Laura laughed, feeling weightless. “Good news?”
“That was the insurance company. They’re gonna pay for my surgery. We did it, Laura!”
“What?” Laura screamed, giving him a hug. “That’s amazing!”
His arms tightened around her and she squeezed him back, filled with elation. Brian kissed her, slowly and passionately, and warmth filled her from her head to her toes. Eventually he pulled away, resting his forehead on hers. “It’s gonna happen, babe—we’re finally gettin’ back on track.”
“I’m so happy for you,” she said softly, trying to just live in this joyful moment.
“For us,” he corrected her, grinning.
Laura smiled back. “For us.”
Brian put his Oakleys on top of his head. “And see, we didn’t need that money anyway.”
A vice of anger wrapped around her again. “I don’t know about that . . .” she said, trying not to let her frustration ruin the moment. But she couldn’t help thinking that if Brian hadn’t been reckless, they would have twelve thousand hard-earned dollars saved up right now, money they could have put toward building their life together—or for her college tuition.
The two sat down on the bench and Brian wrapped his arm around her shoulders. For a moment, they just sat there, basking in the warm spring weather. All of the anxieties of the past few months melted away. Finally, finally, she knew that everything would be okay.
So why, when Brian kissed her, had she been thinking about Vince?
• • •
“I DON’T GET it—isn’t this what you wanted the whole time? Why do you sound so sad?” Madison took a sip of red wine from the long-stemmed glass in her hand and set it down on the hot tub ledge. Between the two of them, they had already drunk three-fourths of the bottle of 2012 Château Margaux they’d found in George’s wine cellar earlier that night. He was out of town on a business trip, and judging from his large stock, he’d probably never even notice that one—or a couple—bottles were missing. After the first sip, they both agreed this was exceptionally better than the Sutter Home they usually downed on girls’ nights.
Laura leaned her head back on the ledge and sunk down into the water, dampening the loose hair at the nape of her neck. Her face felt numb, which was usually the first sign that she was drunk. Once, during junior year, she’d poked a fork into her cheek to prove that she’d lost all feeling there. Now every time she had too much to drink, Madison would go around yelling, “Hide the forks, y’all—Laura’s drunk!”
She pulled her knees to her chest. “I guess I’m just . . . confused?”
Madison poured the rest of the bottle of wine into Laura’s glass. “Tell me everything,” she said, handing the goblet to her friend.
Laura took a long sip. “You know those movies that show what a person’s life woulda been like had they done something slightly different? Like, how one decision changes everything?”
“Yeah,” Madison said, adjusting the black strap on her bikini. “I totally understand. You’re wondering if you woulda won Homecoming Queen if you hadn’t worn that feather dress.” She shook her head. “Honey, we’ve all contemplated that one, too.”
“Oh, shut up!” Laura said, splashing water into Madison’s face. She giggled as her friend exaggeratedly wiped the water from her eyes. “Seriously, though . . . I love Brian, I do. But what if we hadn’t gotten married when we did? What if we had waited?” She took another sip of her wine. “Lately, I’ve just been going down this tunnel of what-ifs? Would I have been happier if I’d just stayed in school in the first place?”
Madison put her glass down and leveled a stare at Laura. “Laur . . . are you not happy?”
A cloud moved over the moon and an owl hooted loudly in a nearby tree. Finally, Laura spoke. “I just wonder how my life would be different if I’d waited. If I’d thought more seriously about it . . . I’m not sure I would’ve made the same decision.”
Madison’s eyes widened. “Did something happen? What made you feel this way?”
Laura sighed. “It’s just been the hardest year of my life.”
“So, there were a few bumps, but he’s getting the surgery now, and things will be back to normal. What’s the big deal?” Madison took another sip of wine.
“The big deal is that I was happy for him—so happy. But I realized I wasn’t happy for me.” She sighed. “He gets his dream, but is it enough? I want more than to just to follow him around like a little puppy dog.”
Madison shook her head. “I’m so confused—isn’t that what you wanted to do? Wasn’t that your plan? You were so set on getting married. Brian’s dreams were your dreams.”
“I was seventeen, Mads. I don’t think I knew what I wanted,” she admitted quietly.
“Does this have anything to do with that Vinny guy?” Madison grabbed her cigarettes from the ledge.
“Vince?” Laura asked, massaging her forehead. The wine was starting to give her a headache.
“Yeah, that nerd that you always hang out with at school.” Madison lit her cigarette, the end glowing a bright red in the darkness.
Laura thought about Vince for a second, his supportive nature and the ability to make her laugh on cue—she couldn’t remember the last time Brian had said something funny. Being with Vince did make her wonder sometimes what life would be like had she ended up with someone other than Brian. “Do you worry that George isn’t who you’re supposed to be with?” Laura asked instead. “Do you wonder what your life would be like if you were to marry Cash instead?”
Madison inhaled deeply, letting the smoke trickle from her mouth in long tendrils. “That’s a different situation,” she said, not quite meeting Laura’s eye. “And Cash Romero’s never gonna be able to give me the things George does.”
Laura looked up at the starry night, her eyes focusing in on the Big Dipper. “But what if he could one day? What if Cash becomes a huge rock star and makes ten times more money than George? Are you still going to be happy with your decision to marry George?”
Madison squirmed in the water. “Listen, I don’t know what you’re so worried about. Brian’s set—he’s gonna be rich and famous. You made the right decision.”
Laura leaned her head back. “I’m not worried about Brian’s future.” She sighed. “I’m worried about mine.”
31
gabrielle
GABBY SAT IN her car as the rain poured down, pummeling her roof. In front of her, the Barton Correctional Facility stood under a gray-colored sky. She had driven all the way out there this morning, positive that she’d be able to make a decision about Tony if she could see her mom in person. But instead of going inside, she’d been sitting here for hours, lost in thought.
Gabby knew Elaine was miserable in the prison, even more so than she let on. Elaine always had a habit of pretending things were better than they actually were. Like the time when Gabby was in third grade and their car had broken down, but Elaine didn’t have the money to fix it. She spent three months walking Gabby a mile to school, under the guise of trying to get in some more exercise. Or when they heard that Gabby’s dad, who split almost right after she was born, had settled down two towns over and was raising a new family. Instead of getting upset about it, Elaine had simply lifted her chin, said, “Sure do feel sorry for that woman,” and never discussed it again. So, in all likelihood, when Elaine said everything inside the prison was “fine,” she probably meant, “hellish, but I’m getting through it.” And Gabby had the ability to change that.
But on the other hand, did Elaine deserve to be released six years early? Mom’s in jail for a reason, she reminded herself as thunder rumbled in the distance. She had committed a serious crime and was paying the price for her actions. What she did was wrong, and it had cost Gabby her college career, so why should Gabby sacrifice more of her life to get Elaine out of there? Gabby rested her head on the steering wheel, thinking about the first time she’d gone to visit her mom in jail.
Gabby had been so li
vid with her mom that it had taken her six months to go see her. The meeting had started out awkwardly, neither of them really knowing what to say. Gabby’s last words to her mother after the sentencing had been, “I’ll never forgive you,” and the words seem wedged between them now. She and Elaine had been so close. It was always the two of them against the world, so the distance felt disorienting. Gabby, trying to fill in the silence during their first visit, had started talking about the weather.
Elaine had cut her off, grabbing her hand across the cold metal table. “Gabby, I know you’ll never be able to forgive me, but I need to tell you that I’m sorry . . . and that while it was wrong, my intentions were good. I did it all for you.”
Gabby had scoffed, yanking her hand back and crossing her arms over her chest defensively. “Are you serious, Mom? I worked so hard to get into Tulane—” She felt tears growing behind her eyes and sniffed, looking up toward the fluorescent light above their heads. She refused to cry over this anymore. “I worked so hard. And now all I can do is try to get by.”
Elaine started to weep. “I just . . . I just wanted you to have a better life. I felt like a failure as a mother because I couldn’t give you everything you deserved.” She wiped the tears from her cheeks. “What I did was wrong—believe me, I know it was wrong—but I saw an opportunity for a better life and I took it. And then things got out of control and I couldn’t undo it. Even if you can’t forgive me, I hope you can someday understand.”
Now, Gabby actually could understand, and she sympathized with her mother. While Gabby hadn’t committed a crime, wasn’t her situation similar? She, like Elaine, had seen an opportunity for a better life and she’d taken it. And now she, like Elaine, was going to have to deal with the consequences.
As the rain continued to beat down on her car, Gabby closed her eyes and considered her options. She could break up with Tony and get her mom out of jail. And honestly, she had missed Elaine desperately. Her friends were wonderful, but there was nothing that could substitute for the counsel of your own mother . . . trying to plan a wedding without her was proof of that. She didn’t want to continue going through life’s big moments without her mom.
On the other hand, Gabby could wait and watch as Tony’s father told him the truth. Elaine would serve her sentence like any other criminal, and Gabby would have to pray Congressman Ford didn’t know his son as well as he claimed . . . that even after knowing everything, Tony would still love her and want to be with her.
But was that the right decision? Could she trade her mother’s life for a chance at her own happiness?
A tapping noise on the window made Gabby jump. A prison guard stood outside, peering in her window. She rolled it down, the rain splattering into her car.
“Ma’am, you’ve been sitting here for a while,” he said, looking into her car suspiciously. “Do you need any help?”
“No,” Gabby said, a resolution forming in her mind. “I was just leaving.”
“All right, have a good day, then.” He walked back toward the prison.
Gabby started the engine and looked down at her phone. She typed a message to Tony: Meet me at King’s Cafe at 1?
He immediately wrote back, OK!
Gabby drove away from the prison, trying not to look back. If she thought much more about this, she was sure she would crumble.
• • •
GABBY HAD PICKED a busy café, thinking Tony wouldn’t make a scene if there were other people around. As they sipped on Mello Joy coffee, she finally got the courage to do what she should have done months ago. “I have to talk to you about something,” she said, shifting uncomfortably in the metal chair.
Tony looked up from his steaming yellow mug, his long lashes framing his beautiful dark brown eyes. Gabby wanted, so badly, to reach out and kiss him one last time. “Sure,” he said. “What’s up?”
She took a deep breath, trying not to tremble. “I can’t marry you.”
Tony paused, looking at her quizzically, and then laughed. “That’s not funny, babe.” He grabbed her hand, interlacing her fingers in his own. “So, I was thinking about a road trip for our honeymoon. Have you ever driven Route Sixty-Six?”
“No—Tony,” Gabby said, her voice quiet and direct. She pulled her hand away, her stomach churning. Tony’s brows furrowed, confusion flitting across his face as Gabby rushed to get the rest of the words out. “I can’t marry you. It has absolutely nothing to do with you, but I’m going through something personal right now and I have to deal with it on my own.”
Tony’s face blanched and he leaned back in the seat. “Gabby, stop that. Whatever it is, we’re a team now. I’ll help you get through it.”
Gabby looked around the coffee shop at all the people laughing and talking around them. For her, time had slowed to a crawl; it felt like her world was ending. Tony stared at her in concern, like he was trying to figure out how to help. He wasn’t getting this, so she needed to make it clear to him. She couldn’t look at him as she pulled off her engagement ring. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I wish things were different.” She placed the ring on the table and stood to leave, her stomach and chest aching with pain.
“Wait . . . where are you going?” He grabbed the ring and scrambled out of his seat, following her out of the coffee shop. “I’m so confused. Are you actually breaking up with me?”
Outside, the rain had stopped and the sun was out, illuminating the puddles in the parking lot. The world looked like it was glittering, a cruel contrast to the hollow feeling inside of her. Gabby turned to face Tony, finally looking him in the eyes. His gaze was desperate and wild—disoriented, even—and his mouth hung slack.
“You’re a good guy,” she said softly. “You’ll find someone better than me.”
“Gabby . . .” He reached for her, trying to wrap her into a hug, but she disentangled herself from his embrace. An angry red bloomed across his cheeks, and he stepped back, hurt.
She walked briskly to her car, his footsteps splashing on the wet ground behind her. As she opened her door, he grabbed her arm and spun her around. The look in his eyes was pleading and heart-wrenching. “You have to talk to me,” he said, starting to tear up. “You can’t just . . . end it. Not like this. What did I do?”
It’s what I did, she wanted to say. But as painful as this was for him, his dad had made himself clear: keeping silent about her lies was part of the deal of getting her mom out.
“It’s over, Tony. I never want to see you again,” she said, lying to him one last time before slamming the door in his face.
32
madison
MADISON STARED AT herself in the bathroom mirror, her surprisingly mature reflection looking back at her. Her skin was dewy and bronzed. Her eyes, outlined in black kohl, were wide and luminous, and her lips were painted a light pink.
Claire stood behind her, creating soft waves in her dark hair with a curling iron.
“I still can’t believe you’re doing this,” Claire said, clamping down on her hair with the hot tool. “Marriage isn’t something you should take so lightly.”
Madison stared at the scowl on her cousin’s face. “Just because you’re having problems doesn’t mean it’s going to be hard for everyone else.”
Claire laughed. “Oh, sweet child, you’re so naive. Bless your heart. If two people who love each other can have problems, a fake marriage is in for a world of trouble.”
“Shhh,” Madison said, glancing around to make sure her parents weren’t within earshot. Perhaps it wasn’t a conventional wedding, but the only people who knew that besides George were her friends . . . and Cash.
When she’d told him, he’d gaped at her. The two sat outside on the stoop of his trailer as the sunset gave off a purple glow. The sky was eerie and calm at the same time, which wasn’t too different from how Madison felt as she broke the news about marrying George. “I’m actually in shock,” he said, looking as though he was trying to process the information. Madison felt the same way.
“I just thought you should hear it from me first,” she said, nervously shaking her knees.
“Is this what you want?” He looked at her, his eyes lowering.
She thought about it for a second. Sure, it wasn’t exactly what she had in mind when she first started hanging around George. Claire and Laura had married their “one true loves” and didn’t seem any better off for it. At least she knew that George would never hurt her. And besides, their marriage would practically be a business arrangement.
She twirled her hair as she locked eyes with Cash, wondering what he was really thinking. Was he plotting to win her back? She fantasized about him grabbing her hand and begging her to ditch George and run away with her. They’d find another way to help her parents with the mortgage and the medical bills and they’d finally be together for real, a true couple. But she knew deep down none of those things would happen. She had been fantasizing about that for years, just like she did with those lottery tickets she and Allen scratched off—addicted to the fantasy and hope of winning, but always disappointed in the end.
“Is it what you want?” he asked again, digging his Chucks into the dirt.
She looked off into the sunset and nodded her head slowly. She had finally won the lottery—it just wasn’t the prize she was originally hoping for.
“Oh, my baby!” Madison’s mom cried now as she poked her head in the bathroom door, bringing Madison back to the moment. “You look beautiful.” The tears were already starting to flow and the ceremony hadn’t even started yet. It was going to be a long day for Connie Blanchette.
“Thanks, Mama,” Madison said, greeting her mom with a very careful cheek kiss so as not to mess up the makeup Claire had just spent an hour applying.
“K, yer all done,” Claire said with one final curl. “Let’s get the dress on.” She peeked out the tiny bathroom window at the backyard of George’s lake house. “Guests are already startin’ to come.”
The Young Wives Club Page 20