Certain it would please Colette immensely if they left, Kelly held her ground. “I’m not done yet,” she said quietly.

Sitting up straight in the tall back chair, Kelly put her hand over top of Nicole’s on the table. “Dad drove trucks for ten years. When I turned thirteen, and wanted to earn some pocket money, I would go to work with dad on the weekend and scrub his milk tanker. It was at the depot that I met this wonderful person.”

Kelly squeezed Nicole’s hand recalling the sullen teenager she’d seen sitting in her father’s truck reading a book while he scrubbed it clean.

Spotting Kelly, Nicole had climbed down from the cab, strolled across the yard, and introduced herself. After a brief chat, Nicole turned to walk away. The second her back was turned, Kelly had squirted her with a hose.

As outraged as Nicole had been at the time, over the next month they met up every Saturday morning, and within six months they were inseparable. Despite living on opposite sides of town and going to different schools not a day went by when they weren’t in touch.

“Awe, how sweet.” Grace smiled.

Ashleigh nodded in agreement.

Colette scowled.

Paula sipped her wine and Kelly would’ve given anything to know the thoughts running through her head.

“Every job has its merits,” Kelly stated.

“Right,” Nicole agreed before completely killing the mood.

The way her leg jiggled up and down, brushing against Kelly’s, should’ve alerted Kelly to the fact that even though Nicole was smiling, Colette’s attitude had left her simmering.

Nicole glanced around the room then settled her gaze on Colette. “My mother works at an old folk’s home.”

“Oh, is she an R.N.?” Colette asked, her smile so fake it might as well have been painted on.

Aware Nicole’s mother wasn’t a registered nurse, Kelly braced herself for Nicole’s response.

“My mother’s a caregiver and while she might not have any fancy titles or degrees, the world is a better place because of people like her.” She shot daggers at Colette with her eyes. “I have far more respect for someone who is paid shit to clean up shit than for someone who gets to where they are by kissing their boss’s arse.”

“That’s enough,” Paula warned, her voice deathly quiet.

The tension in the room was so thick it was palpable. Kelly’s mind raced along with her pulse. She couldn’t recall ever feeling so uncomfortable.

A chair screeched, and Nicole pushed back from the table. She stood, turned her back to Colette and faced Paula head on. “Thank you for the dinner invitation. Sorry for speaking out of line.” She glanced down at Kelly and gave her a sad smile. “Clearly I don’t belong here.”

“No kidding,” Colette mumbled under her breath.