Fat Fridays Read Online Free PDF Page A

never even looked up at her.
    Sighing, Tiffany cleaned up the lunch dishes. Her thoughts wandered to her friends in the Fat Fridays group. Thinking of the way Sukie Skidmore’s face had lit up at the mention of her daughter and hearing how close they were, a thought came to her. Maybe Sukie was someone who would listen, really listen, to her. And then she’d know how to make things better.
    Tiffany went upstairs to the master bedroom, where Beau couldn’t hear her, and picked up the phone. Her palms turned sweaty as she punched in the numbers on her cell and paced the thick green carpeting.
    Sukie answered after two rings. “Hello?”
    Too nervous to speak, Tiffany almost hung up. 
    “Hello?” Sukie said again.
    Tiffany cleared her throat. “Hi, it’s me. Tiffany Wright.” Her dry tongue had trouble working. “I know we just met but I need to talk to you. Do you think...what I mean is...do you want to have lunch? Just the two of us?” Tiffany’s stomach scrunched as she waited for Sukie’s response.
    “Tiffany? Lunch? How...how nice!” Sukie’s voice was full of surprise.
    Tiffany pressed on. “Could we meet for lunch sometime this week?”
    Sukie paused. “I don’t see why not.”
    Tiffany let out the breath she’d been holding. “I really need to talk to someone like you about a private matter. I’m taking a personal day off from work on Wednesday. How about meeting me then? Could you?”
    There was another scary moment of silence.
    “That’ll be fine,” Sukie said smoothly. “Why don’t I pick you up at, say, eleven o’clock?”
    Tiffany’s knees weakened with relief. She gave Sukie directions to her house and hung up. Maybe talking to someone like Sukie would help her straighten out her life. She hoped so. Without it, she didn’t know what she’d do.

CHAPTER FOUR
LYNN
    L ynn Hodges unlocked the door to her small, top-floor apartment and walked inside, happy tomorrow was Saturday and she’d be able to sleep in. Glancing around, she sighed happily. She loved being in her own, safe place. She’d moved around a lot over the years, but thoughts of permanently settling down in Williston had begun to fill her mind. Until now, she hadn’t found a town good enough to think of staying put. 
    Williston was a small friendly town north of Atlanta, not so small you had to travel for miles and miles for your basic needs. She’d even allowed herself to make friends here, friends who had no idea what she was hiding.
    Lynn tucked her purse in a kitchen cupboard, thinking of the ladies in the Fat Fridays group. They were real nice women who didn’t realize how much it meant to her that they’d welcomed her, a loner.
    Her hand brushed the back of her favorite over-stuffed chair as she passed by. Walking through the home she’d made for herself, Lynn felt like a kid at Christmas. At that whimsical idea, she shook her head. Truth be told, that fat old man hadn’t shown up very often in her life. That’s just the way it’d always been for her. 
    She tiptoed over to the sliding glass door leading to the small balcony off the living room and drew the drapes as tight as she could. It would be dark soon and she didn’t like knowing anyone could look inside.
    Kicking off her shoes, Lynn turned on the television and went into her bedroom to change clothes.
    In her blue terrycloth robe, she prepared to settle down for a cozy evening in front of a movie. Something sweet. No murder mysteries for her. Sitting on the second-hand couch, glancing around the space that had become home to her, she could imagine living there for many years to come.
    If, only.

CHAPTER FIVE
CAROL ANN
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    C arol Ann Mobley remained in her bedroom for as long as she could. Most people couldn’t wait for the weekends. She couldn’t wait for the work week to begin again. Striking a pose in front of the mirror over her dresser, Carol Ann spread her lips into a smile and arched her eyebrows to make her eyes look