Chapter Twenty-Seven

Jen

Saturday

 

Someone woke me up, but it wasn’t my fiancé. “Shelley?”

She bounced on the mattress. “Rise and shine! We’re kidnapping you.”

I pulled on the covers, but she wouldn’t let me bury my head. “Who’s we?”

“Mom’s down in the car. Come on, get up!” She pulled me into a sitting position.

“Why…” I whined.

“It’s your bridal-shower-slash-bachelorette-party day. Come on, let’s get you in the shower.” She tugged on my arm.

“Babe…” I called.

Dylan stuck his head on. “Sorry, Jen. I’m not allowed to interfere.”

“What do you mean you’re—?”

Shelley got in my face. “It was explained to your lovely fiancé that this is the only day all the women that love you were free at the same time. We’ll return you to him when we’re done with you.”

I flopped back on the bed, face down. “You’re insane.”

“Hey, Dylan, be a good boy and go get our mother.”

I rolled over. “Alright! Alright.” Not even daring to look at the clock because the time would probably make me cry, I crawled out of bed and went into the bathroom.

“Qapla!” she exclaimed.

“Since when do you know Klingon?” Dylan asked her.

“Better question is how do you know what I said?”

“DS9 was an awesome show.”

I heard nothing else over the water running. By the time the shower was hot, the bedroom door was closed and I was alone. A whole day of whatever they had planned did not sound appealing. The energy coursing through me yesterday was absent today.

At least if I was careful, I wouldn’t have to do my hair. I clipped it high on my head and only washed my body. A little blow drying with a brush should extend the salon work.

My little sister reentered when I was standing at the vanity wrapped in a towel. “Are your clothes in his closet?” She continued into it.

“Now what are you doing?”

“You don’t know where we’re going, so I’m picking your outfit.”

“Shell, do you know what pregnant lady aggro means?”

“Leaving!” she sang. But she dropped something on the bed.

I finished my hair and makeup, though not in any hurry.

Wake me up on a Saturday before I’m ready and you can wait.

On the bed was a long-sleeve dress I wore to Thanksgiving. Hm. Not a flannel and leggings day. I sighed. At least the dress was comfortable.

Dylan sat at the table drinking coffee. Shelley paced by the door.

“Finally!”

“No breakfast?” I said.

He came to me and kissed my cheek. “Pretty sure they’re going to feed you,” he whispered by my ear. “Foot massage when you get home?”

“Holding you to it.”

I gathered my purse and a cardigan. “Let’s get on with it, brat.”

“If I can get up at nine, you can wake up at nine-thirty.”

Yeah, yeah. Easy for her to say.

We made our way downstairs.

Mom was in guest parking. I opened the front passenger door and Shelley got in back.

“Good morning, Jenny.”

I grunted in reply and put on a pair of sunglasses. Too damn bright this morning.

“She’s in a mood, Mom. We’re going to need to sweeten her up.”

“Bite me.”

“See?”

Mom laughed. “I remember these days. I didn’t want to get up before noon until month five, most mornings. My OB put me on iron, thinking I had to be anemic, but that made me constipated, so we switched to spinach and almonds.”

“Mom…”

“We all poop, dear.”

“Yeah, Shell,” I said.

“Jennifer…”

I sighed. Tired, grumpy, and hormonal equaled teenage snark and I didn’t feel like acting my age when I didn’t choose to be here or know where we were going. I closed my eyes.

Mom’s GPS would speak instructions over the radio every few minutes.

When she finally put the gear shift in Park, I looked around.

“Come, dear,” she said, and got out.

The restaurant didn’t give me much of a clue about itself from the outside. Mom opened the door, I followed, and Shelley brought up the rear.

Mom approached the hostess. “The Wright party, please.”

She smiled. “Ah. Right this way.” She didn’t grab any menus, just led us toward the back. And upstairs.

The young woman opened a door and my eyes widened. A gorgeous crystal chandelier hung over a white linen table in a private room.

“Surprise!” Beth was here, and Hannah, Celeste, Maria, and—

“Grandma!” I rushed to hug Grandma Jean, Mom’s mom. “I thought you were staying in Phoenix this year.”

“Not when there’s a wedding.” She’d been rehabbing from knee replacement surgery the past six weeks. Mom had gone out there to make sure Grandma could get around the house.

“Are we waiting on anyone else, or can we start the menu?” the hostess asked.

We’d all momentarily forgotten she was there.

“This is it,” Beth said. The hostess nodded and left the room, closing the door.

“Please sit,” Mom said, guiding me to a chair. The seat of honor.

I was really happy it was a round table. Last thing I wanted to do was shout to the person at the far end. The fine china in front of me was white with silver trim. I flicked a glass with my nail and it sang like genuine crystal. The room was decorated like a home’s dining room, with a buffet to the side and another table (laden with gifts) opposite the door. The exposed vintage brick was softened by gauzy white curtains framing each window and we could hear nothing of L.A. outside. Did I want to know what Beth paid for this place?

No.

“This is…wow,” I said. “I would’ve been happy in someone’s living room.”

They laughed.

“With the whirlwind planning, it’s easy for this to not feel special,” Beth said. “I think we agree you should get to cherish the moments.”

Cherish the fact I had awesome friends. “Well, I’m sure this is going to be a lovely brunch,” I said. “But a bachelorette party the same day?”

Laughter again. “That’s Shelley’s term for junk food and movies,” Hannah replied.

“Oh.”

“But there will be cocktails for those who can partake,” Celeste added.

“And don’t skimp on the rum!”

“Grandma!”

“What? I’m off the pain meds. Don’t deny an old lady her fun.”

“I like you,” Celeste said next to her. Grandma winked at the redhead.

“Mom, you’re seventy-five. That’s hardly old these days.”

“There will be apple cider rum punch and adult eggnog,” Maria said. “And I was baking yesterday.”

“Oooo.”

The door opened and two waiters with carts rolled in. They set up a buffet on the narrow table behind me, but instead of leaving us to it, they picked up our plates and served us.

“Smells good,” Grandma said.

“I’m starving.”

“Shelley, you’re always ‘starving’.” Mom teased. “You had a bagel before we picked up your sister.”

“That was, like, an hour ago.”

“Ah, to still have that metabolism…” Celeste sighed.

“Got that right,” Grandma added.

It warmed my heart to see all the important ladies in my life having a good time.

My plate returned first and orange juice was poured in one of the goblets at my place setting.

“Coffee or tea, miss?”

“No, thank you.”

I’d been served a small spinach quiche with crumbled bacon on top, mixed slices of fruit, and a croissant that was still warm.

“Dig in,” Mom said quietly next to me. I was flanked by my mother and sister, with Grandma next to Mom, then Celeste, Hannah, Maria, and Beth to round out the table.

I held off at picking up my fork until everyone had been served, but I did start on the croissant—because butter. Butter was awesome lately. Guess the baby craved some fat.

This would be a great breakfast, right? Anywhere.

Except this was only the first course.

Next, came some tomato thing that was surprisingly awesome. Then two slices of French toast clearly made with fresh baked bread and two sausage links that definitely didn’t smell like Farmer John. And finally, a large chocolate-filled croissant with a side of chocolate-covered strawberries. Roll me downstairs on one of those carts, please.

We were all going to look like we had baby bumps after that many calories.

“I need a nap,” I said, and they laughed.

Beth got up, went to the door, and pressed a button on the wall. “They’ll come clear the plates.” Handy.

Because we needed room for presents. They wouldn’t let me leave with wrapped gifts.

The waiters cleared the mess and left us alone again.

“Okay, group photo, so make sure you don’t have chocolate between your teeth,” Beth said. She pulled out a tripod with one of her cameras mounted on top and set it up.

And then arranged us.

She turned on the timer, hurried to her spot, and the camera flashed. “Let me check it.”

“Nobody blinked, did they?” Celeste said.

“We’re good!” Beth replied. She fiddled with the DSLR a last time, then moved to the gift table. “Let’s start with…this one.”

“Actually, can I pee first?” I asked.

They chuckled and I had to go out into the hall to find the ladies’ room.

Dylan and I hadn’t registered for gifts for obvious reasons, so I was going to be completely surprised by what my friends and family got me/us.

I returned to the table where they were all gabbing and the boxes and bags were arranged at my spot. Beth’s camera was pointing my way.

The wrappings were in pretty shades of white, pink, blue, gold, and silver. The nearest thing was a smaller gift bag and I chose that first. “From Shelley.” I dug in the tissue paper and pulled out a box sealed in plastic. “Bridal emergency kit. Thanks, Shell!”

“It has bobby pins, a sewing needle and thread, makeup wipes, and stuff. Thought it’d be handy.”

“Very thoughtful, thank you.” I unwrapped a flatter box next, a shirt box, and uncovered a top in soft gray. I pulled out a short-sleeve shirt, and shorts were underneath—a pajama set in silk. “Thanks, Hannah.”

“It looked comfortable and that silk is so soft. Plus, if you answer the door for room service on your honeymoon, you’re decent.”

“Yes. Good thinking!”

Grandma gave me a blue Le Creuset Dutch Oven. “My aunt gave me one and I still use it now.”

Beth gave me a slow cooker with a wireless app so I could check on it without going to the kitchen. “And if there’s a problem with it, I saved the receipt.”

The mothers chuckled. “You never know with appliances,” Mom said.

“True that,” Grandma added.

Maria gave me a set of picture frames in different sizes. Celeste gave me a scrapbook.

That left my mother, except I’d opened everything on the table. “Mom?”

She handed me a small box, like bracelet size. My brow furrowed as I slipped the ribbon off and ripped the paper away.

“A key?”

She picked it up and compared it to one on her keychain.

“Why is your house key in a box, Mom?”

She swiveled on her chair to face me directly and took hold of my hands. “It’s a promise, Jennifer. Shelley will be at college in two years and at that point, I’m going to want to downsize.” I slipped one hand out of her grasp to cover my mouth as my eyes teared up. “You’ve struggled with where to set up your new life with your husband-to-be. Now you know.”

“Oh my God, Mom.” I pulled her into a hug that was probably uncomfortably tight, but I didn’t care. This was the most amazing and overly generous gift I— “Are you sure?”

Her eyes shone, but she wore a warm smile. “Yes. I want to do this for you.” She straightened. “Besides…I’m kind of looking forward to the next phase for me.”

I turned to Shelley. “Did you know?”

She nodded. “We discussed it, yeah. As long as you let me come stay on school holidays, I’m okay with it. Oh, and store my junk in the garage.”

“Done.” I hugged her, too.

“Well done, daughter,” Grandma murmured. They squeezed each other’s hands.

“Janet, that’s a beautiful gesture,” Beth said.

The rest of my friends spoke similar sentiments.

She’d tied a red ribbon through the biggest hole of the key. I stared at that piece of brass. I’d be in shock for a while, but this gift also eased an anxiety that’d driven me nuts for the past week. It didn’t matter where we lived in the immediate future because I’d get to make a home in a house and community I loved and knew.

We finished beverages, gathered our stuff, and left, thanking the staff on the way out.

It’d been an amazing day and wasn’t quite noon, yet!

The bachelorette party was at Hannah and Mike’s house.