Diane leaned over and pushed the passenger door open as Lauren approached.
“You’re punctual.” Devyn’s sister slid into the car, rested her cane against the seat, and buckled up.
“One of the few valuable lessons I learned from my mother.”
As the words spilled out, Diane frowned.
Family history wasn’t a subject she discussed with anyone, let alone a person she was barely acquainted with.
“Sounds like we have more in common than marriage problems.”
At Lauren’s grim reply, Diane gave her a quick appraisal. “Your mom wasn’t the best role model, either?”
She snorted. “Not even close. Before she and Devyn left for ballet school in San Francisco, she was too busy plotting her escape to pay much attention to me. I was just a kid, but I learned early on that Mom was all about Mom, and Devyn was her ticket to a different life. What’s the story withyourmom?”
Diane put the car in gear and pulled away from the curb. As long as Lauren was being open, what would be the harm in responding in kind? The past was history, anyway. “She didn’t leave, but shewas always subservient to my dad, who ran the house with an iron fist and thought a woman’s main job should be cooking, cleaning, and having babies.”
“Ouch.” Lauren winced. “That had to be a tough environment to grow up in. At least I had a wonderful dad.”
“I wish I had. Tell me about yours.”
Lauren was happy to comply during the drive north, and when they reached the resale shop thirty-five minutes later, the conversation was flowing as if they’d been friends for years.
It was the most enjoyable exchange she’d had in ages.
And it remained so as they sorted through potential costumes for the next hour.
When they wrapped up, Diane waved a hand over their stash. “Mission accomplished. We found a lot of things that will work, including a wedding dress.”
“Yes. It was a good trip—on a number of levels.” Lauren fiddled with her cane. “May I be honest?”
Uh-oh.
A question like that usually didn’t lead anywhere positive.
“Sure.” Diane dredged up a smile.
“When I realized you were on the costume committee, I was nervous. I thought you’d be a snob. And I didn’t think we’d have anything in common. I mean, the closest I’ve ever gotten to purses like yours is looking at them in celebrity photos.” She motioned toward the leather Dolce & Gabbana bag.
Diane made a face. “That’s as close as I ever wanted to get to one too.” She pulled out her keys and tucked the purse under her arm. “Martin gave me this for Christmas about five years ago, but to tell you the truth, I think spending a fortune on a purse is obscene. Likewise on designer clothes.” She took a deep breath. Released it. “I’m not a snob, but I suppose it may take a while for me to prove that to everyone in town.”
“You’ve already proven it to me.” Lauren touched her arm, then picked up her own purse. “I guess we’re finished here.”
Yes, they were. But the outing had been fun.
Maybe they could extend it a bit.
She led the way out of the back room, flipping off the light as they exited. “Are you getting tired?”
“Not as much as I expected, which surprises me. My stamina seems to be increasing.”
“That’s great news.” She fiddled with her key fob as they walked toward the car. “You and Devyn probably have plans for dinner, but if by chance you don’t, would you like to stop at Frank’s and get a pizza?”
Lauren’s eyes lit up. “That would be wonderful. I haven’t had one of his pizzas in months. And Devyn and I were only going to have leftovers. She can carry on without me. I’ll text her and let her know about the change in plans.” She stopped, pulled out her phone, and put her thumbs to work. “Done.”
Two hours later, after they shared a pizza and more personal information, Diane dropped Lauren off at her house, feeling more upbeat than she had in a long while.
While the situation on the home front remained uncertain, Lucas was coming around, she had a new friend, and she was getting involved in the community.
