I’m wondering if this is an emergency session. Am I right?”
I looked from one friend to the other, and silently thanked whatever gods had gifted me these wonderful girls as my buddies. Ana curled her legs beneath her, shoes kicked onto the floor, while Roz sat upright, but both were intent on me.
“Christ, I hate families. They make me itch.” It came out in a rush. “Mom wanted to know when I’m moving back. That’s when , not if . And Melanie’s already booked me in for a beauty makeover, and a wardrobe consultation, as well as scheduling a time for me to practice my speech. It’s a christening, for heaven’s sake. I’m sure less planning goes into getting married.” I recalled the months of endless detail that had made up Melanie’s wedding, and shuddered.
Ana reached out and ruffled my short hair. “I think it looks gorgeous like this, cute and soft around your face.”
“Thanks.” I took a sip of the coffee. It tasted strangely thin. Perhaps they’d changed the supplier? “It’s been a hideous day so far. The only bright spot is meeting you guys. Can you believe Scott came to the airport to meet me? I didn’t know where to hide myself.” I lifted my hands to my hot cheeks. “When I heard his voice, I wanted the floor to open up and swallow me down.”
They both laughed. “You know he’s dating again, right?” Ana spoke carelessly, and I turned to her. “Well that’s what I heard. Some girl he met at work.” She held up her hands. “Don’t ask. I don’t know anything more.”
“Do you mind?”
I considered Roz’s soft question. “No, I’m happy for him. He apologized. For the proposal.” I hated crowds at the best of times, and hadn’t been particularly enjoying Melanie’s wedding reception, but when Scott pulled me onto the stage, went down on one knee and asked me to marry him…it was all my nightmares coming true at once. I still went hot and cold just thinking about it.
“I remember wondering what the hell he was doing.” Ana, blunt as usual, voiced what I’d been feeling. “And then when you hitched up your skirts and ran, I felt sorry for him”—she held up her finger and thumb, a fraction apart—“at least this much.”
“I thought it was a joke,” Roz chimed in, “but then I thought, hang on , this is Scott. He doesn’t have a sense of humor.”
“That’s a little harsh,” I murmured. “He just keeps it well hidden.” I’d done the same with Ben, hitched up my skirt and ran, only he came after me. I felt a smile break out over my face, and the girls noticed.
“Aha.” Ana clacked her fingernails on the table top. “There’s more?”
There was, and my smile disappeared. “Greg told me about a team leader role that’s just been created. Here in Emerald City. Since my transfer down under, they think I’m the perfect candidate, and my boss strongly recommends I apply. If I took it, I’d be back here in a couple of months.”
“Yay!” Roz was first to scramble forward to hug me. “That’s fantastic . The three of us will be together again. I can’t wait.”
“It’s amazing news, Dorothy. You must be so excited.” Ana squeezed my hand.
That was just it. I wasn’t.
“I’m not sure,” I muttered. “I need to think about it.”
I was met with open-mouthed stares. Ana recovered first. “What is there to think about? Do they have all our tech in New Zealand?”
“No.” They have enough to get by, without the constant race for the latest version.
“Do they have all our clubs and restaurants and bars?”
“Well, no.” They have wide-open spaces and deserted beaches.
“What does that place have?” Roz winked at Ana, and then touched my hand. “Does it have a certain special someone?” I blushed, and she crowed in delight. “It does . Come on, girl. This you have to share.”
“There’s a guy.” I hesitated. If I couldn’t be honest with Ana and Roz, why was I here? “I think he might be special, but it’s new.”
I looked from one friend to the other, and silently thanked whatever gods had gifted me these wonderful girls as my buddies. Ana curled her legs beneath her, shoes kicked onto the floor, while Roz sat upright, but both were intent on me.
“Christ, I hate families. They make me itch.” It came out in a rush. “Mom wanted to know when I’m moving back. That’s when , not if . And Melanie’s already booked me in for a beauty makeover, and a wardrobe consultation, as well as scheduling a time for me to practice my speech. It’s a christening, for heaven’s sake. I’m sure less planning goes into getting married.” I recalled the months of endless detail that had made up Melanie’s wedding, and shuddered.
Ana reached out and ruffled my short hair. “I think it looks gorgeous like this, cute and soft around your face.”
“Thanks.” I took a sip of the coffee. It tasted strangely thin. Perhaps they’d changed the supplier? “It’s been a hideous day so far. The only bright spot is meeting you guys. Can you believe Scott came to the airport to meet me? I didn’t know where to hide myself.” I lifted my hands to my hot cheeks. “When I heard his voice, I wanted the floor to open up and swallow me down.”
They both laughed. “You know he’s dating again, right?” Ana spoke carelessly, and I turned to her. “Well that’s what I heard. Some girl he met at work.” She held up her hands. “Don’t ask. I don’t know anything more.”
“Do you mind?”
I considered Roz’s soft question. “No, I’m happy for him. He apologized. For the proposal.” I hated crowds at the best of times, and hadn’t been particularly enjoying Melanie’s wedding reception, but when Scott pulled me onto the stage, went down on one knee and asked me to marry him…it was all my nightmares coming true at once. I still went hot and cold just thinking about it.
“I remember wondering what the hell he was doing.” Ana, blunt as usual, voiced what I’d been feeling. “And then when you hitched up your skirts and ran, I felt sorry for him”—she held up her finger and thumb, a fraction apart—“at least this much.”
“I thought it was a joke,” Roz chimed in, “but then I thought, hang on , this is Scott. He doesn’t have a sense of humor.”
“That’s a little harsh,” I murmured. “He just keeps it well hidden.” I’d done the same with Ben, hitched up my skirt and ran, only he came after me. I felt a smile break out over my face, and the girls noticed.
“Aha.” Ana clacked her fingernails on the table top. “There’s more?”
There was, and my smile disappeared. “Greg told me about a team leader role that’s just been created. Here in Emerald City. Since my transfer down under, they think I’m the perfect candidate, and my boss strongly recommends I apply. If I took it, I’d be back here in a couple of months.”
“Yay!” Roz was first to scramble forward to hug me. “That’s fantastic . The three of us will be together again. I can’t wait.”
“It’s amazing news, Dorothy. You must be so excited.” Ana squeezed my hand.
That was just it. I wasn’t.
“I’m not sure,” I muttered. “I need to think about it.”
I was met with open-mouthed stares. Ana recovered first. “What is there to think about? Do they have all our tech in New Zealand?”
“No.” They have enough to get by, without the constant race for the latest version.
“Do they have all our clubs and restaurants and bars?”
“Well, no.” They have wide-open spaces and deserted beaches.
“What does that place have?” Roz winked at Ana, and then touched my hand. “Does it have a certain special someone?” I blushed, and she crowed in delight. “It does . Come on, girl. This you have to share.”
“There’s a guy.” I hesitated. If I couldn’t be honest with Ana and Roz, why was I here? “I think he might be special, but it’s new.”
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