“Of course we are,” Andrea answered first. Marg nodded her agreement.
“Let’s go have some fun.” Cora pulled away from the curb onto the street and headed for the highway.
Although Oak Harbor was more of a cozy scene when compared to larger cities, it had some great night entertainment spots for both its locals and the tourists that visited all year round. These spots catered to everyone alike. Marg peered through the window at the starry night sky, which was illuminated by the bright lights of the streetlamps and the dimly lit shops. They drove deeper into downtown, and the further they went, the brighter the lights got and the busier the streets became with people going to or coming from the various shopping centers and restaurants that were scattered throughout the area.
Cora made a turn and headed for SE Pioneer Way. A few minutes later, they were parked by The Anchor. The area was bathed in a glowing crimson hue thanks to the flashing neon sign that was mounted on the building's roof. The women alighted from the car and made their way to the entrance, and entered the building.
Marg observed that there was already a sizable crowd inside, but the majority of the customers appeared to be in their twenties, and she speculated that most of them were college students. There was a steady flow of laughter and conversation, and a few of the guests could be seen moving to the music in the space between the bar and the dining area.
“Oh, there’s Kerry waving at us,” Andrea spoke above the music and pointed to their cousin sitting in one of the booths, waving at them. Tessa and Sharon were with her.
Marg waved along with the others.
“Let’s get some drinks by the bar first, then we can join them,” Shelby suggested.
The women turned to the bar. Along the length of the mahogany-stained bar top, there was a row of counter stools with high backs arranged in a straight line, but they were all occupied. Andrea walked up to the counter and signaled to the bartender, who immediately walked over to her.
“What can I get for you ladies?” he asked with a bright, friendly smile.
The women looked behind him at the drinks displayed on the rack. Blue and pink led lights washed over them, as well as the bar top and the stools, in a way that gave the impression that everything was colorful.
“I’ll have a margarita,” Andrea responded.
“I’ll just have a club soda and lime,” Cora gave her order.
The others gave their order. When it was Marg’s time, she ordered a cosmopolitan. They instructed the bartender to have them delivered to their booth, and they left the bar and entered the dining space, which had the appearance of a sunken lounge.
“Hi, ladies,” Cora greeted the women by the booth.
“Hi, sweetie,” Tessa greeted, getting to her feet and hugging Cora and the others that came with her. Kerry and Sharon did the same, and when the greetings were over, everyone squeezed into the booth.
“Kirsten couldn’t make it. She said she’s up to her neck marking papers,” Tessa informed them.
“Oh no. That’s awful,” Cora expressed with regret.
“I, for one, think she should have left the papers for another time and come have some fun,” Kerry gave out. “You know what they say, all work and no play makes Jane a dull girl. Besides, I’m certain we’d all chump up to help her mark those papers for those little rascals.”
The women chuckled at the look of horror on her face when she mentioned the students.
“Why are you like this?” Tessa asked with a shake of her head.
“Like what?” Kerry asked with a raise of her brow.
“So…” Tessa’s shoulders came up to her ears as she turned her palms up on the table. “So unfiltered,” she finished.
“You call it unfiltered, but I call it being realistic,” Kerry replied with an unbothered shrug.
The bartender arrived with their drink orders just then.
“Thank you.” Marg smiled as she accepted her liquor-laced drink. She immediately took a sip, enjoying the sweet yet slightly tangy taste. She focused on her drink while the conversation carried around her, but her mind soon drifted to her encounter with Brooke earlier that day.
“What’s going on between you and Dad?”
Marg had been caught off-guard by the directness of the girl’s question. When she recovered, she’d tried to deflect by asking, “What did he tell you?”
“Nothing,” Brooke replied, throwing her hands up in the air, a frown lining her face. She then looked pointedly at Marg. “That’s why I’m here. I need the truth, Marg, and I believe I can trust you not to lie to me.”
Marg’s heart froze mid-beat before speeding up. Sweat formed on her brows, and her palms became clammy. Her tongue felt heavy as it clung to the roof of her mouth. Swallowing against the sudden dryness in her throat, she tried to answer.
