Read Reclaim My Life for Free Online Page A
Authors: Cheryl Norman
your hopes up,” Sunny whispered. “I found two empty Prego jars in the trash.”
She laid the cork and corkscrew on the table. “You know, as long as I don’t have to cook it, it’ll be fabulous.”
“Maybe you don’t like to cook, but you can. You served us a great meatloaf last Sunday.”
Elizabeth smiled. “I can, on rare occasions, make a decent meal.”
“By the way, are we still on for Saturday?” Sunny poured the wine into goblets that matched the ones Elizabeth had purchased at the Family Dollar Store, the closest thing to a department store in Drake Springs.
“The shopping trip to Valdosta?”
“Yes, just the two of us. I’ll pick you up at the diner. We can do breakfast before we leave.”
“I’m willing to drive—”
“That pickup truck? No offense, but I’d rather we take my car.” She placed the bottle of wine on the pass-through beside the doorway to the kitchen. “Now, let me get the garlic bread.”
“Coming through!” Ian sidled past Sunny in the doorway, hoisting a large platter of spaghetti topped with sauce and shredded Parmesan. He placed it in the center of the dining table. “Ladies, dinner is served.”
Elizabeth forgave him the jarred sauce when she saw the fresh grated Parmesan. “Looks amazing, Ian. I can’t wait to dig in.”
“Yeah, I apologize for being late. I’m a slow cook.”
Sunny wrapped one arm around his neck and pulled him to her for a noisy kiss. “But a sexy one.”
Elizabeth smiled at the newlyweds. If ever there was a mismatched couple, it was the Davises. Sunny was petite and full of energy, with breathtaking beauty that needed no makeup. The quintessential blue-eyed blonde, she wore a lot of makeup, but it wasn’t necessary.
Ian, on the other hand, was stout with the beginnings of a pot belly, probably from too many hours sitting behind a computer. His thick glasses hid large brown eyes and rested on a too-wide nose. His receding hairline threatened to take over his entire head. Words like
nerd, geek
, and
dweeb
had come to mind when she’d first met him.
According to Sunny, they’d married after a brief, wild courtship and were approaching their first anniversary. Although they were opposites in appearance, Ian was good-natured, fun, and friendly, and openly worshipped his wife. Sunny seemed to adore him. What else mattered? It was more than Elizabeth could expect to have, at least anytime soon.
When they were seated, Elizabeth raised her goblet of wine. “To Cathleen. We’ll miss you, friend.”
“To Cathleen.” Ian clinked his glass against hers.
Sunny touched glasses with hers. “Rest in peace, Cat.”
After a stretch of silence in which the three slurped spaghetti and sipped Chianti, Ian turned to his wife. “You’re going shopping Saturday? I thought you said you were visiting your mom this weekend.”
Sunny grimaced. “Oh, crap, that’s right. Can we go tomorrow after your last class? We can do dinner in Valdosta.”
Ian nodded. “I need to spend time in the data center, so you two go on.”
“Doesn’t your mother live in Boston?”
Sunny nodded, waiting until she swallowed to answer. “Yes. I’ll be back Sunday night.”
Elizabeth helped herself to a slice of buttery garlic bread. She couldn’t help but wonder how Ian and Sunny could afford the expensive airfare, but perhaps Sunny’s mother paid for the tickets. Anyway, it was none of Elizabeth’s concern. “Do you want me to drive you to the airport?” she asked.
“No, I’ll drive. I can leave my car at the long-term lot.”
No surprise there. Sunny wouldn’t want to ride in Elizabeth’s small pickup all the way to Jacksonville when she could drive her luxury car. “Well, I know you’ll enjoy visiting your mother.”
“I’ll miss you, honey,” Ian said.
“I know, but it’s just for a couple days.” Sunny leaned back and grabbed the bottle of Chianti from the pass-through. “Refills, anyone?”
Ian held up his empty glass. “What
She laid the cork and corkscrew on the table. “You know, as long as I don’t have to cook it, it’ll be fabulous.”
“Maybe you don’t like to cook, but you can. You served us a great meatloaf last Sunday.”
Elizabeth smiled. “I can, on rare occasions, make a decent meal.”
“By the way, are we still on for Saturday?” Sunny poured the wine into goblets that matched the ones Elizabeth had purchased at the Family Dollar Store, the closest thing to a department store in Drake Springs.
“The shopping trip to Valdosta?”
“Yes, just the two of us. I’ll pick you up at the diner. We can do breakfast before we leave.”
“I’m willing to drive—”
“That pickup truck? No offense, but I’d rather we take my car.” She placed the bottle of wine on the pass-through beside the doorway to the kitchen. “Now, let me get the garlic bread.”
“Coming through!” Ian sidled past Sunny in the doorway, hoisting a large platter of spaghetti topped with sauce and shredded Parmesan. He placed it in the center of the dining table. “Ladies, dinner is served.”
Elizabeth forgave him the jarred sauce when she saw the fresh grated Parmesan. “Looks amazing, Ian. I can’t wait to dig in.”
“Yeah, I apologize for being late. I’m a slow cook.”
Sunny wrapped one arm around his neck and pulled him to her for a noisy kiss. “But a sexy one.”
Elizabeth smiled at the newlyweds. If ever there was a mismatched couple, it was the Davises. Sunny was petite and full of energy, with breathtaking beauty that needed no makeup. The quintessential blue-eyed blonde, she wore a lot of makeup, but it wasn’t necessary.
Ian, on the other hand, was stout with the beginnings of a pot belly, probably from too many hours sitting behind a computer. His thick glasses hid large brown eyes and rested on a too-wide nose. His receding hairline threatened to take over his entire head. Words like
nerd, geek
, and
dweeb
had come to mind when she’d first met him.
According to Sunny, they’d married after a brief, wild courtship and were approaching their first anniversary. Although they were opposites in appearance, Ian was good-natured, fun, and friendly, and openly worshipped his wife. Sunny seemed to adore him. What else mattered? It was more than Elizabeth could expect to have, at least anytime soon.
When they were seated, Elizabeth raised her goblet of wine. “To Cathleen. We’ll miss you, friend.”
“To Cathleen.” Ian clinked his glass against hers.
Sunny touched glasses with hers. “Rest in peace, Cat.”
After a stretch of silence in which the three slurped spaghetti and sipped Chianti, Ian turned to his wife. “You’re going shopping Saturday? I thought you said you were visiting your mom this weekend.”
Sunny grimaced. “Oh, crap, that’s right. Can we go tomorrow after your last class? We can do dinner in Valdosta.”
Ian nodded. “I need to spend time in the data center, so you two go on.”
“Doesn’t your mother live in Boston?”
Sunny nodded, waiting until she swallowed to answer. “Yes. I’ll be back Sunday night.”
Elizabeth helped herself to a slice of buttery garlic bread. She couldn’t help but wonder how Ian and Sunny could afford the expensive airfare, but perhaps Sunny’s mother paid for the tickets. Anyway, it was none of Elizabeth’s concern. “Do you want me to drive you to the airport?” she asked.
“No, I’ll drive. I can leave my car at the long-term lot.”
No surprise there. Sunny wouldn’t want to ride in Elizabeth’s small pickup all the way to Jacksonville when she could drive her luxury car. “Well, I know you’ll enjoy visiting your mother.”
“I’ll miss you, honey,” Ian said.
“I know, but it’s just for a couple days.” Sunny leaned back and grabbed the bottle of Chianti from the pass-through. “Refills, anyone?”
Ian held up his empty glass. “What