Diva Wraps It Up, The by Krista Davis

it zipped up with no problem. The skirt flattered my figure by fooling the eye and making my waist look smaller. It was exactly right for the formal bar association dinner that I planned to attend with Alex.
    When I paid for it, the owner of the store said, “It just came in this morning as a sample from a young new designer. All the employees have been gushing over it. There’s something so feminine about it.”
    “Where were you?” asked Nina.
    “I went over to check on Edith Scroggins.”
    The shop owner’s head snapped up. “Is something wrong with her? I know Horace is in the hospital. I hope she’s not sick, too.”
    What? Someone who actually liked Edith? “Are you a friend of Edith’s?” I inquired.
    “Not exactly. She’s a very good customer. Won’t buy anything that’s on sale.
There’s
a quirk every boutique owner loves! We always serve her a glass of champagne and bring out the classic clothes we know she likes. She won’t paw through racks like the rest of us do, and she has exquisite taste. She’d like this dress. I hope she’s okay?”
    I didn’t feel that I should go into details. “She wasn’t home. Probably at the hospital.”
    Nina’s eyebrows shot up, giving my lie away. I grabbed the hanging bag that contained the dress and propelled her out the door before she could say anything. Somehow I felt it would be wrong to spread word of Mrs. Scroggins’s problems all over town.
    “She finally went to the hospital to see Horace?”
    “I don’t know that. It just seemed a reasonable thing to say.” We walked toward our block. “I did speak to her housekeeper, though. The mirror really was moved. But after talking with her, I’m inclined to think that poor Edith is suffering from a failing memory. That seems sort of consistent with Edith making such a big fuss about using a coupon yesterday at Rocking Horse Toys, yet she won’t buy anything on sale at the boutique. She’s confused.”
    Nina’s lips puckered. “Or she does what gets her the most attention.”
    “What?” Maybe Nina was right. That would explain her erratic behavior, too. “Funny. Most people try to be super-friendly to get attention.”
    Nina snorted. “The squeaky wheel. Everyone always makes a big fuss over the people who complain the most. Haven’t you ever noticed that? If you’re nice about a problem, they’re grateful. If you’re mean about it, they give you stuff for free and try harder to make you happy.”
    “How do you know that? Do you make scenes when I’m not around?”
    “Just observation of human behavior. I should have been a shrink. People are so fascinating! Mars and Natasha, for instance. Wouldn’t you think she would do anything to keep Mars at home? Instead, she drove him back to you, and you very generously embraced what he wanted to do to your house—almost like you’re still married. I don’t think Natasha thought that one through. Seems pretty foolish to me.”
    Mars stood on a ladder hanging lights around my front windows. Daisy sniffed the bushes underneath. I gauged my response carefully. “Maybe Natasha is comfortable with the friendship between Mars and me.”
    Nina laughed so loud that Mars turned to look at us. “Then she’s a dolt of the highest order. See you at the cookie swap.”
    Nina’s reaction made me feel guilty again. I crossed the street thinking I had no reason to feel that way. The fact that Mars and I had shared a kiss a couple of years ago in a moment of enormous stress meant nothing. It had never happened again.
    Daisy ran to me for dog hugs. She wiggled from one end to the other. “Only a few more days before you come back here to stay with me,” I whispered. She must have understood, because she licked the side of my face.
    I said hi to Mars. Daisy followed me into the house. Mochie must have been watching Mars from the living room. He dashed in to see us, stopped, stretched, and then pretended he wasn’t really that interested but finally wound