“Lord knows we’ve been around long enough to see a lot of karma served,” Loretta said.
“Maybe none as sweet as Felix the Shit,” Nancy said, making me laugh.
“We call him Felix the Fuck,” I clarified.
“Better yet,” Nancy cackled.
“Thank you, ladies,” I said. “You’re truly the best.”
“To us,” Rosy called out, raising her glass again.
“To soon-to-be-inebriated us,” Kona added.
We all sipped again. Then Dotty said, “So if Felix is out, does that mean your grandfather’s business will go to you, Magnolia?”
I set my glass on the coffee table. “Ugh. I hope not. I don’t want it.”
“No?” Rosy asked. “Even with Felix out of it?”
“You’ve got your own business now,” Dotty said.
“Plus zero interest in property development,” I clarified. “My business might be a newborn with an income to match, but I don’t want that dirty money.”
“You think they’re dirty or just cutthroat?” Loretta asked.
I shrugged. “If they put their daughters up for marriage in the name of business, I don’t think they stick to a strict moral code.”
“Isn’t that the truth?” Darlene emphasized.
“It’s worth a lot of money though, right?” Dotty asked.
I nodded. “I assume so. I’ve never had a thing to do with it. Besides, I’d think it would go to my mother, not me.”
“Is she interested in it?” Kona asked.
“I doubt it, but we haven’t talked about it. I assume my grandfather will get the board to change the bylaws and allow him to handpick his successor.”
“Well,” Nancy said, “if he sticks you with it, you could always sell it and find a way to do good with that money. Start making up for the negative they’ve put out in the world.”
“Or I could ignore it and let the company self-implode,” I said, grinning.
“Or you could do that indeed.” Loretta stood and said, “We better get the sustenance started. And Magnolia, wait till you see dessert.”
Two hours later, after a round of bacon-wrapped dates, a delicious, hearty sausage and tortellini soup, and savory ciabatta bread, Dotty brought out dessert with much fanfare.
With her back to us so I still couldn’t see what it was, she stood still while Loretta…lit a match?
“You know it’s not my birthday, right?” I asked.
A high-pitched sizzling sound ignited. Dotty turned around, revealing a gorgeous midnight-blue and lavender cake with a single, lit sparkler jutting out of it.
“This is a karma cake,” she proclaimed.
Rosy broke out into Taylor’s song again, standing and swaying her hips.
We were on our third round of Karma Fizzes, and spirits were high even before the cake, but that cake got us excited like only sugar—and karma—could. The inside was a lavender sponge with honey buttercream and ribbons of edible gold glitter throughout.
“It’s perfect.”
