Ten hard lemonades later we were laughing and carrying on like I don’t know what. We’d covered high school memories and hairdos, prom dates and birthing babies. But we’d skipped clear over Frank.
The laughter died down and Robin said, “So, for real, Di, what are you gonna do about Frank?”
Gray leaned away and made a face like she was amused and impressed. “Ah yes. The one who got away and came back. Do tell.”
I shook my head and stood up, clearing the empty bottles. “No way. It’s time to call it a…” I was going to saynight, but, though our alcohol consumption would indicate otherwise, it was broad daylight. So I said, “…an afternoon.”
“Frank,” Cheyenne whispered to Gray as if I couldn’t hear, “is the love of Diana’s life.”
“And he wants this one some sorta bad,” Robin added.
Gray squealed and rubbed her hands together in delight. “Oh my goodness. So has there been a romantic reunion?”
“You’d know all about those, wouldn’t you, Miss Gray?”
I was trying to change the subject, but she saw rightthrough me. “What I have going on is a rebound, a summer fling. Yours is real love coming back to the light.”
All of a sudden, I could hear, “Gray, where the hell are you?”
She opened the window and said, “Up here, Marce! We’re talking all about Diana’s hot rekindling with an old flame.”
“Yesssss!” I heard Marcy say as she ran up the steps.
“We’re talking about it up here so that no one canhearus,” I said.
“Ohhhh,” Gray whispered. “Sorry.”
“Look,” I said, “I’m down to my last six-pack of Mike’s, so take it easy here.”
Marcy was out of breath as she plopped down on the floor by the table. “Do tell,” she said, taking a sip from the bottle I handed her. She looked at me confidentially. “I am a therapist, after all.”
“Yeah,” Janet said, “that’s exactly who you need. She’ll be on my side for sure.”
I don’t know if it was the drinks or the girls or what, but even though I wanted to resist telling the whole messy story to my employer, they wouldn’t let me. She got all teared-up and hugged me and said she was so sorry. And it ended up all right. We tossed it all around, but, in the end, Marcy was judge and jury.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “But, one, it’s not fair to judge someone for something he did twenty-two years ago. Two, it’s not fair to punish him for not acting the right way in a situation he knew nothing about. Three, he sounds so sweet, and if it doesn’t work out, you had a good time this summer.”
She stood up, took a little bow, and said, “Therapist out,” as Cheyenne, Gray, and Robin clapped and Janet booed.
I hated being vulnerable. I hated letting my insecurity show. But I had to get it out. “What if he can’t stand up for me and his momma wins again? What if he leaves me?”
It was Gray who took my hand. “Di, if you honestly don’t think this is a good fit, then don’t do it. Walk away. But if you want to give this thing a try, give it a try. Don’t let fear hold you back.” She smiled reassuringly at me. “If you try it and he breaks your heart, guess what?”
“What?”
“You still have all of us.”
I bit my lip to keep the tears away. It was like a light bulb went off. Yeah. Things went bad—all the time. I’d always been okay. I’d be okay again. And I had these ladies to pick me back up if I fell. “You’re right. I can spend my life wondering or I can spend my life living.”
“Fine,” Janet said. “You win. Give him another chance. But you be damn careful.”
Gray lifted her bottle with the last sip toward me and said, “Sounds to me, honey, like there’s only one thing left to do.”
“What’s that?”
“Go and get your man.”
CHAPTER 13
