Page 88 of Second Chances

One Fleetwood Mac album later, along with a radio station playing R&B hits from the 90s, she arrived in Beverley. Waving at Juan and Ashley outside the bakery, two people she’d gotten to know since Henry and Lottie began dating, someone tapped on her passenger window at a stoplight. She smiled at Adam and rolled the window down. “Hey, stranger, what’s up?”

Adam replied, “Just taking some pastries home to Paul. Where were you yesterday? We missed you at the wedding!”

“I know! Work stuff, but I’m here for a couple of days! Will I see you later?”

“Definitely! Oh, there’s your light.”

“Tell Paul hi from me!”

At Lottie’s, Amy parked in the driveway and marveled at the homey touches at the front of her house, like the petunias in the window boxes hanging from the porch railing and the little sign that read “Welcome” at the base of the stairs she bounded up to reach the front door. She rang the bell but got no answer. When there was still no Lottie after knocking twice, she grew more concerned. “Where are you?”

Using the spare key her friend had given her, she let herself in. Maybe Lottie and Henry had made up or cleared the air about whatever caused her angst earlier? She hoped that was the case, as only her footsteps echoing on the hardwood floor broke the silence in the house. Softly calling, “Lottie…Lottie,” until she reached the bedroom door, she peeked in and saw only a small form in the middle of the bed. Gently pushing the door open, she padded over to her friend, alone and burrowed under her comforter. Deeply concerned, she perched on the edge of the bed. “Charlotte,” a name she rarely used for her friend.

Brown eyes popped open in surprise. “Amy, I’ve screwed everything up,” her dearest friend in the entire world said and dissolved into wracking sobs.

“Shh,” Amy hugged her. “I’m sure you’ve done nothing of the kind. What happened?” Listening, she shook her head as Lottie detailed the events from the wedding: a mystery woman who ended up being Henry’s long-lost daughter, Henry’s ex-wife appearing out of nowhere, an apology from Diadema, and a postcoital argument between Lottie and Henry. “Wow. Sounds like I missed a lot. I’m sorry I wasn’t here for you, but I am now.”

“I just don’t know how Henry will ever forgive me for what I did. What was I thinking by defending Melanie? Why couldn’t I just keep my mouth shut?”

“Oh, Lottie,” Amy responded, “what happened between the two of you doesn’t sound like an argument.” She kicked her sandals off and curled up next to her best friend, just like they used to do as teenagers.

“No? It sure felt like one.” Lottie sniffed. “I’m still sick about it.”

“He cares so much about you. I doubt he’s truly angry. I think, more than anything, he’s maybe just shocked that you didn’t automatically take his side.”

Lottie gasped, “That’s not true! The only side I care about is his!”

“And deep down, I’m sure he knows that, but I can understand why Henry got upset. He just found out he has a daughter, and then his ex-wife, who kept that daughter from him for her entire life, has the audacity to show up? What a little bitch.” Reaching between them, she held the hand next to hers. “Then when he’s pouring his heart out to you, poor guy, after what sounds like some mind-blowing sex, by the way, you essentially take her side—” Amy squeezed Lottie’s hand when her friend tried to interrupt. “You totally did. You could have just heard Henry out, but you throw that DD woman at him? Lottie, why? That’s not like you. Are you still intimidated by her?”

After a beat, she said, “Not really, not anymore. I’m just annoyed that she’s always there-”

“Of course she’s always there! She’s the mother of his new daughter-in-law—it’s unavoidable, really.”

“I know, and I realize I was ridiculous about it, especially since I have no hold on Henry, not really. I guess what I was most upset about goes all the way back to before we were dating, and how much of his time she consumed…how much he let her consume. We could have started seeing each other two years ago. But he went to her before choosing me. I’ve already endured a relationship…a marriage…where I was never the most important person.”

“Oh, Lottie, I’m so sorry you’re going through this.” Amy stroked her best friend’s back. “You weren’t ready then for what you have with Henry now. Yeah, you were attracted to him, but you were newly divorced, living in a new town, a new state, finally figuring out who you were! It sounds like that’s what Henry’s been doing, too. Figuring out what he wants. And that’s you.” Amy gave her a reassuring hug. “He’s not interested in DD.”

“I know…I’m just scared, I guess.”

“Of what?” Her tears began again, and Amy said, “Oh, Lottie, tell me.”

“That he doesn’t feel the same. I know he cares, but how can I possibly compete with the mother of his children, or the woman who was his first love? “

“First love? That’s a bit dramatic. First crush, maybe, but not love…not if it wasn’t reciprocated. And as for the mother of his children, she’s done nothing but lie to him for the past, what? Twenty-something years? Please.” Amy surveyed her friend, so beautiful in the morning light, an aura of serenity despite her anguish. A man like Henry would never prefer the other two chaotic options over Lottie. “Besides, that man is prime time in love with you,” Amy declared.

Lottie shook her head. “No quoting Top Gun right now. He isn’t in love with me.”

“He is,” Amy insisted, “look at everything he has done to show you so far. Number one—he made you that special blend of coffee, way back, before you two were even a thing-”

“Right, but he had the two blends already-”

“Number two—he built you that bookshelf for your classroom-”

“Well, he was working on a project for Josh and Effie-”

“And he bought out an entire bookstore to fill the shelves-”

“Well, that’s a slight exaggeration-”