The air felt like rain when they stepped out of the motor home. Neither of the women even noticed the crunch under their feet as they circled halfway around the pond. Carmen told Tootsie about the phone call. She ended with, “I tried so hard to make that woman like me.”

“Well, honey, karma has given her Kate, and it’s biting her square in the ass for the way she’s treated you. If I’d been you, I’d have divorced Eli years ago just to be rid of her.” Tootsie stopped at a bench and sat down. “You walk really fast for a short woman. I need a little rest.”

“I’m so sorry.” Carmen eased down beside her. “I guess I was trying to outrun my anger.”

“Did it work?” Tootsie asked.

“Not really,” Carmen answered. “But I noticed that the office for this place has a convenience store. When we get back to it, let’s buy a bunch of junk food. We can have chocolate and sour cherry balls and maybe even SweeTARTS while we binge-watch something on television tonight.”

“Let’s buy enough to last all day tomorrow,” Tootsie suggested. “My knees are telling me that the storm coming in is going to bring us a cold front. There’s some frozen burritos and corn dogs in the freezer. We’ll wear our pajamas and . . .” Tootsie held out her hand. “That’s the first raindrop. Maybe we better get on back.”

“We should’ve brought an umbrella,” Carmen said when a raindrop hit her on the tip of her nose.

“We ain’t sugar or salt either one, darlin’. We won’t melt, and we’ve got dry clothes in the motor home.” Tootsie took off so fast that Carmen had to do a slow jog to keep up with her.

They were both drenched by the time they got to the store, but they still took the time to buy a plastic bag full of junk food. The lady asked if they wanted to purchase an umbrella, and Tootsie just laughed. “Honey, it wouldn’t do us a lot of good now, but thanks for asking.”

When they were back in the motor home, Carmen tossed the bag of food in the kitchen sink and headed straight for the bathroom. Tootsie didn’t waste a bit of time getting down the hall and into her bedroom. Carmen dried herself and hung both the towel and her wet clothing on the shower rod. Then she padded out to her bunk bed, opened her suitcase, and brought out the warmest pajamas she had. Old-lady flannel—that’s what Natalie had called them last Christmas. Eli had given them to her. She wondered if they had fit his image of her. The thought that he had probably bought Kate a pretty piece of jewelry—or, better yet, something lacy and sexy—made her temper flare again. She threw the pajamas in the trash can and got out her favorite pair of red-and-green plaid pajama pants and her Minnie Mouse T-shirt.

She’d just gotten dressed in them when Tootsie opened her door and said, “You get that candy out of the bag, and I’ll stick a bag of popcorn in the microwave.”

Tootsie passed by her on the way to the kitchen. “I’ve got all the seasons of Chuck out for us to binge-watch. It’s a real cute little show. You’ll love it.”

“You reckon Joanie and Diana are listening to the rain beating against their hotel windows?” Carmen followed her.

“Honey, I bet they don’t even know it’s raining,” Tootsie laughed. “If we have to have a storm, I’m glad it’s today and not Saturday when the girls graduate.”

“Amen to that.” Carmen thought of a worse storm than Mother Nature could provide—one that involved Eli bringing Kate to the girls’ graduation. She had gotten a measure of closure now, but she sure wasn’t ready to see him with another woman.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Diana had felt that Rebecca and her friends were still children when they graduated from high school. But a mere six months later, as she watched the impressive military graduation, she could see three young women before her, ready to take on the next responsibility and serve their country. Her heart swelled with pride, and yet tears ran down her cheeks and dripped on her new olive-green jacket.

Luke pulled a snow-white handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to her. She dabbed it against her face and sent it on down the line to Tootsie, Carmen, Joanie, and even Brett, who was sitting at the other end of their little group.

“Thank you,” Diana whispered when the hankie made its way back to her hands. She handed it back to Luke, and he stuffed it back in his pocket.

The memory of the day that she and her friends had taken their daughters to the recruiter to enlist surfaced and brought with it a brand-new rush of tears. The girls had been so giggly all the way to San Antonio, and then they’d wanted to go shopping after they’d signed their lives away for six years. The next thing that popped into her head was the day that she, Carmen, and Joanie had left them at that same office. Their daughters had been nervous, but it was more like three teenagers going to their first concert than women who were about to undergo weeks of intensive training.

Now, here before parents, grandparents, and friends were dozens of brand-new soldiers standing so tall and grown-up. The girls all had their hair up and looked so mature that it was impossible to think that they had just been kids a few months ago.

The ending of the ceremony was a little anticlimactic to Diana. After all these young men and women had accomplished, there should have been medals involved or maybe their names called out individually so that each one of them could stand or even come forward and be recognized.

This is not an awards assembly at high school, Smokey’s voice scolded.

A smile came through the tears. It was time to recognize Rebecca as an adult. Diana wasn’t sure how to go about that, but she was determined to try. Right up until Rebecca found her in the midst of all the chaos, wrapped her arms around her mother, and hugged her tightly.

“I missed you so much, Mama. Some nights I wondered if I’d done the right thing,” Rebecca whispered. Then she took a step back and stuck out her hand. “You must be Luke. Mama wrote to me about you.”

“Congratulations on surviving basic. That’s no small feat.” He grinned.

“Hey, I’m Brett. Joanie told me about you.” Brett stuck out his hand toward Luke. “Sounds like y’all had a really good time on your trip.”

Luke shook his hand. “We sure did. Maybe we can all get together next week for supper at Aunt Tootsie’s.”