Page 30 of The Vineyard Bride

“I can empathize with the baby in the carrier,” Audrey tried to joke.“She just wants to scream.”

“Oh, yes.If she’s anything like you, that’s true for sure.”Lola laughed and traced a strand of hair around her ear.She then pointed to the top-right balcony, which was no more than a foot away from the wall.“Valerie and Jenny used to come over and hang out on the balcony while you and I stayed in the shade of the apartment.They thought I was crazy, having a baby so young.But they doted on you, babysitting when I really needed a break or had to chase a story.In so many ways, I never could have become the woman I am without them, now that I look back.”

Lola trailed off contemplatively, feeling Audrey’s eyes burning with curiosity.

“Why don’t you just tell this story back to them the same way?”Audrey suggested.“I can feel how much they matter to you.Maybe that’s all they need to hear.”

Lola started the engine again, suddenly anxious to get away from this apartment and its festering memories.Audrey re-buckled her seatbelt with a click as they drove back into traffic, easing toward the hotel they’d decided on for the evening.

Once in the hotel room, Audrey and Lola hung their dresses in the closet, freshened up, and headed out for a mid-afternoon lunch that consisted of burgers, fries, onion rings, and milkshakes at their previous favorite burger place, called simply “Robbie’s.”Together, they sat out in front of the burger place, crunching on greasy fries and watching the Bostonians strut up and down the sidewalk with intense purpose.Years ago, Lola and Audrey had sat outside that same restaurant, but as different versions of themselves, Audrey often covered in ketchup and mustard and grease, a big smile across her cheeks.

Now, a much different Audrey sat across from Lola, using a napkin of all things as she chatted to Lola about a current journalism story she worked on for the Penn State University newspaper, which she’d agreed to work at part-time from a distance over the summer months.Lola gave what advice she could yet still found herself amazed at the inner workings of Audrey’s mind.She seemed cleverer, more put-together, and more creative than Lola had ever been— even on her sharpest day.

As Audrey took furious notes in her notebook, Lola selected one of the last French fries and chewed at the end of it, watching as a flock of pigeons landed on the nearby sidewalk.

“Good thing your grandfather doesn’t live in a city,” she said.“All he’d have to watch are the silly pigeons.”

“Hmm?”Audrey asked distractedly.

“Nothing, honey.”Lola lifted her hair with a wave of her hand and then allowed it to drop languidly down her back.

After a long afternoon of wandering through Boston and working off their burgers, Lola and Audrey returned to the hotel to prepare for the gala.As Audrey took a shower, Lola rubbed lotion across her legs, her stomach, and her arms, dressed only in a bra and underwear and gazing out the window.

It seemed that every street across Boston sizzled with memories of Jenny, Valerie, and Lola from the old days.Lola only had to close her eyes for a split second before images of those long-lost days washed over her.Valerie’s laughter had been so infectious, making both Jenny and Lola erupt with giggles of their own.

Before she knew what she’d done, Lola grabbed her phone and texted Valerie.

LOLA: Hey Val.I’m in Boston.Can we talk?

She blinked at the text for a long time, wondering if she should take it back.But before she could decide one way or the other, Audrey emerged from the bathroom, bringing with her a cloud of steam and the sudden, uproarious desire to listen to music loudly as they did their makeup.

“Let’s get this party started!”Audrey cried.

Together, Audrey and Lola spread out their makeup brushes, their pallets of eyeshadow, their long-winged mascara brushes, and their perfume.Audrey flicked through her Spotify to find the perfect playlist, something she’d called “GOING OUT.”

“How do you do your eyeliner?”Lola asked, watching as Audrey drew a large wing out from the side of her eye and darkened it into a thick swoop.

“You want a lesson?”Audrey asked, her eyes glittering.“It would really change things up between us, wouldn’t it?You used to teach me everything I knew about makeup.”

Slowly, with all the patience of the mother she now was, Audrey showed Lola how to draw a wing out from her eye with a steady hand.Lola finished it out and blinked at herself in the mirror, fascinated with the new look.

“You can say it,” Audrey teased.“You can tell me I’m brilliant.Come on.”

Lola laughed.“I would give you a compliment every minute of the day if I could, my beautiful and talented daughter.”

Audrey waved a hand.“Too much!As a journalist, you have to know when to hold back.You should know that, right?You are the recipient of the certificate of excellence at tonight’s journalism gala.”

Lola’s eyes widened as the realization hit her all over again.This is really my life.

As they finished getting ready, Tommy called to wish Lola good luck.

“Hi, baby.”His voice was so textured and gritty over the phone, reminding Lola of a handsome action star in a bad movie.

“Hi, Tommy.”Lola dropped herself on the edge of the bed as Audrey puffed herself with a bit of perfume.“We’ve had the loveliest day together.”

“Uh oh.With you two up to your own devices, I can only imagine what that means,” Tommy returned, his voice sounding playful.

“What on earth are you talking about?”Lola’s smile stretched from ear to ear.

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