getting any younger. I'm not getting any younger. And I just want to meet my adorable great-grandchildren before it's too late."

Lisa's anger fizzled out completely and she gave the old lady a big hug. "Grandma, you're probably going to live to be a hundred. We still have so much time."

Grandma Trude hugged her tightly. Then she broke away to make tea.

Lisa just shook her head. "I thought you weren't allowed to have electronic devices in your room here."

"I don't remember that." Her grandmother flipped the lever and returned to place two teacups on the table. They waited in silence until the water began to boil.