“I know,” Monica said. “What was that about?”
Lenora shrugged. “Nerves, I guess. For some reason, I obsessed about all the negative things the money might mean rather than focus on the positive. Anyway, I’m completely over it now.”
“Good.” Monica nodded absentmindedly and looked at Alise. It was obvious to Lenora that Monica had caught on that Alise was not her normal, chatty, and opinionated self. “I saw the new BMW outside,” Monica said. “Very nice.”
“Thanks,” Lenora said.
“Did she tell you she got a new BMW?” Monica asked Alise.
Alise blinked. “Yes.”
“Did you see it outside?” Monica asked.
“How could I miss it?” Alise replied.
Lenora and Monica exchanged glances. What kind of response was that? Lenora wondered. Was Alise jealous about the new car? And that Lenora now had an even bigger and better model BMW? If so, Lenora couldn’t believe that Alise could be so shallow.
“I love the color,” Monica said. “What color is that?”
“Cashmere silver,” Lenora said. She could take it no longer. Alise had always been a little on the uppity side, but this was different. She was standoffish and distant. “What’s going on with you, Alise?” Lenora blurted out.
Alise lifted a brow. “Excuse me?”
“Why the attitude?” Lenora asked. “And it seems to be directed only at me. Did I do something? ’Cause I don’t get it.”
“I’m noticing it too,” Monica said. “Is everything okay with you, Alise?”
“Everything is fine with me,” Alise responded.
“The last time we talked, you hung up on me,” Lenora said.
“I did not hang up on you.” “You didn’t even bother to say good-bye,” Lenora said. “That’s hanging up, last I heard.”
Alise patted her short hair in place, as if it needed straightening, and frowned with irritation. “I don’t remember that. But I do remember that when I called you to congratulate you on winning the lottery, you acted like you didn’t want me to know anything about it.”
Lenora was stunned. Alise was still griping about that? “Of course I wanted you to know, Alise. Don’t be silly. I just would have preferred to tell you myself rather than have someone else blab about it before I had a chance.” Lenora stared pointedly at Monica.
“Uh-oh,” Monica said with a little embarrassment. “I didn’t mean any harm. I didn’t think it would be a problem telling Alise.”
“Exactly,” Alise said. “What was the big deal about her telling me?”
“I just… my mental state wasn’t the best at the time,” Lenora said. “I wanted to tell people myself in my own time.”
“We’ve known each other for years,” Alise said. “I was trying to be nice, and I was taken aback by your reaction. I thought you would be pleased to hear from me. And then when I mentioned Gerald, you nearly chewed my head off.”
“What do you expect?” Lenora said, her voice rising. “You never liked Gerald, but insinuating that he would try to take advantage of me because of my money was plain wrong. It was insulting.”
“I never said he definitely would,” Alise snapped back. “I suggested that you be careful. You have to be realistic about these things.”
“Ladies, can you tone it down?” Monica held her arms out, trying to keep the peace. “People are starting to stare.”
“Gerald is not like that,” Lenora said, ignoring Monica and the other people. “And you don’t know him well enough to assume that he would take advantage of me. And if you don’t know what you’re talking about, you should keep your opinion to yourself.”
“Believe me, that’s exactly what I plan to do from now on,” Alise retorted, folding her arms defiantly.
“C’mon, you two,” Monica said. “People are really staring now. It’s embarrassing.”
Lenora rolled her eyes skyward and glanced away from the table. People were staring, but she was too agitated to care. “You need to talk some sense into your friend,” Lenora said.
“I’m sorry if I caused this by running my big mouth,” Monica said.
“You didn’t make her a snob,” Lenora snapped as the waiter came to the table with their appetizers. “No need for you to apologize.”
Alise stood abruptly and the waiter backed a hasty retreat. “I don’t have to take this. I’m going to the ladies’ room.” She glanced at Monica. “You need to talk some sense into her.” With that, Alise walked off in a huff.
“Damn,” Monica said. “I’ve never seen you two argue like this. You all would get to bickering once in a while, but nothing this heated.”
“I’m not sure what the hell is going on with her. But whatever it is, it started after I won the lottery.”
Monica sighed loudly. “You don’t really think she’s jealous about the money, do you?”
“What else would it be? When I called to tell her about the BMW, she barely said a word, especially after she found out I have a bigger model than she does. And the crap about Gerald was totally unnecessary. I don’t comment on her husband and his motives. She should shut the hell up about my man. Alise has always been kind of materialistic, but she was basically fine as long as she was the one with most of the material. Now that I have more…” Lenora paused and shrugged.
“I agree that she can be a little materialistic at times, but she’s fun to be around and she’s got so many connections. Not to mention that we’ve known her for so long.”
“She used to be fun. Not anymore. I’m tempted to get up and leave and call you some other time. I can only take so much of her.”
“Please stay, at least until she catches us up on what’s happening with our applications to The Girlfriends?”
Lenora rolled her eyes.
“Please?”
“Only for you,” Lenora said.
“I wonder what’s taking her so long?” Monica looked toward the ladies’ room.
“With any luck she slipped out on us,” Lenora said, only half joking.
“Don’t say that,” Monica said. “You two need to kiss and make up.”
“Yeah, right,” Lenora said as Alise came out of the restroom and sat back at the table. Several moments of tension-filled silence passed between them as they each fiddled with their food. Finally Monica spoke up.
“So can you two quit acting like bitches?” Monica asked.
Lenora and Alise both smiled stiffly but remained silent.
“At least long enough to talk about The Girlfriends,” Monica continued.
“I do have news about that,” Alise said quietly as she dipped her calamari into the sauce. “I only came back to fill you in on that. The president called me last night and told me the formal letters will go out next week. Lenora has been accepted.”
“Really?” Monica said. “Congratulations, Lenora!”
Lenora started to clasp her hands together with joy but then paused and looked at Alise. “What about Monica?”
“I suspect that Alise didn’t mention me for a reason,” Monica said.
“I’m so sorry,” Alise said, shaking her head. “You didn’t make it.”
Monica’s face fell.
“Oh, I’m sorry, too,” Lenora said, rubbing Monica’s back. She glanced at Alise for an explanation.
“Don’t look at me,” Alise said. “I just found out last night, and I was as surprised as you two are now.”
Lenora frowned as the waiter approached the table with their main courses. Why would one of them be accepted by the club and not the other? If anything, Lenora would have thought that Monica was the most qualified. As a surgical nurse, she had a higher-paying job.
“Carla did mention you winning the lottery when she called last night, Lenora,” Alise said. “Said to tell you congratulations. Maybe that had something to do with it.”
Lenora stared at Alise. “How did she even find out I won?”
“I assumed you told someone in the club,” Alise said.
> “No, I didn’t,” Lenora said.
Alise’s face was filled with doubt. “You sure?”
“Of course I’m sure,” Lenora said. “How could I possibly be mistaken about something like that? I’ve told hardly anyone.” Alise was really bugging the hell out of her, Lenora thought.
“All I know is that a couple of weeks ago, just before you won the lottery, I heard that both of you were going to be rejected again,” Alise said. “Now suddenly, you’re in and Monica’s not. How do you explain that?”
“You’re assuming that I was accepted only because of the money, and I resent that,” Lenora said.
“What else am I supposed to assume?” Alise asked, raising her voice as if she thought Lenora had suddenly gone deaf. “Two weeks ago they were going to turn you both down. What has changed since then besides the money you won?”
“This is crazy,” Lenora responded, her voice rising to match Alise’s.
“You have to admit it looks like more than a coincidence,” Monica said.
“So you agree with her?” Lenora asked. “You think the money was the only reason I was accepted?”
“Well, look at the timing,” Monica said. “I’m just trying to keep it real.”
“Fine,” Lenora said, folding her arms defiantly across her chest. Both of her friends had turned against her. She couldn’t believe this was happening.
“What else do you think it could be, Lenora?” Monica said. “ ’Cause I’m all ears.”
“I attended a couple of functions that you missed because you had to work those nights,” Lenora said. “Maybe that helped me.”
“They said I wouldn’t be penalized for that since I was working,” Monica said.
“Right,” Alise said. “I doubt seriously it had anything to do with that, especially since it appears that the decision to reject you was changed suddenly. I’ve never heard of that happening before.”
“It’s the money, honey,” Monica said. “Don’t worry about it, Lenora. It is what it is.”
“Is that just another reason why you’ve been acting so nasty toward me lately?” Lenora asked Alise. “Not only are you jealous about my new car, you think I was admitted to your precious club for the wrong reasons.”
Alise stood up, reached into her purse, and tossed a couple of bills on the table. “That’s it. I said what I came to say. I’m leaving.”
Monica stared at Alise, obviously dumbfounded. Lenora looked down and lightly tapped her fingers on the table.
“Are you serious?” Monica asked Alise.
Alise leaned over to kiss Monica on the cheek. “I’ll call you over the weekend.” She left the table without so much as a nod in Lenora’s direction.
“Wow,” Monica said. “What just happened?”
Lenora shrugged. “Alise and I haven’t been all that close since college. Not like you two are. We come together mainly because of you.”
“But you’ve never argued like this.”
“You’re right.” Lenora didn’t want to keep saying that she thought Alise was jealous about the money. But this was by far the most explosive disagreement they’d ever had. She didn’t know what else to think.
“I’m really sorry that you didn’t get in,” Lenora said.
“No worries. I admit I’m jealous that you got in and I didn’t, but I’m also happy for you.”
“Thanks,” Lenora said. “And now that both Alise and I are members, it should make things easier for you next year.”
Monica shook her head sadly. “If I decide to reapply. I’m beginning to think I’m wasting my time. Maybe it’s not in the cards for me.”
Lenora nodded with understanding.
“Think I’ll order something decadent for dessert,” Monica said. “I could use some soothing about now. How about you?”
Lenora patted her waistline. “I’ll pass on that, but you go ahead. Maybe I’ll nibble on yours.”
“You are looking slimmer these days,” Monica said after asking a waiter for the dessert menu. “How much have you lost?”
“Ten pounds and counting.”
“You look amazing,” Monica said. “How did you do it?”
Normally Lenora told Monica just about everything, but she decided against telling Monica about the diet pills. With everyone reacting so unpredictably around her these days, Lenora felt guarded. And as a nurse, Monica might very well have a negative view of diet pills. “Oh, just watching what I eat and taking longer walks with Paws.”
After the way this crazy meal had gone, Lenora didn’t want any further discord.
Chapter 24
It was getting harder to drag herself out of bed and into the office, Lenora thought as she tossed the covers back. And Monday mornings were the hardest. She sat up and slipped her feet into her flip-flops. Just when she was starting to feel good about the money, something happened to rattle her nerves. She couldn’t get the bitter meal she had shared with Monica and Alise on Saturday afternoon out of her mind.
Lenora had heard that a change in fame or fortune could strain old friendships. A relationship could be one way for years, with both parties pretty much on equal ground. Then unexpectedly one of them became famous or rich and the dynamics changed forever. People who had been kind and tolerant of each other for years suddenly became petty, jealous, intolerant.
The spat with Alise was exactly the kind of life-altering event she had dreaded when she won the money; in fact it was why she got so sick. She didn’t want the people around her to change suddenly. But she was done with worrying about how her winnings might hurt her, her relationships, or anything else. From now on, she was going to enjoy her newfound wealth no matter what. If Alise or anyone else wanted to fall in place, fine. If not, she was moving on.
She turned on the shower, stripped down, and stepped in. She and Gerald had talked about house hunting over the weekend. She had the money to buy her dream house now, and he was excited for her. Now that was the kind of change she looked forward to and how she wanted to spend her time.
Gerald had expressed some strong opinions about where they should look. She would listen to him since they had been close for so many years and she valued his judgment. But she didn’t have a ring on her finger yet. In the end, it was her money and her decision.
“Northern Virginia is too far from both our jobs and there’s too much traffic,” he had said last night at dinner. “We really should stick to the area north of D.C. and south of Baltimore.”
“We?” she said, holding her left hand out in front of him prominently. “As long as I don’t see a diamond ring on this finger, there is no we, at least not when it comes to buying a house.”
“Oops,” he had muttered as he smiled knowingly. “Fair enough.”
The telephone rang as she stepped from the shower. She hastily draped a towel around her body and ran to the phone on the wall in the kitchen, noting that the clock said 9:05 a.m. She didn’t have time to look at caller ID as she grabbed the phone on the fourth and final ring. She at least knew that it was not a bill collector. She had paid all her bills off and was finally completely caught up on her mortgage payments.
“Lenora?”
She recognized the voice of the receptionist at her office. “Morning, Jenna.”
“Good morning,” Jenna said. “You know why I’m calling.”
“Dawna?” Lenora asked.
“Yep. She said she wants to see you in the office within thirty minutes unless you’re laid up in a hospital somewhere.”
“I hear ya. Did she say why? Any particular project?”
“No, but I think it’s got to do with the job in West Baltimore for the September issue,” Jenna said. “Peterson called in sick again and the feature is backed up.”
“Crap,” Lenora muttered. As the setting for the critically acclaimed television production The Wire, that area of Baltimore was known nationally for rampant drugs and crime. And West Baltimore could be such a depressing area visually, with run-down buildings, dirty st
reets, and people who looked like they had lost all hope.
But it was none of those things that most bothered Lenora about this assignment. It was Peterson. He had a way of squirming out of his assignments when they became difficult. He invariably became sick or busy with a funeral clear across the country. “She knows I don’t want to take that on. Nobody does.”
“What do you want me to tell her?” Jenna asked.
Lenora thought to say that she was sick herself. But she was already on shaky ground with the boss, and that could lead to dismissal before she was ready. She wanted to leave on her terms, not Dawna’s. “Does she sound mad that I’m not in yet?”
“Put it this way,” Jenna said. “She ain’t happy, I can promise you that.”
Lenora sighed deeply. “Tell her I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
Lenora dropped the receiver in the cradle. She couldn’t believe that Dawna was letting Peterson get away with this crap again. She stomped back into the bathroom. She would go into the office as planned, but she was going to take her sweet time and was absolutely not going to accept Peterson’s crummy assignment. It was his idea to feature West Baltimore, let him see it through. No way, no how was she going to do it. The days of Dawna tossing her around like a rag doll were over.
Chapter 25
An hour later, Lenora pulled into the lot in front of her building and carefully parked the new BMW at the far edge, which was almost deserted. She wasn’t prepared to tell them yet that she had won the lottery, and she didn’t want anyone asking questions or wondering how she could afford such a car. She would tell them when she was ready and not a day sooner.
She smiled at Jenna as she stood at the front desk and retrieved her phone messages. “Is Dawna available now?” Lenora asked.
Jenna nodded. “She’s in her office waiting for you.”
Lenora debated whether to go straight in to see Dawna or to try to slip by Dawna’s cracked office door and duck into her own office first to check her inbox. She decided to head for her own office. The confrontation with the wicked witch of the Baltimore Scene could wait.
She had barely gotten past Dawna’s door when it flew open. Lenora stopped cold and turned to see Dawna in her doorway wearing a tailored black pantsuit, a fresh white linen blouse, and a scowl.
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