Page 147 of The Blessings of Christmas
“That was when Bryn realized that Malcolm was never going to be more than a friend.”
“So who is he marrying?” Emily asked. “When?”
Josie’s laughter died. “Some girl back in New York. Apparently, Malcolm went to private school with her. Darcy something or other. From what he said, his mother set them up.”
Emily arched a brow. “You mean the mother who couldn’t accept that her son didn't want to be a Wall Street financier?” Obviously Emily remembered the story about Malcolm's privileged background.
“The very same. He went back to New York after finishing his time with the Peace Corps at the beginning of last summer. Said he wanted to spend some time with his mother.”
“So considerate. That's just the type of thing he would do.” Emily dug back into her sundae.
“I agree. Evidently, his mom had Darcy waiting. She’d just broken up with someone and wasn't that his good luck?”
The disgusted look on Emily's face matched Josie's feelings. “It would have been nice if he had stopped here first,” Emily grumbled.
“We might have things in common, Emily. But maybe I just never had what he was looking for in a wife.” That really stung but sometimes the truth hurt.
“That's ridiculous. And I don't even want you thinking like that,” Emily said, her eyes snapping.
“I can just picture Darcy.” Josie stared out through the glass window at the Christmas scene on the square. At night the square became a lowcountry winter wonderland, but with no snow. “She’s probably a blonde beauty like Victoria Pomeroy.”
“Let's remember that Victoria's name is now Victoria Darling.”
When Josie snorted, some ice cream shot up through her nose. She dabbed it with a napkin. “I have trouble saying that full name. It just sounds weird.” Although the three friends had not had much use for Victoria when she took over the shop below Emily's apartment–the shop space that would have been perfect for Bryn’s Blooms–Victoria had redeemed herself when she fell for Dr. Derek Darling, the ER doc. He’d persuadedVictoria to work in his charity clinic, and the experience had changed her.
“I think Victoria's turned a new leaf.” Emily went back to work on her sundae.
“Doesn't matter. That leaf will always be golden,” Josie quipped. “When she has her babies, they'll probably come out with golden hair...or a gold spoon in their mouths.”
“You mean a silver spoon, right? I think that's the phrase.”
“For Victoria, the spoon would always be gold.” The visual picture in her head made Josie giggle. She loved spending time with Emily. Her friend always lifted her spirits.
Their conversation went on for a while, one comment more ridiculous than the next. Josie had to shush Emily more than once. Victoria's Pantry was very popular. The ice cream parlor was crowded and some of these folks might be Victoria's friends. Music played in the background. “Jingle Bells” always lifted her spirits, and it felt encouraging to sit here with Emily.
But after a while the conversation veered back to Malcolm.
“Let's remember that an engagement is just an engagement.” Emily pushed aside her empty sundae cup, looking ready to get down to business.
“Does it matter?” In her mind, Josie saw Malcolm waiting for his beautiful bride at the end of an aisle in some historic church in New York City. Staring at her empty ring finger, she felt like a loser. The cheery Christmas music playing couldn't touch that sad reality. She’d never reached the point of considering an engagement with anyone. And what did that say about her? She pushed her half-eaten sundae away. “Do you think I'm not feminine enough?”
“Don't be crazy.” Now it was Emily's turn to snort. Ice cream went everywhere, and Josie laughed along with her friend. Just about everyone in the place turned to look at them. As the chortling continued, Josie could feel her face turn red. She wasglad her friend found that comment funny. But for Josie it was serious. She was a jock and she looked like it. Her friends had curves. Josie had muscles.
Grabbing a napkin, Emily wiped droplets of ice cream from the table, still shaking her head. “Of course you’re feminine,” she said in a stage whisper. “Why would you even ask that?”
Sitting back, Josie felt the ridges of the wire soda fountain chair against her back. “Let's pretend that we're not best friends. Look at me. Most days I forget to wear makeup. My idea of casual means torn jeans. Even my running clothes are castoffs. Old T-shirts and shorts I’d only wear to the gym. If anyone asked me what kind of perfume I'm wearing, it's usually Irish Spring soap.”
Laughter faded from Emily's face. But even then, when she was looking very serious, Emily was beautiful. Her wavy hair framed a face with high cheekbones and wide lips. She was also wearing mascara and lipstick. Suddenly self-conscious, Josie ran a finger over her dry lips.
“I think you’re way out of line here,” Emily finally said. “But if that's how you feel…if that's what comes to mind, why don't you try something different this Christmas? Take a chance.”
The words made Josie push back. “Boy, that sounds familiar.”
Leaning closer, Emily became even more intense than she’d been all evening. “It should. I think that's what Malcolm told Bryn when they’d gotten to the breakup point. After the camping debacle. Remember?”
Bryn had told Emily and Josie that one of the last things Malcolm said to her the night he called it quits was, “Take a chance. Bryn, take a chance on something.”
Take a chance on something. Sure, Malcolm's words had applied to Bryn. But right now that phrase resonated in Josie's heart. Sitting there in the ice cream parlor, she couldn'tattribute her shivers to the air conditioning. What did she have to lose? “Okay, I'm doing it.”
