The next day Em took Reny to the doctor. It turned out that Reny’s bleeding was very light and actually almost normal. The doctor did tell her to take it easy and that if it ever got worse to call him immediately. So, it had been a false alarm after all and everything was going to be all right. Both babies and mother were doing well and the doctor was pleased with the progress. On the way home Reny smiled almost guiltily at Em.
“I guess I was worried about nothing.” Em smiled at her.
“Hey, I’m glad it was nothing. Now, not only do we know for sure that everybody is ok, but I have a week long vacation.” Reny laughed.
“I didn’t think about that. We should hang out like we used to.”
“Damn straight. But first we’re going to call our husbands and tell them everything’s ok.”
“You’re sure Scottie doesn’t know?’
“I’m sure. But he’ll be glad to hear from you anyway. And I know Anton’s worried. Mae’s worried too.”
“She’s the one that drove you home from the airport, right?”
“Yeah, she was going to come in, but she had Cameron with her.”
“Ah.” Reny turned on the radio and one of Spark’s songs came on.
“Ugh, turn it off Re.” Em groaned. She had never gotten used to listening to her own voice on the radio.
“No way.” Renee laughed. “Let’s sing to it, like karaoke. Come on Emmy, this week is going to be just like it used to be, cheesy pop songs and all.” Reny began to do the dance that had gone along with the song and sang along. Em couldn’t help but join in, doing her best to dance while keeping the car on the road.
“That was a blast from the past from Spark, called ‘Dance With Me’. Up next we have some more great hits from the early 2000’s on XL 106.7.” The dj’s voice filled the car. Renee turned it down.
“What are Mae and Jacks up to today?”
“I’m not sure, I think Jacks is working with that new artist of hers. But I don’t know what Mae’s doing.”
“I say we have a girl’s night out. Andy can watch Cammers. I’ll be fun.”
“Good idea.” Em said pulling into the driveway. The two women got out of the car and went into the house; both remembering the good times they used to have all together.
****Flashback****
The Florida sun was bright and very hot that day, but the five girls on the beach were loving every second of it. Em and Jacks lay on towels trying to get tanned. Mae and Reny were playing beach volleyball, and Kit had just run off after a particularly good-looking guy.
“I gave Mike your demo the other day.” Jacks said as nonchalantly as she could knowing Em would freak. Jaclyn had been working as an intern for Mike Truthful, an internationally known music manager. Emmiline and Renee had been secretly wishing Jaclyn would give him the demo of their music, but weren’t pushy enough to actually say anything yet. After all, they’d only been working on their stuff for about six months.
“You’re kidding, right?” Em asked.
“Nope. He said he’d give it a listen over the weekend, which by my calculations is, gasp, right about now.” Jacks giggled as Em jumped up.
“Oh…my…GOD!” She yelled. Half the beach turned to look at her. Mae missed the ball, Reny just looked at her weird, and Kit came sprinting back from her guy.
“What’s going on?” Kit asked. “I was about to get my grove on.” The others began to laugh but Em cut them off.
“Jacks gave Mike our demo.” She turned to face Reny. “He’s listening to it this weekend!” Em and Reny screamed and ran to hug each other, then pounced on Jacks who tried to defend herself against the barrage of hugs. Mae and Kit joined in, happy for their friends. When the storm of happiness was over they all lay in the sand, not really knowing what to say next.
“What if this is it?” Renee asked, breaking the silence. Kit chimed in;
“This is it, I can feel it peeps. It’s…” They all finished with her.
“FATE!” The girls burst out laughing and got up, they began to dance around to the music in their heads.
“And when we’re a big name, we’re coming to Shooting Stars so ya’ll can make a mint.” Em cried, doing the Rodger Rabbit.
“I get to sing backup!” Mae yelled as she and Reny tangoed across the sand. Reny turned to her and said in a thick accent;
“Why of course Darlllink.” And laughed. Kit and Jacks were doing the butterfly.
“We always said that the Starlets would stick together.” Jacks laughed.
“Yeah buddy!” Kit called. “Who needs girl power when you’ve got star power!” The all spent the rest of the afternoon plotting their fame and fortune. Being sure to include a place for Andy, Scott, and Sean who were Renee’s, Mae’s, and Jaclyn’s boyfriends respectively.
****
That afternoon Renee, Em, and Mae sat in Renee’s kitchen table talking about everything and nothing all at once. Mae had dropped Cameron off at Andy’s mother’s house so she could have a visit with her grandson and Mae could have some free time. Reny and Em had made cookies and the three were enjoying them thoroughly.
“So what’s this I hear about you making an album Maebee?” Reny asked as she took out another batch from the oven.
“You’re doing your own album?” Em asked, shocked. “Why am I always the last to know?” Mae laughed and shrugged.
“Just lucky I guess. Anyway, the rumors are true. Even though it was supposed to be a surprise.” Reny made a face.
“Sorry. But blame Jacks, she’s the one that told me.”
“It’s ok. But yeah, you know I’ve always wanted to be a singer. And I’ve sung backing vocals for almost every Shooting Star artist. So I thought, Jacks has everything under control, I was only in it originally to help start things up, why not go off and do what I’ve always wanted to do. I mean, yeah I have Cam, but he can come with me, or if Andy isn’t touring he could stay with him. I just feel like taking a little bit of the spotlight for myself.” Mae nodded as she finished, as if to assure herself that she deserved the spotlight. Em and Reny were quick to reassure her.
“That’s awesome Maebee!” They answered together. Reny sat next to Mae and patted her hand.
“Honeybear, you’ve got a great voice, you know all the business that goes along with it, you’re old enough to not get pulled into things you don’t want to do, and you’re young enough to enjoy it. We’re way super proud of you!” The two smiled at each other and started talking about what sort of styles Mae was planning on using and what producers she wanted. Em sat back and just listened, since she was officially out of the music and into the movie industry. She smiled to herself, thinking back to when Mae and Reny had almost seemed to “trade” men.
****Flashback****
Em sat in her apartment, cell phone pressed to her ear, trying to calm Reny down.
“I swear to God Em, I’m gonna kill her! How can she do that?” Em smiled.
“Which that? Sleep with your boyfriend, or cheat on the guy you really want?” Renee was quite for a long time. Then she sighed.
“Damn it, I hate when you’re right.”
“Ok, now tell me what really happened.”
“Well, you know that Baby A and I have just been casually dating. I mean we see other people and everything and so I’m not really upset that he wants to be with Mae.”
“But?”
“But, Mae and Scott have been exclusive for awhile now, and all of a sudden she just got tired of him or something.” Renee began to get upset again. “How in the hell can you get tired of a man like Scott? He’s amazing!”
“Opinion later, facts now.” Em said keeping Reny focused.
“Uh, so, yeah. I guess they broke up and the next night she was out with Andy. And so now Andy and I are done with because they’re all hot and heavy now.”
“Ok, so let me get this straight.” Em repressed a laugh at her friend’s blindness. “You no longer have a boyfriend?”
“Right.”
“Because he’s now dating Scottie’s old girlfriend?”
“Yeah.”
“Leaving Scott all alone?” There was a moment of silence.
“Oh my gosh.”
“Exactly. Don’t be mad at Maebee-baby. She just did you an amazing favor. Now you can go after Scott and finally get your man.”
“I don’t want to, like, be a vulture or anything.”
“Then take it slow. No one can blame you for being a good friend to him. And, if after he gets over Mae, he starts to see you in a new light, well, that’s not your fault. Now is it?” Reny giggled.
“Nope. Not my fault at all. But you think I should?”
“You’re perfect for each other. He just never saw it before because he’s a one-woman man. I say you just go to him, be supportive, and if things work out in your favor, then it was meant to be, and if they don’t, it wasn’t and you move on. Besides, I think he likes you.”
“What about you and Anton?”
“What about me and Anton?”
“Well, I don’t know. I mean, he calls you all the time up there….”
“They all call me Re, we’re friends.”
“You know what I mean…. He hasn’t asked you out yet?” Em’s heart jumped into her throat.
“Do you know something?” Reny laughed at her.
“Only that the other guys say that he acts differently around you than he normally does.”
“Oh that is so not a help!” Em said exasperated. Just because he acted “different” didn’t mean it was because he liked her. Maybe she just really annoyed him, who knew. Renee laughed at her.
“Sorry Babes. I could always ask him…he’s right in the other room you know.” Reny teased.
“No! Don’t you dare wench.” Em laughed, but sighed. “It’s all just hoop dreams anyway. I’m not his type. Anton just sees me as a friend. I’m just going to accept the fact that I’ll be an old maid forever.”
“Aww, are you going to be the crazy cat lady?” Renee laughed like she always did when Em was overdramatic.
“Yes, yes I am. But for right now, I’m going to be the crazy shower lady. I’ve got to go Sweetheart, I stink.”
“Ok, I’ll see you in a month.”
“Yep. Get nice and strong so we can dance at the wedding.”
“Oh I will. Bye Emmy, love ya Babe.”
“Bye Reny. I love you too.” Em turned her phone off and smiled. Reny had been pinning away for Scott since before they even knew each other. She’d been so upset when she found out he was dating Mae. But now was her chance and Em had a feeling it was all going to work out. Renee and Scott were just too compatible to not fall in love now that there wasn’t anything to stop them. She hoped the Andy and Mae were going to be happy together too. They were both shaping up to be serial monogamists. Kit and Jamie were busy planning their wedding and future house, and Alex and Mandi were still enjoying the glow of parenthood. Then there was Jaclyn and Sean who’d already been happily married for two years. “All paired up.” Em thought. “All but me and Anton.” She got up, going to take her shower. She thought aloud. “Meaning, him and his ho ‘o the month, and me alone.” She rolled her eyes. “Oh well, ‘No one expects the Spanish Inquisition’.” She laughed at herself, she needed sleep, bad.
****
The doorbell rang and all three of the women jumped up to get it. Mae, having the advantage of not being pregnant, got there first. She threw open the door.
“Jacks!” She yelled and pulled the other woman through the door.
“Hey girlies. What are we doing tonight?” They all paused as hugs were passed around the foyer.
“I say we go Disney. That is, if the preggers are up to it.” Mae said looking at Reny and Em. They both straightened up and put their hands on their hips.
“Bring it on.” Reny laughed. “You’re just jealous because we’ll be having fun for three tonight.” They all laughed at the corny joke and grabbed their purses.
“Magic Kingdom or Epcot?” Em asked as the headed out the door.
“MGM.” Jacks said, climbing into the drivers seat. “Epcot’s boring and Kit would kill us if we went to the Kingdom without her.”
“True.” Em said.
“I wish she was here. Then it would really be like old times.” Mae said dreamily. They all agreed and had a little moment of silence for the absent member of their group. Then Jaclyn started the car and they headed off to the park, talking, laughing, and singing.