Page 13 of Captiva Book Club

Rachel laughed. “About four. I’m stubborn.”

“Well, you had good reason to be nervous after what your ex-husband did to you and Everly. I still can’t believe he left you when you got pregnant.”

“Yeah and insisted on a paternity test. What a jerk,” Jane added. “Congratulations, Rachel.”

“Indeed, congratulations from Chelsea and me. We’re thrilled for you,” Maggie said.

“When’s the wedding?” Diana asked.

“June 20th, and I expect all of you to come to the Cape for it.”

Maggie clapped her hands. “Oh, I’d love to be in Cape Cod in June. How wonderful. We’ll be there for sure.”

“Thanks, everyone. My sister Lucy will be my Maid of Honor, and Hannah will be a bridesmaid. Of course, Everly will be a flower girl.”

“Oh, that sounds perfect. She’ll be adorable. I can’t wait,” Jane said.

“What about you, Chelsea? I hear things are heating up with Steven. How’s that going?” Rachel asked.

Chelsea blushed, and Maggie smiled, as she continued to be surprised at how different her friend became the minute Steven’s name was mentioned. Even her tone was subdued.

“He’s wonderful, but to be honest, wonderful isn’t a strong enough word for how great he is.”

Chelsea’s happiness was evident to all, and Maggie was thrilled for her best friend. As usual, Jane had to make the moment about her.

“Brian and I have been incredibly blissful since we got married last year. I’m so happy I waited to get married, but if I’d known how fantastic it would be, I would have done it years earlier.”

“You didn’t know Brian years earlier, Jane,” Diana said with an almost deadpan tone. “Seriously, you could have found real losers years ago and been divorced twice already.”

“She’s got a point, Jane, but we’re all very happy for you, and you too, Chelsea,” Kelly added.

“Well, I’m glad I finally found my Prince Charming,” Jane explained. “Better late than never.”

Rachel shook her head. “I disagree. There’s nothing wrong with not being in a relationship. I know I’ve enjoyed my time after the divorce. Everly and I have had the best time, just the two of us. I never expected to meet Jack when I moved back to the Cape. She and Jack are crazy about each other.”

Maggie listened as the conversation jumped from relationships to the latest movies and books. Now and then she’d comment, so no one asked her why she was quiet.

The truth was that she was distracted by her cellphone. She’d glance at the phone now and then, willing it to ring. Although it was only a few days since she’d left a message with the nurse, it seemed like forever.

Maggie hoped her elevated anxiety wasn’t obvious to her friends and so she smiled, laughed and asked questions throughout the video.

She never tired of hearing from her lunch-bunch friends, and although she’d agreed to share the news of the potential return of the cancer, she saw no need to tell her friends until they knew more.

When they’d exhausted all topics, she and Chelsea said their goodbyes and made plans to have another virtual visit after the holidays.

Chelsea closed the laptop and turned to look at Maggie.

“Are you all right?”

Maggie nodded. “I will be. I wish the doctor would call.”

Chelsea put her hand on Maggie’s. “He will, honey. It won’t be long now.”

“A book club?” Maggie’s mother, Sarah Garrison, asked. “I’ve always wanted to be in one of those.”

Claire Larsen laughed on the other end of the line. “You’ve never joined a book club before?”

“No, it sounds like fun. Count me in.”

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