But in this group of friends, who were all gathered to remember Meredith, there were many differences and yet complete equality. They bounced off each other so nicely. Korby was a little loud and the most hilarious, though they were all funny to some degree. Terri was a middle school teacher and the bossy one.
Janette had been Meredith’s closest friend since high school. She’d been a teacher who transformed herself into a counselor, was part of a small counseling practice, and frequently worked for the county in the school district. She was divorced, her children were grown and she lived alone. There was something about her that made her the leader. The others seem to defer to her in a way that suggested she held the wisdom card. And it became clear right away that she was fiercely independent.
“How is John?” someone asked her.
“He’s good,” she said. “He’s working a lot but he’s spending Thanksgiving with his son and daughter and their kids. These patchwork families manage to piece together one way or another.”
“You two aren’t living together yet?” Kaylee asked. “Haven’t you been a couple for years?”
“Six years,” Janette said. “But we’ve both already had spouses and kids and we’re a little set in our ways. Honestly, I’m not looking for someone to share a house with, I just want someone to share a life with. Our arrangement is very satisfactory. We do spend a few nights a week together. And he’s a great travel companion.”
“I want a man with a tool belt to move in with me as soon as possible,” Michelle said, making them all laugh.
“That sounds good, but every time I consider the prospect of being lonely in my house, one of my adult children moves home for a while, usually with kids and dogs.” Janette said.
“You mean when they leave, they don’t stay gone?” Terri asked. “So, you’re saying counting the days till the empty nest is a waste of time?”
“Even I only lived with my mom when I was between apartments, or when she was sick. We liked our own space, yet we were very close,” Kaylee said.
The dinner conversation went that way for an hour until someone finally said, “What about you, Landry? Do you have family? Ex or otherwise? Kids?”
He cleared his throat as if he might be giving a speech. “I was an only child who was raised by my father and my parents are both deceased. No kids but a soon-to-be ex-wife.”
“Really?” Terri said.
“You’re going through a divorce?” Korby asked.
“Yes. But we haven’t lived together for years. I was just too busy or preoccupied to do the paperwork. Same for her, I guess.” He lifted his drink and peered at Kaylee. He hadn’t mentioned any of his plans to her. “It’s all just a formality now.”
“Tell us about your ex,” someone said.
“You don’t have to unless you want to,” Kaylee said reassuringly.
“I don’t mind. Laura is a very interesting person. She’s an actress who has been chasing the limelight for years.”
“She’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen,” Kaylee said.
“You’ve actually met her?” Janette asked.
“I went to one of the town fairs where Landry was showing his work, and who should stop by but his wife!” Kaylee said.
“She was auditioning for a play in San Francisco,” he explained. “She came by because it was close. I hadn’t seen her in almost a year. We’ve managed to maintain a friendly relationship. We’ll see how that goes now that I’ve actually filed for divorce. I’m told that sometimes the most agreeable couples find a lot to fight about during a divorce.”
“That would seem logical,” Korby said.
That opened up the table conversation to divorces. Only two of the women were still married and two had never been married. Landry was much happier talking about someone else’s divorce.
There was more conversation around the table but they left Landry alone, except for the occasional question about his work or his dog training. When they started to clean up, they refused to let him help, but he hung out in the kitchen anyway.
This was not what he expected, this band of women who all knew each other so intimately, drawing him in and making him feel almost like family. He liked each one of them and also liked them as a group. It was a great idea, doing this Thanksgiving almost like a tribute to Meredith.
When people started staking out their places in the great room after a big meal, he pulled Kaylee aside and said, “Time for me to go. Walk me out?”
She grabbed their coats. Landry thanked everyone for the meal and conversation and said good-night, and he and Kaylee stepped outside. Once they stood on the porch, he opened his jacket so she could step inside, pressed against him. He closed his jacket around her.
“That was the best surprise I’ve ever had. Did you plan it?”
He shook his head. “You should get the details from Janette. She called me, but it didn’t originate with her.”
“Really? This should be interesting.”
“Kiss me like you’re going to miss me tonight,” he said. “We hardly ever spend a night apart anymore.”
She accommodated him, stretching up onto her toes, arms around his neck. He didn’t wonder if she’d miss him for long. It was so good to see her happy.
When she was back on her heels, she looked up at him. “I didn’t know about the divorce.”
“I didn’t want to bother you with it,” he said. “It’s not really about you, not because of you or even my feelings for you, which are pretty hot, by the way. It is true that when I found myself with a woman like you in my house and in my bed, it begged the question, why the hell am I legally married?” He ran a knuckle along her cheek. “But no matter what happens with us,
