Chapter 14
It was as if the world had come to a halt, spun backwards and flung the eight friends back to their childhood. There they sat, all relatively easygoing, as if no time had passed at all. Sure, some were married, and some had children. . .but of all the mysteries they had solved in their teens, together, the mysteries of their lives and drifting remained the largest anonymity of all.
* * *
Abby sat nervously on her couch. She jiggled her foot, played with her hair, and bit her bottom lip. Jill sat on the floor at her feet, with several Barbies populating the carpet. She gazed up, curiously, at her mother. Abby almost laughed out loud. Jill rarely saw her anxious because. . .well . .she really never was.
Today was. . The Meeting. In Abby's mind, it had capital letters, screaming its importance. Today she would learn all about her friends' new lives and feel. . .happiness? Jealousy? She had no clue. All she knew is that she was longing to see them for the longest time.
It was exactly three days after she had phoned her past. Dawn needed time to get back from California, and Claudia had an important photo shoot for her magazine. Abby looked through critical eyes at her living room, pretending she was someone who had never seen it before. What would I think? Abby asked herself.
It certainly wasn't a grand home. It was small yet modest, what Abby could afford on her paycheck. She was a sports editor, writing a bi-weekly satirical column for the Stamford Bulletin. Her thoughts ran to her friends' jobs. What were they doing?
Before she could get very far, the doorbell rang.
Abby sighed, stood up and smoothed her palms on her jeans. Jill jumped up and screamed, "I'll get it!" and ran in a burst of giggles.
Abby wasn't far behind when Jill flung open the door. There stood a gorgeous Asian-American woman clad in a sundress with a wild print of red and orange flowers. Sleek orange sunglasses were perched on her nose and her shoulder-length ebony silk tresses were caught up in a fun twist, with a few pieces falling loose. Abby blinked for a minute. Then she leaned forward and cried, "Claud!"
Claudia hugged her tightly. "Abby, it's been so long!" She pulled back to examine her. "You look great." In her indigo jeans and black square neck tank top, she did.
"Come in," Abby said, opening the door wider. Just as Claud was about to step in, another voice called, "Hey! Can I join this party?"
Abby and Claudia turned around, almost knocking eachother over. A striking young redhead peeked in at them. "Mal?" Claudia whispered, astonished.
She bounced into the house, a vision in a yellow cotton sundress. "That's me! Surprised, huh? No more braces or glasses!"
"You look wonderful!" Abby smiled. "Come in, have some lemonade, there's a pitcher in the fridge."
Claudia and Mallory walked in the direction of her gesture, talking and laughing. Abby felt an emotion bubbling up in her. . .not jealousy, as she expected, but. . .familiarity.
Abby peeked out the window at the street. Three cars were parking along the street. Out of one breezed Dawn, her white-gold hair flowing in the wind, and Mary Anne, looking sleek and modern. Mary Anne opened the door for a miniature of herself to hop out. That must be her daughter, Abby thought, smiling.
The second car held a tall, stunning blonde in khakis and a black button-up shirt—Stacey. Jessi was unfolding herself from the third, graceful in a rose colored t-shirt and jeans. Abby caught her breath as she felt the emotions rushing through her.
She was blinking back tears when she opened the door to welcome her past into her arms.
It was as if the world had come to a halt, spun backwards and flung the eight friends back to their childhood. There they sat, all relatively easygoing, as if no time had passed at all. Sure, some were married, and some had children. . .but of all the mysteries they had solved in their teens, together, the mysteries of their lives and drifting remained the largest anonymity of all.
* * *
Abby sat nervously on her couch. She jiggled her foot, played with her hair, and bit her bottom lip. Jill sat on the floor at her feet, with several Barbies populating the carpet. She gazed up, curiously, at her mother. Abby almost laughed out loud. Jill rarely saw her anxious because. . .well . .she really never was.
Today was. . The Meeting. In Abby's mind, it had capital letters, screaming its importance. Today she would learn all about her friends' new lives and feel. . .happiness? Jealousy? She had no clue. All she knew is that she was longing to see them for the longest time.
It was exactly three days after she had phoned her past. Dawn needed time to get back from California, and Claudia had an important photo shoot for her magazine. Abby looked through critical eyes at her living room, pretending she was someone who had never seen it before. What would I think? Abby asked herself.
It certainly wasn't a grand home. It was small yet modest, what Abby could afford on her paycheck. She was a sports editor, writing a bi-weekly satirical column for the Stamford Bulletin. Her thoughts ran to her friends' jobs. What were they doing?
Before she could get very far, the doorbell rang.
Abby sighed, stood up and smoothed her palms on her jeans. Jill jumped up and screamed, "I'll get it!" and ran in a burst of giggles.
Abby wasn't far behind when Jill flung open the door. There stood a gorgeous Asian-American woman clad in a sundress with a wild print of red and orange flowers. Sleek orange sunglasses were perched on her nose and her shoulder-length ebony silk tresses were caught up in a fun twist, with a few pieces falling loose. Abby blinked for a minute. Then she leaned forward and cried, "Claud!"
Claudia hugged her tightly. "Abby, it's been so long!" She pulled back to examine her. "You look great." In her indigo jeans and black square neck tank top, she did.
"Come in," Abby said, opening the door wider. Just as Claud was about to step in, another voice called, "Hey! Can I join this party?"
Abby and Claudia turned around, almost knocking eachother over. A striking young redhead peeked in at them. "Mal?" Claudia whispered, astonished.
She bounced into the house, a vision in a yellow cotton sundress. "That's me! Surprised, huh? No more braces or glasses!"
"You look wonderful!" Abby smiled. "Come in, have some lemonade, there's a pitcher in the fridge."
Claudia and Mallory walked in the direction of her gesture, talking and laughing. Abby felt an emotion bubbling up in her. . .not jealousy, as she expected, but. . .familiarity.
Abby peeked out the window at the street. Three cars were parking along the street. Out of one breezed Dawn, her white-gold hair flowing in the wind, and Mary Anne, looking sleek and modern. Mary Anne opened the door for a miniature of herself to hop out. That must be her daughter, Abby thought, smiling.
The second car held a tall, stunning blonde in khakis and a black button-up shirt—Stacey. Jessi was unfolding herself from the third, graceful in a rose colored t-shirt and jeans. Abby caught her breath as she felt the emotions rushing through her.
She was blinking back tears when she opened the door to welcome her past into her arms.