Magnolia Wednesdays by Wendy Wax

Author:Wendy Wax
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Penguin USA, Inc.
Published: 2011-03-06T16:00:00+00:00

20

AT THE MAGNOLIA Ballroom, a low samba played over the speakers. In a far corner a couple practiced a choreographed routine while an instructor looked on. The man was tall and lithe with silver hair and patrician features. The clothes he wore were black and well tailored. His partner looked a good twenty years younger and had a dancer’s svelte body. They moved gracefully in each other’s arms, each movement of the head and hand intentional and eye-catching. “That’s Lawrence Reardon and his partner, Carlotta. They’re competing next weekend,” Melanie explained. “They’ve been with Enrique for a long time; he does all their choreography.”

Ruth and Angela stood near a group of tables piled high with cardboard boxes marked “Xmas.” Ruth held an electric menorah. Angela, who was wearing what Vivi had come to think of as her trademark baggy black, stood next to an artificial Christmas tree roughly her height. She flashed both of them a smile.

Ruth gave Melanie a big hug. Vivien got a nod and the once-over. Without preamble Ruth asked, “When are you due?”

Nonplussed, Vivien bit back the “None of your business” and “What makes you think I’m pregnant?” that sprang to her lips.

“She didn’t think anybody had noticed,” Melanie said.

Ruth snorted. “I may be getting old, but I’m not blind. Although at first I did think she was just getting fat.”

“Well, I hadn’t noticed,” Angela said with an odd little grimace at the word “fat.” “That’s great. Congratulations.”

“Yes,” Ruth added somewhat grudgingly. “Mazel tov. I didn’t realize you were married.”

Vivien felt the heat rise in her cheeks. “I’m not, and according to my ob-gyn it’s not actually a requirement.”

“No. But it’s a lot better for the children to have two parents,” the older woman replied.

“Yes, well,” Melanie said stiffly. “That may be. But it doesn’t always work out that way.” She slipped an arm around Vivien’s waist in a show of solidarity. “For all sorts of reasons.”

It was Ruth’s turn to flush. She was clearly unused to being at odds in any way with Melanie. “Of course not, but . . .”

“And I don’t think any of us need to pass judgment on the other.”

“Well, of course not, but . . .”

Melanie didn’t let Ruth finish. “Here,” she said as she turned to the boxes and began to open them. “Let’s put the snowflakes up first. That’ll be the biggest job, because I want to cover the whole ceiling except the area immediately around the chandeliers.”

The three of them began unpacking the boxes while Melanie went to get the ladder. “She always protects you,” Ruth said to Vivien. “No matter what you do. Or don’t do.”

“I know,” Vivien said. “And I know I don’t deserve it. But it’s kind of amazing, isn’t it?”

“I think it’s great,” Angela said, her hands overflowing with snowflakes, her expression wistful. “Both James and I are only children. I, for one, would love to have a sister or brother to run interference for me. Or at least deflect some of my parents’ attention.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.