An Invincible Summer (Wyndham Beach), Mariah Stewart [best classic novels TXT] 📗

“I’m sure he has excellent financial advisers,” Liddy pointed out.

“He mentioned he had someone who’d come highly recommended.”

“Nothing to worry about then,” Maggie assured her.

“You know what? We should go to one of his concerts sometime. The three of us together. Want to?” Emma looked from Maggie to Liddy.

“Of course,” Liddy replied without hesitation.

“I’m in.” Maggie toasted the idea with the last of her drink.

“Great. I’ll call Chris and check the tour schedule. We’ll see what date is best for each of us, and he can arrange it. Now, there’s something fun to look forward to.” She paused. “But you have to give me your solemn word: you will not remove articles of clothing to toss onto the stage.”

“You have my word,” Maggie promised. “No clothing, no condoms. Maybe a box of Junior Mints, though. I remember he loved those.”

Emma smiled. “Still his favorite. I put a box in his Christmas stocking every year.”

Liddy’s face lit up. “It’ll be such fun. Imagine the three of us rocking away in the front row, singing along with the band.”

“I’ll have to download some of his songs so I can sing, too.” Maggie hadn’t kept up with Chris’s band over the past several years. All she knew was what she’d heard from Emma and from her daughter. “Natalie will be so jealous.”

“She can go sometime on her own. I’m sure Chris would love to see her again. But this trip will be for us.” Liddy picked up the pitcher and stood. “This calls for another round of margaritas. I’ll be right back.”

Maggie mused over what Chris might think, gazing down from the stage into a sea of adoring young female faces and finding not only his mother front and center, but her two oldest friends as well. “You think he’ll be embarrassed?”

Emma waved a hand dismissively. “He’ll love it. Trust me, nothing could be more embarrassing for him than the shenanigans that went on during the four days I spent at his house in LA last year. Even with his security, there were groupies climbing over the back fence day and night, sneaking into the house, hiding in his bedroom. One day, in broad daylight, a girl followed us home from the market, stripped naked right in front of me, then dove into the pool. And that’s not the worst of it.”

“Just what you want to see.” Maggie grinned at the mental image that popped up in her head.

“I asked Chris what he’d have done if I hadn’t been there, and he just laughed. I imagine he’s leading quite the life.” Emma shook her head almost imperceptibly. “Actually, I don’t want to imagine it. If he’s skinny-dipping with strangers or . . . whatever else . . . I don’t want to know. It’s his life, and I guess that all comes with the territory. Still, you know, you’d hope your son would be big enough to rise above it.”

Maggie got up and opened the door for Liddy, who appeared to be struggling with another tray of snacks in one hand and a full pitcher in the other.

“Thanks, Mags.” Liddy set the tray and the pitcher on the table. “We have some spicy Asian chicken thing I admit I bought frozen, and sweet-and-sour meatballs. Eat up, girls. This is what’s passing for dinner tonight.”

“Yum. This is perfect. Thank you.” Maggie reached for a pick and speared a meatball.

Emma did the same as she continued on her rant. “Chris just turned thirty-three. Time to grow up. Meet a nice girl. Be responsible.”

Maggie and Liddy looked at each other, then laughed.

“Em, my sweet, Chris is living his best life right now. A life any man under the age of, oh, maybe eighty would envy,” Liddy said as she replenished the cracker tray from a box she’d brought out.

“I want him to settle down. Have children. I want to be a grandmother,” Emma grumbled. “I want him to come home.”

“Ahhh, there’s the heart of it.” Maggie nodded knowingly. “You want him to come home.”

“I can’t help it. I’m a widow and he’s my only child. Can you imagine how it feels to have one child that you almost never see?”

“Yes.” Liddy refilled everyone’s glass, including her own. “I had one child, and I will never see her again.”

“Oh God, I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking.” Emma’s hand flew to her mouth.

“It’s okay, Em.”

“I swear, I just wasn’t thinking. I wasn’t comparing Chris touring with his band to Jessie.” Emma appeared close to tears.

“Sweetie, I know,” Liddy assured her. “Whatever the reason, we’re both missing our kids, and living alone. Though the living alone part isn’t so bad most of the time.”

Emma nodded her agreement. “To be honest, I have to admit I don’t miss Harry so much anymore. I mean, it has been eight years since he died. You adjust after a while.”

“I’m still adjusting,” Maggie admitted as she placed some brie on a cracker.

“Art’s only been gone for two years. Of course you still miss him. But for me? No adjustment needed. I’m still angry. For all I know, Jim might have wanted a divorce for years, but his timing was just plain shitty.” Liddy stabbed a celery stick into the dip with the vengeance of one spearing an elusive fish. One year and one day after their daughter had taken her life, Liddy’s husband had walked out and wasted no time filing for divorce. “Jerk. And that’s the nicest thing I can think to call him.”

“That was a low blow,” Maggie said softly.

“Insult to injury,” Emma agreed.

“Kicked me while I was down.” Liddy forced a half smile. “I can’t think of any more clichés, but we all obviously agree it was a crappy thing for him to do.”

“Have you heard from him at all?” Maggie asked.

“He sent me a card on my birthday. If I hadn’t ripped it up and set fire to it, I’d share it with you.” She took a vengeful bite from the celery stick and chewed. “It was totally generic. Like a