Viv remembered Henry. He was the rich one, the college one, that Libby had chosen over Keith. Their Keith.What had happened to him, she wondered.
“She never does anything halfway,” Hope said about their friend. And Viv remembered that to be true. Libby was a leader, a crusader, and a take-the-bull-by-the-horns person.
“Just hearing about all you’ve done makes me want to take a nap,” Viv said. She was serious. Libby was a force of nature.
“And you remember Keith Brady, well, they’re a thing again,” J.J. said.
Libby blushed.
Aha, well, there it was. Their Keith was still their Keith!
“Yes, who saw that coming?” Libby shrugged her shoulders.
“Anyone who ever saw you two back in the day,” Viv said. She remembered heartthrob Keith and how he’d always treated their gaggle of girls with good humor. He was an honorary Sandbar Sister, but the driving force for that was clearly his love for Libby. It made her smile to think they’d wound up together. A happy ending, after all.
Libby had three kids, Viv learned, and from what Viv could see, she was still the leader of this little group, insomuch as she had a plan. She always had a plan.
Viv didn’t realize until they started explaining Libby’s plan how much she was supposed to be a part of it. When they started talking about the new Irish Hills, it was almost too much. Rehabbing an entire town? Viv didn’t have the energy to curl her eyelashes, much less give a town CPR!
Viv sensed an energy shift in Siena. Her daughter was keyed up while the rest of them reminisced and laughed. Siena couldn’t seem to sit still.
Viv saw Siena chew her fingernail. She never did that.
Finally, Siena stood up and spilled it.
“Mom, I know this will come as a shock to you, but, well, we’re also a part of the new Irish Hills!”
“What?”
“We’ve leased the far end of the corner of buildings on Manitou Lake Road. We passed it on the way in, actually.”
Viv had entrusted her finances to Siena. But she was having a tough time processing what her daughter was saying.
“Aunt Goldie hooked me up with Aunt Libby and let me know they needed a boutique. I mean, we’re it. We’re opening the very first Vivian Blackwood Designs retail location.”
“I really don’t understand the words coming out of your mouth right now.”
“I want us to open a boutique in that space. I’ll do the business end, of course, but it will be a possible proof of concept of Vivian Blackwood Boutiques across the country if it works. It’s a new direction for the business, and it will help contribute to the rejuvenation that’s happening here in Irish Hills.”
Viv tried not to lose her temper. She saw the hope and youthful optimism in her daughter’s eyes. But she wanted to go crawl into a bed, pull up the covers and stay there. She didn’t want to start a new venture. Vivian Blackwood Designs was barely hanging on. She didn’t have a new line of designs in her. That blank sketch book proved it.
“I don’t have the energy. I thought we were relaxing. I’m feeling, what’s the word?”
“Ambushed, I totally get it. I sort of felt that too, but I promise you this is going to cure what ails you. It did me,” Goldie chimed in to defend Siena.
“What ailed you was a P.R. crisis. I have cancer.” Viv knew it sounded mean; she regretted the tone as soon as it came out of her mouth.
Goldie came over and kneeled down in front of Viv. “Honey, I know. I know. No pressure, okay. Just forget all this. We are here to help you recharge, so let’s just get you to your room. And we can talk about all this later.” Goldie looked over her shoulder. Joe, who’d helped them in, nodded at Goldie.
“Okay, your stuff is already in your room.”
“I don’t mean to seem ungrateful; you all have good intentions, I get it. But I’m just not up for a new adventure, a new business. I’m barely up for showering each morning lately.” Viv slumped in the chair. She felt a wave of emotion. She wanted to cry. She shouldn’t cry. She was expected to be strong.
J.J. rushed to her and put her arms around Viv. And suddenly, she did cry. She let go, a little, of the burden of pretending like she was okay.
“You don’t have to fake it here,” J.J. said. “If you feel like crap, it’s okay. You can feel like crap. You can tell us to go to hell. It’s all allowed.”
Viv smiled. There was an acceptance here, with her old friends. They were her age. Despite how anything looks on the outside, a woman in her fifties has been through some stuff, but she’s survived. It isn’t all sunshine and roses.
