Sisters in Bloom

by Melissa Foster

  Danica jumped up. “Let’s go for a walk.” She looked back at Blake and Chaz. They were starting new lives, all of them, and she loved that they were starting their new chapters together.

  Chapter Forty-Four

  Later that afternoon, Blake went to AcroSki and Danica headed over to Camille’s. The day was just as beautiful as the morning sun had promised. The meadows were in full bloom along the small but major road that led just outside of town to Camille and Jeffrey’s house.

  Camille answered the door with a ready smile, looking as cute as ever in a white cotton skirt and blouse. She had an unfamiliar emerald ring on her right hand.

  Danica gasped. “What is it with the men around here? Are they all secret drug dealers or does money grow on trees out here—but only for the men?”

  “Kaylie told you?” Camille asked tentatively.

  Kaylie? Kaylie told her about Chaz’s money? “What? She told you, too? So much for pretending the money isn’t there.” Typical Kaylie.

  “Not really. Chaz and Jeff have gotten really close in the last year, but you know that. Anyway, Chaz’s attorney is Jeff’s family attorney. Small town and all. Jeff saw Chaz coming out of Cooper’s office and I guess he told him. Kaylie hasn’t said a word to me.”

  Not so typical Kaylie after all. “Well, don’t tell her I said anything.” Danica kicked off her sandals and set them next to Camille’s in an alcove by the door. “I was actually referring to your new sparkly ring.”

  “Oh, goodness. Jeff is so generous. He gave it to me because I said I didn’t have any green jewelry. The man’s a nut. Oh, and no worries. I’d never say anything to Kaylie about the money thing.” Camille took her hand. “Slip your shoes back on. We’re going out by the pool again, and it’s so nice out, we might as well go around outside. "

  “Yay! Now the party can begin,” Chelsea said when she saw Danica. She jumped up and gave her a hug, and Marie was right on her heels.

  “We have almost everything planned. You’ll be so happy!” Marie said right before hugging Danica.

  They sat around the table with plates of crackers, cheese, finger sandwiches, and, of course, colorful drinks with little umbrellas.

  “Do you ever forget to be such a good hostess?” Danica teased.

  “Have you ever seen me forget?” Camille said with a wink.

  “Today’s all about things that are a little bit pink and blue, so we have…well, we have no blue, but we have pink covered. Strawberry daiquiris!”

  Danica noticed a number of empty glasses on the cart behind Camille. “I guess I’m late to the party.”

  Camille handed her a drink. “That’s okay when you’re with your girlfriends, but don’t ever be late to the party when you’re with your man, if you know what I mean.”

  “Oh, I get it,” Chelsea said with a laugh. She went into a litany of details about where they’d found the streamers and what kind of balloons and decorations they were having, but Danica’s mind was now stuck on the memory of Blake’s body on top of hers, as it had been just hours earlier. She rubbed her hands together, reminiscing over the smooth feel of his muscles beneath her hands. Goose bumps prickled her arms. Jesus. Get a grip. Danica shook the dirty thoughts from her mind and pulled her attention back to the group.

  “We also have watermelon daiquiris,” Chelsea said, taking a long sip through a straw.

  “And they’re delish.” Marie giggled.

  Danica took a drink, relishing in the icy liquid as it slid down her throat. Camille made her a fresh drink—so you don’t get too far behind—as they filled her in on the rest of the details for the shower.

  “So, we’ve extended the invitations, we’ve got the games, and we have ideas for how to get Kaylie to the party. Oh!” Chelsea’s eyes lit up and she put both hands flat on the table and leaned in close. She lowered her voice and asked, “Do you guys think Kaylie’s changed?”

  Where did this come from?

  All eyes turned in her direction. “In a good way,” she continued, “but just a few weeks ago she was all, I’m fat and ugly. Chaz won’t want me after the baby’s born, and when I spoke to her yesterday morning, she was like on cloud nine, saying she was going to look hot in her dress for the event. Oh, Danica, how was it?”

  She’d almost forgotten how Chelsea flitted from subject to subject.

  “She hasn’t changed. She’s just realizing that her body is like a vessel for her baby, and she’s owning it,” Marie said eagerly.

  “I think Marie’s right,” Danica said. “The event was great. We had a big turnout and people danced. The night was perfect, except for a little punching action between teens.”

  There was a collective gasp among the girls.

  “No big deal, and Kaylie was amazing. I’d never seen her so passionate before.” Danica sipped her drink and pushed it away. Better not to drink too much. She still had to drive home. “Oh, and she looked incredibly hot. Only Kaylie could look like a sexy vixen while almost nine months pregnant.”

  They all agreed.

  “It’s good that she’s changing. I was worried when she was saying all that stuff. I think she’s finally accepting the whole motherhood thing and getting over the whole Kaylie-the-perky-girl thing,” Chelsea said to the group.

  What? “She’s still Kaylie the perky girl,” Danica said, a little annoyed.

  “Yes!” Chelsea slammed her hand on the table. “But she’s so much more! And damn if that girl ever has to worry about that man of hers thinking she’s not gorgeous!”

  “Flat out stunning,” Marie added with an emphatic nod.

  “No matter what size,” Chelsea said.

  They’d gone around the table complimenting Kaylie, and Camille turned expectant eyes toward Danica.

  “Yes, right. She is, of course. But I never thought you guys saw her as so much more. I thought that was only me. I kinda thought everyone else saw her as, I don’t know.” Danica’s annoyance was replaced with a flush that heated her chest and neck.

  “Just another pretty face?” Chelsea asked. Her tank top had dipped to the right, exposing sharp ripples of bone.

  “I think some people do see her like that.” Danica handed Chelsea a cracker. “Here. Eat.”

  “Brainless Barbie?” Marie added.

  “What? No.” Where is this coming from?

  “Sexy seductress who doesn’t even need to speak to get attention?” Chelsea asked with a perky smile.

  “I didn’t mean that, really, but...” Danica scanned their faces for understanding. Their harsh glares poked at her like needles on her skin.

  Suddenly, Camille put both palms on the table and said, “I can’t do this.” She burst into laughter, and Marie and Chelsea followed.

  “Jesus,” Danica muttered.

  “You should have seen your face,” Chelsea squealed.

  “That was just plain mean.” Danica shook her head; then laughter bubbled up from deep within her chest, and she laughed with them, tears streaming from her eyes.

  “Oh my God! You should have seen your face! You really bought it,” Marie said through her laughter. “Kaylie likes everyone to think she’s that flirty, pretty, no brainer, but she’s not, and we, of all people, know that.”

  They went over the rest of the plans for the baby shower.

  “So, we thought about where to hold the shower and figured we needed someplace where you could take her, Danica, so that she won’t be suspicious the minute you drive up. That means any of our houses are out of the question. So, we decided on Bar None! It’s where they met.”

  “A bar? Seriously? She’s pregnant, you guys.”

  “Yeah, but Bar None has that little restaurant on the side, and you could take her there for lunch.”

  “True,” Danica said. “Actually, I think that’s perfect. I’ll take her to lunch, and you all will be there, right? Did you book the tables already?”

  “Danica, please. The moment Jeff heard about it, he booked all twelve of the tables in the restaur
ant,” Camille said with a wave.

  Danica fiddled with her straw. With the house and their condos, she knew that no matter what Blake said, she had to be careful with money. She prided herself on paying her own way and wasn’t about to stop now. “What’s the bottom line? What do I owe?”

  Camille shook her head. “Danica, we’re paying for this. Jeff wouldn’t have it any other way. He loves Kaylie.”

  “Camille, I’m really not comfortable with that. She’s my sister and I want to help. Really, I’ll be upset. I didn’t ask you guys to help so that you would pay.”

  Marie chimed in. “Camille, I want to help, too. This was from all of us, not just you guys, and it’s really nice that Jeff offered, but I can pitch in. I want to.”

  Chelsea also chimed in, wanting to help cover the costs.

  “Okay, whatever,” Camille said. “Whatever you want to do is fine. I was just trying to help.”

  “Okay, it’s settled then,” Danica said, hoping they were all sober enough to remember when the bills came. “Let us know the total and we’ll divvy it up.”

  Marie went over the list of party games she’d planned. Danica was already planning how to get Kaylie to the shower.

  Her cell phone rang, and she snagged it from her purse. “It’s Kaylie. Shh.” She waited until the girls were quiet.

  “Hey, it’s me. I was just thinking. I know you’re busy at the center and all, but do you want to go shopping with me this week?”

  “Yeah, I’d love to. What’s up?” Danica held a finger up.

  “Nothing. I just need some things for the baby and thought it might be fun to hang out.”

  Danica listened intently for signs of distress in Kaylie’s voice, but there was only happiness. “Sure. I have a ton on my plate this week, but I can do it Tuesday if you want. Lunchtime?”

  “Perfect.”

  They said goodbye, and the girls let out a loud collective sigh.

  “Does she know you’re here?” Chelsea asked.

  “What did she want?” Marie asked. “Does she know about the shower?”

  “I have no idea. She wanted to go shopping this week. I think it’s fine.” Danica put her purse away, but not before noticing a text from Sally. Sorry I missed your call earlier. Will talk 2moro.

  “Kaylie called me this morning to go shopping today, but I said I had to do something with Jeff,” Camille said.

  “Oh no. Me too.” Chelsea tucked a lock of her recently highlighted brownish hair behind her ear and frowned.

  “Aw, poor Kaylie. She must think we’re all ditching her.” Marie ate a cracker, looking to Danica for guidance.

  “It’s fine. I’ll make sure she’s okay.” Of course I will. She shook her head and realized that she wouldn’t even recognize Kaylie if drama didn’t follow her everywhere.

  They wrapped up their discussion. Chelsea and Marie were staying at Camille’s for the afternoon, hanging out by the pool. They asked Danica to join them, but she’d been repressing her sinful thoughts about Blake for too long, and she had no idea why, but she felt a little like a lovesick teenager. She called Blake on her way, and was thrilled when he said he’d been thinking the same thing. She had a feeling that they were in for a steamy afternoon.

  Chapter Forty-Five

  Kaylie bounced her leg up and down in Dr. Marsden’s waiting room bright and early Monday morning. Between her honest talk with Chaz and discussing her worries with Dr. Marsden, she felt as if she was already starting to see things a little differently, and after this morning’s call from Alex, she could barely sit still.

  “Kaylie.” Dr. Marsden entered the room looking just as comfortable and smart as she had during Kaylie’s other visits. Her constant and dependable fashion choices, which Kaylie might have made fun of even as recently as a month ago, were now comfortably familiar.

  “Hi,” she said, pushing herself off the deep sofa.

  “I think your baby grew over the weekend.”

  “That’s for sure. I think she’s having a party in my belly these days.” She followed Dr. Marsden into her office and sat down.

  “I have so much to tell you. I swear I never knew why people went to therapists—I mean, not why, but why they were so happy about it when they were working through problems—but now I get it. I was so excited to come and tell you about Danica’s event and my writing, and I thought that was a lot, but there’s more.”

  “You are excited. You’re talking a mile a minute. Slow down and breathe. We have an hour.”

  Kaylie nodded. “I’m sorry, but this morning I got a call from our band manager. We had been taping our practices, and I had no idea, but I guess he and Trey, our drummer, sent some of our new stuff out, and they got a call. Benton Records, a small record label out of LA wants to sign us.” She tried to keep the squealing excitement from her voice, but she couldn’t control the jump in octave. Kaylie bounced her leg up and down and then tucked her hands under her legs to keep them from shaking.

  “Is that what you want? Is that what you’d been working toward?” Dr. Marsden asked thoughtfully.

  “Yes. Oh my God, it’s a dream come true. A record label is like…golden. It makes it all real. I mean, we do well with our band and all, but they liked our songs. My songs. The songs I wrote. It’s validation of my talent.”

  “That it is. Congratulations,” she said calmly.

  “I’m over the moon.”

  “Kaylie, that’s wonderful. What does Chaz think?”

  Kaylie looked down at her lap, then up again. “I haven’t told him yet.”

  Dr. Marsden didn’t push, accuse, or judge. She simply asked, “Why not?”

  Those two words were more powerful than Kaylie had anticipated. She knew she’d have to answer. She’d thought about it the entire way over in the car, but she still wasn’t sure herself about why she didn’t have an answer.

  “I don’t know. There’s a lot to work out.”

  “Like?”

  Why are her questions so hard? “Logistics. I’d have to go to LA right after the baby is born. Travel back and forth while we’re recording.” Kaylie heard the unease in her own voice.

  “Is that feasible with a new baby?”

  “I think so. Parents travel all the time. We can get a nanny if we need to.” We can use Chaz’s money. Kaylie silently chided herself for already overstepping her bounds, even if only mentally.

  “A nanny.” Dr. Marsden nodded. “Yes, you could do that. Kaylie, tell me about the weekend. You and Chaz had made a big breakthrough last week. Honesty, remember? How will he react if you wait to tell him about this?”

  She shrugged. “I think he’ll be happy for me in general, but he’ll be upset if I keep it from him.”

  “Then why are you? Do you want to risk your relationship? Are you having cold feet?”

  Am I? Kaylie moved to the edge of her seat. “I’ve worked so hard, for so long, to get where I am right this very second. I have a record deal at my fingertips. Do you know what it’s like to work your whole life toward something and then…”

  “Then what? What are you worried about?”

  “I’ve worked so hard.” Kaylie set her hands on the sides of her belly. “What if after the baby’s born I don’t want to do it? What if I turn into one of those moms whose whole life is the baby? What if I’m just like my mom?”

  Dr. Marsden waited while Kaylie thought through her feelings. When Kaylie said no more, Dr. Marsden asked, “Would that be so bad?”

  Kaylie looked up with tears in her eyes. “I don’t want to be the wife left behind because I didn’t do anything to better myself while my husband grew—emotionally, mentally, career-wise.” She played with the fringe of her blouse. “Did I tell you that we’re terribly rich? Yeah, Chaz just told me this weekend. Oh, and he’s buying out his partners in his festival business.” She looked around the office, uncomfortable with her own thoughts. “I should be thrilled, right? Wouldn’t any normal person be happy about all of this? But how can I make a deci
sion about the record deal when I have no idea how I’ll feel when the baby comes? And what if I decide to just be a mom and then I resent the baby, or Chaz, or even myself, for not taking the record deal? It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.” Kaylie grabbed a tissue from the desk and dabbed at tears that welled her eyes. “And what if the money ruins us?”

  “Those are all very viable concerns. Do you really believe this is a once-in-a-lifetime offer? What about your bandmates? How will they feel if you walk away?”

  Kaylie hadn’t even factored them into her decision. “I can’t walk away, can I? It’s their careers, too.”

  “Kaylie, you can—and you should—make whatever decision is right for you, your baby, and Chaz. Your family should come first with these things. Don’t you think?”

  She nodded. “I’ll tell Chaz when I leave here. I guess we should make the decision together.” She sighed. “I’m a mess of emotions right now, but I really did have a great weekend. The event was terrific. Well, except for two teenagers getting into a fight. But I sang like I’ve never sung before, and every breath felt like a new me was being born.”

  “And did you give any thought to your concerns about after the baby?”

  Kaylie rubbed her belly again. “Yeah, I thought about it, and any way I cut it, I am that girl who will be cranky if I don’t look good. I know that about myself, so that’s just honesty.”

  “Good. Okay. That’s the first step. What can you do to help yourself through it? How can you make yourself happy? Remember, you’ll be moving on little sleep, and no matter how much you think you’ll love this baby, when it’s actually born, you’ll love it ten times more than you ever thought you could.”

  “I can imagine a lot of love.”

  She smiled. “We all can.”

  Kaylie looked at the bookshelves, then at Dr. Marsden’s desk. Both were void of photos. Kaylie wondered if she had children of her own, or a husband for that matter.

  “I know I’ll be tired, and over the moon with happiness, but I can still do all the things I always did to be healthy and to get my figure back. I’ll eat right. And when the doctor says I can, I’ll exercise.” What? She crinkled her nose.