had missed each
other so much in the past four years. Patrick looked at Derek and
nodded at the kitchen. Derek followed Patrick.
“Want a beer,” Patrick asked Derek. “Those
two will probably be awhile if their phone calls are any
indication.” Derek nodded and Patrick pulled a couple of beers from
the refrigerator and walked out onto the back deck. Derek followed.
The men sat and made small talk while the women in their lives
reunited.
Amber held Olivia as she sobbed. They were
still standing in the foyer of Olivia’s home and Amber’s tears had
long dried. But Olivia had a deeper misery than just missing Amber.
Eventually, Amber led Olivia to a couch where the two sat and
Olivia hiccupped her way through the story of how she lost the
baby.
“It was a girl, Amber. A beautiful baby girl.
I named her Amber Jane for you and my mother,” Olivia said.
“Oh, Olivia. I am so sorry. I wish I had been
here for you,” Amber replied.
“You’re here now. I want you to see her
grave. Will you come with me,” asked Olivia.
“Of course I will,” Amber replied. They made
plans to go to lunch together the next day and visit the graveside
of Olivia’s stillborn baby girl.
“Now, tell me about the handsome man I barely
acknowledged sitting on the back deck with my husband,” Olivia
asked.
Taking this as a sign Olivia was feeling
better, Amber told her how she and Derek had met.
“He just walked up to your table and sat
down,” Olivia asked incredulously.
“He did, like he owned the restaurant or
something,” Amber replied.
“You’re kidding,” Olivia slapped Ambers arm
playfully.
“No, seriously. He comes strutting up like
some good looking cowboy and sits down as pretty as you please,
signals the waitress and places his order,” Amber told her.
“What did you do,” asked Olivia.
“There wasn’t much I could do,” Amber
replied. “I gave him the cold shoulder, wouldn’t even give him my
name when he asked for it, and he didn’t take the hint.”
Amber continued to tell her friend all about
the evening she spent with Derek. “I figured, hey why not have a
quick one night stand with a total stranger and be on my way,”
Amber said.
“We see where that led,” Olivia smirked.
“He is pretty wonderful,” Amber admitted.
“So tell me more. What does he do? Where does
he live,” Olivia asked.
“He lives in Atlanta,” Amber lied. She hated
deceiving her best friend but the men agreed she needed to be
careful what she told Olivia and the others she would run into in
town.
“He works in finance and has a nice house in
the city. I already have a job at one of the hospitals and have
started making friends.”
“Are you staying at his place,” Olivia
asked.
Amber giggled like a school girl. “I am and
it is wonderful.”
“Amber, I am so happy for you,” Olivia cried.
The girls hugged again and continued to talk. Amber was glad to see
the color and laughter come back to Olivia’s face and eyes. She had
looked so miserable when they first arrived.
Eventually, running out of things to talk
about, the men came back into the living room to find the girls
giggling and laughing. Patrick smiled seeing his wife so happy.
Olivia and Amber hugged each other and said
their goodbyes as the men shook hands.
“I’ll pick you up at eleven and we can go to
that place we used to eat all of the time when we were working. Is
it still there,” asked Amber.
“You mean Charlie’s Place? Yes, it’s still
there and I still go and eat when I’m working. It’s not the same
without you,” replied Olivia.
Amber smiled, hugged Olivia one more time and
turned to leave.
“Amber,” Patrick called.
Amber turned around. “Thanks again,” Patrick
said as he placed his arm around his wife.
Amber smiled and walked out the front door.
Derek opened her car door and Amber slid inside. She was
emotionally drained from seeing her friend in her condition. Now
she knew how Olivia must have felt when
other so much in the past four years. Patrick looked at Derek and
nodded at the kitchen. Derek followed Patrick.
“Want a beer,” Patrick asked Derek. “Those
two will probably be awhile if their phone calls are any
indication.” Derek nodded and Patrick pulled a couple of beers from
the refrigerator and walked out onto the back deck. Derek followed.
The men sat and made small talk while the women in their lives
reunited.
Amber held Olivia as she sobbed. They were
still standing in the foyer of Olivia’s home and Amber’s tears had
long dried. But Olivia had a deeper misery than just missing Amber.
Eventually, Amber led Olivia to a couch where the two sat and
Olivia hiccupped her way through the story of how she lost the
baby.
“It was a girl, Amber. A beautiful baby girl.
I named her Amber Jane for you and my mother,” Olivia said.
“Oh, Olivia. I am so sorry. I wish I had been
here for you,” Amber replied.
“You’re here now. I want you to see her
grave. Will you come with me,” asked Olivia.
“Of course I will,” Amber replied. They made
plans to go to lunch together the next day and visit the graveside
of Olivia’s stillborn baby girl.
“Now, tell me about the handsome man I barely
acknowledged sitting on the back deck with my husband,” Olivia
asked.
Taking this as a sign Olivia was feeling
better, Amber told her how she and Derek had met.
“He just walked up to your table and sat
down,” Olivia asked incredulously.
“He did, like he owned the restaurant or
something,” Amber replied.
“You’re kidding,” Olivia slapped Ambers arm
playfully.
“No, seriously. He comes strutting up like
some good looking cowboy and sits down as pretty as you please,
signals the waitress and places his order,” Amber told her.
“What did you do,” asked Olivia.
“There wasn’t much I could do,” Amber
replied. “I gave him the cold shoulder, wouldn’t even give him my
name when he asked for it, and he didn’t take the hint.”
Amber continued to tell her friend all about
the evening she spent with Derek. “I figured, hey why not have a
quick one night stand with a total stranger and be on my way,”
Amber said.
“We see where that led,” Olivia smirked.
“He is pretty wonderful,” Amber admitted.
“So tell me more. What does he do? Where does
he live,” Olivia asked.
“He lives in Atlanta,” Amber lied. She hated
deceiving her best friend but the men agreed she needed to be
careful what she told Olivia and the others she would run into in
town.
“He works in finance and has a nice house in
the city. I already have a job at one of the hospitals and have
started making friends.”
“Are you staying at his place,” Olivia
asked.
Amber giggled like a school girl. “I am and
it is wonderful.”
“Amber, I am so happy for you,” Olivia cried.
The girls hugged again and continued to talk. Amber was glad to see
the color and laughter come back to Olivia’s face and eyes. She had
looked so miserable when they first arrived.
Eventually, running out of things to talk
about, the men came back into the living room to find the girls
giggling and laughing. Patrick smiled seeing his wife so happy.
Olivia and Amber hugged each other and said
their goodbyes as the men shook hands.
“I’ll pick you up at eleven and we can go to
that place we used to eat all of the time when we were working. Is
it still there,” asked Amber.
“You mean Charlie’s Place? Yes, it’s still
there and I still go and eat when I’m working. It’s not the same
without you,” replied Olivia.
Amber smiled, hugged Olivia one more time and
turned to leave.
“Amber,” Patrick called.
Amber turned around. “Thanks again,” Patrick
said as he placed his arm around his wife.
Amber smiled and walked out the front door.
Derek opened her car door and Amber slid inside. She was
emotionally drained from seeing her friend in her condition. Now
she knew how Olivia must have felt when
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