“Nothing, nothing,” Priscilla said.
I knew she was lying but would interrogate her later, another habit of mine she complained about.Too bad.
I hadn’t told her my secret, but clearly, she had her own. We’d have to come clean sooner or later.
“Come in,” I told them, and Sheila kissed my cheek and handed me a bottle of red wine.
“Happy birthday, Marg.”
Everyone had their own nickname for me these days, and it stirred a private warmth in my belly. With no love lost over the soured relationship with my parents, I’d made my own family.
“You’ve come a long way since being Margaret,” she said without prompting.
“Were you reading my thoughts?”
“Nah, you’re just wearing all your secrets on your face today.”
The girls ran up the stairs toward Priscilla’s room. Surely to paint nails or braid hair or talk about boys.
Sheila’s gaze dropped to my belly, and I said, “What?”
“All your secrets are starting to show.”
“What? Do I smell funny?”
I tried to scowl, but she stood there looking pretty in dark jeans and a camel-colored sweater.
“You’ve got that glow. You’re almost as bright as those old yellow walls in here.”
“I’m forty.” I frowned at her, still not reconciled to entering a new decade of life.
“So? Forty is the new thirty. You’ll be fine.”
“What about Priss? She’ll be affected, right?”
“You sound like Dale with all that worrying. That girl is a rock. She’s seen the worst, and she’ll be thrilled to see some good.”
We were standing close enough, I could smell Sheila’s Chanel No. 5 as we whispered so no one would hear.
Sheila smirked at me. “Have you told Mick?”
“Not yet. Later.”
“Secret’s safe with me.”
“Ladies, what can I get you to drink?”
Mick appeared out of nowhere, and I hoped he hadn’t heard a thing.
“Vodka and soda,” Sheila said.
“Wine,” I said, knowing I’d only spill it out slowly in the yard. “White,” I added, noting my own white sweater over pleather leggings. No reason to spill on my sweater and give away any clues.
“Let’s go,” Mick said as he herded us through the kitchen and out the patio door.
“Looks great back here,” Sheila said.
“We finally got the fence up.” I pointed toward the enclosure for the pool. “Tito was going wild, trying to get in. That dog needs a full-time nanny.”
