‘To living our best lives,’ Paige chimed in.
‘To best friends,’ Sienna murmured.
‘Forever,’ they all said, and laughed, as they clinked their glasses together for what was most definitely not the last time.
* * *
As their glasses emptied, the diner had filled, so there was a line of people at the bar, and not a spare seat in sight. The Karma Club barely noticed – they were still riding high on their success. But then a woman walked past, flustered, eyes darting across the restaurant, and in her hand, she held something Sienna instantly recognised. She sat a little straighter.
‘You guys, look.’
‘What?’ Astrid lifted a hot chip towards her lips but paused, midway. ‘What is it?’
‘Look!’ Sienna pointed, and the gesture caught the attention of the flustered woman.
‘Ohmygod.’ Paige’s jaw dropped. ‘Theflyer.’
‘It’s funny,’ Sienna murmured, thinking back to that fateful night. ‘I watched that woman with the magenta hair handing out leaflets, and I wondered what her criteria was for who received one. Like, it wasn’t everyone. She was very selective.’
‘And she selected us,’ Bella said, with a small nod. ‘Well, actually, she selected my kinky friend Diedre, butsheselected me.’
‘We were meant to meet,’ Sienna said, leaning forward and putting her hand out. Each of the women put theirs on top, supportive. Agreeing.
Astrid’s eyes filled with tears. ‘Yep.’
‘But look.’ Now it was Bella who pointed across the restaurant, at another woman who was clutching a flyer, looking totally lost and stranded in manic airport hell. ‘She’s been working her magic again.’
‘You guys,’ Paige said. ‘Are you thinking what I’m thinking?’
In answer, Astrid lifted an elegant hand in the air and waved it around, gesturing first to one of the women, and then another, beckoning them over.
‘Heya,’ Astrid said, when they reached the table. ‘Did you want our seats?’
The women looked from one to the other. ‘Oh, we’re not together,’ the shorter woman with thick glasses demurred.
Paige smiled serenely. ‘Neither were we. Don’t let a simple thing like that get in the way of a good time.’
The women looked unconvinced, but the four original members were already standing, their hearts warm with being able to pay forward their good fortune – and hoping that these women’s lives might even be changed in the same way theirs had been.
‘Hi, I’m Monica,’ Sienna heard the woman in the green hat say, as they walked away from the table.
‘Mary-Beth. Where are you heading to tonight?’
As they reached the door to the packed diner, two more women walked in. ‘There are a couple of seats at that table,’ Bella offered. ‘Just over there.’
And when they glanced back at the table they’d recently occupied, it was to see Mary-Beth and Monica locked in conversation, laughing about something.
Sienna reached down and squeezed Astrid’s hand; Astrid looked at her and smiled. Everything was just as it was meant to be.
* * *
The following Christmas. Ashbury Falls, NC
‘Is that them?’
Aiden peered out of the window and shook his head. ‘They’ll be here soon.’
‘I know.’ Sienna smiled. ‘I’m just excited.’
