Sweet Reunion Read online

  Amanda opened the door to find her three oldest and dearest friends standing on her front porch. She was immediately transported back to a time when she felt safe, when she felt happy, when she felt like the world held nothing but glorious possibilities, because what else could it possibly hold?

  She took a look at her old friends, drinking in their appearances, reveling in the way that they had barely changed since all three of them had been teenagers.

  First, there was Lauren, tall and statuesque, her platinum blonde hair swept back in a chignon, her deep brown doe-like eyes sparkling with excitement at seeing Amanda. At five foot eleven, she stood tall – the tallest of the four of them – and elegant, like some gorgeous and enigmatic Greek goddess statue come to life. She was the most pragmatic of the four friends, and it showed in her straight-backed bearing, and the strong and confident way that she held her shoulders back when she stood, even in the most casual of situations.

  Next was Sam, short and cute as a button, with a shock of medium length auburn hair and a spray of freckles dotting her nose and cheeks. When the four were in high school, her hair had been lighter, more in the neighborhood of strawberry blonde. Now that the color had deepened into this darker and richer shade, it gave Sam a more mature appearance. If you looked hard, you could still see shades of the adorable pixie she had been when the girls had first become friends in high school, but it was visible through the lens of the strong, capable and athletic woman that she had grown into.

  Lastly, there was lithe and lovely Karina, the lone dark beauty among the bunch. Her long glossy black hair hung down her back in waves, falling nearly all the way to her waist, and her onyx eyes twinkled in the sunlight, setting off the golden tones in her olive skin. There was natural grace apparent in her every stance and movement, and of the four of them, she was the one that could most closely be described as having a natural dancer's build.

  The minute Amanda saw Lauren, Karina, and Samantha standing together again on her front porch, she did something that was a very UN-fabulous four-like thing to do. She burst into tears. And then immediately began to laugh. And then started to sob again.

  “I think I’m losing my mind!” was all she could choke out as her friends swarmed around her and hustled her over to the couch.

  “You probably are!” Karina intoned with her trademark dry delivery, “But look on the bright side. At least we’re here to help you find it!”

  Amanda chuckled ruefully, “True! And it does seem like all I’ve been doing this week is crying. So maybe laughing and crying at the same time is actually a step in the right direction.”

  “Well, of course you’ve been crying. You’ve been through a trauma.” Lauren, always the matter of fact one, added. “That’s nothing to be surprised about.”

  Amanda shook her head in amazement. “I can’t believe you girls are here! Give me a hug!” She squeezed each of them in turn, and as the comfort of being in her old friends’ embraces washed over her, it seemed like she simply couldn’t stop hugging them. Before too long, all four of them were standing in Amanda’s living room, hanging onto each other for dear life, and Amanda wasn’t the only one laughing and crying at the same time.

  “Well!” Samantha exclaimed when they finally parted, “That was certainly quite a display. Maybe it’s an indication that the Fabulous Four shouldn’t wait ten years before getting together again.”

  “Maybe it’s an indication that we need some wine!” Karina added, and the other three agreed wholeheartedly.

  Amanda started into the kitchen, but Lauren stopped her. “Hey, Mand,” she said, “You sit down and relax, I’ve got this. I may not have been in your house since I was under 21, but do you think that means I don’t remember where your Dad kept his alcohol?”

  Amanda settled on the couch. She breathed a sigh of relief, the first one in 6 days. Her friends were here. They would help. Everything would be OK. The Fabulous Four. Nothing we can’t accomplish. Nothing.

  Lauren returned with four wine glasses and a bottle each of red and white. As the girls poured their wine, Amanda said, “First things first. Where are you staying? Are you at Sue Ann's?”

  Lauren shook her head, “That's probably where we'll end up, but we wanted to come straight over here and check on you first.”

  Amanda said, “Well, thank you, I appreciate that. And I'm really glad you did, because it's silly for you to be staying at Sue Ann's. If you'd like to stay here, I'd love to have you!”

  “Are you sure you're up for house guests, Mand?” Lauren said skeptically.

  “Oh, God, yes!” Amanda exclaimed with relief, “I've been so up in my head, rattling around in this house alone, you have no idea! You'd be saving my sanity, I swear to you!”

  “Well, then, it's settled,” Karina said decisively, “We'll stay here. We'll go get our bags out of the car....after this glass of wine, of course.”

  “Of course!” the other three agreed with a laugh.

  Amanda smiled disbelievingly, “I really can’t believe you’re here. How on earth did you even know that my Dad had died?”

  “Well,” Karina said, “My grandmother posted it on Facebook, believe it or not.”

  “Wow, I never even thought of that. I’m so technologically backward, it didn’t even occur to me.”

  “Well, it’s a good thing that my 71 year old Native American grandmother is more tech savvy than you, Mand. Although it doesn’t surprise me. You’re such a romantic. I can much more easily see you penning an epistle on rose-embossed stationary than sending a text.”

  “Sending a what?” Amanda asked innocently.

  Karina’s jaw dropped, “Wow...I was just kidding!”

  Amanda smiled mischievously, “So was I, Kar.”

  They all dissolved into laughter, and Amanda felt like a teenager again. “Still, it does surprise me that the very regal and reserved Renata Blackstone would do something like open up a Facebook account.”

  Karina shrugged, “Well, it’s really the best way for her to keep up with me. I tour almost 300 days a year, you know. So she can always know what city I’m in.”

  “Oh, yes!” Samantha exclaimed, “Ladies, I forgot that we are in the presence of Karina Black, chart-topping sensation extraordinaire. Should we have asked for your autograph? What’s the protocol?”

  “Well,” Lauren chimed in, “I think autographs actually happen after the meet and greet, is that correct? Is this officially the meet and greet?”

  Karina blushed.

  “Whoa!” Amanda exclaimed, “Look at those cheeks, girls. Is that...could it be....is Karina blushing? Not possible! Or at least I’ve never seen it!”

  Karina shook her head ruefully. “Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. The truth is, I hate all of that ‘pop princess’ nonsense. I’d much rather be onstage, just me and my guitar or piano, with a tiny crowd of people that were really into the music for the sake of the music - than at the center of a giant production with lights and video, and backup dancers, and electronic tracks.”

  Amanda nodded, “You’re famous, though. Everyone knows you. That’s what you always wanted.”

  Karina nodded, “I thought I did. But now I realize that what I really wanted was for the world to know my music. I wanted strangers to sing along with my songs. But the watered down, radio-friendly, bastardized versions of my songs that the record label puts out are barely recognizable as mine, and when I sign my name onto an eight by ten glossy that is so made up and touched up that it barely looks like me, it isn’t even my name I’m signing!”

  Lauren said, “Yeah, I did think that was weird. Why did they make you change your name? I think Karina Blackstone is a beautiful name.”

  “Well, here’s the thing,” Karina sounded melancholy. “It sounded too Native American. I mean, forget the fact that I actually am Native American. They didn’t want there to be anything about me that wasn’t blandly generic, from my name to my face to my music. And that’s exactly what they’ve got!

  “But e
nough about me. Even I’m sick of hearing myself whine about being a successful pop star,” Karina finished ruefully, “I’m going to steal a stereotype from my Native American brethren and pass the talking stick. What’s going on with your snowboarding career, Sam?”

  Samantha smiled ruefully, “Well, wanting to turn you into something you’re not must be a disease that’s going around, with the only people susceptible to it being record label execs and sports agents!”

  Amanda was immediately concerned, “What do they want to turn you into, Sammi?”

  “Oh, they want me to be the snowboarding Anna Kournikova. They want to play up my sex appeal. Which I don’t even think I have! I’m sporty, not sexy! They want me to pose for magazine covers in a bikini next to my snowboard. That’s not me. When I get on a snowboard, it’s to kick some ass, not to show mine.”

  Lauren looked thoughtful, “How are you handling that?”

  “Well, for now, I’m just concentrating as hard as I can on my training, and drowning out their buzzing to the best of my ability. They’ve been upping the pressure, slowly but surely though, and I’m almost afraid they’re wearing me down. Don’t be surprised if you see me actually competing in a bikini by this time next year, girls!

  “But, I’m with Karina. Enough about me. Laur, you’re the last one. How is the world of high end real estate on the oh-so-glamorous isle of Manhattan treating you?”

  “Oh, you know how real estate is,” Lauren waffled, “Ups and downs. You’re only as good as your last deal. Everything’s cyclical. But I can’t tell you how great it feels to be called ‘Laur’ again. It must have been 10 years since someone’s called me that!”

  Amanda’s nurturing radar was put on high alert by Lauren’s non-answer, but before she could delve deeper and find out what was really going on with her friend, the front door opened.

  “Really, Amanda,” said a judgmental voice from the entryway, “You can’t just leave your front door unlocked like that, who knows what unsavory element could just come waltzing right in...”

  Geoffrey trailed off as he looked up and saw the room full of women looking back at him.

  “Hi!” Karina chirped, “We’re the unsavory element! And you are?”

  Amanda jumped up and rushed to Geoffrey’s side, giving him a peck on the cheek that he did nothing to acknowledge, not even bend down to make it easier for her. “Oh, Geoffrey, these are my absolute best friends from high school! Karina, Lauren, Samantha - this is my boyfriend, Geoffrey Lancaster.”

  “Hey!” Karina said in greeting, “That’s awfully formal. We were just talking about nicknames. Does anybody ever call you Jeff, or maybe JJ?”

  Geoffrey looked as though he were smelling something faintly nauseating. “My name is spelled with a G. G-E-O-F-F-R-E-Y.”

  Karina nodded. “Does anyone call you Go Free?”

  Amanda jumped in, “She’s only kidding. Karina likes to joke.”

  Geoffrey gave Amanda a look which let her know that he was not amused.

  “Amanda,” he said to her sternly, “I was merely coming by to make sure that you are prepared for the reading of the will tomorrow. You really should be resting, not carousing.”

  “Geoffrey, really, all I’m going to do is sit and listen while Uncle Henry explains the terms of the will to me. He’s not only Daddy’s lawyer, he’s also his best friend of over 50 years, and my Godfather. I’m sure there won’t be anything shocking in it. He would have warned me. It’s hardly something I need to be well-rested for.”

  Geoffrey looked disapproving. Amanda rushed to explain more fully.

  “Plus, Geoffrey, now that my friends are here, they’ll be coming to help me and support me, so that’s even more...”

  Geoffrey looked shocked as he cut her off, “That’s hardly necessary.” He turned toward the group of women on the couch eying him suspiciously. “Really, ladies, it was good of you to come to honor Mr. Jacobs, and you are more than welcome at the memorial service in two days. But your presence will not be required at the reading of the will, which I would think is obvious. Not to mention which, I’m sure you are tired from your travels and would welcome the opportunity to rest.”

  Lauren smiled tightly, “How good of you to concern yourself with our well-being, Geoffrey,” she responded to him in the same formal language and tone with which he was addressing them, “However, we will be attending the reading of the will, as we will be attending any function this week at which Amanda may need our support. But again, it’s quite good of you to be concerned.”

  Geoffrey returned her tight smile, “Perhaps I wasn’t clear. The truth is, the reading of the will is restricted to family only. So while I said that your presence wasn’t required, out of tact and courtesy, the truth of the matter is that your presence is not welcomed.”

  Amanda turned to him, shocked, “Geoffrey! What are you saying?” She spun to face her friends, “Of course you’re welcome there. Of course I want you there!”

  Geoffrey glowered at her. “As you wish, Amanda. I was only trying to protect you. People of a certain moral persuasion do tend to come out of the woodwork, you know.” He spun and walked back down the hall.

  “Oh, they sure do!” Karina called after him in mock cheerfulness, “Bye, Go Free! See you tomorrow!” Her only answer was the solid resonance of the front door closing.

  --- ~ ---

  Amanda made her way back to her seat on the couch, humiliated. “You guys, I’m so sorry! I’m sure he didn’t mean it the way it sounded. He really does try to protect me, you know.”

  Sam snorted, “Or something.”

  Amanda sighed, “And you know, the will reading probably is going to be so boring. You don’t actually have to come if you don’t want to.”

  Lauren said, “Oh, no, we’re going to be there. Something tells me that anywhere that man doesn’t want me to be is a place that I genuinely need to be.”

  They all murmured in agreement. “Not to mention,” Karina added with a devilish grin, “It will give me one more opportunity to goad him about his name. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone so sensitive! Talk about no sense of humor.” In Karina’s world, there was no greater sin than having - GASP - no sense of humor.

  Lauren asked with trepidation, “Is Geoffrey staying here as well?”

  Amanda shook her head ruefully and looked around, “No, he doesn't think much of my house. It's much too rustic for him. He's staying down in Lake Tahoe and commuting up during the day.”

  Amanda gazed around her home along with her friends, trying to see it through Geoffrey's eyes, and through their eyes. It was a cozy two-story, four bedroom cottage, with rough-hewn wood paneling on the walls, inviting overstuffed furniture in the rooms, quilts on every bed and family photos on every wall. Yes, it was “rustic” as Geoffrey called it, but it was her home, and she loved it.

  “He's nuts,” Karina pronounced, “This place is great. I've always loved coming over here, ever since I was a kid. This house feels like it's opening up its arms to me and giving me a big hug.”

  “Exactly!” Sam agreed, “That's what I've always loved about your place, Amanda. You walk in and want to let out a sigh of relief. It's like...ahhh....HOME.”

  Lauren nodded, “I think Geoffrey is a little too highbrow for his own good. He ought to be focused on supporting you at a time like this, not creature comforts.”

  Amanda chuckled, “Look, you guys have him all wrong. This is a very stressful time. You’re not seeing him at his best.”

  “That’s true,” Sam relented, “I for one will agree to go forward with an open mind where Geoffrey is concerned. But, I gotta say, it really seemed like you guys had no real connection. Not like a connection that everyone in the room could sense. Not like with you and..”

  Karina and Lauren cut Sam off with a look. But they all knew who she was talking about.

  “No, you guys, it’s OK.” Amanda said, “I’m tired of tiptoeing around it. It happened. I loved Justin. He broke my heart. It wa
s 10 years ago. Time to move on.”

  “Well, OK, then!” Karina exclaimed, “Let’s hear the story now, since you’re not mum on the subject anymore.

  “I mean, come on. You’re in love with Justin Barnes, Hope Falls’ resident hottie, since elementary school. When he’s 15, he actually comes to live here in the bunkhouse and work at Mountain Ridge Outdoor Adventures as your Dad’s right hand man. Your love for him continues to grow, and the Greatest Romance the Sierra Nevadas Has Ever Known seems to be written in the stars!

  “Then, suddenly, right after your 17th birthday...WHOOSH! He vanishes. Never to be heard from again. And you’re, what? Too heartbroken to talk about it! No way! I’ve been dying of curiosity for 10 solid years!”

  Amanda laughed sadly. “Well, Kar, you basically just told the story. Except for one little, tiny, gigantic, significant, humiliating detail. On my 17th birthday, I threw myself at him.”

  The other three looked at her in amazement.

  Amanda nodded. “Yep. I sure did. He was 21. I was 17. In my eyes, I was a woman. We were equals. I went out to the bunkhouse. I spilled everything. I told him that I loved him, that I’d always loved him, that I thought he felt the same way. Then I kissed him. Hard. He grabbed my arms, and pushed me away. He said no, I was too young.”

  Amanda sighed and looked down at the ground, “Then comes the humiliating part.”

  “That wasn’t the humiliating part?” Karina blurted out, and Sam and Lauren hit her with the couch pillows.

  Amanda barked out a rueful laugh. “No, although you would think it would qualify. No, what I did next was so much worse. I mean, you know how it is when you’re a teenager. All you read are romance novels, you watch soap operas and romantic comedies. You think...one glimpse of my body, and he’ll be overcome! He’ll stop thinking about how wrong it is, and just be overwhelmed by desire! So I ripped off my shirt, and then - wearing only my bra on top, mind you - actually jumped up into his arms, wrapped my legs around his waist and started kissing him again.”