CHAPTER 1
Ellyn
“Shanice, have you seen your father?” I ask my daughter.
She glances around at the various faces in the spacious ballroom. Beautiful bouquets of fresh roses line the long, cherrywood tables that fill the space, while silver LED balloons hang overhead. Among the table centerpieces sit the gold-rimmed glasses and silverware used to decorate for my ‘surprise’ fiftieth birthday party.
Except it really wasn’t a surprise when Rick, my husband, insisted that I pick out his clothes for tonight.
When I asked him repeatedly why he needed the perfect outfit for what was supposed to be a small dinner with just the family, he admitted it was because he and the girls decided to throw me a lavish birthday celebration.
“I think I just passed him in the hallway speaking to Lauren,” Shanice answers, dropping her hand to her protruding belly.
A weary look passes over her face.
I step closer, taking her free arm in my hand. “Baby, are you alright?” My gaze roams over her face. Though twenty-five, she has the air of a woman at least a decade older. She and Jake haveonly been married for a year, but I’ve noticed changes in her since that time.
Pasting on a smile, Shanice waves my concern off. “You know how it is.” She pats her belly. “I’ve just been on my feet a little too long today. But tonight isn’t about me.”
This time she squeezes my arm.
My heart strains in my chest. Shanice just came off of bed rest not too long ago. At seven months pregnant, I wonder if she’s not pushing herself too hard.
“As much as I appreciate all that you, your sister, and father have done for me tonight, remember to take care of yourself.”
I motion toward the front of the room where the family table sits.
“Why don’t you sit down before dinner? I’m sure they can bring an extra chair or stool so you can put your feet up.”
I do my best to keep my voice level in order not to be too insistent. She is an adult but it’s not hard to recall that this pregnancy hasn’t been easy on her.
“No, no.” Shanice takes a step back. “I’ll be fine until everyone sits. I should go check on Meghan to make sure everything’s set up for the video we had made.” She wraps me in a hug. “I Love you, Mom.”
“I Love you, too, baby.” I bite my tongue as she walks away, doing my best to ignore the unease that tightens my chest.
Instead of staring after my oldest daughter, I head toward the hallway to find my husband of twenty-five years. Along the way, multiple family members and colleagues of Rick’s pass, congratulating me on such a beautiful birthday celebration and for looking wonderful for my age.
“One day we’ll have to get together so you can tell me your secret,” Katrina, an accountant from Rick’s firm, says, laughing.
“Anytime,” I promise, knowing it’s never going to happen.
“I couldn’t believe it,” a feminine voice says before it bursts into laughter.
I have to stop myself from visibly cringing at the sound of her voice. Lauren, my husband’s long-term secretary.
As I turn the corner into a secondary hallway, I see Rick, Lauren, and two more of their colleagues in a semi-circle, talking and laughing away.
The scene itself is harmless. However, the way Lauren easily strokes her hand up and down Rick’s arm as she laughs, pulls at a long-buried instinct in my gut.
“Rick?”
Lauren drops her hand as soon as she hears my voice. Rick turns and looks at me with slightly widened eyes.
“Ellyn, honey. We were just talking about you,” he says. “Come, come.” He waves me over, slipping an arm around my waist as I approach.
“They’re serving dinner in the next few minutes,” I notify the group. “We should head to our tables.”
Rick, with his arm around my waist, waits a beat before we follow his colleagues into the dining area that doubles as the dance floor.
