Page 33 of The Wilder Widows

The tires squealed, and we all collapsed in a heap from the quick movement.

“Holy shit! I did it!” I wheezed as I struggled to catch my breath. “I did it!”

“Cripes, that was close.”

“That was the most excitement I’ve had in my whole life!” Doris fanned her face.

“Let’s do it again!” Sylvie said before coughing as she finally took a deep breath.

“We did it! We did it! I was a star!” I pushed the button above my head, and the wind swept into the back of the limo as the moonroof opened. I stood up and wiggled my costume out the top, the breeze whipping me in the face as I emerged out the moonroof, clutching my headdress to keep it from blowing off.

The onlookers we’d just run past stood lined on the streets watching as the limo raced past them. “I’m a star! I’m a star!” I screamed at them, my smile so wide I worried I’d get a bug in my teeth. But even that wouldn’t have wiped it away. Because tonight I was finally the star I’d always known I could be.

When we made it safely off the strip, and I had screamed my stardom to anyone who would listen, I dropped back down into a pile of feathers and sat back against the seat.

“Well? Was it worth it?” Sylvie asked as she pulled the bottle of champagne from the ice bucket.

My answering smile said it all. “It was incredible. Everything I wanted and more.”

“You were a star, Alice.” Marge smiled. “And a criminal. But mostly a star.”

I heaved a deep sigh. “Totally worth the jail time, but just in case, we should get the hell outta this town.”

“Where are we going now?” Doris asked as Sylvie set out the champagne flutes.

“I think the answer is in the knitting basket.” I grinned.

“Yeah? We’re going again?” Sylvie untwisted the cage from the champagne.

“Of course we’re going again! And this time, I’m spending the rest of our adventure as a STAR!”

The cork popping echoed through our limo, and we squealed with excitement while bubbles poured out the top. Sylvie filled the glasses, and we each lifted one into the air.

“To Alice. The star.” She smiled.

“Thank you. All of you. I can’t tell you how much it means to me I got to relive this part of my life. I’m excited to help you all achieve your dreams next.”

We clinked our glasses together, and the bubbles tickled my lips before I slugged it down.

“So, who’s next?” I asked.

“We need to pick to find out. The basket’s right here.” Sylvie pulled the hideous little knitting basket out of her oversized purse. “You got your wish, so you should pick next.”

“Okay.” I reached out, and Sylvie lifted the lid. When I slipped my hand inside the basket, I felt the tiny pieces of paper brushing against my skin. I closed my fingers and pulled out my hand, and looked down at the writing on the outside.

Doris.

“Ooooh! Now we get to find out what Doris’s whiskey-filled wish was!” I laughed as I held it up.

“Oh my!” Doris fanned her face. “I can’t even imagine what I wrote. Probably baking classes.”

“It better not be baking classes.” I arched a brow.

They all held their breath while I unfolded the piece of paper. After I curled it open, I read the writing and then furrowed my brow. “I want to have a hootie.” I read the note then looked up at Doris. “What the hell is a hootie?”

The color drained from her face as she clasped a hand over her mouth.

“What’s a hootie, Doris?” Sylvie asked, tipping her head.