“That’s great,” Sally replied to Ava. “I can’t wait to meet them both.”
They’d just finished dinner and had moved on to dessert: a yummy shortcake with ice cream and strawberries.
“Just think,” Elsa said. “By this time on Wednesday, we’ll all be here. Our new immediate family.”
“Except for Gavin,” Parker corrected.
“He’s Parker’s best friend,” Chad said for the Webbs’ benefit.
Margaret waved her loaded fork. “The brother he never had.”
“He was also the best man at our wedding,” Elsa added.
“Gavin’s the only nonfamily member at this family wedding,” Brent said to Ava. “He really is like family, though. Uncle Gavin to all of us.”
“How nice,” she answered, taking a taste of her dessert. “Margaret,” she said, “this shortcake is delicious.”
“Oh, I can’t take credit.” Margaret smiled at her daughter-in-law. “Dessert was all Elsa.”
Elsa’s cheeks reddened, so Hope jumped in. “Looks so yummy. Can’t wait to try it.”
Only Sofia looked less than enticed, covering her mouth with her napkin.
“Excuse me. Just one minute.” She hurriedly left the table, and William watched after her with a worried look.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah, yeah.” She waved a hand and skirted toward the den. “Just need some air.”
The conversation resumed with Sofia’s absence becoming more and more pronounced, though everyone pretended not to notice.
Margaret admired the pretty purple crystal that hung from a long silver chain around Ava’s neck. “That’s so unique,” she said. “Does it represent anything special?”
“Oh yes.” Ava preened. “My chi. My aura’s purple, you know.”
Hope stared at her wide-eyed, but her mom didn’t take the hint. She went on and on about how intuitive she was and about how she could sense things about people, particularly when they were wrong in how they interpreted others. Ava angled her body slightly toward Margaret as she said this, but Margaret just raised her eyebrows. When Ava offered to read everyone’s tarot cards, Hope knew she had to stop this runaway train.
“I’ve never had that done,” Chad answered. “I’m game.”
“Sure,” Derrick said. “Why not?”
“I’ve got a deck right here in my purse,” Ava said, reaching down toward the floor.
“Mom.”
Her mom’s chin jerked up. “Yes, Ho—holy moly. I almost called you Hope.” Ava broke out in a titter as Hope’s heart pounded like a kettledrum.
Elsa glanced around the table with a happy gleam in her eyes. “That probably happens to mothers everywhere. I sometimes mix up my boys.”
Parker agreed. “Yes, but just the names, not the people.”
“Oh. I’d never…mix up the people,” Ava said with a bright flush. “Jackie and Hope are so distinctive. Neither one is anything like the other. In fact, they’re very different. As different as night and day. Yin and yang. The moon and the—”
“Did you know that my mom’s also into music?” Hope said to Margaret, abruptly interceding.
“No, dear.” Margaret appeared intrigued and turned to Ava. “What instrument to you play?”
“Just my voice box.” Ava splayed her fingers against her throat. “Right here.”
“She’s really quite good,” Parker said.
Margaret smiled. “Oh?”
“We saw…heard a video,” Chad said before drinking some more wine.
“Yes.” Elsa smiled politely, then glanced toward the den. “Sofia’s been gone a while. Maybe someone should go and check on her?”
“I’ll go,” Sally said, and then her phone buzzed in her pocket. Her face fell when she read the incoming number. “Yikes, I’d better take this. Could be important. Sorry.”
Sally slipped toward the kitchen, and Hope stared around the table, noting the men were energetically discussing their sailing trip, while Margaret and Ava were recalling several tunes relating to what they called retro music. Margaret was probably more thrilled than she should have been to learn that Ava was also a musician. But that was only because she hadn’t yet heard her sing. Elsa started to stand, but Hope intervened.
“I can check on Sofia.”
“Oh, would you?” Elsa sighed gratefully. “That would be very nice. I just heard the coffee beep and was about to go and serve it.”
…
Hope found Sofia sitting on the back porch in a rocker, holding her head in her hands.
“Sofia?” Hope asked quietly. “Are you feeling sick?”
“A little,” she mumbled, her voice muffled. “Mostly queasy.”
“I’m sorry.” Hope sat down beside her. “I know where they keep the ginger ale around here. Would you like me to bring you some?”
Sofia glanced up with a haggard look. “Actually, ginger ale sounds divine.”
Hope walked to the kitchen through the hall so as not to disturb the others and prepared the ginger ale for Sofia, bringing it to her on the porch. She thought back to Sofia’s behavior earlier, remembering that she’d been the only one not drinking wine at dinner. “Did this come on all of a sudden?”
“I think…” Sofia wryly twisted her lips. “More like two and a half months ago.”
Hope gasped. “You’re pregnant?”
“Please don’t say anything to the others,” Sofia whispered. “Nobody knows yet.”
“Not even William?”
“Especially not William.”
Hope surveyed Sofia’s eyes, not understanding.
“We’ve been trying so hard.” Her chin trembled. “And, well…last time.” Moisture glistened in her eyes. “Things didn’t work out so well.” She took a tiny sip of ginger ale, staring sadly into her glass.
“Oh, Sofia. I’m so sorry.”
“William really wants to be a daddy. He’ll be a super one, too.”
“I’m sure you’ll both make great parents.”
“Thank you. I hope we get the chance.” She sniffed before continuing. “In any case, before… William was crushed. I don’t want him to live through that a second time.”