“No, it’s not that. We haven’t decided anything about the rehearsal dinner. And I want you involved, so ignore Mrs. Gentry when she says things like that.”
“Mrs. Gentry? Aren’t you supposed to call her Mom?” I say.
“Please, there’s only one woman in my life who has earned the Mom title, and that’s you, period,” she says. “So, you ignore her too. OK?”
“Ignore Roxy? Gladly,” I say with a smile. “So, what is it, darling? What could you possibly have to be sorry for?”
“I’m sorry I didn’t know that this desert house was so like the hotel where your best friend died. That’s why everyone’s been acting so weird today, right? I really had no idea, Mom,” she says and sits on the bed.
I walk to the fireplace and flip the switch, welcoming the warmth and the cozy light.
“I know, I understand, I really do. You’ve never been herebefore and even if you had been, you never saw the Desert Sunrise. I’m sure Roxy talked you into having your engagement weekend here, with Zach’s help,” I say. I join her on the bed. I can’t help but wonder if Roxy has some ulterior motive for gathering us all in this place that’s so reminiscent of the hotel where tragedy struck all those years ago. Maybe it’s one of Roxy’s mind games, making us uneasy to make herself feel like she’s in control.
Celeste has clasped her hands together in her lap, a frown marring her beautiful face. She takes my hand in hers and says, “Yes, I didn’t have a say in the matter. Zach and his mom picked this place to hold the weekend. I don’t even think Mr. Gentry wanted it here.”
“He does seem off, and he disappears a lot,” I say. “Like he doesn’t want us here, but then he sort of does. It’s all strange. We need to get through tomorrow, and then we’ll get out of here.”
Celeste smiles and then takes a deep breath. “Look, Mom, I know you don’t like to talk about Sunny. All you’ve ever told me is that your best friend died during your senior year of college. I never knew anything about a desert hotel. But if you’d like to talk about it, about her, I’m here to listen.”
I wrap my arms around my daughter and pull her close to me. Her hair is the same length as Sunny’s was, but Celeste’s is a mixture of yellows, some bright, some dark, depending on how much sunshine she is exposed to. Sunny was a white blond, with gorgeous emerald-green eyes. Sunny was known for wearing green dresses and shirts in all shades of the color to make hereyes pop even more. I remember the last dinner, the last night of spring break. I was dressed in borrowed going-out clothes, borrowed from Sunny, of course, and I felt I looked about as sexy as I ever would in a tight white T-shirt and short red skirt. I expected Sunny to appear at any moment wearing a signature green dress and a big smile. I shake my head to push away the memory, but I cannot stop the images from flooding in.
I spotted our group already seated at the Desert Sunrise’s outdoor restaurant, off the lobby of the hotel. Ryan saw me first and waved. I joined him and Jamie at the table.
“You’re looking really good tonight, Beth,” Ryan said, his smile looking whiter than usual with his tanned face.
“Thank you,” I said, feeling my face flush. I pulled out a chair next to Jamie, who already was halfway finished with her Sunrise Margarita, the specialty drink of the hotel.
“You better hurry and catch up,” she said, winking as she took another big sip. “I’m going to miss doing this every day and night.”
“Probably better for our livers that the vacation is almost over,” Ryan said, waving the waiter over. “Two more of those, please.”
“Oh, I think I’ll have beer tonight,” I said.
“Aw, come on, Beth. This is our last night,” Ryan said. “Bring her a Sunrise Margarita, double tequila.”
I laughed and shrugged my shoulders. It was our last night. The entire week of spring break had been like this—warm weather, friendly conversations over too many drinks, and memories to last a lifetime. Our margaritas arrived at the same time as Roxy andAmelia, both wearing fitted short dresses, Roxy’s with gold sequins and Amelia’s all white and almost transparent.
“Wowza, ladies,” Ryan said. “You both clean up nice.”
“You don’t look too terrible yourself, Ryan,” Roxy said. She kissed him on the cheek, leaning over to exhibit her ample cleavage, before sliding into the seat next to him. I always did find it obnoxious how much Roxy flirted with Sunny’s longtime boyfriend. Sunny always laughed it off, saying that’s how Roxy was, but it would drive me crazy. Not Sunny, though. Sunny had all the confidence in the world.
“Hey, where’s Sunny?” Ryan asked.
I had been wondering the same thing, expecting her to appear at our table at any moment.
“Oh, she’s going to go to sleep early tonight. All that day drinking, I suppose. Check your texts she said she’d tell you her plans,” Roxy said with a grin. “Oh, waiter, we’ll have two more of those, and some chips and salsa. It’s our last night so we should make it a night to remember.”
I look at the fireplace flickering in the corner of the bedroom, and I’m back in the present, sitting beside my daughter, talking about my best friend, but I can’t help being lost in the memory of that night, still torn apart by the choices I made, the things I did and didn’t do.
“Mom? Are you OK?” Celeste says.
“I’m fine,” I say. But I’m not.
16
Beth
“Mom?” Celeste says and squeezes my hand. “Tell me what happened to Sunny.”
