Julie laughs again, but it’s not as easy as it was before. “Yours, I think.”
We play for another hour. The women share scandalous stories about their youth, each trying to top the other. Julie holds her stomach from laughing when Mrs. Henderson launches into a story about skinny-dipping with her boyfriend in 1962.
“The sheriff caught us, and there I was, naked as a jaybird, trying to explain that we were just cooling off.”
“Seriously?” Julie asks.
“Oh, yeah. I told him Bobby Henderson had the finest ass in three counties and I was doing my patriotic duty by appreciating it,” she says and gives a salute.
“You did not!” Julie gasps.
“I did! The sheriff laughed so hard that he let us go with a warning, but somehow, the entire town knew before we got back into city limits.”
“Wait,” Julie says. “Bobby Henderson? As in Mr. Henderson? As in your third husband?”
“He was my first love. As they say, the third time’s a charm.” Mrs. Henderson winks. “Some asses are worth keeping forever, dear.”
Julie tips sideways against me, giggling so hard that she can’t breathe. I memorize the sound—the laugh I’d burn down the world to protect.
The afternoon passes with moments of genuine joy, punctuated by reminders of why they’re here in the first place.
When someone knocks on the door, everyone tenses until we confirm it’s another false pizza delivery, which has been happening for the past hour. But then Mrs. Mooney starts a story about the time she accidentally ordered thirty pizzas instead of three, and the tension in the room eases again.
That evening, after the women leave with promises to check in the next day, Julie and I have an early dinner, then move to the balcony. She’s still smiling from the day’s unexpected turn.
“I didn’t know the Fairy Godmothers had it in them,” she says.
“I might be a little traumatized,” I tell her playfully.
“Oh, you loved it.” She pokes my ribs. “I saw you trying not to laugh at Mrs. Patrick’s story about the church bell incident.”
“True. They’re hilarious, and they have a good sense of humor.”
She leans against me. “I think they enjoyed hanging out with us. I appreciate that they care.”
“You’re loved, sweetheart,” I say. “Everyone wants the very best for you.”
“You know, sometimes, I forget that no matter what’s going wrong in life, it’s still possible to have fun.”
“You’re damn right about that.”
The sunset paints the mountains orange and gold as the carnival rides light up and glow. In the distance, I can see Hollow Manor tucked up on the hill overlooking Cozy Creek. Even though a lot in my life is unsettled and it’s not perfect, that doesn’t take away from how peaceful it is with Julie by my side.
“Oh, by the way, Autumn is going to force us to carve a billion pumpkins the day before Halloween,” she says. “I’m going to out-carve you.”
“Oh, really?”
“Really.I’ve been watching YouTube videos for the past ten years. I’m basically a professional now.”
“I’ll have you know that I was pumpkin carving champion three years running in my hometown,” I explain.
Her mouth falls open, and she turns her body toward me. I notice how her face glows at golden hour.
“You’re kidding.”
“Nope. And it was extremely competitive because there was a lot of money involved.”
She laughs—a real laugh. “You’re making it up.”
