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“Alice?” Sylvie asked. “Are you okay?”
“I will be,” I answered honestly.
“Do you want to tell us what happened, dear?” Doris asked.
“No. Not now. Not yet.” I shook my head. “I will when I’m ready, but for right now, all I want is to get the hell out of here.”
“You got it, soldier. Ladies, move out!” Marge commanded, spinning her finger in the air.
With a sigh of relief that they weren’t going to argue, I started toward my room, but a tug on my arm pulled me to a stop.
Sylvie stared at me with concern brewing in her eyes. “I know you don’t want to talk about it, and I swear none of us will pressure you or ask, and you’ll tell us when you’re ready, but I just need to do this quickly, then we’ll go on pretending everything is normal like I know you want.”
“Do wh—”
I didn’t get to finish. Sylvie pulled me in for a hug. The moment her arms wrapped around me, I stiffened against them, but she squeezed me tighter anyway. A moment later, Marge wrapped around us, and then Doris joined. As I stood in the hall with the three of them wrapped around me, I fought the tears again.
But this time, they weren’t tears of sadness threatening to spill out. They were tears of joy that I had three of the best friends in the whole world to support me. With a sigh, I sank into their hug, letting their warmth soothe away some of the heartbreak I knew would never truly heal.
“We’ve got you, Alice. No matter what,” Sylvie said.
“Wilder Widows for life,” Marge said.
Doris sniffled. “I love you, ladies, with all my heart.”
“Thank you for understanding and supporting me. I love you all too.” I squeezed them back and then broke apart our hug. “Now, hurry your asses up, and let’s get the hell out of here. Cozumel awaits!”
With the swoosh of my arm, I ended with a flourish. They all scurried inside their rooms, and I went back to mine. The concierge arrived a moment later and took my bags to the exit. I hid discreetly behind a large palm tree on the off-chance Alejandro came down this way. I couldn’t face him after what had happened in that bed. Perhaps it was small enough he hadn’t noticed, but if he had, I could never look him in the eyes again.
And I didn’t want to. Because the moment I looked into his eyes, I knew I’d never be able to leave him. And I loved him too much to saddle my young, virile lion to the decaying old lady I’d tricked him into loving. The old lady I’d hidden beneath the veneer of youth. As much as it pained me to say it, I hoped he would find someone else. Someone young and full of life to spend it with him.
I saw Jessica Rabbit in the distance.
I glared at her from behind my oversized sunglasses.
Anyone but her.
“We’re ready!” Sylvie sing-songed and I was grateful she was keeping up her promise to pretend everything was fine. I wanted it that way. I didn’t want the rest of our trip to be cloaked in sadness. That wasn’t my way. Chin up and fake it ‘til you make it. That was how I rolled, and lucky for me, my widows understood.
“Does everyone have their passports?” Marge passed a glance between us. “You don’t want to get off this ship and realize you forgot your passport. I heard it’s a real bitch to get home without one.”
We all double-checked.
“Got it.”
“Good.” Marge gave a sharp nod with her chin. “I don’t want to have to find a coyote to sneak us across the border. Now, let’s get off this ship and go have some Wilder Widows fun. Get the tequila ready, Cozumel, because here we come!”
“I’m not drinking tequila.” Doris puckered her nose.
“Oh, we’re drinking tequila, Doris. Lots and lots of tequila.” I slung an arm around her shoulder.
We walked down the ramp together and onto the docks. One by one, we filed farther and farther from the ship that would carry my love away.
“Oh! I have an idea!” Sylvie said, dropping her bags and then digging inside her tote. When her hand emerged, it clutched our colorful knitting basket. “Since Alice’s wish to go on a cougar cruise is officially complete, I say we start this next leg of our journey by drawing the next wish.”
Doris clapped and jumped up and down. “Oh my! I hope it’s mine! I remember what it is this time!”
“Alice, you finished your wish, so you pick the next one.”
