Here's to Friends

by Melody Carlson

  Jack stopped walking and placed a hand on her shoulder. “I just want to know one thing, Marley. Are you intentionally pushing me away?”

  “Pushing you away?”

  “Yes. You’ve been so distant. I told myself you were consumed with your art. And I can understand that. I mean, having the kind of attention you’ve recently received, well, naturally you’d be distracted by your career. But seeing you this morning, then talking to you on the phone this evening … I got worried.”

  “Why would you be worried?” Marley hated playing coy, and yet she was in unfamiliar territory.

  “I’m worried because I think I’m losing you, Marley.” Jack sighed. “And I can accept that, even if I don’t want to. Mostly I just want to know. Living on Limbo Lane is for the birds. And, really, I always felt you were too good for me, Marley. Too smart and talented, too young, too pretty, too—”

  “What?” Marley leaned forward, peering into Jack’s eyes in the shadowy light of the street lamp. “Are you nuts?”

  He looked surprised. “Not completely. I mean I’ve been accused of being a little crazy—aren’t all artists a bit unbalanced?”

  She just shook her head. “Okay, Jack, now I have a question for you.”

  “Shoot.”

  “Well, I was under the impression that you and Sylvia were, uh, dating.”

  “Dating?” Jack sounded horrified. “Are you serious?”

  “Absolutely.”

  “We are not dating.”

  “You’re here together tonight.”

  “Because you wouldn’t come with me. And Paul invited Sylvia and Leah and everyone who was at the Christmas party. When Sylvia heard you weren’t coming, she asked if it would be all right for us to ride over here together.”

  “And you don’t think of that as a date?”

  Jack got a look like the lightbulb had just been turned on. “Oh, Marley, you don’t think …?”

  She nodded.

  “You honestly think that Sylvia thinks that she … that I … that she and I …?”

  “Like they used to say in the old days, Jack, and maybe even when you were younger”—she chuckled—“I think Sylvia has set her cap for you.”

  “Oh, Marley, I don’t think so. She’s just new in town, and she and Leah have been so helpful with Hunter. I thought that was helping you, too, giving you time to paint and get your life back. But, really, I don’t think that Sylvia has the slightest interest in an old coot like me.”

  Marley narrowed her eyes. “First of all, you’re not an old coot—you’re more like an old fox.”

  His brows arched.

  “But that’s beside the point, Jack. The point is, it’s not unreasonable that someone like Sylvia would be attracted to you.”

  “But I’m not attracted to her.”

  “Does she know that?”

  He looked honestly flummoxed. “I have no idea. I mean, naturally, I’m polite to her. She’s my employee and a friend.”

  “Has she spent time at your house?” Marley already knew the answer to this. Hunter had mentioned it while they were grocery shopping.

  “Well, yes. But that’s because she drops off and picks up Leah. And sometimes the two of them have planned a meal there. But that’s because my kitchen is all set up, and they aren’t really settled in yet. And Sylvia likes to cook.”

  “Right.” Marley nodded with a skeptical look.

  Jack just shook his head. “I never thought of it like that, Marley, I swear I never …”

  Marley put both her hands on his cheeks. “I believe you, Jack. But call it women’s intuition or whatever, I’m sure that Sylvia thought of it like that. I’ve seen her look at you. And, trust me, I’m not the only one.”

  “Oh dear.” He looked truly puzzled. “So what do I do? Fire her?”

  “No, of course not. She’s a good employee. And she needs the work as badly as you need a worker.”

  “Then what?”

  Marley thought hard. “Well, Jack, I think you just need to draw the line, and then you don’t let your relationship cross over it. If Sylvia offers to fix you dinner, no matter how nicely she puts it, you say, ‘No, thank you, Sylvia.’ If she asks to accompany you to a party, you suggest she find another ride.”

  “Okay. I can do that.”

  Marley started walking again, shoving her hands into her pockets.

  “But back to us, Marley.” Jack hurried to catch up, his slightly offbeat gait reminding her of the prosthesis that had replaced his missing leg. Sometimes she completely forgot about his accident. Not that it mattered, but it took her by surprise.

  “Us, Jack?” She slowed down.

  “We’re still an us, aren’t we?” he asked hopefully.

  She turned and smiled at him. “Are we?”

  He reached over and took her hand. “We are as far as I’m concerned. Not a thing has changed with me.”

  She studied him closely, and she believed him. “Nothing has changed with me either, Jack. But just for the record, I might be a little gun-shy. I mean, I’ve had some experience with a man who was unfaithful to me. I don’t ever want to go through that again. So I suppose if it I see it coming—or even think I see it coming, well, I just run the other way.”

  “I can understand that, Marley. But I promise you, that is not who I am. I would never be unfaithful to you.”

  “I believe you, Jack.”

  He leaned in and kissed her with such sweet and tender passion that she felt slightly breathless. And then—ka-boom—the sky lit up with fireworks.

  “Wow!” Marley laughed. “That was quite a kiss!”

  Chapter 23

  Abby

  The week prior to the cruise passed in a crazy and frantic rush. There were many moments when Abby wondered if her cruise tickets were really a prize or a curse. For starters, it just figured that two different parties would want to book a room at her inn the same week of the cruise. Thanks to Caroline’s suggestion, Abby came up with a gracious way to let them down. She apologized profusely, promising a discount coupon for the next time they booked a room with her. Of course, that meant she would lose a bit of money on down the line, but perhaps she would gain a loyal customer or two as well.

  The next problem came with Janie. They’d all been so relieved to know that Lisa was safely tucked into her rehab facility in California. But when Abby heard, via Caroline, that the place had an open-door policy, meaning the rehab patients signed themselves in and could sign themselves out—there was no lockdown—she felt concerned. Naturally, that made it very easy for Lisa to walk out on the second day of her stay. Janie was frantic and didn’t know whether to go down there and try to look for Lisa or just wait and see. She confided to Caroline, who told Abby, that if Lisa was out wandering the streets again, Janie might be forced to forgo the cruise! How could she possibly enjoy a luxurious vacation knowing her daughter was starving on the streets? Abby understood that (she was a mother, after all), but it still made her mad.

  Janie sat tight, however, and Lisa called the next evening to say she was sorry, that she’d gotten scared, and that she really did want rehab after all. The rehab facility had a one-time-only return policy (kind of like a get-back-in-jail free card), so Lisa was allowed to reenlist. However, if she bolted again, she would be locked out for good. Abby wondered if this kind of reverse psychology really worked. But Janie seemed hugely relieved. And so far so good. Lisa was still in the treatment facility.

  Then there was Marley. It seemed that she and Jack were rekindling their romance, and, as a result, Marley had lost interest in the long-awaited cruise. She even suggested that Abby invite Doris to go in her place.

  “But we are the Four Lindas,” Abby had protested. “Not the Three Lindas and one mom.” So Marley promised, rather halfheartedly,
that she would still go. But then she confessed that, despite Jack’s claim in having no interest in Sylvia, Marley was still deeply insecure. She worried that Sylvia would work her feminine charms on unsuspecting Jack and steal him away. Of course, Abby had no response to this. To admit to her own insecurity would only reinforce Marley’s doubts, but it was Abby’s experience that men were sometimes jerks.

  Then there was Caroline, who’d been privy to all of these wet blankets. Abby suspected that Caroline was simply playing Miss Congeniality, which she did so well, by pretending that nothing was wrong between her and Mitch. But Abby knew better. Mitch had suddenly decided to go home, and on New Year’s Eve no less. Abby wasn’t saying anything, but a man in love doesn’t suddenly dump his date on New Year’s Eve, does he? Not if he’s truly in love. So was Caroline suffering a broken heart in silence? If so, perhaps a warm, sunny cruise with good friends would be just the right medicine.

  Then, last and possibly least, there was Abby and Paul. Throughout the holidays, they’d both been on their best behavior, which was nothing to brag about. But with the holidays behind them and real life ahead, Abby felt them starting to unravel again. When Paul missed their scheduled counseling appointment the first week of January, Abby was more than a little miffed.

  Still, she was determined not to rock the marriage boat. She was imagining the much bigger boat she’d soon be boarding, as well as the distance she would be putting between her and Paul. Seriously, if Abby didn’t have children and friends, she would be tempted to get off on one of those sunny Mexican ports and refuse to get back on. Who knew? Maybe she would do it anyway. Perhaps she was destined to run a sweet little adobe B and B south of the border.

  Finally, the day of the trip arrived, and somehow—to Abby’s utter amazement—all Four Lindas and their bags, which were considerable, were on the flight to San Diego. Once they got settled in, everyone seemed to be in fairly good spirits. They were in even better spirits as they boarded the cruise ship. Best of all, after they’d seen their cabins and changed into more comfortable clothes, they sat on deck in the sun with margaritas in hand.

  “To the Four Lindas,” Marley started the toast.

  “And to Abby for sharing her dream trip with us,” added Caroline.

  “And to our loved ones at home,” Janie said a bit quietly.

  “To Mexico!” Abby proclaimed.

  “Did you guys know that Paul sent Abby a big bouquet of flowers?” Caroline announced. She and Abby were sharing a cabin. “They were already in the cabin when we got here. Just like in a movie.”

  “Oh, that’s so sweet of him,” Janie told her.

  “And so unlike him,” Abby said wryly. Of course, the flowers made Abby suspicious. What was Paul feeling guilty about, or trying to make up for, or camouflage? What exactly did he plan to do while she was gone? Had she been a fool to leave him home alone?

  As she leaned back in the deck chair and sipped her drink, she decided not to go there. No, she refused to let her frets over Paul spoil this week for her. She was going to have fun, and that was all there was to it! Seven days of sun, fun, and friends—what could be better?

  It had been Abby’s idea to dress up for dinner on their first night of the cruise, but now she was regretting it. “This dress looked a lot better on me in the shop,” she told Caroline as she scowled at her image in the full-length mirror.

  “It’s lovely, Abby. And the blue is perfect with your eyes.” Caroline tucked Abby’s bra strap under the dress’s shoulder. “Just stand up straight. Let’s do something with your hair, and then I’ll help you with your makeup.”

  “Good luck.” Abby turned away from her own reflection. “I don’t know what made me think I could look pretty. Honestly, that ship sailed a long time ago.”

  “Oh Abby.”

  “It’s true.” Abby sighed. “I used to be considered pretty.”

  “You still are pretty.”

  Abby laughed. “And you still are sweet. But be honest, Caroline, do you remember how I used to look?”

  “Of course. You were the prettiest girl in high school. We all remember.”

  Abby stood a bit straighter. “Well, some thought you were prettier, Caroline.”

  Caroline smiled as she tucked and pinned another strand of Abby’s hair. “I didn’t really come into my looks until my twenties.”

  “And when I think of poor Janie back in high school”—Abby chuckled—“skinny as a stick, braces, zits, and that hair.”

  “Well, time has certainly been good to her because she’s gorgeous now.”

  “I guess it’s only fair,” Abby said. “But I still can’t help but wish to turn back the clock sometimes. It’s not easy getting old.”

  “Really?” Caroline peered into Abby’s eyes. “You’d want to do it again?”

  “Oh well. Probably not. Not really. I guess I just wish I wasn’t getting old so fast. Honestly, it feels like my aging clock is running a lot faster than some. Like yours and Janie’s. At least I have Marley. She and I can relate.”

  Caroline laughed. “Well, Marley is feeling pretty good these days.”

  Abby tried not to feel jealous. “Yes, she’s in love.”

  “And love can make you feel younger.”

  “I suppose.” Abby realized she needed to stop this gloomy attitude before it spoiled the whole evening. “And I suppose that’s why you look so young and radiant too.”

  Caroline’s smile faded. “Don’t be so sure.”

  Abby regretted her thoughtless comment. She’d forgotten about Mitch’s hasty departure and Caroline’s silence on the subject. “But you do still love Mitch, don’t you?”

  “I’ll get some makeup for you. I’ve got a new mineral powder I want you to try. It’s amazing.” Caroline hurried into the bathroom. Maybe it was wrong of Abby to press her. But if they were going to be roommates for a week, wasn’t it better to just get things out in the open?

  “First we apply some moisturizer. Give me your hand.”

  Abby stuck her hand out, palm up. “But back to you and—”

  “The top of your hand.” Caroline turned Abby’s hand over and squirted something creamy onto it.

  “Why?”

  “Your hands get wrinkled too. Didn’t you know that?” Caroline started rambling about beauty secrets, which Abby was sure was simply a smoke screen, but just in case, she decided to listen. Finally, after a lot of brushing and fluffing and who knew what else, Caroline proclaimed Abby done. “Check it out.”

  Abby turned to look at herself in the mirror and actually did a double take. “Not bad, Caroline. I guess I should take your beauty tips more seriously.”

  “Maybe so. Don’t be fooled into thinking that women just naturally hold back the years. There are some tricks to aging more gracefully—and I didn’t spend thirty-some years in Hollywood for nothing.” She laughed. “Not that it got me anywhere.”

  “I wouldn’t say that. From where I’m standing, your life looks pretty promising. You’re still beautiful, and you managed to catch the interest of a very wealthy man.” Abby made an apologetic shrug. “But if you really don’t want to talk about Mitch, well, I can respect that.”

  Caroline’s smile faded. “It’s not that I don’t want to talk about him, it’s just that I’m not really sure how I feel about everything. I think this week will be a good time for me to figure things out.”

  “Absolutely. And if you need to talk, I’m here for you.”

  Caroline smiled. “For now, I just want to be lighthearted and happy. Okay?”

  “You’ve got it.”

  To Abby’s delight, it seemed that all Four Lindas wanted to be lighthearted and happy tonight. The four of them were not only the life of the party at their table, where they were seated with two couples—an older couple celebrating their fiftieth weddin
g anniversary and a pair of fortysomething newlyweds—but they continued to be the life of the party wherever they went. Before the evening was over, it seemed that most of the people on the ship were aware of the Four Lindas and how Abby had won her trip on the TV show. It almost felt like they were celebrities, and Abby really was having fun! So much so she could almost put her worries behind her. Almost.

  The next morning, Abby lingered over breakfast, enjoying an extra cup of coffee after her friends left to do some exploring on the ship. Irene (one half of the anniversary couple) had stayed behind while her husband returned to their room to get her sweater. Although Irene was probably closer to Abby’s mother’s age, as they chatted together it seemed as if she was a peer.

  “Bernard and I have certainly had our ups and downs over the years,” Irene was saying. “I’d never try to convince anyone otherwise.”

  Abby had already disclosed that although she and Paul had been married a good long time, it was still a little bumpy. “Sometimes I wonder if we can possibly make it to fifty,” Abby confessed.

  Irene nodded with a knowing expression. “Yes, I remember feeling that way too. But, looking back, I can say that it was well worth the effort. So many experiences and history and family are shared. How do you replace those things?”

  “That’s true.” Abby took a sip of coffee. “But sometimes I worry that no matter what I do, our marriage is doomed to fail.” She confessed to Irene that she was worried about Paul’s interest in another woman.

  Irene sadly shook her head. “Well, a marriage can survive that, too. As long as both parties want it to survive and are willing to forgive. I’m not suggesting it’s easy, just that it’s a worthy investment.”

  “I suppose.” Abby felt guilty for having unloaded so much on poor Irene. “Anyway, you are an inspiration to me,” she told her. “I hope Paul and I will be where you and Bernard are too someday.”