Good Christian Bitches (22 page)

Tom made a toast before the band started, while you could still hear, to Nancy and the girls for rallying and for knowing what it really means to be there for a friend when they really need you. Amanda made one to the husbands for being such great guys and for being so supportive when they could’ve been anything but. It was a “love fest,” all in all.

They looked up on the stage and there was Guy, Tom’s driver. He announced, “Ladies and gentlemen, would you please help me welcome to the thank-you party for the Longhorn Ball . . . Mr. George Strait!” and the crowd erupted in applause.

Tom grabbed Amanda and said, “You owe me a dance!”

She jumped up, took his hand as he led her to the dance floor, and said, “I believe I do,” and they danced together for the first time since they met.

After the concert, everyone headed back over to the other side of the party for the late-night dance band. Tom and Amanda stayed at their table, still just taking in the whole thing, enjoying some time to themselves. They were the only people left in that whole, huge concert area.

“Tom, I just can’t believe how completely perfect this entire evening has been, from beginning to end! My heart is so touched by the immeasurable kindness and generosity of people who were near strangers, just a month ago.”

“Yeah, it kind of renews your faith in people in general, doesn’t it?” he said, smiling and kissing her on the head.

“It really does—I was just thinking about how grateful I am for my mom, my children, for Nancy, and for my new friends. I’m even so grateful for their husbands, even though I can’t remember half of their names right now, I’m so tired!” and she and Tom both laughed.

“What do you say we walk on over to the late-night party just to make sure everything’s going okay, and then we’ll sneak out,” Amanda suggested.

Tom stood up quickly as if to say, “I thought you’d never ask,” and they headed to the other side of the ranch.

Amanda knew Tom could never understand how truly happy she was to be home. It was so wonderful to be back in her old neighborhood, especially the familiarity of everything about it. Sure, it had changed some in the years she’d been gone, but there were so many things about it that were the same. It gave her a comfort and joy she really hadn’t anticipated when she was considering the move back from California. There was something magical about the neighborhood that Amanda never could appreciate or understand until she’d moved away. She’d always been a little puzzled by the fascination outsiders had with Hillside Park—especially the Dallasites who had their own history in their own neighborhoods. It really never made sense to her that they all seemed to have an almost “let’s move to Camelot, where it never rains till after sundown” idealism about Hillside Park, but after being away and coming home, she had more empathy and less curiosity for these people.

Her relationship with her mother had never been better. Amanda didn’t know whether to attribute the new ease in their relationship to time lost, the fact that Amanda was now a mother, herself, or maturity on her part, but regardless, she was so very delighted to be close to her mother again—literally as well as emotionally. Will and Sarah would learn things from Elizabeth that they should learn from a grandmother. Family history and stories should really come from their grandmother. They were too important for Amanda to share when she was so unclear on the details. Also, the unconditional love and traditional spoiling that are a grandmother’s duty would’ve been missed had Amanda not brought the children back home. This environment was so nurturing for them—something lacking when they were in California, and Amanda was so excited to establish new family traditions that would include their Gigi.

Elizabeth would never know how it warmed Amanda’s heart to have her mother rally around her and lead the defensive against the “good Christian bitches.” She had given sound advice and encouraged her to maintain a cool head while carefully traversing the potential pitfalls of social life, just within what seemed like the first few minutes of her being home. Amanda had needed a mentor for this, and her mother proved to be the perfect ally to survive such a senseless attack. Amanda had always been such a mother bear with her own children, so it did her heart good to see her own mother react the same way to her struggles. Having lived in the middle of the social swirl her entire life and having seen it all at her age, Elizabeth not only took her daughter under her wing and protected her, she also stood firm behind her and protected her to the nth degree.

Her mother, like most mothers, had the typical advice of, “Honey, five years from now this won’t matter at all,” but at the same time, Elizabeth had been around long enough that she had seen people’s lives destroyed by spiteful, mean-spirited gossip and wasn’t about to let her daughter’s fate be determined by jackals. It’s true that the high road is always the best route and you can still prevail by doing the right thing. With success truly being the best revenge, Amanda had triumphed over the “good Christian bitches” with her dignity intact.

Tom and Amanda decided to skip the after-party, and headed home, with Guy driving. Tom dozed off before they were off ranch property, and Amanda decided maybe he was the only person who had worked harder than her mother these last few weeks. She stared at him, holding her breath, praying that he wasn’t a snorer. “Oh, thank God,” she laughed to herself, when he stayed quiet. Tom was such an amazing man. He had more than proved himself in so many ways. Maybe he was the man for her, but maybe he wasn’t—but right now, she was just thrilled to feel something she hadn’t experienced in years: contentment. She knew that come what may, she would be absolutely all right because she was home. This time for good.

To Rosi, for loving me from day one and leading me to all the right people who hold you as dear as I do.

To Melanie, for walking me out of the dark. This wouldn’t be the same book without your wise counsel.

To Fred Gaines, my “Super Fred,” for being the smartest guy in the whole world and always having the right answers.

To Mel Berger, for being the second smartest guy in the world and making this happen.

To everyone at Hyperion, especially Ellen Archer, Kristin Kiser, Elisabeth Dyssegaard, Megan Vidulich, Karen Minster, Jill Schwartzman, Sam O’Brien, and designer Victoria Hartman.

To my amazing girlfriends, who have been so supportive throughout this journey. You know who you are and continue to be an enormous blessing in my life.

To David Bower, who has had the joy of being my guardian angel since age twelve. No wonder your hair is all gone. This book would’ve never happened without you, and I’m so glad you said, “Just write it.” Thank you for giving me the courage and ability to write
GCB
.

To Wonly, for going over and above the call of stepfather always. I love you.

To Marc Meijer, for being the best in the world and giving me my life back.

And to “Young Apollo,” for knowing me better than I know myself and loving me anyway.

KIM GATLIN
lives in the Park Cities area of Dallas with her two children, Austin and Lauren.
Good Christian Bitches
is her first book.

An earlier edition of this book was published in 2009 by Brown Books Publishing Group.

Copyright © 2008 Kim Gatlin
Hyperion Edition Copyright © 2012 Laustin Productions, Inc.

All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher. For information address Hyperion, 114 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10011.

The Library of Congress has catalogued the original print edition of this book as follows:

Gatlin, Kim.

    Good Christian bitches / Kim Gatlin. — 1st ed.

        p. cm.

    ISBN 978-1-4013-1070-7

    1. Divorced women—Fiction. 2. Suburban life—Texas—Fiction. 3. Church membership—Fiction. 4. Christian women-Fiction. 5. Domestic fiction. I. Title.

    PS3607.A86G66  2011

    813'.6—dc22

2011021175

eBook Edition ISBN: 978-1-4013-0398-3

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Cover photo by American Broadcasting Companies, Inc.
Author photo by David Woo

First eBook Edition

Original paperback edition printed in the United States of America.

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