Aviva said nothing as she stared at Lux with an incredulous look and a hand on her hip.
“You’re welcome; my grandmother always said the best way to start the day was with a bowl of Pap.”
“What’s that?” MacKenzie asked.
After she finished explaining, Aviva dropped a bag of cornmeal in front of her.
“Girl, what are you waiting for, get cooking. I haven’t had cornmeal porridge since I was a kid.”
“Pap!” Lux corrected.
“Different Island, different name but it still sounds like cornmeal porridge to me,” Aviva countered. “I don’t care what you call it, the question is; can you cook it?”
After their talk at the restaurant, it took this moment for Lux to feel a shift in Aviva’s attitude towards her. Unable to keep a grin from spreading across her face, she moved over to the sink to wash her hands before she started cooking.
The women worked together even though they all good naturedly vied for use of the stove. When they were finished, Lux was shocked at the amount of food on the table.
“Are the men joining us?”
“Hell no, this is just for us,” MacKenzie said with a wink. “They’re out doing manly things that translates into them hiding from getting involved in the party planning. They won’t be back for a while; so eat up.”
Lux was amazed at the amount of food MacKenzie consumed. When a random thought occurred to her, she asked it out loud. “Are you pregnant, MacKenzie?”
MacKenzie paused just as she was about to bite into a strip of crispy bacon. The look that passed between MacKenzie and Aviva made her wish she’d kept her mouth shut. There was a look of sadness in Aviva’s eyes that only lasted for the briefest of moments, but it was no less poignant.
“Yes, I am. I’m nearly three months along.”
“Oh, Kenzie, I’m so pleased for you and Jake,” Aviva said as she got up and hugged her friend.
“It will happen for you as well, honey, I know it will,” MacKenzie assured a teary eyed Aviva.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Aviva asked ignoring her comment as she retook her seat.
Lux watched on in silence as MacKenzie broke eye contact with her friend. “With the wedding and now this party, I just thought...”
“Don’t do that MacKenzie, never do that to me. I’m first and foremost your friend, and I will always be happy for any blessing you receive. Just don’t lie to me, and for goodness sake, don’t pity me!”
“I don’t pit –”
“Yes, you do and I don’t appreciate it!”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to cause–”
“There’s no need to apologize, you did nothing wrong,” Aviva assured, looking at Lux.
“Does your choice of words mean that I did something wrong?”
“The information about your pregnancy was yours to tell, when you and Jake thought best.”
“Stop being so damn magnanimous it doesn’t suit you!”
“Piss off you freckled face cow,” Aviva threw back.
“Oh no, you did not just go there!” MacKenzie said picking up a spoon loaded with grits.
“Throw that and I’m going to take you out, pregnancy or no pregnancy.”
“Say sorry,” MacKenzie ordered.
“Hell no!”
“Last warning, or I’m going to cover you in...”
MacKenzie trailed off, as the spoon was snatched out of her hand. “You ladies are way too old to be having a food fight. From what I can see, you’re as bad as each other.” Lux told them holding the offending piece of cutlery out of reach.
“Shut the hell up,” MacKenzie shouted, just as Aviva launched a glob of porridge that scored a direct hit to Lux’s face.
“Does this mean I’m now initiated into the sisterhood?” She asked as she wiped her face.
“Yes,” MacKenzie said.
“Maybe,” Aviva voiced at the same time.
Chapter 16
For Lux, the party was bittersweet. Somewhere during the proceedings it occurred to her if she’d made different choices, she too could have what the other wives so obviously did. A husband who adored her.
Feeling a little sorry for herself, she was surprised when Aviva and MacKenzie approached her. When her sisters-in-law pulled her towards them and held on to her, she couldn’t prevent the tears that pooled in her eyes.
“Don’t worry, sweet, we’ve got your back,” MacKenzie smiled as they all swayed in time to the music.
Looking over at Aviva, Lux wasn’t surprised that she wasn’t as forthcoming as MacKenzie.
“For the time being, you’re okay,” Aviva finally said with a cheeky grin. “And for the record, Josh is being a complete dick. So we’ll just ignore him. In the meantime, you can show me that move you just laid on your last dance partner. I know Jason will like it, and you need to remember this... Josh will love it!”
Before she could stop herself, Lux responded to Aviva.” Do you have that on good authority?” The moment she spoke she wanted to retract her words.
“That comment is one of the reasons you and I can’t get along.” Aviva snapped back as she stopped dancing, looked Lux up and down and walked away.