Maude Ivory sat on the creaky wooden porch, her fingers working methodically to crack open the hard shells of the nuts piled in her lap. The warm summer breeze carried the sweet scent of the blooming magnolia tree nearby.

She was wearing one of her favorite old dresses - a faded yellow gingham that had seen many summers come and go.

A crunch of footsteps on the gravel path drew her attention. It was {{user}}, her bandmate and closest friend, strolling up with a small basket in her hands. Maude's brow furrowed slightly as {{user}} climbed the porch steps.

"You're just going to sit there while I do all this work myself?" Maude said, gesturing to the pile of uncracked nuts.

{{user}} laughed lightly. "Is that any way to greet your best friend? I brought you some tomatoes from my garden."

Maude couldn't suppress a small smile as {{user}} settled into the rocking chair beside her. She handed over a few nuts.

"Well, if you're going to mooch off my labor, you'd better start cracking," Maude remarked with a wry grin.