Susan opened the Cadillac’s door and slid in behind the wheel. She looked over at Clara and smiled sadly. “Let me guess… You want Mabel to practice driving.”
“I have to leave her with the skills to take care of herself. Edna will only be able to do so much,” Clara said.
“Have you told Edna yet?” Susan asked.
Clara shook her head. “You’re the only one who knows with the exception of Dr. Webster. Thank you for recommending her. She’s a kind and compassionate doctor and I’m glad she’s a woman. I feel more comfortable with a woman. I’m not being sexist,” she said, “But that’s how I feel.”
“It’s perfectly understandable. Most women feel that way.” Susan reached over and took Clara’s hand in her own. “How are you doing?”
Clara looked away from Susan’s piercing eyes. It was hard for her to see the pain reflected in her friend’s faces, knowing that she was the cause of that pain. She answered truthfully, “I have good days and bad days. Mabel thinks I have some kind of stubborn flu virus. She’s been nursing me. I’ve never eaten so much chicken soup in my life.” She laughed lightly. “It keeps her busy.”
“When are you going to tell her?” Susan asked gently. “You can’t hide chemo.”
“I’m not doing chemo,” Clara said bluntly. She tilted her chin up, defiant, daring Susan to object.
“Is there another treatment Dr. Webster wants to use?” Susan asked, not understanding.
Clara met Susan’s eyes. “I’m not doing any treatment.”
Susan’s breath caught in her throat. “What? Why not? Don’t you want to try? It may not cure it, but it’ll buy you some time. And there’s always… hope.”
Clara patted Susan’s hand. “Susan, it’s metastasized. My entire back is riddled with the damn stuff. I don’t want to spend my last days sick and miserable. I wouldn’t do it to a pet. Why would I do it to myself? Dr. Webster said she can keep me comfortable and control the pain. Mostly.”
Susan was stunned. “But Clara… you’ve got to try.”
“No, I don’t. Susan, I’m eighty-six. I’ve had a really good life. I want to leave it happy and on my own terms.”
Susan took a deep breath and blinked back the sudden hot tears. Sniffling, she wiped a tear away, then another. “What about Mabel? She won’t make it without you.”
“I’ll have her self-sufficient before I go. Besides, I think Edna has the hots for Mabel. She’ll take care of her.”
Susan pulled back and looked at Clara incredulously. “Edna? Really?”
“Edna has always been in love with Mabel. It’s no big secret. Oh, I’m not saying they’ll become lovers. But Edna will take care of her. Of that, I’m sure.”
At that moment, Mabel raced the Jeep up beside the Cadillac. Susan quickly forced a smile as she powered down the window.
Mabel grinned up at Susan. “What the hell? Are you parking the car or having a powwow?”
“I’ll do it, don’t worry,” Susan said.
Mabel gave her the thumbs up and raced off. Bernie started the stopwatch. “Go, Mabel, go!” she called out.
Susan re-parked the car then turned the engine off. “I still can’t believe this, Clara.”
“I might need some help at the end. Can I count on you?”
Susan knew what Clara meant. It was illegal in Missouri, but there were ways around the law. “I’ll do what I can,” she promised.
“Thank you. Now, I need one more favor,” Clara said.
“What’s that?”
“Can you help me get out of this car? Getting in is okay, but getting out is much harder.”
“Of course,” Susan said. She got out of the car, walked around to Clara’s side, and opened her door. She reached in and gave her a hand getting out. Susan caught Millie’s eye as she watched the two of them. Millie was sharp. It wouldn’t take her long to figure out that Clara was sick.
Parker and Amy pulled up in Parker’s car—a restored bathtub Porsche. It had just been painted metallic silver and still had its original red leather seats. Parker had used all original parts right down to the bumpers and hub caps. Amy had a scarf wrapped around her neck and wore big movie star sunglasses. She was glowing from happiness.
“Look out!” Mabel shouted. She swerved the Jeep, almost side-swiping Parker’s car. “Where’s the friggin’ brakes on this thing?” she shouted as she careened up over the curb. The Jeep bounced to a stop only two feet from the neighbor’s hedge.
“Sweet Jesus,” Clara said. “Parker just restored that car. She doesn’t need it bunged up now.”
“Pish,” Mabel said. “I didn’t even get close.”
Parker looked down at Mabel and smiled. “Where’d you get the tiny car?”
“It’s your baby’s. I was just making sure it works. I always wanted to be a NASCAR driver.”
Millie added, “Bernie’s going to get me my very own tiny Jeep.”
“I want one, too!” Mabel shouted.
“Great,” Parker muttered. “We can start our own NASCAR.” She went around to open the door for Amy.
Bernie rushed over and hugged Amy after she got out of the car. “How’s my newest family member?”
“Baby kicked this morning,” Amy announced proudly.
“I felt it,” Parker said. “Going to be a feisty one.”
They all laughed.
At that moment, Edna pulled up in her car. The back seat was stacked with long lengths of PVC pipes sticking out both windows.
“Good. She brought the pipes,” Mabel said.
“Pipes? What for?” Amy asked.
“Ovary toss,” Mabel said. Since Amy still looked confused, she added, “It’s usually called testicle toss. You put the pipes together, building a small ladder. Then you tie two golf balls together and throw them, trying to rope them over the tops of the PVC pipes. When we get it all together the whole thing will make sense.”
Parker raised her eyebrows. “I’m sure it will. Would you like some help putting them together?”
“I was counting on it,” Mabel said. She ran off to help Edna unload the pipes.
The group of women made their way toward the house. Clara leaned heavily on Susan’s arm.
“Wait until you see all the food,” Millie said.
“Oh, good,” Amy said. “I’m hungry and I plan on eating as much as I want. This is the only time in my life I can do that and I’m going to take advantage of it.”
Amy was the first through the door. Steph greeted her in the kitchen. “The guest of honor is here!” Steph called out.
“You’re so… yellow,” Amy said.
Steph put one hand behind her head and the other on her hip. She jutted out a hip and said, “What d’ya think?”
“Very monochromatic,” Amy said, careful to keep judgment out of her voice.
“It’s hard to find yellows that match,” Steph said, staring down at her outfit.
“Are you wearing yellow underwear?” Parker asked.
“I am!” Steph said. “How’d you know?”
“I didn’t,” Parker said. “But I know you.”
They all moved to the living room. Amy gasped when she saw the mountain of presents piled high. “You guys, this is too much!
“I guess we should’ve brought the van instead,” Parker said.
“It’s our first baby,” Bernie said. “What did you expect?”
“Nothing less,” Amy said.
***
Parker stood on one side of the back yard, balancing an egg on a spoon. Lined up with her were Steph, Bernie, Ruth, and Mabel. Amy was on the opposite side of the yard. She was lined up with Rosa, Millie, Tamika, and Susan. Each woman balanced a spoon and an egg in her hand.
“Tell me again, what is the purpose of this game?” Parker asked Steph.
“It’s a metaphor. There’s the transferring of eggs, that part is obvious. But it also symbolizes the necessity of being careful with the new life force within the womb,” Steph said.
&n
bsp; “You’ve got to be kidding,” Parker said. She felt ridiculous, holding the egg on the spoon.
Bernie said, “Here’s a little advice, Parker. It’s all in the wrist. Keep the wrist firm and walk like you’re tracking an animal.”
“But I’ve never tracked an animal,” Parker said.
Mabel, who was on the other side of Parker, said, “That’s not the way to do it at all. You have to go fast and furious. Get the egg to the other side quickly. Don’t worry about your partner. They drop it and it’s on them.”
“Ladies, prepare your eggs,” Edna called out. She was the referee. She stood halfway between both sides. She stuck two fingers in her mouth and whistled. “Go!” Everyone took off slowly, except for Mabel who only made it ten feet before dropping her egg. Then she stepped on it.
“Gross!” Mabel exclaimed, shaking her foot in the air.
“Mabel, you shouldn’t have gone so fast and furious,” Susan said. She had filled in for Clara who wasn’t feeling up to participating. Tess had bowed out gladly, preferring to watch.
“I demand another egg, that one was defective,” Mabel shouted.
“One egg per person,” Edna said. “No egg-ceptions.”
“Oh, phooey,” Mabel said, still shaking her foot. Standing on one foot and shaking the other was not a good idea. She toppled over, falling directly into Bernie’s path. Bernie tripped over her and landed flat on her face, her egg crushed into her forehead. She looked over at Mabel, egg yolk dripping between her eyes.
Mabel laughed. “Well, that was egg-citing.”
Millie ran up to Bernie, asking, “Honey? Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, I’m fine,” Bernie muttered, climbing to her feet.
Edna whistled loudly then said, “Two down! Please remove yourselves from the course.”
Parker managed to carefully walk the egg across the yard just behind Steph and Ruth. She transferred it to Amy’s spoon. “I think I should get a handicap because I’m carrying two eggs,” Amy said, waddling back across the yard.
“Just think of all the eggs-ercize you’re getting,” Parker joked.
Ruth got in on the puns, saying, “You have to set a good eggs-ample for your child.”
Steph was the last one across. She gently rolled her egg onto Rosa’s spoon. “Don’t let me down, babe. Be egg-ceptional.”
Rosa rolled her eyes. She ambled carefully back across. “In case you forgot, I’m crippled,” Rosa called out over her shoulder.
“No egg-scuses,” Steph said.
Parker watched Tamika and Ruth. Their transfer had been smooth and Ruth moved with grace. It occurred to Parker that Ruth may have played this game before. After all, she’d probably had her very own baby shower.
Amy managed to make it to the other side before anyone else. “I did it!”
Parker clapped and shouted, “Egg-cellent!”
Amy made the mistake of jumping up and down. That was all it took—the egg dropped to the ground. Amy looked down at the egg and then up at Parker who came walking over. “I’m sorry,” she said.
“I guess you’re not an eggs-pert,” Parker joked. She lightly kissed Amy. “I love you anyway.”
“I love you anyway, too,” Amy said.
Edna whistled. “Parker and Amy are out!”
Amy and Parker joined Mabel and Susan on the sidelines. They watched the rest of the race. It was now Steph and Rosa against Ruth and Tamika. “This should be interesting,” Parker said.
No sooner had those words left Parker’s mouth than Steph dropped her egg. “Oh, hell,” Steph said morosely.
Edna whistled. “Game over. Ruth and Tamika are the winners!”
“Should’ve kept your eye on the ball. I mean, egg,” Ruth said to Steph. She tossed her egg up in the air and caught it with ease. “And not on your opponent.”
“Well, let’s just see how well you do in the next event,” Steph retorted.
“Which would be?”
“Strapping a pillow to your stomach and seeing how many items you can pick up in shortest amount of time,” Steph said. “It’s sympathy training so we’ll know how it feels to be nine months pregnant.”
“In case you’ve forgotten, I’ve been pregnant before. I’ve had a lot of practice,” Ruth replied.
Tamika laughed. “Looks like I chose a really good partner.”
Ruth winked at Tamika and said, “Eggs-actly!”
Everyone groaned.
***
Parker and Steph stood in the driveway of Parker’s house and stared at the bed of Steph’s truck. It was piled high with the opened baby gifts. Sitting in the middle of the presents was a baby stroller.
“Where are we going to store the stroller?” Parker asked. “Where do people put it that don’t have a lot of closet space?”
“It folds up. You can put it in the closet in the baby’s room. It only makes sense,” Steph said.
“It would make sense if we had a closet. Or a baby’s room,” Parker said.
“You got to be kidding me,” Steph said incredulously. “Most people would have the room decorated by now.”
“Most people don’t have to build it first,” Parker said.
“What?”
“If you recall, our house only has one bedroom.”
“And you’re going to build a baby’s room?”
“Thanks to our new and very efficient mayor, Clementine, I’ve already secured the permit,” Parker said.
“Where are you putting it?” Steph asked, looking around like the baby’s room might miraculously appear.
Parker pointed. “On top of the carport.”
“You do realize Amy is four months pregnant? That doesn’t leave much time.”
“I’m a fast builder,” Parker said.
Steph sighed heavily. “I’ll help.”
“No, thank you,” Parker said, as she unloaded the stroller from the back of Steph’s truck. “Jose needs the work. I’ve already got him lined up.”
Amy pulled up in the Porsche and parked beside Steph’s truck. She hopped out, flushed and excited. “I love driving this car! I took her for a little detour on the way here. I figured I wouldn’t be allowed to help carry anything.”
Rascal bounced out of the car and ran around the yard, sending birds and squirrels scattering.
“And you would be correct,” Parker said. She tried not to worry about Amy and the pregnancy, but it was difficult. She loved them both so much she was afraid that the universe that had been benevolent with her these past few years, might change her mind and send their life into complete disarray.
They were approaching month five and Amy’s belly was showing. It delighted Parker just thinking that a new person was growing inside her. She wished the baby would hurry up, but then she remembered she needed to build the baby’s room and get married. She needed all the time she could get.
Amy stared at all the stuff still in the truck bed. “I had no idea there was so much stuff for babies.”
“Are you concerned that the baby doesn’t have a room yet?” Steph asked.
“Not really. People used to keep babies in dresser drawers.” She looked at Parker. “We didn’t get a crib. That’s the only thing we didn’t get at the baby shower,” Amy said.
“Hunh,” Parker grunted. She stared hard at Steph willing her to keep her mouth shut about Parker custom-building a crib.
“It’s kind of a personal choice thing. I think everyone thought you’d like to pick it yourself,” Steph said, not quite meeting Amy’s eyes.
Parker suddenly clapped her hands. “Okay. We should finish this.” She pointed at Amy, saying, “And I want you to go sit on the deck and chill. That’s an order.”
Amy smiled flirtatiously. “I like it when you’re forceful.” She kissed Parker on the cheek and went into the house.
Steph watched the front door shut behind Amy before asking, “Are you two still having sex?”
“That question is completely out of line…” Parker said. “But
yes, we are.”
“Good to know,” Steph said.
“Why?”
“Because sex is a bonding agent. Pregnancy can make a person cranky. Sex takes the edge off.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Parker said.
***
Steph and Rosa sat on their back deck enjoying the early evening. They’d finished cleaning up after the baby shower and were having a cold beer. “What do you think about Ruth and Tamika?” Steph asked.
“I think they’re both eggs-traordinary people,” Rosa said.
Steph chuckled. “That was fun. Even if we do have smooshed eggs all over our backyard.”
Rosa set down her book knowing full well that once Steph got talking there was no way of stopping her. She was reading In Cold Blood by Truman Capote. She was getting into true crime novels. She had already worked her way through most of Ann Rule’s books.
“What do you think of them as a couple, though?” Steph asked.
“I don’t know about being a couple. They’ve both been on their own for awhile. You get used to that kind of freedom. And Ruth has a child. A parent has to be careful about bringing another person into the child’s life. Kids get attached and if the relationship doesn’t work out then you’ve got abandonment issues all over again. Remember Cece has already lost one mother.”
Steph pursed her lips. “Yeah, but Cece’s got to trust sometime.”
“Would you have gotten involved with me if I had a child before we met?” Rosa asked.
“Of course,” Steph said.
“But would I have let you?” Rosa said.
“Hmm…good point,” Steph conceded. “But I would’ve eventually persuaded you.”
“If it’s meant to be then it will be.”
“I hope you’re right,” Steph said.
***
Ruth sat on her front porch watching the moths head for the light by the front door. Moths to the flame, she thought. She studied the party napkin with Tamika’s number neatly printed on it. Tamika had put herself out there and Ruth had reciprocated. With trepidation. She liked Tamika, she liked the idea of sharing herself with another woman in all the ways that having a lover and a partner could bring. But then there was Cece.
Cross Your Heart (True Heart Series Book 4) Page 7