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FOREVER CAME TODAY

Chapter One

"One week! Can you believe it? In just one week I'll be in my beautiful dress, walking down the aisle to fulfill my destiny!"

A collective chuckle drifted across the living room among the other Malloy's present.

Tommy snickered. "You'd think you're the one getting married hearing you talk, Tandy."

Tandy glared at her older brother. "Being a flower girl is one of the most important jobs for a young lady!"

"If you say so," Tommy smiled as he pushed of the sofa and gave Tandy's hair a shuffle on his way out. "Be back for dinner, mom!"

"Okay, son. Be careful!" Katie sighed and turned to Trent. "I'm not ready for that boy to start driving on his own. Can you take him to the dojo this time, Trent?"

Trent squeezed his mom's hand. "He'll be okay, mom. He's not the same kid from a few years ago. He's really matured."

"I know. You're right. I just can't help but worry. I'm his momma. I still worry about you too, Trent Malloy. Comes with the territory. Speaking of, how are things with Molly?"

"I don't really feel like talking about it."

"Then that means you do need to talk about it, boy. I know you better than you know yourself."

Katie stared until Trent finally returned his eyes to hers to see her pleading for him to talk. He noticed Tandy listening intently and moved somewhat closer to his mom. "I'll tell you later. I promise."

"Okay! I'm holding you to that."

A knock at the door was Trent's ticket away. But Tandy beat him to it. Her face beamed as Katheryn stepped through the door with shoes in one hand an arm-full of grocery bags in the other. Tandy overtook her with hugs and Katheryn would have keeled back had Trent not quelled the situation.

Once Katheryn had deposited all the contents in the dining room, she made her way back to make her rounds with hugs.

"Tandy, why don't you go try on those shoes. You're gonna be the prettiest flower girl in all of Texas next week."

Tandy squealed and hurried off to do as she was told.

Katheryn spun on her heal with a sparkle trickling from her eyes.

Trent chuckled, "You good, Kath?"

"Maybe. Maybe not. Have you heard from Carlos?"

"Not today. Why?"

"No reason. Just if you hear from him within the next, say, seven days don't tell him we are officially overbudget for our upcoming nuptials."

"You really think he'll care?"

"No, but," she stalled. "You're right. He'd literally take out a loan just to fulfill my dream."

"I'd hope not," Katie interjected.

"Well, I'd best get going. I promised Molly I'd actually do some girly things this weekend. We are going across town to an all-inclusive resort for a bachelorette weekend. Gotta get packing!"

"Kath!" Tandy exclaimed, charging down the hall at full speed. "I love my shoes! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"

Katheryn grunted under the weight of the girl as she scooped her up into an embrace. "I'm so glad! You're going to look like a beautiful princess!" Tandy wriggled her way down and ran over to show her mama her shoes.

Meanwhile, Katheryn issued her goodbyes and hugs and started for home before she could talk herself out of this weekend. It's not that she didn't want to be pampered. She simply wasn't used to the idea. But thankfully she had a handful of strong, convincing women that made her life so much than it would have been without them during one of the most memorable times of her life.

"I don't know why I let this piss me off so much." Kim buried her face in her hands before planting her forehead on the bar.

"What's that?" Butch asked curiously, a smile dancing on the end of his lips as he dried a few shot glasses off.

"I just found out that a bunch of my college girlfriends have been hanging out without me."

"And that bothers you?"

"Well, duh! It's like hoisting up your underwear on a huge flagpole with a banner attached that says 'Hey! I'm not friends with you anymore, and I'm proud of it!'"

"Well, whoa there, Loretta," Butch held up a hand accompanied by his signature catchphrase. "What makes you think that? Just because you weren't invited doesn't mean your not friends anymore. There could be a perfectly good explanation. Like not have an updated number for you."

Kim deadpanned. "I talked to her on the phone like a month ago. And this was a legit reunion! I shoulda been there!"

Butch gathered his thoughts carefully then resumed drying his glasses. "Kimberly, you got to remember something. In life we have best friends, and we have good friends. Sometimes we mistake the two and think we are being snubbed when in reality we treasure our best friends. We even take them for granted sometimes while we get all green with envy over being best friends with the other crowd if you know what I mean."

Kim nodded with her nose scrunched in deliberation.

"See if we get all offended it could trample on a friendship that you might could build on someday. Meanwhile, you got me and the boys and Kath and Molly. We're the ones who'll be there when you need us most."

"Aw, thanks, Butch," Kim beamed. "I feel a whole lot better now."

Noises from the end of the bar stirred the conversation to a halt as a burly man demanded the volume be turned up on the little TV in the corner of Uppercuts. The tickertape of the midday news program rang throughout the little bar, drawing a fair number of eyes to its headline story.

"Good afternoon, Dallas. For our top story today, Governor Richard Rhodes announces today the formation of a new committee aimed towards the private sector of what he is beginning to dub as 'private citizens wanting to play cop.' In his latest press release, the office of the governor has stated that over the course of this year, they hope to put pressure on and eventually convince local private investigation firms to close their doors. He says 'the need for their services is no longer required and is nothing but a modern-day vigilante bounty hunter posing as a would-be professional.' Governor Rhodes hopes that by the end of next year, Texas will no longer have a single private investigation agency in operation. Turning our attention to last night…"

Butch took over the remote and shut it down with a clearly disapproving toss of the remote across the counter.

Kim stood, itching to go find the guys. "I can't believe that, Butch! What are we gonna do?"

"Hey, hey let's not get too anxious. He could be all talk and no action. Besides, I don't want you ruining Carlos and Kath's big day."

"True. But I have to tell them!"

"Wait a couple days. Maybe this won't be that big of a deal. That governor has blown a lot of hot air in his day."

Kim started up the stairs. "Alright, Butchy ole boy. But you know how I am with a secret!"

Butch chuckled and rolled his eyes. "I sure do."