Falling Star

by Laura DeLuca

  Sharon flung open the door and they all found themselves face to face with a soggy Elisa. The rain must have gotten heavier since their arrival because the short jog across the yard left Elisa’s hair and clothes soaked. Luckily, the bag she had under her arm was water proof, but her jeans and baby-T clung to her skin even more than usual. Their friend didn’t mind her waterlogged condition. She had a huge grin on her face as she shook the water out of her short black hair. With almost feline agility, she rubbed her feet against the welcome mat to remove the excess mud before stepping into the living room.

  “Now I know you wouldn’t have a sleepover and forget to invite me.” She dropped her bag onto the floor. “Everyone knows I’m the life of the party, and I sure as hell ain’t missing out on Sharon’s pumpkin wine.”

  “I was actually planning to call you as soon as we had dinner ready,” Sharon admitted. “I wouldn’t think of leaving you out. Drew, how about you come help me carry these pizza trays into the dining room. I’d ask Lainey, but after the board game incident, I think you may be the safer choice. Then we can get this party started.”

  Drew jumped to attention, greeting Elisa with a small nod before following Sharon to the kitchen to retrieve dinner. Elisa stood in the doorway studying Erin and Lainey, her forehead creased with worry. “You girls didn’t think I’d let you deal with all this mess without me here for backup, did you? Whatever happens, we’re in this together. Sharon and I will make sure you have someplace to go.”

  For the first time since the news of the encroaching storm, Lainey finally let it hit her full force. Tears clouded her vision when she considered all she could lose—her home, her job, her old high school, her favorite hangouts. If the eye of the storm hit Cape May County, all of that could be washed away. But when she counted all the blessings she had right within these walls, a few tears actually slid down her cheeks. She was so lucky to have this loving circle of women to turn to. They were her rock in all sorts of weather.

  Erin must’ve had the same thought at the same moment because they both flew across the room, and soggy clothes be darned, wrapped their arms around Elisa. Sharon had also emerged from the kitchen and before long there was a four-way huddle in the foyer. It might’ve looked like an awkward group hug to their small audience, but in that circle Lainey had never felt so protected. With her sisters, she could survive anything life had to throw at her, even a category three hurricane.

  “Sisters stand strong together,” Sharon whispered. “We will get through this. No matter what happens tomorrow, everything is going to be all right.”

  Somehow, when Sharon said it, Lainey knew it was true.

  Chapter Fourteen

  “This was from back in nineteen-seventy-seven. It was one of the coldest winters on record for these parts, and the Delaware Bay; that’s out there by the cement ship, actually iced over.” Blanche pointed to a photo of a much younger version of herself bundled up on the beach next to a handsome man in a fedora. The waves by her feet were frozen in place. “I heard rumors a few of the local teenagers at the time walked out on the ice and touched the old boat, but I never saw proof of any such shenanigans, and I certainly was wise enough not to try something so foolhardy.”

  “Wow!” Sharon grinned as she flipped gently through the old album. Strips of tape, yellowed with age, were the tentative glue that held the pictures against the black pages. “I’ve heard stories like that, but I always assumed they were tall tales. I never thought I’d see proof!”

  Drew peeked over Lainey’s shoulder at the pictures being passed around the coffee table. After a few classic board games, they’d turned to a different type of nostalgia. Blanche shared images of her long life, starting with portraits of her husband’s grandfather who died during the construction of the Cape May Bridge. She swore his body was preserved somewhere within the hardened cement. She also had photos of when the trains still ran through most of the barrier islands and even a few of the lost city of South Cape May, which was completely destroyed when the nor’easter of ‘62 claimed it as its victim. Probably not the most comforting fireside story considering they were in the midst of a hurricane, but no one had the heart to discourage her storytelling. Even if some of her tales were exaggerated, Blanche was definitely more entertaining than the last five films Drew had starred in.

  Listening to Blanche’s story of the bay freezing over had Drew shivering, even though he sat closest to a roaring fire. He was already freezing and couldn’t imagine what it would be like to stand outside in such frigid temperatures. Los Angeles had spoiled him in that respect, and even his hometown in Athens, Georgia had pretty mild winters. It was still intriguing to imagine waltzing out to the spot where the ocean met the bay and walking on the frozen water. Getting goose bumps again at the visual, he took a long sip of wine in the hopes it would warm his blood. Drew wasn’t sure how many bottles they’d gone through so far. Maybe two. Maybe five. But two things were certain—the pumpkin wine had run dry hours ago and most of the group, including Drew, had a pretty decent buzz going on.

  “Well, ladies and gentlemen, I must say, this is the latest I’ve stayed up in a decade.” Blanche yawned and shut her final photo album. “If you’ll excuse me, I think I’m going to turn in for the evening.”

  “Of course, Blanche,” Sharon approved. “I’ll do my best to keep the rest of this crowd quiet so you can get some rest.”

  “Oh don’t worry about me, dear.” She tapped her earlobes. “I can’t hear a darn thing without my aids. Feel free to get as rowdy as you like. I’ll sleep right through it.”

  Blanche pulled herself up from the recliner, refusing the offer of Lainey’s hand with a dismissive wave. Everyone wished her a goodnight before she vanished up the stairwell. A few even lifted their glasses in salute, but Elisa raised what was left of the most recent wine bottle to her lips and took a long swig.

  “So what’re we gonna do now, people?” Elisa rubbed her hands together expectantly. “I say it’s time to take things to the next level.”

  “As long as we keep the volume level down.” Erin nudged Elisa’s arm and pointed to Nate, who was curled up in his sleeping bag, completely oblivious to the somewhat inebriated adults surrounding him. “Blanche might be able to sleep through a ruckus, but Nate isn’t that heavy of a sleeper.”

  Of the whole party, Erin had indulged the least since the evening began and if Drew’s sum was correct, she was still nursing her second glass. Drew assumed Nate’s presence forced her to keep herself in check. He’d stopped trying to count for everyone else a long time ago. Even Lainey had sampled far more than he’d seen her drink since their meeting. He understood now why she normally abstained. Every few seconds his girlfriend giggled behind her hand, even if no one said anything funny—a few times when no one said anything at all. Drew didn’t mind though. He enjoyed learning about all the little quirks in her personality. The more he discovered, the more he adored her. If they were alone, he definitely would already be taking advantage of her. There was no doubt about it. A few more drinks, and he might not even care if they had an audience.

  “I have an idea!” Lainey announced and waited until she was certain all eyes were on her before continuing in a conspirative whisper. “I think we should play Truth or Dare. That was our favorite game in high school. Right, Erin?”

  Elisa tossed her hair. “How is that the next level? Seems like regression to me.”

  “I think it’s a great idea!” When more than one person raised an eyebrow in her direction, Sharon continued. “No, really. Sometimes a little truth is good for the soul, even if it is in the form of a game.”

  “Uh-huh. But what about the dares?” Erin demanded. “I don’t know about you, but I’m not howling at the moon in my underwear tonight.”

  “I never do the same dare twice,” Lainey reminded her. “I’m much more creative than that. Besides, you can’t even see the moon tonight.”

  “Oh yeah, smarty pants?” Erin raised an eyebrow. “You’re not
the only one with original ideas. I seem to recall someone spending the evening with a dill pickle shoved in her bra at one of our high school parties. And let’s not forget the time Little Miss Vegetarian ate a can of cat food.”

  “Yes, yes.” Lainey sputtered between bouts of laughter. “And that guy, Tony ... he wore your bra on the outside of his shirt ... and ... and...”

  Lainey hooted so uncontrollably at the old memories, she stumbled and fell backward off the sofa. Erin, now chuckling herself even though she was completely sober, offered a hand to tug her friend back onto her spot. When Lainey accidentally snorted, they laughed even harder while Elisa shook her head in exasperation and Sharon cheered them on. Drew, stuck in the middle of everything, couldn’t help but feel out of place. He also wasn’t sure how he felt about a game of Truth or Dare when he was outnumbered by the female gender four to one. Of course, no one gave him a vote.

  “Okay, okay. Enough reminiscing about the good old days with your dorky private school friends. If we’re going to do this, I’m going first.” Elisa sniffed. “And since Lainey started this nonsense, she’s going to be my first victim. So how’s about it Lainey? Truth or dare?”

  Lainey stuck out her tongue. “You don’t scare me. Dare.”

  “All right then, lightweight.” Elisa shoved the wine decanter under Lainey’s nose. “Finish off this wine in one long gulp.”

  “No problem.” Lainey grabbed the bottle from Elisa, giving it a tentative shake. It was nearly a quarter full. “I can totally handle this.”

  “Chug! Chug! Chug!”

  Erin began the chant, but soon the other girls joined in. Drew went along with it too, pumping his fist and all. Lainey had been so stressed about the hurricane, it was good to see her unwind and have fun. The silly game was a distraction for all of them.

  “Come on, Aunt Lainey,” Nate mumbled from his sleeping bag. “Drink it already so everyone shuts up.”

  “Maybe we should move the party to the dining room,” Sharon suggested. “In case our challenges get too truthful for young ears.”

  “Good idea,” Erin agreed. “We don’t want Lainey puking on his head either. We all know this girl can’t drink.”

  “Ha!” Lainey challenged. “We’ll see about that!”

  It took a moment for them to transfer their glasses and flashlights from the living room to the dining area. Everyone claimed one of the padded wooden chairs, but before Lainey took her seat at the vintage table, she tilted the wine bottle. The cheering resumed as her throat muscles loosened and constricted with the effort of swallowing the constant flow. A few dark red drops dribbled along the corners of her lips, but she kept at it. Seconds later, she slammed the empty bottle down on the table and wiped her mouth on the back of her hand.

  “Wooooo! Damn, I haven’t done that since college!” Lainey exclaimed, as her friends broke into a round of congratulatory applause. “I didn’t think I still had it in me.”

  “Now I dare you to stay awake another two hours,” Erin teased. “That would be a real accomplishment.”

  “Oh no, you don’t. No cutsies. It’s my turn.” Lainey glanced around the table at each potential victim. Her gaze lingered on Drew for only a second before she leaned over to kiss his cheek. “I’ll get you next time,” she promised, and Drew breathed a sigh of relief as she turned to her best friend and co-worker. “So Erin, truth or dare?”

  Erin folded her arms. “Truth.”

  “Wimp!” Elisa chimed in. “That’s so boring, especially when there isn’t anything about you we don’t already know.”

  “No, no. It’s okay. I’ve got something.” Lainey gave Erin a wicked smile. “Erin, have you ever kissed a girl?”

  “Cue the Katie Perry music!”

  Elisa didn’t waste a moment taking her own suggestion and burst into an out of tune chorus line while Erin chewed thoughtfully on her lower lip. She double-checked over her shoulder at least three times, presumably to make sure Nate was still asleep, before she finally moved her lips to answer. Lainey and Sharon waited expectantly, and Drew’s ears pricked with curiosity. After all, what guy didn’t have that fantasy? From the way Erin’s cheeks flushed, he had a fairly good guess as to what her response would be.

  “Does it count if she kissed me?” Erin asked. “Even if it wasn’t reciprocated?”

  “What?” Beside him, Lainey shrieked so loud it made Drew’s ears ring. “Oh my God! You never told me about that!”

  “We did spend four years in different states in college,” Erin reminded her. “And I went to an all-girl’s school. Besides we all have our secrets. Keeps things interesting. Speaking of which. It’s my turn. So, Sharon.” She turned to their host. “Truth or dare?”

  Sharon didn’t hesitate for a moment. “Truth.”

  “Okay then,” Erin considered her question. “I want to know the craziest thing you’ve ever done.”

  “Hmmm. Let me think about that.” Sharon put her chin in her hand and tapped the tabletop with her fingers. “Something crazy?”

  “Stop stalling now, Sharon,” Elisa insisted. “Tell us about those topless lap dances or the time you ate mushrooms just that once.”

  Sharon laughed. “I’m afraid I’ve never done anything quite that crazy. But there was this one time back in the nineties ... a few friends and I had a second story apartment at the very edge of North Philadelphia. It was freezing that winter and I had an old orange hatchback that was hard to start. It needed a new battery and the severe cold every night really depleted it. Well, payday was over a week away and I didn’t have money for a new one. So, to help stretch the life of the battery, when I got home each night, I opened up the car hood, disconnected the battery, and carried it upstairs to the apartment to keep it warm. The next morning, I’d take the battery downstairs, reconnect it, start the car easily, and off to work I’d go! All of this happened on a busy street, in full view of passersby who never said a word to the woman possibly stealing a battery out of a car. So up and down my battery and I went for a week; sometimes I had to park a distance away because you know how street parking can get tight in the city. Let me tell you, batteries get heavy to lug around! Finally, payday arrived and the adventure of the traveling battery was over, but it was an escapade my roommates never let me forget!”

  “That’s not quite the definition of crazy I was hoping for ... but still a good story.” Erin tipped her glass in Sharon’s direction. “I can completely visualize you dragging a car battery all around Philadelphia.”

  “Hey, I wouldn’t even know how to take out my battery, so she’s doing better than me.” Lainey giggled.

  Drew found the story pretty impressive, more so than a story about a lap dance or experiments with a hallucinogenic. He knew plenty of people who did both on a regular bases, and not one of them were worth a second thought. Sharon was obviously a woman who could take care of herself. Maybe it was only the wine, but Drew began to see a more animated, take-no-bullshit side to Lainey’s friend. In fact, this whole diverse group of ladies each had their own unique personalities that made them all stand out in a crowd. Drew couldn’t think of anyone in Hollywood who was their equal.

  “So Drew...” Sharon cast her gaze in his direction, as though she read his mind. Drew almost choked on the wine he’d lifted to his lips. “I hope you didn’t think you’d get to be a spectator in all this. What will it be? Truth or dare?”

  Drew took another sip from his glass to give himself more time to think. He certainly wasn’t prepared to moon the whole room or eat something questionable, but he also knew a question could be dangerous territory when there were so many half-truths lingering between him and Lainey. Somehow, Drew was pretty certain airing that out in front of her friends would only make matters worse.

  “Bawk. Bawk.” Elisa clucked and flapped her arms. “Someone is afraid to take on the girls.”

  “Truth.”

  The word slipped out of Drew’s mouth before he realized he’d said it, but it was too late to take it b
ack now. The way Sharon’s eyes sparkled with mischief, he wondered if she’d somehow taken control of his body for a moment, forcing his lips to form the one word he never should’ve spoken. On the bright side, Sharon was probably the most docile of Lainey’s friends. Erin would surely think of something terrible to ask, and Elisa would’ve buried him alive no matter what option he chose. At least with Sharon, he stood a fighting chance. He hoped...

  “Drew.” Sharon studied him for at least a full minute before finally phrasing her question. Drew wondered if there were beads of perspiration forming on his forehead. This was worse than an interview with a late night talk show host. “If you could go back and change one decision you’ve made in your life, what would it be?”

  Now, that wasn’t too bad. Still, Drew considered his answer, fighting back the drowsiness from too much alcohol which muddied his thought process. He wanted to stick with the rules and answer honestly, but it was tricky in this case. Outside the wind howled and the overhead lamp gave a sympathetic flicker, as though they understood his dilemma.

  “I wish I hadn’t sold out,” Drew finally admitted. “There was a time when I really enjoyed what I did and couldn’t wait to go to work in the morning. I wish I kept doing what I loved, creating art that had meaning to me, instead of worrying about how big the paycheck was.”

  Across the table, Elisa raised an eyebrow. “I thought you were the lighting guy or something. How much art is really involved with flipping a switch?”

  Silence followed and Drew swallowed hard. Everyone stared at him, including Lainey, as though expecting him to elaborate. His head started to ache again and he felt a little queasy. He would’ve loved to blame it on the alcohol, but in reality it was just his conscience. Had he given himself away? Was everyone there about to catch him in his lies?

  The quiet around them grew so thick, Drew could hear the crackle and pop of the wood in the fireplace coming from the living room. He was about to try to cover up his mistake when a pure act of God saved him from making an even bigger fool of himself. The lights flickered a few more times before finally going out altogether.