The Calendar Brides (17 page)

“It’s okay,” Rachel said kindly. “We’ll fix it.”

Suddenly, Tiny dashed past them and out of the room.

“Where’s she going?” Jane wanted to know.

“Maybe to get safety pins?” Angie suggested.

Emma gripped the sagging front of her dress to her chest. “I didn’t think it was
that
much of an emergency.”

Tiny appeared in the doorway a few minutes later. She wore slim black jeans and a gray sweatshirt that appeared splattered with water. Her color was ashen.

Zoe studied her big sister with concern. “Are you all right?”

Tiny leaned into the doorjamb with a moan. “I…oh…” She clutched her throat.

“Prosecco!” Rachel exclaimed, rushing forward with a glass.

Tiny waved her away and choked out the word. “Water.”

Lena found some in a pitcher on a stand, poured it into a plastic cup, and carried it to her. Tiny took a grateful sip, then stunned the others by dumping a bit in her palm to splash on her face, and then the back of her neck.

“Tiny?” Susan asked gently. “What’s wrong?”

Bev wrinkled her brow with a frown. “Are you sick?”

Tiny shook her head, then stumbled forward, seeming to get herself under control by the third step. “Not sick.” She blew out a hard breath, then fanned her belly with her sweatshirt by stretching it out and flopping it up and down. “Pregnant.”

“Preggers?” Emma dropped the top of her dress to her waist as everyone squealed. They all scurried over to give her a hug. “Tiny! That’s fantastic!”

“Not too tight!” Tiny winced in the sea of arms. “I might lose it again!”

“Oh, right. Right.” Jane stoically patted her back, but the others still yelped their congratulations.

Angie, who stood opposite Haley, suddenly stared down at Haley’s hand as her arm encircled the others. “Haley!” she gasped. “Where’s your ring?”

Haley met her eyes in a panic, then glanced around at the others. “I lost it!” she admitted, her voice shrill. The next second, she was crying, sobbing all over the side of Emma’s dress.

“There, there…” Emma said, tugging some material out of the way. “It can’t be that bad. What do you mean by
lost it
?”

The women watched Haley wide-eyed as she described her whole sorrowful ordeal. She’d taken pains to hide the fact from Peter. How on earth could she break the news that she’d lost that heirloom ring? And right before their wedding?

“Tell us again what happened,” Jane instructed.

“Yes,” Trish added, “and don’t leave anything out.”

When she’d finished, Jane and Trish locked eyes like they were both thinking the same thing. Then a light bulb went on in Emma’s brain. “Haley,” she asked her, “the sink? Have you used it?”

“Of course not!” Haley blubbered as Angie passed her a tissue. “It brings back horrible memories to go in there!”

“You mean you haven’t even used the bathroom?” Tiny asked with dismay.

Haley choked back a sob. “I’ve been going in the shop downstairs.”

“Wow,” Zoe said.

“Whoa,” Lena echoed.

Susan wrinkled up her nose. “You haven’t even showered?”

“I’ve done that at Peter’s.”

“And he still doesn’t know?” Claire wondered.

“Not anything.” Haley sucked in a gasp. “I usually don’t wear it when I exercise. We’ve been active a lot.”

“When were you planning to tell him?” Bev asked.

Haley whimpered. “I was hoping to get by with gloves at the wedding.”

Emma set her chin and stared solidly at the others. Everyone was with her on this, she could tell. The bakery and Haley’s upstairs apartment were only a few blocks away. “Maybe you won’t have to,” she said surely.

Minutes later, a litany of brides led by Emma strode out of the back room. Donny looked up from a bridal magazine he was reading and the puppy yapped. “What was all the commotion back there? It sounded like someone was having a baby.”

“You’re closer than you think,” Claire told him, walking past. Everyone was dressed up but Tiny. And Haley looked like she’d been crying. A lot.

His jaw dropped as Emma held open the door to the street. “You girls are leaving?”

“We’ll be right back,” Tiny said, scurrying after the group in her black jeans. To his amazement she clutched an enormous plumber’s wrench.

“Where’d she get that?” Donny asked Victor, who had appeared beside him.

But instead of answering, Victor called out the door, “Good luck, ladies!”

Haley watched in awe as Tiny unhinged her sink pipes. While she was by far the smallest of them all, she was as strong as a horse. Tiny steadied her grip and went at it again, loosening the rusted rings that held the trap in place. “That should do it!” she said, giving the top of the pipe a rap. She smacked it again and the metallic elbow clanked against the floor. There was a tiny ping as something bright and shiny danced out, landing by one leg of the sink.

Haley’s hearted bounded and tears sprang from her eyes. “My ring!” she cried, pouncing on it.
 

“Yay!” Angie shouted, as the others added their cheers.

Haley wiped it carefully on a towel, then slid it on her finger. It was a bit grimy, having picked up sink lint and mold, but still seemed intact. “Oh, Tiny!” She laid a hand across her heart and fanned out her fingers. “I can’t thank you enough!” She gratefully met everyone’s eyes. “Thank all of you. For being here.” She pursed her lips to hold back more tears. “For me.”

“Yeah,” Tiny said, checking the time. “And now, we need to get back to Victor’s.”

“It’s true,” Angie said. “We’ve only got the shop for today.”

“And we’re going to make the most of it!” Trish proclaimed.

Emma smiled brightly, the back of her dress now fashioned shut by safety pins Claire had found in Haley’s apartment. “Me first!”
 

Emma sat before the camera, smiling happily at Donny and her pup. Donny stood behind Tiny and off to the left, cradling the dog in his arms to prevent further mischief.

“Are you sure we shouldn’t have more props?” Susan questioned from nearby.

“Photoshop,” Zoe explained. “All the seasonal details will get added in.”

Jane squeezed her nose. “And it won’t look hokey?”
 

“It will look perfect,” Tiny assured her, adjusting her lens. “On three, Emma. Are you ready?

Emma nodded and Tiny began her count. “One… Two…”

Donny gazed at his wife. “God, you look beautiful.”

“Three!”

Emma cracked a dazzling smile, her heart dancing. “You’re not so bad-looking yourself,” she told Donny, as Tiny fluffed her veil and positioned her for another take.

Claire went next, adjusting the wraparound band of her strapless dress. It was covered in eyelets and her layered hair was swept up high, silk daisies tucked in all around. “Wish I’d thought to bring my man along.”

Tiny fiddled with the tripod. “We’ll give Brad a copy of the picture.”

Donny stood there grinning, like he was part of the scene. Tiny shot a look at Rachel and she got it.

“Here, Donny,” Rachel said sweetly. She poured him a glass of wine. “Why don’t you carry this into the next room until we’re done?”

He stuck out his bottom lip. “I can see when I’m not wanted.”

“I’ll always want you, babe.” Emma gave him a quick peck on the cheek. “Now scat.”

He shrugged and strode away, carting off the dog and his glass.

“Okay, Claire!” Tiny said. “Ready?”

“Think of Brad!” Angie urged.

“Bet he gives good biology lessons,” Bev said.

Claire giggled and Tiny snapped the shot. “Bea-u-ti-ful!”

“March!” Jane called soon after.

Angie took her place with a smile. She pinched out her puff sleeves so they were nice and full, then smoothed her scooped neckline, aligning each of its brocade roses so their petals were symmetrical. She coyly batted her eyelashes. “Now!”

The flash went off. “This time think of Jason!” Tiny said.

“How do you know I wasn’t before?”

“Um-hum.” Jane clucked her tongue and the others tittered.
 

“He
did
give you three babies,” Haley quipped.

“Okay, okay…” Angie’s cheeks bloomed red. “I’m thinking!”

“Much better!” Tiny cried, capturing the shot.

“Turnabout’s fair play,” Angie said when she and Haley traded spots.

“Go ahead and pick on me all you want! I’ve got my ring back.”

Haley’s Queen Anne–style gown was threaded with gold, making it shimmer in the afternoon light. Her hair was in a high knot, tiny tendrils spilling forth.

“You look like a snow fairy princess,” Susan commented, still knitting.

Jane stared at her needles. “You can’t possibly have a reason to do that now.”

Susan surprised them all with a bit of sass. “That just shows how much you know, bossy big sister.”

“What?” Jane surveyed the others, than glanced back at Susan. Her tone was uncharacteristically hopeful.
“Really?”

Lena grinned and spoke in a sing-songy voice. “What’s his na-ame?”

“Kyle.” Susan smiled with satisfaction. “
Doctor
Kyle Wright.”

“No way!” Trish exploded in a grin. “You’ve met Dr. Right?”

The others giggled.

“Susan,” Claire said, “I think that’s wonderful.” Everybody agreed.

“We need the deets,” Emma said.

Zoe nodded. “Yeah, every last dirty one.”

Susan flushed. “There’s not much to tell.” She held up her knitting. “He commissioned a sweater.”

“For himself?” Bev asked.

“For a baby.” Susan set down her work and quickly added. “Not his. His sister’s. He’s single.”

“Uh-huh…” Jane prodded.

“And, oh!” Susan sighed and her voice got dreamy. “Oh, so…handsome.”

Haley spoke from her perch before the camera. “When are you going to see him again?”

Susan lifted one shoulder and smiled shyly. “Sunday.”

Haley grinned from ear to ear. “I think that’s—”

Snap!

“Wait!” Haley blinked at Tiny. “You took the shot?”

“It’s awesome!” Tiny peered back through her lens. “You look so happy!”

“Wasn’t I supposed to be thinking of Peter?”

“You’ll have plenty of time for Peter,” Emma assured her.

“Yeah,” Rachel said with a giggle, “starting tomorrow.”

Bev was up next. “Well…” she said drawing out the word, “since we’re up for true confessions, maybe I should share my news?”

“You have news?” Lena asked, stunned.

Bev settled in on the stool, adjusting the train of her Victorian dress. “Susan’s not the only one who’s met somebody,” she said mysteriously. There were delighted gasps all around.

Rachel lifted the bottle from the ice bucket and chirped, “I think this calls for more bubbly!”

 
“Not for me,” Tiny said. “I’m abstaining!”

Everybody laughed, so happy for her. So happy for Bev and Susan, too. And for Haley, for finding her ring! Emma smiled around the room, noting that only Zoe looked glum.

“You doing all right there, cuz?”

Zoe blinked into a smile, seeming to snap herself out of it. She turned her attention on Bev. “That’s great, Bev. Who, when, and where?”

Bev grimaced just a little and dipped her fingers inside the high rim of her collar. “There’s something I haven’t exactly told you all.”

The mood grew heavy. “What’s wrong, Bev?” Claire inquired.

Bev peeled down lacy fabric to reveal a brutal scar. Emma drew her hand to her mouth, but the others just stared.

“I’m not getting this,” Jane said dismayed. “The guy you met did this to you?”

“Oh, no!” Bev corrected, her face firing red. “He didn’t… What I mean is…” She released the fabric, flattening it back up against her neck. “This happened in Italy.”

“Italy?” Tiny asked, perplexed. “But that was eight years ago.”

Bev pursed her lips a beat and studied them all. “Didn’t any of you ever wonder why I always wore a neck scarf after my return?”

Now Emma felt terrible for every mean-spirited thought she’d ever had concerning Bev’s wardrobe.

“We thought you were being European!” Rachel said.

“That’s right,” Claire agreed.

“Chic,” Zoe chimed in.

Angie’s face registered concern. “How did it happen?”

“It was a mugging,” Bev told them. “Two guys on motorbikes. One had a knife and went for the strap of my purse.” She pointed to her neck. “He got a piece of me, too.”

Lena’s eyes watered as she stood and walked to her sister, wrapping her arms around her. “I’m so sorry, Bev.”

“All of us are,” Haley agreed. “How come you didn’t tell anybody?”