Read Online Born Under a Lucky Moon by Dana Precious - Free Book Online

Lucy was almost at the door, she turned and gave the briefest of waves. Mom took her hand out of mine and clutched the handles of her purse.
    Sammie stared at the door Lucy had gone into. “There’s not another plane leaving for California right now, is there? She might be buying a ticket.”
    Then the door leading from the terminal to our side of the fence opened and Lucy stepped out. She might have stayed right there, but people poured through the door behind her, forcing her toward us. Chuck was struggling with a piece of pull-luggage that didn’t want to be pulled. Mom covered the space between her and Lucy and cupped Lucy’s face in her hands. “Welcome home, sweetheart.” She touched her forehead to the brim of Lucy’s army hat and smiled at her daughter.
    â€œDid I . . . are you . . . I mean . . . omigod.” Lucy didn’t seem able to put a sentence together. She blinked at the signs as though she had just learned the English language and was unsure of her reading ability. Sammie shook the champagne again and it sprayed across Chuck, but he didn’t seem to mind. He shook our hands and called Mom “ma’am.”
    â€œAren’t you embarrassed for yourselves?” Lucy finally managed to say as she wiped champagne off her chin.
    Sammie just threw confetti on her. “It would take a hell of a lot more than this to embarrass us.” Chuck lugged the baggage to the car and we all squished in. Mom drove, with Lucy in the front. Sammie, Chuck, and I sat in the back. I craned my head back so I could see the sky and trees fly by the back window. A flock of seagulls took off overhead in a single arcing motion. I thought about the fact that a bunch of larks is called an exaltation. That made me smile. Somebody way back when had had a sense of joy when naming them.
    Lucy sat erect in the front seat. Her dark hair was pinned up under her hat. Mom studied her profile at the stoplight. “So, honey, you’re married,” she said, half question and half statement.
    â€œYes,” Lucy said, but didn’t look at her.
    We drove in silence for a few miles. Mom tried valiantly with Chuck. “Where are you from originally, Chuck?”
    â€œI’m from Needles, California, ma’am.”
    None of us knew anything about Needles, and that kind of killed the conversation for a while. “And your parents?” Mom struggled. I’m not sure what the question meant, but I was interested in Chuck’s answer.
    â€œJackie and John Tanner, ma’am.”
    Ah, now we had a last name: Tanner. What kind of name was that? We were from the land of the Worthingtons and Prescotts or maybe the occasional Van Owen.
    â€œAnd do they know about your, ah, recent marriage?”
    â€œNo, ma’am. Only Lucy’s friend Fudgie knew about it.”
    Lucy slunk down a bit in her seat, her hat over her eyes.
    â€œFudgie Shaw?” Sammie asked, perplexed.
    â€œYeah, Fudgie Shaw,” Lucy answered.
    How the hell did Fudgie Shaw know about it? Fudgie had been a good friend of hers in high school, but he certainly wouldn’t be the first person Lucy would call.
    â€œOh, Lord, I don’t think we invited the Shaws,” Mom fretted. “Jeannie, check the guest list when we get home. Lucy, do Fudgie’s parents know about this?”
    â€œI don’t know. I asked him not to tell anyone. Which he apparently already has.” Lucy scowled. “And a guest list for what?” Silence fell over the car again. It was one of those moments when you’ve been going hell-for-leather to solve a problem and think everybody else is up to speed, only to realize how completely wrong you are. The three of us in the know pondered the answer. Chuck was looking increasingly uncomfortable between Sammie and me. I tried to lean up against the car door to give him more room. Mom took a drag of her cigarette.
    â€œCan you put that thing