Chapter Two: The Tea Party

Claudia Joy walked Denise to her door and hugged her goodnight. She got into her car and watched her best friend walk into the house. She waited a few minutes just looking at the stars. It was a beautiful clear night. There were so many stars. Claudia Joy was ripped from her thoughts by her cell phone.

"Hello?"

"Hey its Michael. Where are you?"

"I ran into Denise at the hospital tonight."

"Is she okay?"

"She fine. She has a fractured wrist and a pretty nasty cut on her cheek. She said she walked into a wall yesterday and then slammed her wrist in a car door today."

"You don't believe her?"

"Not for a minute. Denise doesn't walk into walls or slam her wrists in car doors. Beside the nurse told me that it would be really hard to hurt your wrist that bad with a car door unless its intentionally done to you."

"Which nurse was it?"

"Joyce she said she thought someone might have done this to Denise."

"Claudia Joy" Michael said exasperated. He sighed sometimes the gossip just got to be too much. And his wife believed Joyce Cummings of all people. Her sister was beaten by her husband and now every woman that came into the ER with a bruise or cut or anything for that matter had to be abused. "Joyce thinks everyone is being abused by their husbands. Besides Frank is in Iraq."

"I wasn't thinking Frank."

"Then who? Claudia Joy! Jeremy is a teenage boy who loves his mother. You've seen them together. Now that woman is going to have it spread all over post that Denise Sherwood is getting abused by tomorrow. Denise doesn't need you adding to it. You're her best friend she doesn't need—"

"You're right Michael I am her best friend and I would never forgive myself if I decided to turn the other cheek and she ends up seriously hurt. You can understand that can't you?"

"Yea I can understand that"

Denise looked at herself in the mirror. Claudia Joy was throwing another tea party and had invited her. Claudia Joy hated these things almost as much as Denise did. But Claudia Joy did them for the wives and her husband and Denise went for Claudia Joy. After greeting everyone Claudia Joy and Denise would slip away inside to just enjoy each others company as best friends do.

But that was what Denise was worried about today. She was worried that Claudia Joy would bring up how Denise got hurt. She knew that her friend didn't buy her story. Oh well she couldn't hide forever. Jeremy was thankfully not home for the next twenty-four hours. His friend was throwing a graduation party and Jeremy was sleeping there afterwards. It would be nice. She could invite Claudia Joy to spend the night so they could have one of there girl nights no kids allowed or she could just spend a peaceful night at home and pretend they were a normal family. That her son hadn't fractured her wrist. Whatever she decided to do it would be a nice night either way.

She checked herself in the mirror once more before leaving the house. Time to face the wives.

Pamela and Roxy walked into the yard at Claudia Joys house. They picked a table far from the others and sat down.

"So who's got your kids today?" Pam asked.

"Trevor. He's taken 'em to see the planes today. How 'bout yours?"

"Chase. He's taking them shopping for a goodbye present. He might have to get deployed earlier than expected. I just hope I don't come home and he's bought them a pony or a dog" Roxy laughed.

"A dog? What's wrong with a dog?"

"They pee and poop all over your house and they bark giving you headaches. My kids are welcome to get one when they're older but they aren't old enough to take care of it yet. I would end up taking care of it and I just don't have the time. In fact I'd rather he bought them a pony. At least then I could ship it off to a stable and bring the kids to see it every once and a while."

"Your hilarious you know that?" Both women erupted in a fit of giggles.

Claudia Joy looked around for Denise but had yet to see her arrive. She thought for a moment she might not come but banished it from her mind. Denise knew she couldn't survive these things by herself. Denise always came to her tea luncheons. No she wouldn't let her down. And sure enough Denise came walking up the lawn towards her.

"Oh thank god I was starting to loose hope" Claudia Joy said laughing giving her friend a hug. Denise laughed with her.

"I know you can't get through these without someone sane by your side. So how long 'till we can slip away?" Claudia Joy smiled brightly.

"Soon I hope. I really want to talk to you." Denise looked at the ground and made her decision. She looked her friend in the eye.

"And I really want to tell you the truth about my wrist" Claudia Joy nodded solemnly and hugged Denise again.

"I'm here for you"

The time finally came when the party had gotten to the point where the two women could talk inside without interruption. They were sitting on the couch silently. Neither one knew how to start the conversation. Finally Claudia Joy took Denise's hands and asked the question she had been wanting to know since she had found Denise at the hospital two nights ago.

"Who hurt you?" Denise looked her friend in the eye trying not to cry. She looked away in shame. "Denise I will never pass judgment on you. The only person at fault here is whoever hurt you. You are my best friend and I am here for whatever you need. Please tell me who hurt you?"

"I'd like to know that too." Michael's voice sounded from the door way. "You're husband isn't here to protect you right now. Let me fill in for him until he gets back." Denise nodded and let a tear slip from her blue eyes.

"Jeremy" she whispered. Claudia Joy could barely hear her but when she did she took Denise into her arms. Feeling the warmth and comfort of her best friend's arms she let out a sob.