CHAPTER 22

Frances spread her cards out on the table at the senior center on Wednesday night. “Gin!” she announced triumphantly.

“You’re kidding me,” Liz said, sounding thoroughly disgusted. “Again?”

Frances grinned. “What can I say? I’m on a roll. Maybe we should plan a trip to Vegas, while I’m on this hot streak.”

Flo’s eyes immediately lit up. “Seriously? You’d like to go to Las Vegas?”

“No, she wouldn’t,” Liz said. “She keeps tossing out these outlandish ideas like some sort of bucket list she wants to accomplish before she dies. It’s morbid. I think she just wants to test the waters to see if either of us is crazy enough to join her.”

“Actually going to Vegas is a perfectly rational idea,” Frances said, suddenly determined to pursue the vacation. “We all love to gamble. There are lots of shows we can see. Why shouldn’t we go and have some fun?”

“You have my attention,” Flo said eagerly. “Come on, Liz. Don’t be a stick-in-the-mud. Senior Magnolias do daring things.”

“It’s the Sweet Magnolias who are daring,” Liz corrected. “Seniors behave respectably.”

“This from a woman who once staged sit-ins right here in Serenity,” Frances scoffed. “When did you get old and stuffy?”

“Around the time I turned eighty and my kids started looking for any excuse to send me to a retirement home,” Liz retorted.

“Well, Travis made sure that’s not going to happen when he invited you to stay on in the guest house after he bought your property,” Frances said. “He and Sarah will protect you. No one in your family is going to go up against those two. They’ll use that radio station of theirs to stir up a Free Liz protest or something.”

Frances watched as Liz struggled between her sense of decorum and her well-proven record as a risk taker. The twinkle in her eyes suggested she was close to making the more outrageous choice.

“Oh, come on,” Flo prodded when she apparently couldn’t tolerate the silence another second. “You know you want to. If anyone’s going to jump all over this and rain on our parade, it’ll be my Helen. We might not want to let her in on our plans.”

“Stop that nonsense,” Frances said. “We’re old and we’re bold. I think that needs to be our motto for whatever time we have left.”

Liz stared at her incredulously, then chuckled. “I have to admit, I like that. Okay, ladies, let’s get online and order those tickets. I’m thinking we should reserve a suite. How about you?”

“How wonderfully indulgent!” Flo said eagerly. “Let’s do it.”

Frances sat back, listening to them as they seized on the plan and ran with it. Who would have thought at this late stage of her life and especially after all she’d been through recently that she’d be looking ahead, instead of settling for old memories? Just thinking about it made her smile…and gave her hope. If she was going down for the final count, it wouldn’t be quietly.

* * *

It was Helen who called an emergency meeting of the Sweet Magnolias.

“Do you have any idea what my mother, Frances and Liz want to do?” she demanded when everyone was settled in her living room. She hadn’t even made the usual batch of margaritas. She’d served sweet tea. Failing to stock a supply of tequila and frozen limeade was a sure sign that she was genuinely upset.

“They’re going to Las Vegas,” Karen ventured carefully, not entirely sure if that’s what had Helen in such a state.

“Exactly!” Helen said, regarding her accusingly. “Why aren’t you more upset about this?”

“When Frances told me, I thought it sounded like fun,” Karen admitted.

“Three old women on the loose by themselves halfway across the country struck you as a great idea?” Helen said incredulously. “Are you nuts? Who knows what could happen?”

“They’ll gamble, maybe lose a little money, see a couple of shows and come home,” Maddie soothed. “I don’t see why you’re getting so worked up about it.”

“Oh, let’s see,” Helen said, her expression still dire. “Frances is ninety and has some sort of memory issues, Liz is just as old, and my mother is recovering from a broken hip she got trying to learn line dancing. Am I the only one who sees the potential for disaster?”

She turned a fierce scowl on Dana Sue who’d dared to chuckle. “Not a laughing matter,” Helen declared.

Dana Sue’s eyes continued to sparkle with mirth. “You have to admit the image of them taking on Vegas is pretty funny. I’m not sure the Vegas strip is ready for those three. Come on, Helen. Lighten up. I doubt they’re going to play high-stakes poker. I imagine they’ll lose a few dollars in the slots and be happy.”

Helen sighed heavily. “I should have taken the time to shop for tequila so I could make the margaritas. I could use one. You all are not being supportive.”

“No, we’re being rational,” Maddie said, unmistakably amused by Helen’s rant. “Something you rarely are when it comes to your mother.”

“Because she’s impulsive and reckless,” Helen said.

“No, she wants to actually live her life,” Maddie corrected gently. “You need to let her. When you brought her back here, you were terrified she was going to be dependent on you. Now that she’s behaving independently, that’s driving you nuts, too. You can’t have it both ways. Let her do what makes her happy.”

“I agree,” Karen said, risking another sour look from Helen. “I know Frances isn’t really my family, but I think of her as if she were. I want her to have every single minute of joy she can grab. I suspect there comes a time when everyone wants to put their parents or grandparents into a nice, safe environment to protect them from harm, but isn’t it better to let them live while they can? The time will come soon enough when they’ll have no options. If Frances, Liz and Flo want to make this trip and think they can, I think we should be supporting them, not looking for ways to hold them back.” She wavered under Helen’s dark look, but then added, “Just my opinion.”

“And mine,” Dana Sue added supportively.

Maddie offered Helen a consoling look, then suggested with a sly twinkle in her eyes. “If you’re that worried, you could go along. Chaperone them.”

“Great idea,” Dana Sue enthused before Helen could recover from her obvious shock. “I’ll go, too.”

Helen groaned. “Oh, sweet heaven,” she murmured, looking from one to the other. “You’re serious?”

“I am,” Dana Sue confirmed.

“Come to think of it, I haven’t had a girls-gone-wild weekend in a very long time,” Maddie said. “Count me in, too.” She glanced around at the rest of them. “Anyone else?”

Sarah, Raylene, Jeanette and Karen shook their heads.

“As much as I would love it, there’s no way I can get away,” Sarah said. “Though I’m thinking we should do live daily updates on my morning radio show. Travis will love the idea. It’s bound to be a ratings bonanza. Grace can tune them in on the radio at Wharton’s.”

“What a fantastic idea!” Raylene added. “Oh, I wish I could come along.”

Helen stared at them. “You want to take my humiliation public?”

Maddie patted her hand. “What your mother does is no reflection on you,” she consoled her.

Helen rolled her eyes. “In Serenity? Who are you trying to kid? This trip will be the talk of the courthouse for weeks. I won’t be able to look a single judge or opposing attorney in the eye without blushing.”

“Oh, please,” Dana Sue said. “You’re tougher than that. At least that’s what you’re always telling us. A little gossip isn’t going to be your undoing. Isn’t that what you told Maddie when the whole town was up in arms over her dating Cal?”

Helen merely buried her head in her hands.

“So, you all just have to take lots and lots of video on your cell phones, too, and send back daily reports to the rest of us,” Karen said innocently. “I’d suggest keeping that just between us, but if our seniors really do go wild…” She cast a wicked grin in Helen’s direction. “We can put the video up on YouTube and make them famous.”

Helen glanced up, a look of horror on her face. “This was not at all how I planned for tonight to end,” she lamented.

“Oh, buck up,” Maddie said. “It’s going to be fun.”

“Or the death of me,” Helen murmured.

Despite all Helen’s grumbling protests, Karen envied her. It was a trip she definitely wouldn’t mind sharing with Frances.

“You’re so lucky,” she told Helen.

Helen continued to look skeptical. “Lucky?”

“There will come a time when these memories will mean the world to you,” she told her.

Helen shook her head, but her lips were finally twitching ever so slightly into a smile. “You are such a little optimist.”

Karen nodded. “Kind of a miracle, don’t you think?”

Certainly to her way of thinking, it was.

* * *

Elliott heard about the trip to Las Vegas from Cal and Ronnie, who claimed they were tempted to go along just to keep the women out of trouble.

“Don’t you think Helen will do that?” Elliott asked. “She’s a lawyer and she has a good head on her shoulders.”

“Not when she’s under the influence of our wives and margaritas,” Ronnie said, a twinkle in his eyes. “It’s actually a joy to behold when she cuts loose and lets herself have fun.”

“Which is why Erik has begged Dana Sue to close Sullivan’s for a couple of days so he can tag along and keep an eye on his wife,” Cal said, chuckling. “The way this is going, the entire town might have to shut down so we can all trail out there to watch the fireworks.”

“I wonder why Karen didn’t mention any of this to me,” Elliott said. “If the trip was Frances’s idea, I’m sure she’d love to be there.”

Of course, even as he spoke, he knew the answer. She would never spend that kind of money on something as frivolous as a trip to Las Vegas. She wouldn’t even spend it on a dress she’d fallen in love with for herself. It gave him an idea of just what he could give her for her upcoming birthday.

“Do you think the women would mind one more?” he asked. “I’m thinking this trip would be the perfect birthday present for Karen, especially if Erik convinces Dana Sue to shut down Sullivan’s for a few days.”

“Let me have a talk with my wife,” Ronnie said. “I think she can be persuaded to close down for a good cause. We’re talking a couple of days. It’ll be good for her, Erik and Karen to get away from that pressure cooker. Once the glowing reviews for Sullivan’s started appearing all over the state, she’s been working nonstop for the past few years. So have they.”

Cal gave him a wry look. “I suppose that means you’ll shut down the hardware store, too.”

Ronnie shrugged. “We’re talking about a weekend. No big deal.”

Cal turned back to Elliott. “I’m thinking you and I are going to be stuck here holding down the fort. I am not hauling the kids to Las Vegas, especially not with Katie still grounded. And I can’t ask Maddie’s mom to babysit them for an entire weekend. Paula’s okay with the kids once they’re teenagers, but I think our two preschoolers scare the daylights out of her. They move too fast and are still a little short on conversational skills.”

“I’m sensing it will be a big weekend for fast food and pizza,” Elliott agreed. “I’d better get to my next client if I’m going to pay for this trip. Keep me posted on the dates and how things are working out with Dana Sue, so I can surprise Karen.”

“Will do,” Ronnie promised.

Elliott knew the impulsive gift was not without risks. He was going to have to show Karen copies of their bank statement, check stubs to prove the loan was being paid off and his latest receipts from his private clients before she’d accept the gesture. Still, he thought it would be worth it to give her this once-in-a-lifetime chance to do something with Frances before it was too late.

* * *

Three days later, the arrangements had been made for the trip. Elliott had bought the airline ticket for Karen, put it in a box wrapped in baby-shower paper—the only kind he’d found in the house—and tied it with a big red bow left over from Christmas.

He took Karen to Rosalina’s for dinner. He’d wanted to take her someplace a little more special, but he figured he’d be on shaky enough ground with the gift. An expensive restaurant would probably have her reeling.

When their drinks and pizza had been served, he raised his glass. “Happy birthday, querida! I hope it’s just one of many, many happy ones we share together.”

She’d worn her new yellow dress and had taken time to style her hair with more loose curls than usual. Her cheeks were pink and her eyes sparkling. He thought she’d never looked more beautiful. As always, when she smiled at him, she took his breath away.

“Thank you,” she said. “I have a gift for you.”

Elliott frowned at that. “For me? But it’s your birthday.”

“I know, but this surprise came my way, and I wanted to share it with you.”

“That sounds mysterious,” he said, genuinely puzzled.

Suddenly she looked incredibly nervous. “I know we had a plan, that we were trying to stick to a plan…” she began, but her voice trailed off.

Elliott’s heart suddenly began to race. “You’re not…we’re not…” He could barely speak, partly from being overwhelmed with joy, partly because he was afraid he’d gotten it wrong. “Are you pregnant, querida?”

She nodded, clearly embarrassed. “I didn’t mean for it to happen. We’ve been so careful.” Color bloomed in her cheeks. “But not always, I guess.” She studied him intently. “Are you mad?”

“Mad?” he asked incredulously, barely containing a whoop of joy that would lift the restaurant’s rafters. “I’m thrilled. I thought I came here tonight with a pretty darn good birthday gift, but I can’t top this. How soon? Do you know? Have you seen the doctor?” He regarded her intently. “Are you sure?”

She nodded. “Very sure. Four home pregnancy kits sure. I haven’t been to the doctor yet because I thought you might want to come with me. You won’t be able to see anything. It’s too early for an ultrasound, but still…” She regarded him hopefully. “You do want to come, right?”

“To every single appointment,” he confirmed. “You look happy. I hope you are, because I’m overjoyed. I can hardly wait to tell everyone.”

“Not just yet,” she cautioned. “These early months can be tricky. Let’s get through them first, okay?”

“Whatever you say,” he said at once. He’d have given her the moon just then if she’d said she had a craving for the green cheese it was supposedly made of. He regarded her worriedly. “I don’t want you panicking about money, you hear me? You’ve seen how well the gym is doing. We may be ahead of schedule on the baby plan, but we’re okay, Karen.”

She nodded. “I know that. And the minute I found out, for some reason, I just felt myself relax about all of it.” She reached for his hand. “We’ll be all right. I know we will.”

“We will be,” he confirmed.

A grin spread across her face as she clung to his hand. “Okay now,” she teased, then challenged, “Top that for a birthday surprise.”

He reached into his jacket where he’d stuffed the long, slim box. He couldn’t help chuckling as he handed it to her. “I thought the baby paper was a tacky substitute for birthday paper, but it’s certainly turned out to be on the mark.”

“And the red bow’s exactly the festive touch the night deserves,” she said, laughing.

Elliott held his breath as she opened it and looked at the envelope inside. As she removed the plane ticket to Las Vegas, her eyes grew wide and delight spread across her face.

“You bought me a ticket to go to Vegas with the girls?” she asked incredulously.

“And don’t say that I told you, but Frances is reserving a room for you as her gift. She’s absolutely thrilled that you’re coming along.”

For just a heartbeat, her excitement visibly dimmed. “But can we afford this?”

“Bought and paid for,” Elliott confirmed. “And I have bank statements back home that prove we can. You might have to raid Mack’s piggy bank for gambling money, but I think it won’t even come to that. I’ve gotten some nice tips, and I’ve put a little aside just for you to fritter away on the slots.”

“Maybe I’ll hit a jackpot, and our money worries will be over forever,” she said with surprising optimism.

“Heaven knows, I’m feeling lucky,” Elliott told her. “Want to know why? Because for the first time I can remember, you don’t look absolutely terrified by the prospect of spending a little extra to do something special. I think we’re finally over that hurdle in our marriage.”

“Maybe not over it,” she warned. “But it’s not nearly as high and scary as it was a few months ago.”

She frowned again. “What about Sullivan’s? If Dana Sue and I are both going, Erik and Tina can’t run it alone, even for a couple of days.”

“She’s shutting it down for the weekend. Erik’s coming, too. He’s hoping to keep Helen sane.”

Karen laughed. “I don’t envy him that task. She’s totally freaked out.”

“Just so you’re not,” he said, squeezing her hand. “I want you to go on this trip and have the time of your life. You deserve to run a little wild. Just don’t go picking up any handsome strangers in the casinos.”

She held his gaze. “Why would I want to when I’ll have the sexiest man on earth, the father of my child, waiting for me back here?”

As celebrations went, Elliott thought this had been the best of his entire life, not because of what he’d given his wife, but the gift of pure joy she’d given to him.

* * *

After the euphoria of her birthday celebration, Karen’s mood sank the next morning when she opened the door to find Adelia on her doorstep, her expression dark. She was obviously shaken. Even after their recent detente, the visit came as a surprise.

“Adelia, is everything okay? You look upset.”

Though Adelia stepped warily inside, she couldn’t seem to bring herself to meet Karen’s gaze. There was no hint of the friendliness of a few days ago. Instead, she asked tersely, “Is Elliott here?”

“No, he’s already at the spa,” Karen said. She took a closer look and realized that her sister-in-law had been crying, though she’d tried to hide her swollen eyes with makeup. “Why don’t I pour you a cup of coffee and we can talk. Elliott made it, so it’s strong the way all of you like it.”

Adelia shook her head and backed toward the door. “I should go.”

Karen reached out and put a hand on her arm. “You’re obviously upset about something. I’m happy to listen. I can do it without judging or giving advice, if that’s what you want.”

“You’ll think I’m an idiot,” Adelia said, clearly embarrassed.

“Why on earth would I think such a thing?” Karen asked, genuinely shocked. “I thought we made some progress the other night toward being friends.”

“We did, or at least I hoped we had,” Adelia said, “but still, after all of the commotion I stirred up over you being divorced, how can you not laugh when I say I’m leaving my husband?”

After blurting out the words, Adelia couldn’t seem to bring herself to look at Karen. Karen knew what it had cost her to make that admission, especially to her.

“I’m sorry,” she said softly to her sister-in-law. “I know it couldn’t have been an easy decision for you.”

Adelia seemed startled by Karen’s compassion. “You really mean that, don’t you?”

“I promised you no judgments,” Karen said. “I’m certainly in no position to make them, not about this.”

Adelia sighed heavily. “Mama is going to have a coronary. I doubt the rest of the family will be any better.”

“Probably not,” Karen said candidly. “But they’re not the ones walking in your shoes, are they?”

As Karen’s careful choice of words sank in, Adelia stared at her. “You know, don’t you? You know Ernesto has been cheating on me?” She sank onto the sofa and buried her face in her hands. “I knew he hadn’t been even the tiniest bit discreet, but I was hoping the word wasn’t all over town.”

“I don’t know that it is all over town,” Karen said. “Selena said something to Daisy. Daisy didn’t totally understand, but she told me.”

“And my brother knows, too,” she guessed, sounding resigned. “I thought he did. More than once I’ve had to warn him not to have a talk with Ernesto. I was hoping it was only because he knew I was unhappy.”

Karen nodded. “Yeah, I’ve had a little trouble reeling in his temper myself. I told him it would only humiliate you to have him interfering.”

Adelia nodded. “Thank you for that.”

“Now, please, come into the kitchen. Let’s have that coffee. I can call Elliott, if you’d like. I’m sure he’d come home if you want to talk. Or you can use me as a sounding board. I’ll just make a quick call to the restaurant and let Erik know I’m running late.”

“I didn’t mean to come over here and disrupt your day,” Adelia apologized. “I’m not even sure why I came. I actually threw Ernesto out days ago, but I woke up this morning and it hit me that my husband is gone and I have an appointment this morning to see Helen.”

“Would you like me to go with you?” Karen asked at once.

Adelia managed a weak smile. “God, what did I do to deserve your kindness?”

Karen grinned. “You bought me a dress.”

“I’ll buy you twenty if you’ll stick by me once Mama starts ranting and raving about what a terrible person I am.”

“You’re not a terrible person,” Karen said.

“But I was so superior and mean when Elliott first brought you home. I didn’t want to hear any of the reasons behind your divorce. The church said it was wrong and that was enough for me. Now here I am with my marriage falling apart and I’m pouring out my troubles to you and you’re actually being sympathetic.”

“Did you want me to throw you back onto the street?”

“I probably deserve it,” Adelia said.

“You’re family,” Karen said simply. “Lately I appreciate more than most what that means.” She set a cup of coffee in front of Adelia, then offered her a slice of the pie she’d baked the night before.

“Are you sure divorce is the only option?” she asked gently. “Knowing your convictions, maybe you should think it through a little longer.”

“Too late,” Adelia said. “Not only has he been cheating on me for a very long time, but he acted as if I had no right to be angry about it. He said it was just the way things were, that all men eventually cheat. He said I should be happy that he was providing a roof over our heads and taking care of our children. And he had the gall to introduce Selena to the current other woman.” Her temper visibly stirred. “She lives in the same neighborhood. Did I mention that?”

Karen winced. “Selena told Daisy, so I knew.”

“My poor child,” Adelia said sorrowfully. “She’s scared and confused and furious with me and with her father.”

“Why you?” Karen asked.

“She blames me for letting him get away with it. I think that’s when I finally realized I could no longer look the other way. I don’t want my son to think what their father is doing is acceptable, and I don’t want my daughters to think a woman has to take such disrespect.”

Karen was still trying to absorb the idea that Ernesto thought it was his right to have affairs and rub his wife’s nose in them. “I’m trying to come to grips with what you said a minute ago. He actually said that you should accept him cheating?”

“And more about how boring I am in bed,” she admitted. “Maybe it’s true. I don’t know. Whether it is or not, it was humiliating.”

“No wonder you want to kick him to the curb,” Karen said with feeling, horrified on Adelia’s behalf. “That’s unacceptable.”

Adelia met her gaze for the first time. “It really is, isn’t it? I don’t have to put up with it.”

“Of course, you don’t,” Karen said. “Now, tell me what Elliott and I can do. You have an appointment with Helen, so that’s under control. We all know what a barracuda she can be in these circumstances. Do you need a place to stay? It would be a tight fit, but you’d be welcome here with the kids.”

Adelia regarded her with amazement. “There you go again, catching me by surprise. Thank you for offering, but we’re okay. I’m not budging from the house. That was the first thing Helen told me when I called to make the appointment.”

“Well, why don’t you at least hang out here until it’s time to see her? I need to leave for work, or I could stay a little longer if you want to talk some more.”

“No, you should go,” Adelia said. “If you don’t mind, though, I will stay for just a little while. I can’t seem to think straight at my house. There are too many memories crowding in.”

“Stay here as long as you like,” Karen told her.

For the first time, Karen felt like a real member of the Cruz family. Even more important in many ways, she felt as if she was worthy of helping someone else after so many years of needing help herself.

There was another positive side effect of this bleak situation, as well. Listening to Adelia had reaffirmed just how lucky she was to have a man as solid and dependable as Elliott in her life. For all of their recent ups and downs, he was clearly a treasure she hadn’t appreciated half as much as she should have.