Mitzi laughed out loud. “That’s too funny.”

Paula giggled with her. “You should’ve told us you wanted to go back out there again. We would’ve gone with you.”

“I needed to go alone.” In one way Jody was glad that she had gone alone, but in another she wished that her friends had been with her so they could render an opinion of Quincy. “I should have at least had part of the money from the sale. Don’t seem fair that I worked and made more than Lyle did most years, and yet, he gets everything but a leaky trailer and a couple of worn-out lawn chairs.”

“I mean about Quincy. Did you feel an attraction to him? Sounds like he is a nice-lookin’ guy,” Mitzi asked.

“Who even cares? I’ll never see him again,” Jody said.

“Crap!” Mitzi said.

“What?” Jody cocked her head to one side.

“I wanted you to say that you were intrigued by this Quincy guy,” Mitzi answered.

“It hasn’t even been two weeks since Lyle left. I’m not a bit interested in any man right now, not even a rebound. Besides, we’ve got your love life to worry about and a new baby coming into the family. This is not the time for a romance for me,” Jody declared.

Guilt poured down on Mitzi like hard rain. Even if they were putting up a good front, both her friends were still hurting. What right did she have to be happy that she’d shared a kiss with her old crush? Telling them about it was like rubbing their faces in her happiness.

“Why the sudden long face?” Jody asked.

Paula laid a hand on Mitzi’s shoulder. “Don’t let us rain on your day. We made our choices and we’re living with the consequences. We’re happy for you.”

Jody’s head bobbed up and down. “Of course we are. We want to hear about you and Graham. It puts a little ray of hope and sunshine in our lives.”

“Here’s to the future.” Paula laid her hand on the table. “Y’all with me?”

“To the future.” Mitzi put hers on top of Paula’s.

“Amen.” Jody added hers to the pile.

Then, like they did when they were little girls, they all jerked their hands free and high-fived each other.

“I know we said we weren’t working on Sunday, but let’s break the rules. I’m going downstairs to finish up the hem on Ellie Mae’s dress,” Paula said.

“I’ll go with you.” Jody stood up. “I can always bead a veil. That job takes a lot of time, and when I’m working, I’m not fretting.”

“Well, I’m not sitting up here all alone all evening. I’ll work on a pink-satin quilt for the new baby.” Mitzi tossed her empty cup into a nearby trash can.