by Judith Keim
“I had no idea,” Carol Ann whispered. “Did you, Sukie?”
Sukie nodded. “Some. It’s not good, especially when it’s all said and done in a smooth, sophisticated way. Strangers wouldn’t suspect it’s so bad. Image is everything to the family and Tiffany has been told she’s not to let anyone else know anything about the family situation.”
“We have to be there for her, help her in any way we can.” Betsy studied each one of them in turn. “Right?”
“I’m there,” Sukie said.
“Me, too.” Carol Ann looked sheepish.
“You bet your ass.” Lynn flexed her fingers as if she wanted to punch someone out. Studying the ferocious look on her face, Sukie suspected Lynn could do just that. It gave Sukie some comfort to know Lynn was so strong.
“I had a friend in the same kind of situation,” said Karen. “We have to be very careful not to make circumstances worse for her than they already are.”
Tiffany returned to the circle. “Beau doesn’t know I’m here. I told him I was sitting outside on the patio at home which is why I didn’t hear the home phone ring. But I can’t stay too late.”
Betsy checked her watch. “Well, let’s make the time count. Our pizza should be here soon.”
“So, Sukie, are you going to tell us about you and Cam?” Carol Ann asked.
It seemed like a good time to get it all out in the open. Sukie held nothing back. She told them how her children had reacted to the relationship, Ted’s objections, the gossip she’d overheard from women in the neighborhood, her encounter with Debbi, and Edythe Aynsley’s threats to her job.
“The final blow was when Cam referred to me as a babysitter with privileges. That really hurt. So I’ve ended it. It just seemed like the sensible thing to do.” Sukie’s stomach knotted at the memory of his car roaring down the street, away from her.
“Whoa,” said Tiffany. “Don’t you think you might have made a mistake? Cam was teasing about the babysitter bit, wasn’t he?”
“I don’t think so. He’s eight years younger than I am...”
“Pooh!” said Karen. “Age means nothing when you reach a certain point. You started having children early and he’s a little late. So what?”
“There’s got to be more than that going on with you,” said Betsy.
Sukie reached inside for some deeper answers. “I guess the real issue is that I can’t believe he’d want me when he could have his pick of anyone. And my children are upset by the idea, more so than I would’ve guessed. I can’t do anything to destroy my relationship with them.”
“I know what you mean,” Betsy commiserated. “Richie moved in with me for a few days while he and Sarah were fighting, but he couldn’t wait to leave when I finally told him about Karen and me.”
Karen shook her head. “I tried to tell her not to discuss it with him, not while he had so many problems of his own to work out.”
“Richie took it all wrong, told me I’d destroyed the memory of his father and that he wasn’t sure he could ever forgive me.” Betsy took a tissue from her pocket and wiped her eyes. “I’m sorry, Sukie. Here we are, come together to cheer you up, and we’ve all ending up crying or coming close to it.”
Sukie took hold of Betsy’s hand. “Isn’t that what friends are for? Sharing laughter and tears?” She turned to the others. “We have to stay together and be strong. For each one of us. Right?”
The other women nodded.
Betsy put away her tissue and gave them a devilish grin. “Strong? It reminds me of a quote from Judith Viorst. ‘Strength is the capacity to break a chocolate bar into four pieces with your bare hands—and then eat just one of the pieces.’”
Laughter spilled out over the patio. Sukie passed the chocolate chip cookies.
The doorbell rang and Sukie left to get the pizza. Tiffany joined her.
“I’m glad I have you alone for a minute,” Tiffany said. “Beau wondered if you could come to dinner tomorrow. His father is going to take us out and he wanted you to join us. Muffy is away again.”
Sukie’s lips parted in surprise. “You’re kidding. Why would he want me to come? To fill in for Her Highness while she’s away? I don’t think so. Besides, I’ve already promised Rob and Madeleine I’d have dinner with them.”
Tiffany looked miserable. “I told him I didn’t think you could do it, but Beau made me promise to ask you. I think his father likes you.”
Sukie took a deep breath. She wanted to help Tiffany, but there was no way she wanted to be more involved with Beau’s family. Sukie placed a hand on Tiffany’s shoulder. “Call me or come here anytime you want. Any of us would be glad to help you.”
Tiffany nodded. “I know. I don’t know what I’d do without you and our Fat Fridays group.”
Sukie’s mind stayed on that thought as she and Tiffany worked in the kitchen and prepared to call the others inside. Fat Fridays, which had begun as a way to celebrate the end of the work week, had become so much more that. The women had formed a real support group for each other. Though they were of different ages and backgrounds, each of them would do whatever was necessary to help the others.
It was good their relationships had deepened to this extent, thought Sukie. She had the uneasy feeling more heartache lay ahead.
CHAPTER TWENTY NINE
CAROL ANN
Carol Ann left the party at Sukie’s and made her way home. Pulling up to her parent’s small, run-down house, she parked in the driveway and studied it with dismay. If everything worked out the way she hoped, she’d soon be out of there.
Fisting her hands, Carol Ann vowed not to give up on her dreams. She’d prove to the women in Fat Fridays she was no moron, that she could move forward with her life with a man who loved her. Frustration gnawed at her. The other women sometimes treated her as if she were a baby. But she wasn’t one. Not anymore.
She hadn’t told the other women about the way John talked dirty to her or the way he liked to make love—fast and furious. Even now, just thinking of it, her pulse raced. He was the first guy who’d ever told her that he loved her. She’d been even more flattered when he told her that he wanted to live together.
A sense of pride filled her. John was ambitious and wanted nice things. Like her. He’d told Carol Ann that he had everything planned out. They’d use her money for a down payment on the condo. In a few years, they’d sell the condo and move up to a house like Sukie’s. Maybe someday they’d even join the country club and play tennis and golf. Carol Ann could hardly wait. It would be a far cry from the life of her parents.
Longing for the day when she could leave, Carol Ann went inside the house and tiptoed past the living room, hoping to get to her room without anyone hearing her. She’d just reached her bedroom door when her mother appeared in the hallway.
“That you, Carol Ann? You be quiet now, hear?”
Carol Ann clenched her jaw and bit back a nasty remark. Her Daddy had taken a stick to her when she’d sassed her mother as a child. Carol Ann had never forgotten the sting of it. She sighed. She was still that child to them. Nothing in their house ever changed. She couldn’t even make it safely to her room without having her mother spy on her.
Though she wanted to slam the door in her mother’s face, Carol Ann said softly, “Goodnight, Mama.”
CHAPTER THIRTY
LYNN
“Goodbye. Thanks for the ride.”
Hoping to appear nonchalant, Lynn climbed out of Betsy’s car and glanced around, searching for the figure that haunted her dreams. It seemed so unfair to be forced to live life this way. Her ex should have been jailed for years and years for all he’d tried to do to her child, her body, her soul.
“Go ahead inside, Lynn. We’ll wait for your signal before we leave.” Betsy waved Lynn toward the door.
Lynn lifted her hand in farewell, stole another quick glance around her and hurried inside the apartment building. She’d purposely chosen an apartment on the third floor, thinking it would give her more options to
escape should she spy the bastard she’d like to see dead.
She stood inside her small apartment, keeping the door behind her unlocked until she had a sense that she was alone. Then locking the door, she crossed the living room and turned on the light next to the couch. She flicked it on and off several times to let the other women know she was safe inside.
Taking off her clothes, she wondered at the size of them, remembering when she’d been young and thin and happy, thinking she could build a better life than she’d known growing up in her small hometown in Iowa. Vain, her mother had called her. Glancing at herself in the mirror and turning away, Lynn knew she had no real reason to be vain any longer. She looked older than her years. Heartache had changed her face into a duplicate of her mother’s – lined and hollowed out by the life she seemed unable to escape.
“Men,” she uttered with disgust. Her father hadn’t threatened to kill the family but he’d destroyed it anyway, with his drinking.
Sighing for what she couldn’t change, Lynn put on her nightgown and slid into bed. From the bedside table, she picked up the photograph of a young girl with dark curls and sparkling brown eyes.
Lynn’s eyes filled as she stared at the picture. She pressed her lips to the glass.
“Someday, Baby Girl, Momma is going to see you again.”
CHAPTER THIRTY ONE
BETSY
Betsy pulled into her driveway, pushed the button on the garage door opener and drove the car inside the garage. She sometimes felt as if she and Karen were playing parts in a mystery television series. In order to keep her affair with Karen quiet, they’d ended up sneaking around like international spies, entering and exiting her home, cloaked in secrecy, hoping no one would see them.
The garage door closed behind them. Karen opened the car door and climbed out. Betsy followed suit, and they went inside.
Lingering in the kitchen, Karen turned to her. “So how do you think it went, Betsy? The women in the Fat Fridays group seemed to accept us.”
A sense of pride filled Betsy. “Sukie thought everyone would be fine with it. I’m so glad they were.”
“Me, too.” Karen threw her arm around Betsy’s shoulder. “It’s a good group.”
Betsy nodded. “I wish Sarah and Richie would feel the same way about us. What am I going to do if Richie doesn’t come around?” Her eyes filled.
Karen gave her a steady look, then, drew her close. “I don’t know about Sarah, but, Betsy, Richie is your son. I think he’ll come around.”
“I hope so.” Betsy gazed at the woman she loved, wondering how her life could be so mixed up. “Come on. Let’s get settled for the night. It’s been another long day.”
CHAPTER THIRTY TWO
SUKIE
Sunday morning, the sound of the phone jarred Sukie awake. She checked caller ID. Elizabeth. Sukie sat up and grabbed the phone. “H..hello.”
“Mom? I’m so sorry about what I said the other day,” Elizabeth exclaimed in a rush. “You’re right. You can live your life the way you want. I just don’t want you to get hurt. You know?”
Relief trailed through Sukie, leaving a warm path behind. Elizabeth hated confrontation as much as she did. “It’s all right, honey. It’s over. I’ve decided not to see Cam anymore.” Her voice caught on the last sentence.
“Damn. He hurt you, didn’t he?”
Sukie worked hard to downplay the pain she still felt. “I guess I was just a diversion for him. He’s fairly new in town...”
“Oh, Mom, I’m so sorry. Is there something I can do? I wish I could come home for a few days, be there for you.”
At the concern she heard in her daughter’s voice, her whole body softened. “That’s sweet, Elizabeth, but I’ll be all right.”
“Mom? I spoke to Dad and told him I knew the money for my tuition had already been set aside. He got really mad, but I wanted him to know he couldn’t hide that from me. He said it didn’t change things between you and him and he was going to talk to you about selling the house. Maybe I can help by getting a full scholarship for next year. I’m going to look into it.”
Working hard to keep from drawing Elizabeth into the battle between her and Ted, Sukie ground her teeth together. It was their fight—not Elizabeth’s. And Sukie intended to fight tough.
“Mom? I’ve gotta go. I love you.”
“I love you, too, Elizabeth.” Sukie hung up, proud of the strong young woman she’d raised.
Later in the day Sukie headed over to Rob and Madeleine’s house. It was a small, attractive brick ranch, much nicer than the first place she and Ted had owned when they’d started out. Madeleine had a flair for taking something simple, like a set of pillows, and dressing up a hand-me-down leather couch. Because of her, their first house was a real home.
Sukie loved her son. Almost twenty-five, Rob hoped to rise to partner in the large accounting firm where he worked. Though he looked a lot like his father, with the same hazel eyes, Rob’s curly brown hair came from her. Sukie liked to think Rob’s personality came from her, too—he’d turned out to be a nice, generous, thoughtful man.
Sukie greeted Rob and Madeleine with heart-felt hugs and eagerly followed Madeleine upstairs to the baby’s room. Charming hand-painted nursery rhyme characters populated a yellow banner bordering the pale blue walls. A white wicker chest and white spindle crib sat waiting for the tiny baby Sukie and everyone else couldn’t wait to see.
“It’s adorable.” Gazing at the rocking chair, Sukie anticipated the day when she could finally hold her grandchild in her arms. “How many weeks left?”
Madeleine rubbed her bulging stomach. “The doctor thinks about six. I’m ready now, but he won’t induce labor unless it’s necessary.”
Sukie smiled affectionately at her. She turned to go, but Madeleine pulled her back.
“I’m sorry about you and Cameron Taylor. You sounded so happy when you began dating him. Ted is the one who got Rob riled up. It was really rotten of him to try to blame his job change on that sort of gossip.”
“What are you two talking about?” Rob said, joining them.
“Ted’s new position,” Madeleine answered.
Rob frowned. “When Citizens Fidelity and Trust bought out Williston Savings and Loan, Dad thought he’d naturally be made president of the new bank. Then Simon Prescott from Citizens interviewed him and mentioned he’d met you through the Library. Soon after, it was announced that Dad was to be transferred to the boonies to ‘help them achieve their growth objectives.’ He’s convinced he would’ve gotten the job of President if word wasn’t going around town about you dating a much younger man.”
Sukie’s nostrils flared with frustration. “Doesn’t your father understand that it was his own behavior that tipped the scales against him?”
“Ted’s drinking could also have contributed to the decision,” added Madeleine.
Rob studied Sukie. “What happened to the two of you? Dad went crazy and so did you. I don’t know what to think about any of it.”
“If it will make you feel any better, I’m not dating Cam anymore.” Still hurting, Sukie swallowed hard.
“Sukie, you should be able to date anyone you want,” Madeleine said with conviction. “You can’t let narrow-minded people make that decision for you.”
“Right now, I’m worried about finances. Ted is trying to weasel his way out of paying Elizabeth’s tuition. He’s been telling her I’m going to have to sell the house.”
Madeleine snorted. “It’s Emmy Lou. She wants a new house on the lake, a new car and everything in the world for that baby. She’s furious you wouldn’t give her the cradle and we got it instead.”
Sukie’s pulse bubbled at the news. Emmy Lou was such a greedy witch.
“I don’t think Dad is all that happy with her,” Rob said. “He sure doesn’t act that way.”
Sukie didn’t really care if Ted Skidmore was happy or not. He’d ruined any chance of sympathy from her. Downstairs, she helped Madeleine put the meal together�
��pot roast and vegetables done the old-fashioned way in a Dutch oven.
Watching her son attack his food at dinner, Sukie said, “I’m going to make casseroles for you to freeze for when the baby comes.”
Rob’s eyes lit up. “How about some of your lemon chicken casserole?”
Pleased, Sukie grinned. By the time she left in the evening, Sukie felt in sync with Rob once more. Madeleine, bless her heart, would always stand by her.
Driving by the mailbox at the end of her driveway, Sukie remembered she hadn’t picked up the mail from Saturday. She parked the car in the garage and walked down to the mailbox, pausing to study the stars sparkling in the ebony sky. Somehow she’d work things out with Ted, but selling the house at this stage of the game was not going to be part of it.
Sukie gathered the assortment of magazines, letters and ads from the mailbox. A folded piece of paper fell to the ground. She picked it up and tucked it in the stack of mail, her thoughts still on Ted and the house.
Sorting through the mail in the kitchen, Sukie came upon the folded paper. Thinking it was an ad for lawn services or perhaps a note from Betsy, she opened it and staggered back.
“BITCH!” in shocking, bold letters marched across the page.
Sukie’s stomach knotted like a tightened fist. Was it some kind of sick joke? Her jaw tightened. Had Ted gone completely off his rocker? Was he now resorting to this juvenile kind of retaliation? Her heart pumping overtime, Sukie held onto the edge of the kitchen counter. She punched in Ted’s cell number and tapped her foot impatiently, waiting for him to pick up.
“Yeah?”
All the fury Sukie felt over his shenanigans came pouring out of her. “What are you trying to prove, Ted? How could you leave me a slimy note like that?”
“What in hell are you talking about?”
“The note in the mailbox, the one with the word bitch scrawled on it. Are you that mad? That childish?”
“Whoa! You’ve got the wrong guy,” he snapped. “Stop blaming me for things I haven’t done. You know what, Sukie? That note says it all.”
