Don't Let Go Read Free Page A

thanks. I’m going to drive myself.” Then she wouldn’t have to stay long, wouldn’t be trapped if she wanted to bail in a hurry.
    “You mean so you can pop in, say a few hellos, and duck out early?” Dee knew her too well.
    Annalee pulled a chair out from the table and sat. Bobo trotted over and nudged her free hand with his nose. She scratched the monster behind his ears. “The only reason I’m going at all is to show everyone I haven’t fallen apart since the divorce.”
    “Aw, you want to deprive the gossips of all their fun. You’re at least going to sit with us, aren’t you?”
    “Yes, of course.”
    “That’s good. ’Cause otherwise I won’t have anyone to talk to besides my husband, and it’s not like I’ll be able to drink.” Dee was pregnant with her first child. “I can’t have any fun now that I’m knocked up. Yesterday, Thom found my secret stash of chips and confiscated them. No fair.”
    “He’s worried about you getting too much salt. It’s not good.”
    “Hey, whatever happened to indulging a pregnant woman’s cravings, huh?” She sighed. “So about tonight. Have you heard if Dickweed’s showing up?”
    Dickweed was Dee’s nickname for Annalee’s ex-husband, also a member of their class.
    She squeezed the phone’s handset. “Oh, he’ll be there, I’m sure. Denny’s the original hailfellow well met. He’s not going to miss a chance to connect with all his high school buddies and lord it over them. Besides, where better to show off his sparkly new wife?”
    Dee made an unintelligible sound. “His…what?”
    “Yes, Denny has remarried. I take it you haven’t heard?”
    “No. And you’re just telling me this now?”
    “I only found out yesterday. Sandra Widdicombe ambushed me in the Smart Savings’ parking lot.”
    Bobo was bored with the conversation. He padded over to the refrigerator and stole the dish towel hanging from the door handle. Annalee snatched it from him before he could make a getaway. “Give me that, you.”
    “What?”
    “Sorry, I was talking to the dog.” She set the slobbery towel on the table. “Anyway, I was putting groceries in my trunk when Sandra rushed over, full of sympathy.”
    “I’ll bet.”
    Annalee could still picture Sandra’s oh-so-sympathetic expression and the syrupy concern in her voice, neither of which masked her avid curiosity.
    “Oh, Annalee dear, I just heard about Denny’s marrying that little waitress. From some café, wasn’t it, or diner? Marlie something?”
    Annalee remembered standing by her car, plastic bags hanging from her numb fingers, her mouth gaping in surprise. Her mind an utter blank. If it had been a movie, she’d have snapped back with a clever, withering remark that would have left Sandra crawling away in humiliation.
    Instead, she simply blinked and muttered, “What?”
    Not her finest moment by any measure. Sandra was in her glory, though, regaling Annalee with all the gory details. Making sure to include the requisite clucking and murmurs of sympathy. “We all think it’s disgraceful, what Denny’s done. But you’ve been wonderful, Annalee. Such a lady, rising above it the way you have. So brave. You just keep your chin up, dear.”
    “That bitch.” Dee snorted. “I’m sure she was hoping you’d burst into tears right then and there.”
    “I’m sure.” Annalee twisted the phone cord around her finger. “Afraid I didn’t give her the satisfaction.”
    “You big meanie.”
    “I know.” She laughed, but even to her own ears, it sounded forced.
    “So…” From Dee’s hesitant tone, she wasn’t sure how to proceed. “Are you okay with it?”
    “Why wouldn’t I be? Denny’s a free agent. He and I don’t even talk anymore.” Any love for him died long ago, extinguished by years of deception and disrespect. “I’ve moved on and obviously he has, too.” Round and round went the cord. She didn’t give a tinker’s damn, as the saying went, what her ex did. She had her