"Herb, say prayers for me. I've lost my marbles. I mean it. Sssst." She indicated that her brain circuits had fried.
Harry caught up, quickly defending herself. "Don't listen to her. She's—"
"No. Wait, let me tell them. First," Susan held up her forefinger, "look out the window. Gray skies, snow falling, not nasty-nasty but not great. So if it's that way down here, imagine what it's like on the mountain. Did I consider that? I did. Did I let my best friend talk me into going back to Afton? I did. Tucker, Mrs. Murphy, and Pewter ran through the iron fence—"
Harry interrupted, "The monks locked the big iron gates."
"And we stood there in the cold—which was worse that high up—snow falling, and we waited for those three little shits to come back. Excuse me for swearing. We had no business being up there in the first place, and you can't see the hand in front of your face. It's a miracle we didn't slide off the face of Afton Mountain."
"The Virgin Mary is working miracles," Alicia said with a straight face, then laughed. Herb couldn't help it; he did, too.
"Herb." Harry stared at him in mock horror.
"I'm a Lutheran minister, not a Catholic. I don't believe in miracles."
"You do, too." Susan's lower lip jutted out.
"I do but not—mmm, how can I put this—let's say that there's a reliquary with the tooth of St. Peter. Do I believe it will cure your ills? No."
"But if you were a dentist it might improve business should you own the reliquary." Alicia leaned on to him for a second.
Even Susan laughed, recovering from her snit. It worried her that she couldn't control her bad moods, her anxiety. Harry always talked her into stupid things. Susan would bark at her and that would be the end of it, but lately, every little thing about everyone—including her own self—irritated the hell out of her.
"Locked the gates?" Alicia folded her arms together, leaning on the handrail of the cart. Alicia's pearl necklace, which she wore often, glowed against her skin, each pearl the size of a large pea, perfectly shaped. Her shirt was open just enough to reveal delicious cleavage.
Harry noticed, like most women looking at another woman. She saw Alicia's beauty but it had no sexual effect on her. Seeing a beautiful woman was like seeing a beautiful horse. She appreciated it.
Alicia put her hand on his wrist. "We can settle up later. You go or you'll miss your meeting. You know Tazio will work her magic. I can't wait to see what she's come up with."
Tazio Chappars was a young architect who had won a big commission from The University to build a new sports complex. From this, other large commissions soon flowed. She kept her office in Crozet. The encroaching fame didn't go to her head. She served on the vestry board with Harry, both women exhibiting a lot of common sense. They worked well together.
Herb kissed each woman on the cheek, then hurried out the door.
"He may be the best man I have ever met." Susan put her hand in her pocket.
"And here comes one of the worst." Harry put her hand on her hip, calling to the curly-haired man who stepped through the door, "You're stalking us!"
Bo Newell, graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, owner of Mountain Area Realty, grinned as he beheld the ladies. "The Three Amuses. I'm not stalking you, I'm seeking divine inspiration."
"Buying food for the Almost Home Center?" Susan asked, since Bo and his wife, Nancy, along with Bette Grahame, spearheaded a drive to build a no-kill shelter in Nelson County.
"Yes." He put his hands in his pockets. "Thought I'd go up and pray on Afton Mountain for an angel. We need contributions."
"Not today. Another storm is brewing," Susan replied. "And the monks have locked the gates."
His light eyes opened wide. "You're kidding?"
"No," Susan said. "Harry forced me to go up there."
"At gunpoint, I'm sure," he slyly replied.
"Kidnapped," Harry said.
"Held hostage against her will." Alicia picked up on it.
"Is this like the rape of the Sabine women where they were carried off against their will? Harry just carried you off to the mountain?" Bo solemnly asked.
"Well, not with the two of us." Susan's mood was passing. "Murder maybe."
"Me!"
"Harry, it really does occur to me on the odd occasion." Susan nodded.
"Right here in Pet Food Discounters." Bo, voice rising, rubbed his hands. "But really, Susan, the monks have locked the gates?"
"Yes."
"That will keep Nordy out. Jesus, that guy is like a hemorrhoid. He slips down and hangs around." Bo was warming up, his typical outrageous humor in play. He paused, lowered his voice, now sounding achingly sincere. "Actually, I don't have to drive to Afton Mountain. The Madonna is in front of me." He kissed Alicia's hand.
"Bo, you are so full of it," Harry said.
"Think of me as Divergent Mary," Alicia quipped.
Bo loved a witty woman. "I'll think of you often." He sighed. "Well, ladies, I've got strays to feed. That must be how Nancy thinks of me. Was I lucky or what! I practiced my hangdog look."
"You were lucky." Susan smiled as he waved, heading toward the stacks of fifty-pound chow bags.
Alicia watched Bo for a moment, then turned to the two friends. "My friend Maggie Sheraton will be visiting me next week. I thought I'd give a small dinner party and invite Herb. Maggie lost her husband a few years ago. I think the two of them would get along."
"You mean Margaret Sheraton the actress?" Harry's jaw dropped.
"Yes."
"Didn't she win an Oscar?" Susan rummaged her brain for the film.
"Best Supporting Actress. Um, twelve years ago. She works now and then but, you know, Maggie is in her early sixties. The business ignores actresses who age. It's a sin to grow old in Hollywood. She's still good-looking. A man with Herb's strong character and warmth would appeal to her."
"He's not too fat?" Harry blurted.
"Harry." Susan elbowed her.
"Sorry."
"He is portly. She'll overlook it, but if a spark should fly between them, I bet he gets himself in better shape. He's let himself go."
"Miranda did that after George died," Harry remembered.
"Look at her now. She looks years younger. Lost the weight. Found love—another one of those miracles." Alicia smiled.
"Maybe there's one left over for me," Susan said plaintively.
"Honey, now, everything will be all right. Really. I just know things aren't what you think." Harry hugged Susan. "There's nothing to worry about."
"I hope so." Susan sighed.
Alicia reached for Susan's hand. "Courage. Life calls for courage." She squeezed her hand. "And Harry is right, it will all turn out."
"Think you'll find love again?" Harry couldn't help herself. She shouldn't have asked this directly and not in a public place.
"Yes," Alicia forthrightly replied. "Love may not make the world go around, but it certainly makes the ride worthwhile."
"I never thought of that." Harry folded her arms across her chest.
"If it has anything to do with emotions, you don't think of it. You're worse than any man I've ever met." Susan rolled her eyes.
"Poop to you. If we weren't in the middle of Pet Food Discounters, I'd say worse."
"You two can't live without each other." Alicia stood up straight.
"I could try." Susan giggled.
"Be bored." Harry giggled, too.
"I have two children, Harry. I don't need a third."
"Let's not talk about me." Harry turned back to Alicia. "Are we too country for you now? When you were here as a young person, you hadn't seen the world. You weren't a big movie star."
"Oh, Harry, I'd rather fall in love with someone country than the president of the largest entertainment group in the world. Trust me. I am so glad to be home, home with real people with real lives. Hollywood gave me many opportunities and a great deal of money. I'm grateful for that, but if you're not careful it can erode your sense of reality and, ultimately, your sense of self. It's a debilitating environment."