“Well, of course it is,” Doris said. “Listen to mine. ‘Big journeys begin with a single step.’” She looked up, eyes wide. “I think it has to do with marrying Saul.”
Boop shook her head. “I’m opening the last one.”
“Why? What does yours say?” Hannah plucked it from Boop’s hands and read, “A truly rich life contains love and art in abundance.” She tore the small paper into two pieces. “There won’t be art in my life anymore. Not like it used to be. I don’t know why they call them fortunes anyway. A fortune is a prediction of the future, not just a quote. Excuse me, I have to pee.” Hannah pushed back from the table. The bathroom door closed a few moments later.
“We need to change the subject,” Boop said. She gathered cookie crumbs and plastic into the empty Delightful Buddha bag.
“She’ll talk when she wants to,” Georgia said.
Doris set out the take-out containers and Georgia grabbed plates. She picked up a piece of white paper from the floor. Hannah’s fortune.
“What does it say?” Georgia asked.
“Those who care will make the effort.”
“Oh, that poor dear. I wish we knew what happened,” Boop said.
“She has a good head on her shoulders,” Doris said.
“That doesn’t always help,” Georgia said.
The bathroom door squeaked open. Boop and the girls opened the cartons, stuck an appropriate utensil into each, and started filling their plates.
“Sit with us, even if you’re not hungry. Unless the smell bothers you,” Georgia said.
Hannah covered her face with her hands. “I don’t know how it happened.”
“Do you want to tell us what it was?” Boop stretched her arm around Hannah.
“Do you think he’ll forgive me?” Hannah asked.
The girls stayed quiet as Boop selected her words with great care. “For taking time to decide about marriage? I should hope so, Hannah. Not everyone says yes right away, especially if he caught you off guard with the proposal.”
Hannah looked up at Boop. “You don’t understand.”
Boop saw Georgia’s lips tighten and Doris gaze into the lo mein. This was a job for Boop. “Explain it to me then.”
“Clark changed his mind because I told him I met someone else.”
A gentle vertigo swayed the room from side to side. Boop held the edge of her chair. “Excuse me?”
“What do you mean, you met someone else?” Doris asked.
“I met a guy. Online. I really cared for him. Or I thought I did.”
Georgia stood and lifted her plate. Doris did the same. “We’ll be on the porch if you need us.”
Now the girls gave them privacy? When Boop would have liked a little backup? Her thoughts jumbled together. There had been two men in Hannah’s life.
The front door shut.
“I thought you said the baby was Clark’s.”
“The baby is Clark’s,” Hannah said. “It—I mean he or she—can’t be anyone else’s. I just thought I should be honest with Clark that I’d had a . . . I guess you could call it an emotional connection with someone else. He wanted more, but I realized I didn’t. I just thought that I should be honest.”
“This happened while you were living with Clark?”
Hannah nodded.
“So, it was like a crush.”
“It was different than a crush.”
“What does that mean?”
“We were really good friends, but I knew he wanted more.” Hannah looked away from Boop. “I liked the attention. The thing is, I used to lie to Clark about who I was texting and who I was with when I went out sometimes.”
“Oh, Hannah.”
“I know, I know, it’s awful. But I never even kissed him, and we always met in public, in this one coffee shop. Then all of a sudden it was like he had never been listening to me. He wanted me to break up with Clark to be with him, and I freaked out. I ended the friendship. I never should have said I miss him sometimes. I think that was the clincher. And I didn’t want to lie to Clark anymore. Or to myself.”
“You realize this made Clark insecure, right? He’s worried you’ll replace him.”
“That’s ridiculous. I reminded him that no one can ever compare to him. He’s the one who encouraged me to get my master’s. And how much I love going to craft shows with him and listening to him talk about his sculptures. He’s so talented, and I’m proud as though I had something to do with it. He remembers everything I tell him about all my students. He’s my best friend, Boop. What am I supposed to do without him?” Hannah coughed, and then sobbed her words. “I thought telling him the truth was the right thing to do.”
“What did he say when you told him all this?”
Hannah spoke in gasps. “That he felt like he was the safe choice, not the passionate and exciting choice. But he’s wrong. He’s the only choice. But he may never fully trust me again.”
Boop wouldn’t tell Hannah that it would be okay, Clark or no Clark, that her life would fill with love and happiness, even if at first there was heartache.
It wasn’t the right time for acceptance. It was time for action.
Chapter 15
BOOP
Hannah headed to bed early. Boop and the girls sat at the kitchen table amid the scraps of food and leftover conversation.
“I’ll clean up,” Boop said. “It helps me think.”
“I thought ironing helped you think,” Doris said.
“I haven’t ironed since, I don’t know, the eighties?” Boop said. “These days, I settle for drying dishes by hand.”
Georgia set dishes by the sink. “We can help.”
“I’d rather have some time to myself.”
“I know you’re thinking about Abe,” Georgia said.
“How can I not? I would have forgiven him anything. And look at Marvin and his forgiveness, his acceptance. I know he wasn’t perfect but love means giving someone a second chance. Maybe a third. If Clark doesn’t see that—”
Georgia nodded. “Then maybe a baby isn’t the right reason this time.”
“Exactly.”
With the dishes dried, Boop and the girls settled alone
