"Hey, I've got the rest of my life to be alone with you. If Toots says it's urgent, let's go. I'll show you the rest of the place tomorrow."

"I hope Karen didn't take a turn for the worse. Poor girl," Sophie said, referring to the producer for her and Goebel's reality special, which most likely wasn't going to be a reality in their lifetime. She honestly didn't care.

"No, I'm sure it's something else. Toots would've blurted that out on the phone."

He was right. She would have.

Before Sophie could walk to the front door, Goebel pulled her close to him. "Let's set a date now so we can give Toots some good news, just in case hers is bad."

Sophie nodded. "Next week soon enough?"

Goebel lifted her off her feet and swung her around. "d.a.m.n straight!" He put her down, then pulled her close again. "Sophie Manchester, you've just made me the happiest man in the entire world. You know that, right?"

"Ditto, Mr. Blevins, with appropriate modifications, ditto, ditto, ditto."

Chapter 25.

It was close to midnight when Wade and Mavis returned from their trip to Charlotte. They'd enjoyed the conference and the drive home, especially since they were rarely alone. When they drove through the gates, Mavis saw that the downstairs lights were on. "I wonder why everyone is still up? Toots must be having a party."

Wade parked beside Phil's silver Mercedes. "I say we go inside and find out."

"You don't want to check on Robert first?" Mavis asked before getting out of the car.

"He's probably inside with the rest of the gang. He doesn't like being away from Bernice. He's crazy about her. Almost as crazy about her as I am about you," Wade said, taking her hand and leading her up the steps.

Mavis was glad for the darkness, as she knew she was blushing like a girl about to receive her first kiss. "Wade," she whispered his name airily. Just saying his name sent shivers up and down her spine. She hadn't been this excited over a member of the male species since she and Herbert had met in college over fifty years earlier. She had a brief flash of George and that thing he owned, his VCD. Quickly she shifted focus to the here and now.

"Shhh," was his last word as he touched his lips to hers, devouring their softness. Mavis melted into his arms, giving in to the moment. She kissed him back, lingering, savoring every part of his mouth on hers. So lost in Wade's kiss was she, the s.p.a.ce around her was nothing more than a blur. Seconds or minutes pa.s.sed, she wasn't sure. When Wade pulled away, she felt a momentary loss. "The hall lights just came on," he whispered in her ear.

Again glad for the darkness, Mavis touched her lips as though she wanted to imprint the memory of his kiss on her fingertips.

"Who's out there?" Toots called. She'd heard footsteps, then nothing.

"It's just me," Mavis answered. "Wade is here, too."

Toots opened the front door. "Then why don't you both come inside?" She could tell that Mavis was a bit fl.u.s.tered. "Did I interrupt anything?" she asked coyly, knowing full well that she had. But at that moment, she simply did not care; she was jubilant, and they were throwing a party to celebrate.

"Uh, no," Mavis said; then she stepped inside as Toots held the door open.

"What's the celebration?" Wade asked.

"We're in the dining room. All of us. We've been waiting on you two," Toots said. "We have lots to celebrate. You won't believe your eyes when you meet our latest visitor."

When they reached the dining room, Mavis saw everyone who mattered to her gathered around the dining-room table, plus a handsome man whom she had never in her life seen before. They'd had to bring in chairs from the veranda so everyone would have a place to sit.

Toots gestured in Daniel's direction. "Daniel, this is Mavis and Wade. He lives next door with his brother, Robert. And this is Bernice's son, who's just arrived from Washington State. He's an attorney."

Bernice glowed like a kid at Christmas when she looked at her son. And Robert.

After the usual pleasantries, the chatter picked up.

"This is quite the surprise, isn't it, Wade?" Mavis asked. "What in the world could be so important? Daniel, I'm sorry if that sounds rude. I didn't mean it to be. Toots's and Sophie's ways must be rubbing off on me. Speaking of Sophie, where is she? And Goebel?"

"They're on their way. Have a seat because good news is only exciting the first time it's told," Toots offered up.

"Mother!" Abby said. "That is not always the case." She winked. Toots winked back.

"I'm teasing, but we can wait for Sophie. She'll be here any moment now."

Placed in the middle of the dining-room table were two carafes of coffee. Regular and decaf, along with a full sugar bowl and two cartons of half-and-half.

Toots had called Jamie, knowing she'd be awake, and invited her over as well. Lucky for everyone, Jamie had a batch of pralines, as well as some raisin cookies she'd brought home from the bakery. Toots absolutely loved the girl and felt like she was family. Add that her pralines were the best in the state, it was a win-win situation all around.

While they waited for Sophie and Goebel, they all started talking at once.

"Robert, you're feeling okay?" Wade asked as he poured a cup of decaf for Mavis and one for himself.

"Of course, I am. Why? Do you think just because you've just returned from the dead-people conference that I'm ready to kick the bucket?" Robert spoke extremely loud. Since they knew he was hard of hearing, they let it pa.s.s.

"You, my dear brother, are a cantankerous old man," Wade said, grinning. "We were at a convention for the owners of funeral parlors, not a 'dead-people conference.' I can a.s.sure you that there was not a single corpse there, much less any zombies. And while we're on the subject, and I know it's not everyone's favorite topic, but Mavis and I, well, we are going to open a funeral parlor together. Here. In Charleston."

All chattering stopped.

"I think that's an excellent idea. I'm sure I can provide your clients with their final exit shot," Ida said, without the first hint of conceit.

"Of course. We were going to ask you if you'd help out. I wasn't sure with all the success of Seasons, since you're always traveling back and forth to Wilmington. We've already got a place in mind. The owner wants to retire and move to Florida. We met him at the conference," Mavis said.

"Congrats, Mavis and Wade. You two will make great . . . uh, great funeral directors," Abby stated in her enthusiastic way, without a hint of sarcasm.

"Yes, and while we were there, I contracted with a company in Canada. They want to market Good Mourning. I am going to be so busy that I won't have time to"-fl.u.s.tered, Mavis finished-"to hang out with you all as much."

"Bulls.h.i.t, you will make the time. We've all got projects going on. Abby is expecting five dogs and three cats tomorrow. You promised you would give her a hand," Toots said, spoken like a true ballbuster. Remembering Phil's phone call, she turned to him. "Dr. Carnes, what did she say?"

"She'd take the first available flight in the morning, so there's no need to line up the Flexjet."

"That's excellent news, and, Mom, Mavis's work is important, too. It should come first in her life."

"Oh, I know. I just wanted to yank her chain. You're a real go-getter, Mavis. Of course, we'll support you and Wade, just don't get offended if I say I really don't want to do business with either of you anytime soon."

They all laughed.

The front door banged, and they all knew who it was before she entered the dining room.

"This better be good is all I've got to say," Sophie said to the group gathered at the table. Spying an unfamiliar face, she introduced herself. "I'm Sophie. This is Goebel. You must be one of Ida's hot young things from Wilmington."

The room went completely silent; then Bernice practically jumped out of her chair. "Sophie, you s.h.i.t, that 'hot young thing' just happens to be my son. Daniel, meet Sophie, the biggest smart-a.s.s in the bunch."

"Ah, frig, I'm sorry if I offended you. Daniel, it's good to meet you. We've heard a lot about you the past few years. I must say, I didn't expect you to be so d.a.m.ned hot. That's why I a.s.sumed you were with Ida. She likes men, and age doesn't matter."

Daniel had the good grace to laugh. "No offense taken. Actually, I consider it a compliment."

Ida shot a glance over at Bernice, as if to say, Ha-ha, told you so. Bernice stuck her middle finger up directly in Ida's line of vision. Ida just smiled.

"Okay, I, for one, want to know why we're all here. I was in the middle of something very personal when you called, so this had better be good," Sophie said to Toots.

"Abby, you and Chris want to do the honors?" Toots asked.

All eyes focused on Abby. She gave a sheepish grin; then her eyes lit up like fireworks on the Fourth of July. "In about five months, Chris and I are going to have a baby."

No one said a word; then they all started talking at once.

"When did you find out?" came from Ida.

"Is that why you've been puking your guts up?" came from Sophie.

"Oh, Abby, that's the most exciting news I've heard in forever! Congratulations to both of you," Mavis offered. "Just think, a little one in the house." At that moment, Coco, who'd been reclining on her bed in the corner with Frankie, started barking. "She's jealous already," Mavis added.

"So, was this worth coming out so late?" Toots asked, grinning.

Bernice finally spoke. "I can't wait. You know I practically raised Abby, and it looks like I'm going to be around long enough to show her the ropes of motherhood. Congratulations, Abby."

"Yeah, you raised her, all right. You cooked, and I did the rest. I distinctly remember you running for cover when she would puke or p.o.o.p."

"Hey, I cleaned up my share of messes from your daughter. As I recollect, you were quite busy throughout her early years, searching for husband number . . . what? Thirty? I can't remember! There were so many."

The room went silent. Toots dared to look at Bernice. She didn't know that Phil was unaware of her many marriages. She wanted to strangle the life right out of her, but it wasn't Bernice's fault. It was her own. She'd hemmed and hawed, and now it was coming back to bite her in the a.s.s, courtesy of Bernice. And she couldn't say a d.a.m.ned word in her own defense because there was no defense.

Toots sneaked a glance at Phil. He didn't appear to be affected by Bernice's statement. She crossed her fingers. If luck was on her side, maybe Phil thought this was just more old-woman bantering.

Sensing her mother's discomfort and knowing why, Abby raised her voice in mock anger. "G.o.d, Mother, do you have to be so graphic?"

"Well, I don't want Daniel to think I didn't raise you. Yes, Bernice, you helped. Abby would probably have had scurvy, had it not been for your cooking."

They all laughed, and again the dining room was full of laughter, shouts, and congratulations on the new life soon to come into the world.

"Toots, let's go outside and have a smoke," Sophie said. "I've been dying for a cigarette, and there's something you need to know."

"Me too," Toots said. "I have something to tell you, too."

On the back porch step, where they always sat and huffed, Sophie lit two cigarettes and handed one to Toots.

"You go first," Toots said. It was a way to stall what she hated to put into words.

"Tonight, when you called Goebel, we were at that purple house up the road. The old s.h.i.t bought the place. Can you believe it?"

Toots smiled. Of course, she believed it. She was the former owner, but now wasn't the time to take the wind out of Sophie's and Goebel's sails.

"That's excellent news! Is he planning on living there?" Toots asked because she was nosy.

"Yep, and get this. He asked me to marry him. I mean a real proposal, and I said yes. We're getting married next week."

Toots appeared stunned.

"Congratulations again. Geez, there's a lot to celebrate in this house tonight," Toots said, suddenly overwhelmed with despair. Her news was such a downer. She was afraid if she told anyone else, she'd jinx them, too.

"How fast can you plan a wedding? If you can plan my wedding as fast as you planned those events of all your dearly departeds, then it shouldn't be a problem." Weddings, babies, husbands. A night Toots would remember for the rest of her life. Yes, she had screwed up by withholding her past from Phil, but she wasn't going to allow her screwups to put a damper on Abby's news or Sophie's upcoming nuptials.

"I can plan a wedding in a day if I have to." Toots forced herself to cheer up. This wasn't the time to wallow in self-pity.

"Then let's do it. I wanted to tell you first. If it weren't for you, I'd still be in my apartment in New York. Minus Walter, to be sure, but still." Showing a rare moment of affection, Sophie leaned against Toots, her dearest friend in the world.

Toots smiled. "Let's go inside and tell the others." She crushed her smoke out in the can.

"Let's do it," Sophie said, dropping her cigarette in the can, then smashing it in the sand.

Inside, Toots made a big production when she placed her fingers in her mouth, whistling so loud it hurt her ears. Silence.

"Sorry, but I need your attention. Not only do Abby and Chris have good news, but I think Sophie has something she wants to share with you all, too." Toots made a dramatic sweeping gesture with her hand. "It's all yours."

Rarely at a loss for words, Sophie felt tongue-tied as she stared at all the people she loved. She didn't love Daniel, but that was because she'd just met him. Who knew? By the end of the night, he very well could be her new best friend. She eyed Goebel. d.a.m.n, he was a good man. She briefly thought how their paths had crossed. She'd liked him the minute she laid eyes on him, and she was sure he had felt the same way about her. Now they were going to marry. A first for him. A real marriage for her.

"Sophie," Toots announced. "The floor is all yours."

"Okay . . . well, tonight Goebel and I set a date for our wedding. One week from today, and you're all invited."

Hoots and hollers, laughter, kisses and hugs, all flowed freely. Ida even gave Bernice a hug. A miracle in and of itself. The night was a time for love, friendship, new beginnings, and, most of all, a celebration of family.

Toots watched the scene as it took place. A warm sensation spread throughout her body. This is life. This is love.

Phil came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. And it was finally time to tell the truth.

Chapter 26.

"We need to talk. Privately," Toots said to Phil. "We can go upstairs to my room."

"Whoa, I guess all this love and happiness has made you change your mind, huh?" he joked, but Toots didn't answer. As much as she wished that were the case, it wasn't.