Always Friday by Jan Hudson

your daddy saw
you in that bathing costume, he marched you home and locked you in your room
for three months.”
    The group of childhood friends launched into spirited
reminiscences, and Tess and Dan winked at each other. Both were trying to
suppress grins. It was obvious how much the ladies were enjoying themselves and
how much such activities kept their spirits alive. Tess was sure that Dan,
after spending over three weeks in Galveston, could see how happy his
grandmother was and how groundless his concerns had been. Living with Aunt
Olivia had brought a new sparkle to Martha Craven’s face and new energy to her
step.
    Still smiling with indulgent amusement, Dan motioned with
his head toward the exit. As they turned to sneak away, Olivia called out.
    “Tess, I think that letter you’ve been waiting for came
today.”
    “The one from Dr. Staats at Stanford?”
    “It’s on the hall table.”
    Her heart pounding, Tess hurried to the hallway and snatched
up the letter. She ripped it open and quickly scanned the contents. “Yippee!”
she screamed, throwing both arms in the air. She grabbed Dan in a bear hug and
started dancing around.
    “Good news, I take it?” Dan said, unable to keep from smiling
as Tess laughed and planted kisses all over his face.
    Olivia and Martha scurried in from the dining room, with the
beauty consultant and other ladies close on their heels.
    “Is everything all right, dear?” Olivia asked.
    “Everything is fabulous! Dr. Staats confirmed it.”
    “Oh, wonderful!” Martha Craven clapped her hands together
and laughed. “Now Tess can have her house and we can—”
    Olivia poked Martha in the ribs and rolled her eyes to the
ladies who all had their ears tuned for a new topic of gossip. She winked at Tess
and turned to the waiting women. “Come along, girls. We need to make out our
order blanks.” She began shooing them back to the dining room.
    “But, Olivia, what in the world is going on?”
    “Nothing for you to worry about, Mary Ella. Tess just had
some good news from an investment, that’s all. She’s always been the excitable
type you know. I think you should order the pink lipstick and the lipliner. It’s
totally awesome. Don’t you agree, Martha?”
    When the women were gone, Dan said, “Why do I suspect that
your letter has nothing to do with an investment?”
    Tess looked at the crumpled paper in her hand, then back up
at Dan and laughed. “Because you’re remarkably astute?”
    “Well?” After a long pause, he said, “Are you going to tell
me or not?”
    She gave him a sassy grin and a little bob of her head. “Not.”
    His eyes narrowed. “This wouldn’t have anything to do with
that buried treasure nonsense, would it?”
    Tess dress herself up to her full five-feet
nine-and-one-quarter inches and tilted her nose in the air. “It’s not nonsense.”
She waved the letter in his face. “This proves it. Dr. Lawrence Staats is a
professor at Stanford University and the country’s leading handwriting expert.
Authenticating historical documents is his specialty.”
    Realizing that she was talking loudly enough to be
overheard, she lowered her voice. “I sent him a sample of handwriting from the
map and letter we found, along with a small corner of the paper it’s written
on. He compared it to other documented samples in his possession, and he thinks
that it’s authentic. Our map as written by Jean Laffite.”
    When he looked skeptical, she thrust the letter at him. “Here,
read it yourself if you don’t believe me.”
    Dan read the single page quickly. “I notice that he leaves
himself an out. He writes that the paper is ‘consistent with samples
manufactured in the early-to mid-eighteen hundreds’ and based on his
preliminary study, there is ‘strong indication’ that the handwriting sample you
sent matches other documents known to have been written by Laffite.”
    “Friday, you’re such a hard-nose.” She grabbed him by the
hand. “Come upstairs