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Lauren had no idea what that meant, but she was afraid it might have something to do with Momma’s matchmaking scheme. Especially given the number of exclamation marks she’d used. If it was truly important, Momma would have just called, so Lauren ignored it for now. She’d call her later tonight after Bunco.
Kitty glanced down at her day planner. “Okay, so…on to the next order of business. Couples Bunco.”
“Who’s hosting this year?” someone asked.
“That would be Shea and Moose.” This news was met with a whole lot of clapping and general merriment.
“What’s couples Bunco?” Lauren asked.
“That’s the only night of the year when we let our significant others play with us,” Frida said. “They make a whole lot of noise about how they have be dragged here kicking and screaming, when in reality, they love it. Ed’s already been bugging me about the date.”
“Oh, but it’s just for the regular members, right? Not the subs?”
The room quieted and everyone turned to look at Lauren. Kitty pierced her with a mysterious smile. “Which brings me to my next order of business. Ladies! May I have your attention! I have some sad news and some good news. The sad news, we already know. Christi’s husband is being transferred to Alabama and she has to quit the Babes. As a matter of fact,” she said, talking directly to Lauren, “that’s who you’re subbing for tonight. As for the good news, you’re officially our newest member!”
“Me?” Lauren said. Which was a dumb question, because of course they meant her. “Oh, my God! Yes! Yes! I Accept!”
This was met with squeals and shouts and ended with everyone coming up to Lauren to give her a big group hug. “Margaritas for everyone!” Shea cried, then she and Pilar went around refilling drinks.
“Just water for me, thanks,” Kitty said. She waited till some of the commotion died down. “So, back to the agenda. I’m sorry to say that I’m going to have change the date for couples Bunco.”
Shea frowned. “But we already agreed we’d play the last Saturday in May. It’s on the calendar.”
“That’s right,” Frida said. “You can’t just up and change the calendar.”
“Then you’ll have to play without me and Steve because we’ll be busy that weekend…having our baby!” Then she let out a scream of happiness.
Within seconds, Kitty was enveloped in the same group hug that Lauren had just been a recipient of. There was shouting and laughter and tears. Lots and lots of tears.
Pilar wiped her eyes dry. “The end of May! That means you’re almost five months along. You, bitch! How could you not tell us? How could you not tell me? I’ve been your best friend since grade school!”
“I can’t believe you of all people kept that a secret for so long!” Shea said to Kitty. Then she stuck her tongue out at Pilar. “And I’ve been Kitty’s best friend since before you, remember?”
Kitty laughed. “I wanted to tell you all, I really did.” She ran her hand down her loose shirt, revealed a small baby bump. “But you know I’m thirty-seven now and I just…it was sort of cool having just Steve and I know for so long. Kind of like our little secret.”
She shrugged, her face glowing with happiness, and Lauren couldn’t help but feel a little wistful. Her own pregnancy announcement had been met with tears, too. But they had been tears of disappointment. The look on Momma and Daddy’s face… Lauren would never forget it. But in the end, everything had turned out all right. She could never ever regret having Henry. Not for anything in the world.
“So if we could move couples Bunco just a few weeks earlier, Steve and I and Baby Pappas sure would appreciate it,” Kitty continued.
“What are you having?” Frida asked.
“We didn’t want to know. So it’ll be a surprise.”
Everyone began talking again. “Looks like we won’t be playing Bunco tonight,” Mimi said. “There’s too much to celebrate!”
Lauren smiled. Tonight was overwhelming and wonderful, and the tears, it seemed, just kept coming. Not because of Kitty’s news. Oh, she was happy for Kitty. No doubt about that. But the tears of happiness were for herself. It was silly, she knew, but the past year and a half had been stressful. There was the divorce, and Daddy’s illness, and the daily worry that her shop wasn’t going to make it. Having friends meant something. It meant Whispering Bay was really beginning to feel like home again.
*~*~*
Lauren lived just a block away from Kitty. It was a beautiful old neighborhood with most of the Spanish style houses originally built back in the twenties and thirties. She and Henry were leasing one of the smaller homes in the area. The night was clear and cool and the smell of chimney smoke hung in the air. She’d enjoyed living in Atlanta, but she’d missed the simplicity of small town living. Of walking home from an evening spent with friends. She pulled out her cell phone and called her mother. “Hey, Momma.”
“Where have you been? Didn’t you get my text message?”
“Yes, but I have no idea what you’re talking about. Who’s the eagle and how’s Daddy’s hand?”
“Hey, Sweet Tea!” she heard Daddy yell in the background. Lauren instantly smiled. “See, he’s fine,” Momma said. “I, on the other hand have been a nervous wreck. Guess who I talked to this afternoon? Paula!”
The name sounded familiar. “Who’s Paula again?”
