Page 89 of Walk on the Wilder Side

The small, shocked gathering of guests all nodded and started back to their rooms, and finally it was just me and the three Widows standing alone in the foyer.

“Well, that was enough excitement for me for the evening,” Sylvie said. “I think I pulled a muscle trying to jump that hedge.”

“Oh, yeah. I’m gonna feel that in the morning,” I agreed.

“At least Doris didn’t elbow you guys in the eye.” Marge pointed to her good eye, and I gasped when I saw the start of swelling above it.

“Oh no! Did I do that?”

She nodded. “Yeah. I tried to stop you from running and you apparently took the Ninja Widow suggestion seriously. You whacked me right in the orb with that pointy elbow of yours. Man, you’ve got some strong bones still. You must eat a lot of cheese.”

“I’m so sorry! I thought a ghost was grabbing me and I just panicked! Are you okay? Are you hurt?”

“May have a new shiner in the morning, but I’ll be fine.”

Alice sighed. “Great. You’re going to look even more spectacular than you already do with a missing tooth and that strange yellow and purple swirling around your left eye.”

Marge shrugged. “Now my right eye will match at least.”

“I’m so sorry,” I said again. “I really thought you were a ghost.”

Sylvie started chuckling. “Now that I know we weren’t running from ghosts, can you imagine how ridiculous we looked to Mary and David?” Sylvie asked.

As the reverse images popped into my head of what they must have seen, I started giggling. When the Widows started laughing with me, our laughter built until we were standing in the foyer of castle with tears rolling down our faces as our whole bodies shook.

“They must have been more scared than we were!” Marge howled. “Can you imagine? You’re alone in the garden sharing a quiet kiss and suddenly four old ladies pop up from the bushes screaming their fool heads off?”

We laughed harder, and I clutched my stomach as the pains worsened. “Stop! My stomach! I can’t breathe!”

“I can’t breathe either!” Alice spit out between hysterics. “I laced this damn dress too tight.”

Finally, when we’d all run out of breath from laughing, we let out a cumulative sigh.

“Oh, man.” Marge wiped her tears. “Well, I gotta say, that was one hell of a way to end the night. What do you say we hit the hay? Now that we know there aren’t any ghosts around, Doris, you should feel safe sleeping alone. Right?”

“Right,” I answered, but then my face fell.

Alice took notice and tipped her head. “Did you want me to come in your room and we can streamOutlanderagain?”

My eyes lit up as I nodded. “Oh, yes! Please! I have to know what happens!”

“I’m not missingOutlander,” Sylvie said. “Slumber party in Doris’s room!”

I squealed as I clapped my hands. “Oh, yay!”

Marge grumbled. “Well, I’m not one for lady porn, but I’m not missing out on another slumber party. Come on, you dirty pervs, let’s go.”

We all linked arms and started back to our rooms together, and I smiled when I thought back on the events of the evening. I smiled wider when I felt the safety of my three friends around me.

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