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settled Mary into the recliner, complete with a pillow for her back, fleece blanket for her feet and a cup of tea at her side, when the doorbell rang. Before anyone could answer, Stanley let himself in, followed closely by a disapproving Rosie.
    “Stanley, you just don’t walk into someone’s home,” Rosie said, turning to Stanley and not acknowledging anyone else in the room.
    “It ain’t just anyone’s home, it’s Mary’s,” he argued.
    “But, it’s not polite,” she replied.
    “I rang the bell first,” he said. “So iffen she was doing something she didn’t want us to see, she had a chance to stop.”
    Mary chuckled. “Please come in, I insist.”
    Stanley nodded his head smugly. “See, she insists.”
    Rosie sniffed. “Well, of course she did, she’s polite.”
    Both of the sassy senior citizens had become Mary’s best friends during the few years she had lived in Freeport. Stanley was the fifth generation owner of Wagner’s Office Products and Rosie was a successful Real Estate broker in Freeport. They had not only become an essential part of Mary’s life and her private investigation team, they had also fallen in love with each other.
    The two slipped off their coats and laid them on the back of a chair before crossing the room to where Mary reclined on the couch. Rosie sat on the chair adjacent to her and Stanley perched on the chair’s arm.
    “How are you doing?” Rosie asked, leaning forward and placing her hand on Mary’s arm.
    Mary covered Rosie’s hand with her own. “I’m good,” she said. “And I have two of the best nursemaids in Freeport looking out for me.”
    “He ain’t trying to make you eat any foreign food, is he?” Stanley asked, sending a distrustful glance at Ian.
    “Oh, aye, I’ve been trying to force haggis and blood pudding down her throat,” Ian said. “But this big brute of a policeman won’t let me.”
    “Humph, he ain’t much better,” Stanley grumbled looking over at Bradley. “But at least he’s got some common sense and can speak English.”
    “Thank you, Stanley,” Bradley said. “Coming from you, I feel extremely complimented.”
    Stanley made his way over to Mary and crouched down next to the recliner. “It’s about time you decided to stop loafing around at the hospital and get back to the real world,” he said. “Some of us have important things to talk to you about.”
    “Oh, and what would that be?” Mary asked, lifting her eyebrows.
    Stanley blushed and shrugged his shoulders. “You tell her, Rosie,” he mumbled. “This here’s womanly talk anyhow.”
    Rosie leaned over and kissed Stanley on the cheek. “Isn’t he the sweetest thing?” she asked Mary.
    “Dang it woman, you can’t do that kind of stuff in public,” he stammered, getting up and walking across the room.
    “But Stanley, this isn’t public, this is Mary’s house,” Rosie replied with a smile.
    She turned back to Mary. “Mary, Stanley and I are engaged!”
    Mary’s jaw dropped with surprise. Her dearest friends, who constantly bickered at each other, finally realized how much they were in love. She felt tears well up in her eyes. “I am so happy for you,” she sniffed, “This is just so wonderful.”
    “Yeah, if it’s so wonderful, why are you bawling your eyes out?” Stanley asked.
    “Come here, you old curmudgeon and give me a hug,” she demanded.
    Stanley, his face slightly pink and his grin stretched from ear to ear, walked over and gave Mary a soft hug. “Congratulations,” she whispered in his ear. “She’s a lucky lady.”
    He shook his head. “ Naw , I’m the lucky one.”
    Stanley moved back and Rosie scooted forward. “I know you’re still recovering, but I have to know,” Rosie exclaimed. “Mary, would you be my maid-of-honor?”
    “Oh, I would be delighted,” she said.
    “Well, good,” Stanley grumbled. “Cause I ‘ spect there ain’t many women in this town who’d be able to work with my best man.”
    He nodded over