It's all okay!

Last evening, the daughter had gone for a party. The husband was still at work. I was browsing through my messages when I realized that I had missed wishing a dear friend on her anniversary. That would not end our friendship, I was sure, but I texted right away.  I am still unsure of her work timings as she hops between two places in London everyday. Our calls are usually on weekends.  But this was mid-week. We had a great day, her message whistled.  In a second, I found myself smiling involuntarily as her name flashed on my screen. How are you, I asked after the madness of our laughter subsided. Okay! She replied. She is one of those few friends whom I can connect with even after days or months of being out of touch. Her 'okay' makes my antennae go on high alert.  In 15 years I must have seen her worry or brood over anything hardly twice or thrice. Life has not always been smooth and happy for her either, but she is the happy bird spreading cheer.  The joke at our home is that if  the lady is upset, the husband or daughter need just to dial this friend! A two-hour long  chat laced with bouts of  laughter, many words left unsaid but understood, lead to a guarranteed mood change 360 degrees! So today, when this chirpy friend says just okay, it worries me.  She laughs in response to my query, ‘’All depends on what time of the day you ask me! It is now time to get back to work after lunch break and so it is just an okay J’’