[A/N: This is the edited version of the second chapter, about
Mary Anne. Due to some requests, I added in her occupation and home state. See?
Reviews do help! So please R/R!]
Ring! Ring! The telephone in the kitchen rang noisily.
Mary Anne Bruno wiped her hands on a dishtowel and picked up the receiver.
"Hello?"
"Mary Anne!" the voice on the other end chirped brightly. "It's
me!"
"Dawn!" Mary Anne squealed excitedly. "How are you? I haven't
heard from you in a while!"
"Yes, I know. Anyway, I'm calling for a reason. I'm, uh, getting married."
"What!"
Mary Anne gasped. "You must be joking."
Dawn was
the founder of Schafer Foundation, an organization dedicated to saving nature
and wildlife. Right now they were in the middle of a Save-the-Whales campaign
held in Dolphin Cove, a marine park in San Diego.
"No. I'm
not kidding."
"Wow! That
is so amazing!" Mary Anne gushed. "When is the wedding? Who's the lucky guy?
Tell me everything!"
"No. I
can't. Listen, Mary Anne," Dawn said urgently. "I have to go. Please inform all
the other BSC members."
"BSC
members?" Mary Anne repeated. "I haven't talked to them in ages!"
"Please,
Mary Anne. This is the biggest event of my life. I want all my closest friends
there for me."
Being the
sentimental person she was, Mary Anne's eyes got teary. "Okay. I'll help you,
Dawn. Should I call your house or what?"
"No, I'm
still in San Diego. You can call my cell. I really have to go! Bye!" The phone
clicked off, and all Mary Anne heard now was a dial tone.
"Right.
Whatever." She took a deep breath. "Now to call the other guys." She dialed the
operator.
"I'll like
to place a call to my friend in another city," Mary Anne told her.
"What
state?"
"Connecticut."
"Which
area?"
"Stoneybrook."
"Okay. Name
please?"
"Thomas.
Kristy Thomas." Mary Anne held her breath.
"I'm sorry,
there isn't any Kristy Thomas. But I have a Sam and Annie Thomas. Is that
okay?"
Mary Anne
perked up. Sam? Wasn't that Kristy's brother? "Yes. That'll be fine too." "Sure.
Here you go."
The phone
started ringing on the other end. "Hello?" a pleasant female voice answered
sweetly.
"Is Sam
there?" Mary Anne asked politely.
"Who is
this?" The woman didn't sound annoyed, just curious.
"Uh…I'm
Mary Anne Bruno. A friend of, uh, Kristy, you know, his sister?"
"One moment
please." Mary Anne waited a few seconds and someone barked, "Hello?"
"Uh, hi,
Sam. This is Mary Anne. You know, Kristy's old friend?"
"Oh, right!
Hi, Mary Anne, how're you doing."
"Fine, thanks.
Erm, I was wondering if you have Kristy's number? The operator didn't have it,"
Mary Anne explained.
"Oh, Kristy
doesn't live here anymore. She moved to Washington, D.C. with her husband,
Michel."
Michel?
That name rang a bell. "Well, okay."
Sam gave
Mary Anne Kristy's number and address. Then he said, "Well, Mary Anne, it's
been nice. See you around?"
"Okay. Bye,
Sam. And thanks."
"Bye." Mary
Anne hit the disconnect button, then dialed Kristy's number.
The phone
rang once, twice, six times. Mary Anne's heart was pounding.
"Good
afternoon! This is Chloe DuMoulin speaking. How may I help you?" a girl with a
slightly French accent inquired.
Mary Anne
felt a pang. She thought of a young girl, about eight, with light brown hair
and eyes of the same color.
"Chloe! How
many times have I told you not to answer the phone that way?" a loud, bossy
voice boomed in the background.
"Hello?" it
was Kristy. Mary Anne knew it. "K-Kristy?" she stammered.
"Yes? You
are…"
"Mary Anne
Bruno." She held her breath again.
"Ohmigosh.
Mary Anne. It's been so long."
"Yes, I
know. I wanted to invite you to Dawn's wedding. She's getting married, but
she's too busy to call you guys herself."
"Yes! I'll
come! Anything to catch up with the old pals…" Kristy's voice trailed off. Then
she suddenly said, "Bruno? Wait! That means…"
"Yes. Logan
and I finally tied the knot. And we have a daughter, Anne Rose, and a son,
Hamilton. They're twins."
"Me too! I
mean, I have a daughter too. Chloe, that's her name. And my husband is Michel."
"What are
you working as, Kris?" Mary Anne asked, and Kristy told her. Then Kristy said,
"How about you?"
"I'm a part-time librarian," Mary Anne
replied. "And I sometimes volunteer at the nursing home. In Florida, that's
where we live."
Kristy began to chatter on, and Mary Anne
took a sip of water, preparing for a long catch-up session with her old best
friend.
