“Why can’t you guys go to the resort? You can afford it.”
Her mother gave her that little smile she always gave when an argument was over. “It’s going to be fine. You’re making this a far bigger deal than it needs to be.”
“I don’t think so. I need this, Mom. I very much need this and for once I need what I want to be respected.”
“What are you talking about? Wealwaysrespect what you want. Now listen, tomorrow we’ll go to Denison to shop. We won’t be back until late so it will be like we are not even here.”
“I’m not the only one here. I’m not the only one you have to consider.”
“Isawthat,” her mother said, looking delighted. “Just who is that delicious dish? A very handsome man. But his girlfriend is too young for him.” She shuddered.
“It’s not his girlfriend,” Amy said wearily.
Her mother rolled her eyes. “That’s what they all say.”
“He’s a professional golfer, and he is here while he rehabs his knee, and she is…” Amy paused. “Well, she’s helping with the rehab. That’s all I know.”
“Well,that’sinteresting,” her mother said. “It’s okay for a total stranger to invade your ten thousand square feet of space, but not your own mother?”
“He paid, Mom.”
She shrugged. “We can pay. But we don’t have to because we are friends with the owner.” She winked.
The sliding-glass door suddenly slid open, just as “We Three Kings” began to pipe overhead. June walked through. “This place is fantastic!”
“What’s the bedroom situation?” Melissa said, crowding in after June. “I am not sharing with Carol again. She snores.”
“Do not!” Carol shouted as she, too, squeezed inside. Hillary brought up the rear, carrying Duchess, who seemed happy as a lark now, her tail wagging.
The women began to move toward the kitchen.
“We turned on the pool heater,” Melissa announced. “We ought to be swimming in an hour. Oh, and there are pool toys in the pool house.”
“You think it will heat up that fast?” Hillary asked as she set Duchess on the floor.
“I think so,” Melissa said. “You should join us! Do you have a suit?”
Hillary’s face lit up. “Really? You don’t mind?”
“Of course not,” Carol said, and as she was closer to Hillary, she fist-bumped her arm. “The more the merrier.”
“Well, not for Amy,” her mother said.
“Amy will loosen up,” June said. “Amy, did you bring a suit? We could have a proper pool party.”
“Have any of you noticed how cold it is outside?” Amy asked.
“Yes, honey. That’s why I turned on the heater,” Melissa said. “What about the man?”
“He can come, too,” Carol responded.
“What do you think, Amy?” her mother asked.
Amy knew when she’d been defeated.
“I think…knock yourself out,” she said petulantly, and went back outside.
Harrison was on his back on a mat on the covered porch, beneath a space heater. He’d wrapped a flat rubber circle around one foot and his wrists. He slowly pushed his leg straight, brought it back to a bent position, and repeated it. He glanced up at Amy. “By the sound of the chatter, I’m guessing no one is leaving anytime soon?”
