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“Why isn’t Ruth interested in getting married? She’s definitely one I thought would push for it, especially now that she’s going to have a baby?” Mandy pressed.
Mia looked at the door behind her and whimpered. “No.”
How Mandy knew that there was a secret there, Mia didn’t know. But based on her cousin’s blue glare, she knew Mia knew something.
Mandy held her gaze. “Mia?”
“They got married in Las Vegas the weekend before Hazel got married,” Mia said quickly and shut her eyes. “Don’t tell. Ever. The Rafferty thing either.”
“How?” Mandy demanded.
“We went on a Thursday afternoon and came back on Saturday. They got married that Friday.” Her eyes were still shut, so she didn’t have to look into her cousin’s.
“Who arewe?”
“Rafferty and I went as witnesses.”
“And?” Mandy pressed.
“Nothing else.” Mia opened her eyes and saw her cousin’s blue ones piercing hers. She slammed them shut again.
“And?” Mandy poked her in the boob.
“Ouch.” She grabbed it into her hand, more to protect it from another poke than that it actually hurt.
“And?” Mandy pressed again.
Shutting her eyes, she sighed before admitting, “And Rafferty and I drunkenly got married Thursday night. Don’t tell anyone, ever. Ever. Ever.”
“You’re married? For months?” Mandy exclaimed.
“Ever, not even Hue. You have to promise me. Nobody can know,” she begged her cousin.
Mandy just grinned at her before touching her cheek. “You were married first, but everyone thinks you’re the last holdout. You are the best secret-keeper in this town, Mia Lawson.”
“Ever. We are getting a divorce. Sometime.” She didn’t think Mandy was even listening to her anymore.
“I don’t even know what to say.” Mandy suddenly giggled. “You and Rafferty are so cute together, and now you’re married.”
“Don’t say anything. Like book club, only you can’t tell them either.” It was dawning on her that she might have told her secrets to the wrong person.
“So, you’re in love with him, and you’re married to him? I don’t see what the big deal is,” Mandy said, more to herself then to Mia.
“So, you can’t tell. Not even my mom. Definitely not my mom! Do not ever tell my mom! My mom can never know about this!” She grabbed her cousin’s hand to try to get through to her.
“I was so busy keeping my pregnancy a secret I never noticed. I wonder if anyone else noticed? Does Ruth know?”
“No, we went out on the town by ourselves. Nobody knows.”
Mandy was about to say something else when the door burst open, and Tess rushed in. Shutting the door behind her, she said, “Did I miss anything?”
“We all missed so much,” Mandy said to Mia and winked, and then turned to Tess. “Nothing big. Did you get the baby to sleep?”
Mia sighed with relief. Mandy was going to keep her secrets. At least for now. Hopefully, she can keep her mouth shut forever.
Before Tess could finish her story about how the baby was still sleeping with her dad, Natalie, Hazel, and Ruth showed up. Book club was assembled, drinks were handed out, and a toast was made to Mandy. Mandy, who was looking at Mia the entire time.
An hour after the toast was made, Mandy was a married woman, and everyone was in the church basement enjoying a meal. This wedding was just family and close friends, so the crowd was smaller. But most were her relatives. And those who weren’t were people Mia knew, but she wasn’t interested in talking to anyone. Most of them she had just seen a month and a half ago at Math’s wedding, so she didn’t need to speak to any of them.
