Shocking Sapphires - Ann Omasta Page 0,49

first time, she tore her eyes from the movie screen to look at me.

I’d written the line and said it for the recording, so we were almost in tandem as me and my cartoon character said, “I can’t physically get down on one knee, but I’m making the gesture in my heart. Molly Malone, will you make me the happiest, luckiest man in the world by agreeing to be my wife?”

Real life Molly didn’t hesitate any more than her cartoon likeness did. Almost immediately both of their voices rang out with the joyous word, “Yes!”

We hugged and shared a chaste kiss as the crowd cheered with happiness for us.

Remembering one final surprise in the movie, I pulled back from her and pointed at the screen. Molly turned her attention to it, just in time to see the Molly-fied version of the heroine lift up a beautiful wedding gown to reveal white Converse tennis shoes.

Everyone who knew Molly at all chuckled at that.

Gleeful shouts could probably be heard from the next town over when the movie ended with an animated frame that read in fancy, scrolled lettering, “Molly and Grant lived happily ever after.”

“And we’re going to,” Molly promised just before our lips found each other to seal our sweet promise of forever.

Epilogue - Molly

I couldn’t believe my girlfriends had tricked me. They had told me the party tonight was the inaugural meeting of our book club, but it was actually a surprise bridal shower.

Once I got over the shock of seeing Levi’s bakery, which was closed for the evening, decorated all for me, I asked, “So, I read that whole awful book for nothing?”

My friends cackled at that, enjoying having ‘gotten’ me.

After we ate the delicious, fresh blueberry muffins Levi had left for us, we played some ridiculous games. When it was present time, my cheeks flushed red hot at some of the gorgeous, lacy, and barely-there lingerie my friends had bought for me.

Each time I opened something sexy, there were catcalls, whistles, and assurances of how much Grant would love seeing me in it. I didn’t comment because I didn’t want to brag, but I had no doubt that my husband-to-be would be a fan of the skimpy wisps of fabric. His appetite for my body was proving to be as insatiable as mine for his.

As the party started to wind down, several of the women left. Soon, it was just me, Avery, Dani, Claire, Meg, and Josie relaxing at a table together.

“I don’t want this fun girls’ night to end,” Claire said before admitting, “It’s so nice having the guys watch the kids.”

“It sure is,” Josie agreed before taking a generous sip from her wine glass.

I gave Jo a warm smile. We would probably never be the best of friends, but I was finding it impossible not to like the down-to-earth woman. Besides, if Claire could manage to be friendly with her, despite their twisted history together, then I certainly could.

Avery said, “Well, I don’t have a man or kids, so I guess I could do this every night… if I wanted to do it alone.”

“Your time will come,” I promised her, feeling bad for my friend’s loneliness, but confident in my words.

Dani filled in the silence by offering again, “Are you sure you don’t want me to sing at the wedding? I’ll be happy to.”

“No!” I half-shouted at my ridiculous sister-in-law.

A couple of the ladies gave me wide-eyed looks, so I justified my vehemence by saying, “For some strange reason Kevin Durley liked her singing, so he kept having her screech “You are my Sunshine” while he held us hostage in that cave. It really was the worst part about my captivity.”

Dani balled a napkin up and tossed it at me before asking, “What was the best part––getting a scar on your head that matches mine?”

“Mm-hmm, twinsies,” I joked with her.

Claire’s tone was serious when she said, “I wasn’t going to bring it up, but do you guys know what date it is?” Without waiting for us, she answered her own question, “It’s the anniversary of the date they locked up that madman for good.”

Dani and I both reached across the table to hold Claire’s hand. The three of us shared a tragedy in common that most people would never understand. We’d all been kidnapped by Kevin Durley. He’d held Claire the longest, but Dani and I were the only people in town who came close to being able to grasp the kinds of horrors she’d been