She smiled warmly. “He’s going to be okay. It was touch-and-go there for a while, but he’s up on his feet. The vet thinks his back leg is going to heal just fine.”
“Thank goodness,” I said.
My front door closed at the same time Mom shouted an expletive followed by, “You get your furry butt back over here! You’re not going to worry your mother half to death again like you did last time.”
The door whined open and slammed shut again.
I looked at Abi, and we shared an ain’t-mothers-grand smile.
“Room for one more?” Mom asked when she finally made her way down the driveway.
“Of course. I’m guessing you caught the cat?” I asked.
“I got her.”
“Thank you.”
“Hold on! Don’t start without me!” cried Rachel from across the cul-de-sac.
I breathed deeply in relief. Until that moment, I hadn’t known just how much I’d been hoping Rachel wouldn’t be mad at me forever. Here she was, trotting in our direction, chair balanced precariously, and what did she have?
“Two bottles of wine?” I asked.
She shrugged. “Just in case.”
“Rachel, I’m sorry,” I said as I stood.
She put her things down, and we hugged it out. I swiped at some tears and took my seat again.
“I brought something a little special.” I opened my cooler. The savory smells of meatballs, yeasty bread, and quiche wafted out.
“Vivian, this is a feast!” Abi said.
“I finally felt like cooking again,” I said with a smile.
“We’re going to have to find a way to keep you in that cooking mood,” Abi said, her eyes twinkling.
“Is that quiche vegetarian?” asked Rachel.
“Of course!”
“Oh, you remembered. Vivian, thank you.”
“Meatballs for Abi and veggie quiches for you,” I said before asking cautiously, “Everything okay with your job?”
“Yes. Guess who’s leaving the elementary school?” Rachel took a bite of a mini quiche.
“You?”
“Nope. My principal, the one who wanted to fire me over that video. Well, turns out she rubbed some people at the county office the wrong way.”
I exhaled with relief. “Oh, thank goodness. I was so afraid I’d ruined things for you.”
Rachel shrugged. “She was gunning for me. I can see that now. But I don’t want to be in any more videos.”
“Roger that.”
“What are you going to do now?” asked Abi.
