“Spaghetti and meatballs,” I said. “Parmesan peppercorn dressing and lots of garlic bread too.” I looked at Jolene and grinned. “There’s something to be said for not seeing the guys tonight.”
“A cup of chicken noodle soup,” Edie said. “And a roll, no garlic.”
“A salad?” Sally asked.
Edie shook her head. “Just the soup.”
“You’re on a diet! How wonderful!” Jolene said with her usual diplomacy.
“I’m just not hungry,” Edie said, tugging self-consciously at the gaping front on her shirt.
“You can tell Tom’s coming home tonight,” I said, winking at Jo. “No garlic bread.”
And just like that, Edie began to cry.
TWO
“I’m sorry.” Edie grabbed her napkin and blew her nose. “I’m all right. I am.” The tears rolled down her face.
“Oh, Edie.” I put my arm around her shoulder. She began to cry harder.
Jolene grabbed my arm, looked at me over Edie’s bent head and mouthed very clearly, “Fix it.”
“How?” I mouthed back.
Jolene made a desperate face and gave a great shrug.
I shoved my napkin into Edie’s hands. “Here. Blow again.” I patted her shoulder some more. When in doubt, pat.
“I’m sorry,” Edie said again. “I’m such a baby.”
“No, you’re not. And we don’t mind the tears, do we, Jolene?”
She mumbled something that sounded like, “Mmmphmm.”
I rolled my eyes and said softly to Edie, “We just mind whatever is making them fall.”
She smiled weakly at that.
Jolene took one look at that travesty of a smile and decided Edie was well on the way to recovery. She awkwardly patted Edie’s hand. “Okay, girlfriend, that’s enough. It’s time to straighten that spine.”
Once again I was appalled and once again Edie responded positively.
“You’re right.” She stuffed the napkins into her purse and sat up straight. “No more.”
Jolene nodded as if she expected nothing less. “It’s Randy, isn’t it? Has he gotten arrested? Failed a big test? Gotten kicked out of school?”
Edie shook her head. “It’s not Randy, believe it or not.” Her eyes were full of pain.
I frowned. “Then it’s Tom?”
Edie looked at her clenched hands and nodded.
I always hated it when a husband and a wife had trouble, but I especially hated it now because Curt and I were so happy. Not that we were husband and wife, but I knew it was just a matter of time. I wanted everyone to be as happy as we were.
“What’s he done, Edie?” Jolene leaned in, fire in her eyes. She was ready to hate Tom for Edie’s sake.
“I don’t know,” Edie whispered.
“What do you mean, you don’t know?”
I shot Jolene a look. “Easy, girl.”
She scowled at me but lowered the intensity level considerably.
“I don’t know,” Edie repeated, her voice again full of tears.
I stuffed Jolene’s napkin in Edie’s hand just to be prepared. “Then how do you know there’s a problem?”
She forced herself to look at us. “Tom didn’t come home last night.” Then she looked away, embarrassed.
Jolene slapped the table, making Edie and me jump. “Another woman! It’s got to be. The rat!”
“Jolene!” I was appalled at the suggestion.
Edie paled. “No! Please, God, no.” It was an anguished prayer.
“That can’t be the problem,” I said, ever eager to comfort. “I’ve seen you and Tom together. If ever two people loved each other, Edie, it’s you guys.”
“I always thought so too.” She looked at us with haunted eyes. “But what if I’m wrong? What if Jolene’s right?”
Just then our waitress brought Jolene and me our salads. I stabbed a cucumber, but it might as well have been Styrofoam for all the taste it had.
“He wasn’t in an accident or anything, was he?” I asked. “Maybe he was injured and couldn’t contact you.”
“Merry the Merciful.” Acid etched Jolene’s comment. “Always looking for the Pollyanna way out.”
“It’s better than always assuming the worst.” I stabbed a poor, innocent cherry tomato since I couldn’t stab Jo, and it shot through the air and landed on the table of an elderly couple across the aisle. When they looked up in surprise at the incoming missile, I made believe it wasn’t mine.
“I spoke to the hospital and the police,” Edie said. “The hospital says he’s not there, and the police say there was no accident involving bodily injury last night anywhere in the county.”
“That’s good.” I gently skewered another tomato. It shot a stream of red juice and seeds straight at my heart. I stared at the red stain on my new pink blouse and sighed. That’s what I got for not being brave enough to own up to the first cherry bomb.
Edie smiled weakly. “I can’t decide whether it’s good news or bad news.”
I remembered the old line: If I have to choose between another woman’s arms and mangled in the street, I’ll take mangled in the street anytime.
“Well, it’s only one night.” Jo took a huge bite of garlic bread.
I think she was trying to be encouraging after her initial outrage, but Edie shook her head. “We vowed when we got married that we’d never be separated for the night unless it was unavoidable. And then we’d always call.”
“So he couldn’t find a phone.” Even without Edie and Jolene’s stares, I knew that was a foolish line in this day and age.
“Did he show up at work this morning?” Jolene asked.
Edie shook her head. “They haven’t seen him at the dealership since nine last night. It’s like he’s disappeared.”
“Aliens,” said a snide voice behind me. “Though why they’d want him is beyond me.”
“Randy!”
