“She’s probably hoping to hear I croaked in the night,” Sunny muttered.
“What?” he snapped into the phone. “No, she didn’t lose the baby. She’s doing fine.” His eyebrows went up. “Yeah?... Okay, sure. Yeah, I’ll be over.”
Sunny frowned. “What does she want?”
“The kids got get-well cards for you.”
“Get-well cards,” Sunny repeated.
“Yeah. Tansy wants me to come over and get them. Want me to pick up anything while I’m out?”
“No, I’m good. Although I sure wish I didn’t have to wear this darn boot,” she told Arianna as Travis went to fetch his car key. “I feel like Frankenstein’s monster.”
“It’s what all well-dressed klutzes are wearing this year,” Arianna teased. She sobered. “You gave us all a scare.”
“I gave myself a scare.” Sunny bit her lip. “If I’d have lost the baby...”
“But you didn’t. And you’re getting get-well cards from the kids. That’s huge progress.”
“I’m sure Jeanette made them. She’s determined they’re going to learn manners,” said Sunny.
“It’s a start,” Arianna said.
Sunny had to smile. “When did you turn into such a positive person?”
“Am I?” Arianna sounded surprised.
“Maybe that’s not the right word. I don’t know what the right word is, other than you’re not so somber, not so unsure of yourself. Remember how tentative you were when we first did your website?”
“I guess I was. I was so sure I’d fail, I was afraid to get my hopes up. Sometimes I still can’t believe how well my little business is doing.”
“That’s because you’re doing something important. I’m glad I get to be part of it.”
“Funny what a difference a few months make,” Arianna mused. “This time last year I thought my life was over.”
“It just goes to show, you never know,” Sunny said.
Boy, you sure didn’t. Travis returned with two card-sized envelopes, one pink and one white. She started with the white one. It featured a dog on the front, drinking from a toilet.Be sure to drink plenty of fluids, the card advised.
“I can guess who this is from,” she said, and opened it. Sure enough, it was signedDylan.
She moved on to the next card. It had a woman in a dress and heels. She was holding a bunch of balloons and getting lifted into a blue sky. “It’s hard to keep a good woman down,” she read aloud. She looked at Travis in surprise. “A card saying something nice?”
He shrugged.
She opened it, and under the printedI Know You’ll Get Well Soon, Bella had writtenI’m sorry, and drawn a heart next to the words.
It was the movie moment Sunny had thought would never happen. She burst into tears.
CHRISTMAS
IN SEPTEMBER
25
It was turning out to be a beautiful Pacific Northwest September. “I always say our summers run from July through September,” Molly said as the friends met at Horse and Cow to discuss their plans for Christmas in September. Another Saturday was chosen, this one falling close enough to the twenty-fifth to count.
“But by the end of the month we may want to move the party indoors,” suggested Sunny, who was accessorizing her high fashion jeans, top and jacket with a bright blue walking boot.
