Page 1 of Last Call (Open Tab #5)

Riley opened her eyes to find Owen’s face less than an inch from hers.

“Mommy.”

Riley squinted.

“Mommy!”

“Yes, Owen?”

“Wake up, Mommy.”

“I’m awake.” Now . She listened for Fallon. “Where’s Momma? Is she in the other room?”

Owen jumped on the bed.

“Owen, where’s Momma?”

“Downstairs.”

Riley tried to understand. “Downstairs?”

“Getting juice,” he explained.

She must’ve gone to get breakfast. Riley propped herself up with her pillow. “You’re excited.”

“Yep.”

“Why are you so excited?” Riley asked.

“Gwama’s coming.”

I must be missing something. “Grandma is already here.”

“Yep.”

“Owen, what do you mean, Grandma is coming?”

“With Momma.”

Riley rubbed her eyes.

“Momma!”

Fallon walked through the door. “That’s me.” She handed Riley a cup of coffee. “Did you fall back to sleep?”

“Back to sleep?” Riley questioned.

“Riley, I told you I was going to get coffee.”

“You did?”

“You really were tired.”

Andi strolled into the room. “Hey.”

“Andi?”

Andi looked down at herself. “I think so.”

“What are you doing here?”

“Good morning to you, too,” Andi poked. “Did you forget we agreed I’d come spend the morning here?”

“How many Mai Tais did I drink?” Riley asked.

“A few,” Fallon said. “Hungover?”

“No. Fuzzy, though,” Riley confessed.

“The coffee should help,” Fallon said. She grabbed her suitcase.

“Going somewhere?” Riley asked.

“Yeah, to meet Billie.”

“Did we all agree to this last night?” Riley asked.

“We did,” Fallon replied.

“And I was there?”

Andi laughed. She held out her hand for Owen. “What do you say you and I take a walk down to the beach?”

Owen jumped into Andi’s arms.

“I guess that’s a yes.”

Riley started to protest. “Andi.”

“Fallon,” Andi began. “Would you get Owen’s shoes on?” she requested.

“Come on, buddy.”

Andi took a seat on the edge of the bed. “Are you okay?”

“I don’t know.”

“You were a little upset last night.”

Riley sighed with regret. “I’m sorry I dropped that on you.”

“I’m not.”

“Andi…”

Andi’s gentle smile brought tears to Riley’s eyes.

“I don’t know how to tell Fallon,” Riley said.

“Just tell her the truth, Riley. You don’t want to go to San Diego.”

“I don’t.”

“Then you need to tell her that,” Andi said.

“I’m sorry about last night.”

“Why?”

“Because this week is about you, Andi.”

“Riley, there will never be a time when you can’t talk to me. There isn’t anything that could happen in my life that would change that.”

“I don’t want to rain my issues on your wedding.”

Riley’s tears spilled over. Andi moved to pull her close. “It’s okay,” Andi said. “Tell Fallon. She’ll understand. You need to tell her. Don’t skirt the issue to appease her.”

“Tell me what?”

Andi smiled at Riley. “Fallon, give us a minute, okay?”

Fallon ducked back out of the room.

“I want you to listen to me right now. You didn’t rain on my wedding.

How would you do that? By telling me you want Owen to be surrounded by our family?

You know better than that. Tell Fallon. I’m going to take Owen for a walk along the beach.

When we get back, the three of us will have breakfast. Okay?

We’ll find something to do for a few hours before we have to get dressed. You decide.”

“Me? We should do what you want to do?”

“I want to be with you and Owen until it’s time.

That’s what I want to do. Fallon will keep Billie occupied.

This isn’t an extravagant event,” Andi reminded Riley.

“It’s me and Billie with our family. That’s exactly the way we both want it.

Now, drink your coffee and talk to your wife.

” Andi kissed Riley’s forehead. She made her way to the other room.

“Come on, Owen. Let’s go see if there are any shells along the beach.

” She whispered in Fallon’s ear. “Make sure you listen to what she says.”

Fallon let Andi out of the room and made her way back to Riley. “Want to tell me what that was all about?”

Riley patted the bed. “Sit down, Fallon.”

“Do I need to?”

“No. I’d like you to sit with me.”

“Does this have anything to do with why you and Andi disappeared for a while last night?”

“I don’t want to go to San Diego.”

“You don’t want to see Mary.”

“No. I don’t. I know you think I need to try to ease the tension between us.

Fallon, there’s always been tension between us.

At least, there has been for me. I love Mary.

I do. But I don’t love the way she makes me feel.

I told you that when we were planning our wedding.

There isn’t anything I can say, or you can do that will change who my sister is.

There isn’t. My parents will tell you that.

I’ve spent my entire life meeting Mary where she exists.

I don’t want to do it anymore. And I don’t want to expose Owen to it.

Yes, she’s his family. He doesn’t need her energy around him.

I don’t want it around him. This is his family.

This is our family. Not just you and me. I…”

“Okay.”

Riley didn’t expect Fallon to agree. “Okay?”

“I want you to be happy. That’s all,” Fallon said. “I’m sorry I pushed. I just don’t ever want you to regret not seeing her.”

“I know. Maybe I will someday. Mary is welcome to visit me where I live. It’s time she meets me where I exist. That’s honestly how I feel.

I love my family, Fallon—the one I grew up knowing.

My parents are wonderful people. But sometimes I think what I miss most is what I wanted our family to be.

They’re part of my life. They’re not part of every day for me or Owen.

And I told you before, that started long before I moved to Whiskey Springs. ”

“I know.”

“Does that hurt? It does if you want me to be honest. I think it always will—just a little. One person can’t change a relationship, no matter how hard they try.

Mary doesn’t see a need for her to change anything—not the way she talks to me or sees my life.

That isn’t about you. It’s always been that way.

It caused a lot of stress in our family—for my parents too.

I don’t need to grieve for something I never had because I have it now.

I have it with you. We have it with Andi and Billie, and your mom, even with the boys.

I accept that what I didn’t have with my parents and Mary will always sting a bit.

But it doesn’t have to hurt anymore. And I never want Owen to feel the way I did. Not ever.”

Fallon’s lips met Riley’s tenderly. “I understand.”

“You’re not mad?”

“No. Does that mean we can stay in Hawaii for a few more days?”

Riley laughed. “I suppose it does.”

“I don’t want you to be afraid to tell me what you need,” Fallon said. “If I’m not listening, do what my mom does and smack me.”

“Your mom never smacked you.”

“She did. A few times. With a kitchen towel. That thing had snap!”

“Thank you for understanding.”

“Out of curiosity, what are you going to tell Mary?”

“The truth.”

“I have to admit,” Fallon said. “I thought you’d be nervous.”

Billie buttoned her blouse and shrugged. “I just want to put the ring on her finger.”

“You don’t say?”

“Are you two coming or what?” Dave asked.

“Are we going somewhere?” Fallon teased.

“Mom and Riley are already down there with Owen.”

“Probably because Owen wanted to go to the beach,” Billie said. She smoothed out her blouse and grabbed the key to the hotel suite. “We’ll be there in a minute,” she told Dave.

He hovered in the doorway.

“That was my way of telling you to leave,” she said with a chuckle. “We’ll be right there.”

“Hurry up,” he said.

“Geez, you’d think it was his wedding,” Billie remarked.

“What’s up?” Fallon asked.

“I want to give you something.”

“Me?”

“Yeah.” Billie handed Fallon a box.

“What’s this?”

“Just open the damn thing, will you?”

“Billie…” Fallon lifted a necklace from the box that held a charm with two hands joined at the pinkie finger.

“Remember way back—we made a pinky promise.”

“I remember.”

“You kept it all those years,” Billie said. “My secret.”

“Billie…”

“And you stayed my friend through everything.”

Fallon nodded.

“I’ve never been one to consider one friend more important than another. But the truth is, you’ve been my closest friend since we were kids. I don’t think there’s anyone who knows more about me except Andi. I know—well, I know it’s been a little weird. Me with Andi.”

“Not really,” Fallon said.

“Come on, Fallon. It was a little weird at first.”

“Maybe. It’s no stranger than Andi and Riley’s relationship,” Fallon said.

“Maybe not. You know what I mean.”

“I do,” Fallon admitted.

“We promised no matter what, we’d always have each other’s backs. I want you to know it still applies,” Billie said.

“It goes both ways, Billie.” Fallon and Billie’s relationship wasn’t demonstrative. They didn’t hug. They rarely touched. Not since they shared a tentative kiss as kids that sent Billie’s life into a spiral. Fallon reached out and hugged Billie. “I’m happy for you.”

“Thanks.”

Fallon fastened the necklace. “Let’s go. If we don’t get down there, Dave’s likely to send a search party.”

Billie laughed. “Wait till it’s his turn.”

“I say we start planning now.”

“This will be fun.”

Simple. Andi wanted things to be simple.

No fuss. No fancy flowers or pricey photographers.

Jacob was more skilled with a camera than anyone she could hire.

Experience told Andi that most of the photos people came to cherish weren’t posed or polished.

Snapshots of memories usually found their way to living room mantles.

She carried a pastel bouquet of local flowers that complemented the classic ivory beaded dress she wore.

Andi defined elegance. She exchanged a smile with Billie—the kind of smile that curls your toes as much as your lips.

Everything was quiet as she began to speak her vows.