Sweet Dreams on Center Street Read Online Free PDF Page A

her some of that ChocoVine. It tastes just
like Baileys. You’ll like it,” she informed Samantha. “Trust me.”
    â€œâ€˜Trust me’—isn’t that what worthless old Richard said to you?”
quipped her sister.
    Charley scowled. “Yes, he did.” She picked up more pictures of
her ex and sprinkled them over the fire. “Here, baby, make yourself useful.”
    All the women sent up a cheer, including Samantha. Even as she
did, she thought of her mother, probably sitting home in that yellow leather
chair of hers, wishing Waldo was still alive. But there was leaving and there
was leaving. Waldo hadn’t left voluntarily. Richard had opted for a dishonorable
discharge from marriage, taking off with the hostess from Zelda’s.
    Either way, though, both women had wound up on their own. When
it came right down to it, Samantha concluded, the one person a girl could count
on was herself.
    â€œSo,” Cass said, raising her glass after Rita had returned to
the fire. “To a new and better future for our girl here.”
    â€œTo a new and better future,” they all echoed and drank.
    â€œAnd to never having to watch another football game,” Cass
added.
    â€œI’ll drink to that,” said Maria. “My boyfriend.” She rolled
her eyes. “One of these days he’s going to turn into a football.”
    â€œBetter than turning into a cheater.” Charley threw another
pile of photos on the fire. “I am so glad I found out what kind of man Richard
really was before I wasted another twelve years on him.”
    â€œTwelve years is a long time,” Amy said.
    For a moment Charley’s eyes glistened with tears but she lifted
her chin and said, “Too long, and I’m not wasting so much as a minute missing
that man. He can have his new woman and his new restaurant in the city.
Seattle’s loss is my gain. And I have the bed all to
myself now.”
    â€œI’m jealous,” her sister murmured.
    â€œI can watch as many episodes of What Not
to Wear as I want,” Charlie continued, “leave the dishes in the sink
and spend my money however I decide. And I bet I’ve lost more weight than anyone
here.”
    â€œYou do look great,” Samantha agreed.
    â€œYou would, too, if you’d lost a hundred and fifty-five pounds
of dead weight,” Charley cracked, “and good riddance.”
    â€œYou know, I never liked him,” Cass said.
    â€œMe, neither,” Charley’s sister threw in.
    â€œWhy didn’t you guys say something?” Charley demanded. “No,
never mind, don’t answer that. I probably wouldn’t have listened.”
    â€œLove is blind,” Cass said. “And dumb.”
    As the night went on the women shared memories, collecting
evidence that Richard the defector was indeed nothing but a rat. The wine flowed
and the party got increasingly loud, especially when Charley cranked up the CD
and the women started singing at the top of their lungs to “Before He Cheats,”
“Over It” and “I Can Do Better.”
    Finally a neighbor a couple of houses away hollered, “Shut up
over there,” and everyone giggled.
    The food and drink was consumed and the fire had flickered down
to embers and the women remembered they had to work the following day. Charley
smiled around the circle at all of them. “Thanks for coming, you guys, and for
helping me feel positive about the future.”
    â€œYou’re always positive about the future,” Heidi said. “I’m not
sure I could be if I was in your shoes.”
    Samantha doubted Heidi—with a husband who adored her and an
adorable baby—would ever have to worry about that.
    Charley managed a shrug. “There were a few times this past year
when I didn’t feel very positive at all. But you know what? I’m taking back my
life. I’ve got a lot of years ahead of me and I intend