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keep her happy tears at bay.
    â€œIt suits you much more than Teresa.”
    They continued down the hall, stopping when they reached the bank of elevators. The doors opened, and they stepped inside. Confined in the elevator for the short ride to the third floor, they both remained silent. The air was electric, so much so that Toots had a brief flash of what it might be like to crawl beneath the sheets with the handsome doctor. Luckily, before she had time to pursue that thought further, the doors swished open.
    By then, she knew she was in deep brown stuff.
    The buzz of activity on the third floor brought her back to the present. She clung to Bernice’s purse strap like to a lifeline. Was she biting off more than she could chew? What would Abby think if she knew her mother was in the throes of having a major case of the hots for Phil Becker? Toots answered her own question: Abby would be thrilled.
    â€œI hope I’m the reason for that gorgeous smile lighting up your face.”
    If he only knew. “Oh . . . well, I’m just happy Bernice is finished with her therapy. She’s convinced that something terrible is going to happen in the empty house next door. Despite all the evidence to the contrary, she believes that some sort of celestial being said she had to remain on earth to watch that house. Now she can devote all of her time to her ‘project,’ as she calls it.” Toots made air quotes with her index fingers.
    â€œShe’s got a couple more rounds of therapy before I release her. Just make sure she doesn’t overdo things. She’s come a long way. We wouldn’t want her to have a setback.”
    Toots stopped in the middle of the hallway. “Could you tell that to her? If I say a word about her doing too much, she tells me to kiss her wrinkled old . . .” She paused. Did she really want Dr. Becker, Phil, to see this side of her? Yes, she did. What you see is what you get. Nothing phony about her. “Ass.”
    He laughed, drawing the attention of two nurses walking past. They both smiled at Toots. Was Phil a ladies’ man?
    â€œI’ll make sure to tell her to take it easy. I wouldn’t want to . . . Well, let’s just say I wouldn’t want to be subjected to kissing anything that’s not visible.”
    The visual made Toots giggle. “I understand. I haven’t had to view her . . . derriere, and with luck, I’ll never have to. Bernice is a good soul, though. She’s like a sister to me. I couldn’t imagine life without her. She’s been with me for almost twenty-five years. If not for Bernice, I don’t know where I’d be now.” What she wanted to tell Phil was that Bernice had been with her through eight husbands, but she figured since she had yet to go out with him on their first date, it probably wasn’t a good idea to bring that up. Maybe later, if and when she got to know him better, but for now, she’d keep her past to herself.
    He chuckled, then looked at his watch. “How does seven o’clock sound to you?”
    â€œPerfect, Dr. Becker. Just perfect.”

Chapter 6
    S ince learning that her mother was the face behind LAT Enterprise, Abby Simpson had doled out assignments as she saw fit. In doing so, The Informer ’s sales had quadrupled, and they were now running neck and neck with the National Enquirer. They’d surpassed the Globe months ago. And Abby couldn’t be happier. Though she missed her mother and her three godmothers being in Malibu, Abby knew it was best that they stayed in Charleston in order to monitor Bernice’s condition after her bypass surgery. Bernice was like a favorite aunt to her. She’d moved with her mother, her father, and Abby from New Jersey when Abby was only five. She couldn’t imagine life without Bernice any more than she could imagine life without her mother and her three godmothers, or the three g’s, as she affectionately