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Noreen refilled tea glasses, then hesitated. “Listen, we don’t want you to get the idea that we’re against men in general—we’re not. It’s just that each of us was betrayed by the man in her life. If we could find an honest, caring man who doesn’t have a hidden agenda—”
“The first one we find is mine!” yelped a laughing Janice displaying a brace of even white teeth. “I’ve been looking the longest.”
After the giggles ebbed, Noreen continued explaining the group. “We try to support one another, lend a hand where we can, share job information, referral services. Since even parents and friends look at us funny and businesspeople are suspicious of us, we try to help mainstream ourselves in small ways that count. We work hard at keeping frustration at bay and our dignity intact.”
Janice leaned forward. “I’ll give you a for-instance. I needed a job with hours the same as school because I couldn’t afford a full-time babysitter. What we came up with was that I could volunteer to help in my daughter’s classroom a couple of afternoons a week. When a position came open in the school cafeteria, I knew about it right away, applied, and got it. I had to explain my arrest record, but because of my excellent record on the premises, the school was willing to listen. And they believed me when I explained that I didn’t know my husband was fencing high-tech electronics.”
At Stormy’s raised eyebrows, Janice sighed and explained, “Jasper was an electronics wizard. He had a shop set up in the garage to repair the things. It didn’t seem so out of the ordinary for someone to drop off a computer for repair and never return for it. Jasper would complain, ‘those fools want my work for free.’ When Jasper had four or five unclaimed laptops, he’d have me put an ad on Craigslist to sell them. I did. I didn’t know he was buying stolen electronics and having me resell them. I think the judge gave me sixty days just for being stupid.” Janice shook her head. “They were the worst two months of my life. I was lucky my parents stepped in and took Annie. But they had to cancel a cruise. Now they complain about having to raise me twice.”
“Where’s your husband now?” Stormy asked.
“In prison. He blames me. Said I was an idiot not to recognize a sting operation when I saw it. I write to him, but I don’t think we’ll stay married.” Her face drooped. “Unless he starts accepting responsibility for his behavior.” Her blue eyes glowed with sudden intensity. “Before I got into this group, I thought I had to stay married to him no matter what—that I couldn’t possibly take care of myself and Annie. Now I’m learning about options. But the absolute worst is trying to get our credit established. You can’t get anything more without good credit. Even the car insurance bill went up when I got out. Claim I’m high risk.”
Noreen set out a chocolate cheesecake, which made all the women moan about calories—and later ask for seconds.
Over cheesecake, Noreen addressed Stormy. “I know something of your plight because Liane and Janelle are friends. Would you like to share it with us? You don’t have to, but if you do, we’d like you to know we don’t discuss anything anyone says outside this group—ever.”
Noreen’s words were as much a warning as an invitation. Stormy wavered. She liked Noreen. She liked the others. But she also felt that she was far more fortunate than they. Different. Wasn’t she? Then she looked around again, and she realized these women’s fears as parents, as citizens, were the same as her own. Like it or not, she was one of them, and their camaraderie was inviting.
Still, Stormy wavered. “I didn’t come over here with the idea of dumping my problems on your doorstep.”
Noreen laughed. “Of course, you didn’t. You came to return one of mine!”
“We adore dissecting somebody else’s problems,” said Thelma. “It gives us something to think about other than ourselves. Besides, we might learn something from you.”
It was the right thing to say. Stormy relaxed. Briefly, she described the events that led to her incarceration, her sister Nina’s recent anger and resentment, her concerns about Tully and about the money he’d wasted—all of which brought forth knowing nods. She received enthusiastic support for becoming a flea-market merchant.
“We’ve got two boxes of stuffed animals left over from the yard sale, plus a bunch of other stuff,” announced Thelma. “Take it all.”
“I’ll buy it from you,” Stormy countered.
“No,” said Noreen. “Accept it as a gift. If they sell, it’ll be your turn next to provide the cheesecake.”
“Next time?” Stormy vacillated, uncertain.
“Of course, you’ll keep on with us. We’ll want to hear all about your success.”
Stormy gave a smile. “I’ll give it a try, but I’ll be working weekends. I can’t say what my hours—”
“Oh, we usually meet on Monday evenings. We’re only here tonight because of the sale.”
“Uh, Stormy,” Thelma said. “You somehow left out the part about the GQ stalking you in his BMW.”
Stormy twiddled with her fork. “His name is Tyler Mangus, and he’s an asset-recovery agent looking for the bank’s stolen money. I don’t have it, and I don’t know where it is. He thinks I do.”
“Uh-oh,” said Janice, obviously discerning the careful editing of emotion from Stormy’s voice. “You’re sweet on him, aren’t you?”
“I’m confused about him,” Stormy insisted.
At that instant, just as Noreen was glancing at her watch, her teenage daughter, Elise, made a breathless entrance. “I’m not late, am I, Mom?”
Stormy was glad for the interruption, and her attention went to the teen, as did everyone else’s. Elise was a few inches taller than her mother, with the ripe slenderness of youth. Long dark lashes fanned out against her tanned cheeks, which enhanced the emerald green of her eyes. Shoulder-length hair, soft and loose, framed a face that carried a pert nose and a pouty lower lip—yet her mouth seemed ready to smile. Stormy at once understood Noreen’s consternation about her daughter. If Liane grew to young adulthood looking like Elise, Stormy determined then and there that she’d lock her away until she was thirty.
Noreen pursed her lips. “You’re not late, darling. But it boggles the mind that your date-of-the-day remembered to charge his Smartphone, so he knew the time, didn’t run out of gas, didn’t have a flat tire, and didn’t misplace his wallet.”
Elise laughed and hugged her mother. “You’re just showing off in front of your friends. Anyway, I have good news for you.”
“You’ve decided to become a nun?”
