The God that Lives in the Thrift Store

I phoned Sylvia at 9AM "Hi Sylvia, would you like to meet at Saint Teresa's Thrift Store in Blackstone? They're only open until 11AM, and it's 9AM now. I haven't walked Lily yet so I'll walk her over and meet you there."
"Sure, okay, she said. Her voice lacked energy. I was afraid she might bail. I kept looking at the traffic hoping to see her car, the silver Saturn sedan. I didn't recognize her when she walked in.
"You look thin! I said.
"Let's fatten you up, Deb said putting a baby Banana Cream pie in the bag.
"Here' have some of this, Deb said putting some pastries inside. Sylvia took a look at the sweaters and picked one out.
"That's a great color for you!" I said. I gave her a hug and sniffed her cheek."You smell good!" I said. laughing.
Lily and Riley played running in circles.
"At least they are the same size," I said. And they know each other.
Riley carried a teddy bear wet with drool in his mouth. "Lily would eviscerate any stuffed animals if I handed one to her, starting with biting off the plastic eyes," I volunteered.
Andrea walked in. "Holy smokes," I gasped. "I was just thinking about you living in your van for the winter. You've survived!" I said. "Are you still living in Woonsocket?"
"I got a place, with my boyfriend on Summer Street and it's only 400 dollars a month, Andrea said.
"Thank God, I was worried about your living in the van."
"Our apartment has two bedrooms a double parlor and a pantry," she said.
"That sounds perfect," I said. "Good for you. And I am so glad you know Deb," I said.
I took Riley and Lily out to pee in the yard near the building. When I returned Deb had taken Sylvia aside and got her a few big bags of food to take home; dried black cherries, brown rice, raisin bran, canned fruit, canned beans, peanut butter, whole wheat organic pasta and more.
I found a hounds tooth Liz Claiborn jacket with a satin lining. "Try it on, Sylvia. "It looks great on you," I said. Deb stuck it in the pile. Sylvia found a pink satin half slip and some fuzzy socks.
Deb teared up when she saw the socks. "These were my mother's," she said holding them to her cheek.
"Good tears!" I said.
"Yes, good tears. I'm glad they will have a new home!" Deb said.
We said thank you and goodbye.
Sylvia opened her car and Lily and I hopped in. Sylvia drove down the street to my house and I made hot herb tea. She was cold after being in the unheated church. We shared slices of the banana cream pie on small white oval diner plates. The old ladies tea, I thought. We laughed and told stories about our mean mothers and then we each had another sliver of pie.
"Save the last slice for Bill!" she insisted. "I'm going to check up on you, and make sure you did," she said and we both laughed. "If I see any whipped cream on your face, I'll know you ate it!" She said.
"I've got to go home and rescue Lucy," Sylvia said newly cheered up and her old energized self.
"Okay, I'll check on you in a few days!" I said blowing her kisses as she spun out of the driveway.