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I slowly shook my head. “Oh, just wait. You’re fixin’ to find out just how bad.”
She leaned toward me. “Bring it.”
“Oh, I will!”
“I’m not afraid.”
“You should be!”
My mother spun around and shouted, “Stop it! Both of you are acting like children.”
Waylynn leaned back in her chair, but not before sticking her tongue out at me.
“Oh, really? You’re thirty-two and you’re still sticking your tongue out?” I asked.
“Amelia! I’ll deal with you in a minute,” my mother said before facing Waylynn. “Sweetheart, I’m so sorry.”
Waylynn shrugged. “I’m not, Mom. I had a chance to think about things last night. I gave up everything for Jack. My career, my family. Now I know why he kept putting off having a baby. He didn’t really want to be with me. I was the thing he conquered. The young girl he was able to sweep off her feet with promises of a happily ever after. He never wanted that with me. He wanted a Barbie doll on his arm. Well, I’m glad I found out before it was too late.”
“Too late?” my mother asked.
“I’m thirty-two years old, Mom. I want to have babies. I want to dance. I want to have the life I always dreamed of. Well, I guess some of my dreams will never come true, but I got to thinking. The last time I was here, at Christmas, Paxton mentioned something about how the old studio where I used to take lessons closed down. I’m going to buy the building and open a dance studio.”
My mother’s eyes widened. “What?”
“Waylynn!” I gasped. “That’s an amazing idea.”
She grinned widely.
“You’re…you won’t go back to New York?” my mother asked. It was obvious she was trying to hide her tears.
“That is a dream I need to let go of. Jack took that one from me, but that’s okay. I was able to live it for a little while.”
“It’s a great idea. If you need an investor, I’m in.” Aunt Vi said as she reached for Waylynn’s hand.
“I appreciate that, Aunt Vi. But I’m pretty sure Jack will be more than happy to give me the amount we settled on in the pre-nup, plus a little extra to go away quietly.”
“That fucking dirty, rotten bastard.”
“Momma!” I gasped. “Look at you pulling out all the dirty words you know.”
“Waylynn, sweetheart, are you sure you’re okay?” my mother asked.
“I really am, Momma. For a few hours last night I cried, but only for the things I gave up for that man. I knew it was coming. It’s best it happened now rather than in fifteen years.”
Aunt Vi piped in, “I agree. Best to start over while you’re young and your boobs aren’t touching your vagina.”
We looked at Aunt Vi with stunned expressions. She stared back.
“What? It’s true. Do you know how hard it is for me to pick up a man these days? Especially the younger ones. There’s a reason I have a personal trainer, ladies. That man keeps me in shape. I’ve got to be able to do a reverse cowgirl with these boys.”
Waylynn and I stood, barely containing ourselves. “I’m in the mood to go shopping,” I said as I quickly headed to the sink, rinsed out my cup, and put it in the dishwasher.
“Same here.” Waylynn was right behind me.
As we walked around the corner Waylynn stopped and grabbed me by the arms. “I’m never going to be able to get that visual out of my head. Never!”
A week after Waylynn and I came back from New York, I met her at the old dance studio early in the morning to walk through it together. Jack had already agreed to a quick divorce, and Waylynn had been right. He was giving her double what the pre-nup stated. He never even bothered to deny the affair. My heart broke for Waylynn, even though she seemed to be the happiest I’d ever seen her.
“Cord has a friend who owns his own construction business. I called him yesterday and he’s going to meet us here to give me some rough figures on what it will take to get this place how I want it.”
“When do you close?”
Waylynn turned to me and smiled. “Two weeks. When I told the owner I would be paying cash, she was ready to close that day!”
There was a knock on the door and Waylynn and I turned to see who it was. Jonathon Turner–Cord’s best friend from high school, not to mention a guy I used to have the biggest crush on.
“Jonathon?” I said as I made my way to the door.
“Hey, Amelia, how are you doing?” Jonathon said as he leaned in and gave me a hug.
“Little Jonathon Turner? You’re Jon Turner?” Waylynn asked as she reached out and gave him a hug. “I didn’t make the connection when Cord mentioned his friend owned a construction business. Wow, you’ve changed a lot.”
