Goddess of the Sea Read Free

familiar Midwestern accent, the voice had a long, fluid Southern drawl. “It’s me, Halley. Your favorite Georgia peach! Oh, my—I had such a hard time getting your new phone number. Naughty you forgot to give it to me when you shipped out.”
    CC’s grin slipped off her face like wax from a candle. Halley was one of the few things she hadn’t missed about her last duty station.
    â€œJust have a quick second to talk. I’m calling to remind you that my thirtieth birthday is just a month and a half away—December fifteenth, to be exact—and I want you to mark your little ol’ calendar.”
    CC listened with disbelief. “This is like a train wreck. It just keeps getting worse and worse.”
    â€œI’m having the Party to End All Parties, and I expect your attendance. So put in for leave ASAP. I’ ll send the formal invite in a week or so. And, yes, presents are acceptable.” Halley giggled like a Southern Barbie doll. “See y’all soon. Bye-bye for now!”
    â€œI don’t believe it.” CC punched the Off button with decidedly more force than was necessary. “First my parents forget my birthday. Then not only does it look like my oldest friend has forgotten it, too, but I get a call from an annoying non-friend inviting me to her party!” She dropped the phone back on the counter. “A month and a half in advance!”
    CC shoved the unopened bottle of champagne into the fridge.
    â€œConsider yourself on-deck,” she told it grimly. Then she grabbed the open bottle of champagne, her half-empty glass, the bucket of KFC and marched purposefully to the living room where she spread out her feast on the coffee table before returning to the kitchen for a handful of napkins. Passing the deceptively silent phone she halted and spun around.
    â€œOh, no. I’m not done with you; you’re coming with me.” She tossed the phone next to her on the couch. “Just sit there. I’m keeping an eye on you.”
    CC picked out another piece of delightfully greasy chicken and clicked on the TV—and groaned. The screen was nothing but static.
    â€œOh, no! The cable!” Because she would be out of the country for three months, she had decided to have the cable temporarily disconnected and had been proud of herself for being so money conscious. “Not tonight! I told them effective the first of November, not the thirty-first of October.” She glanced at the silent phone. “You probably had something to do with this.”
    And she started to laugh, semihysterically.
    â€œI’m talking to the telephone.” She poured herself another glass of champagne, noting the bottle was now half empty. Sipping the bubbly liquid thoughtfully, CC spoke aloud, pointedly ignoring the phone. “This obviously calls for emergency measures. Time to break out the Favorite Girl Movies.”
    Clutching the chicken thigh between her teeth, she wiped her hands on the paper towel before opening the video cabinet that stood next to her television set. Through a full mouth she mumbled the titles as she scanned her stash.
    â€œ Dirty Dancing, Shadowlands, West Side Story, Gone With the Wind .” She paused and chewed, considering. “Nope, too long—and it’s really not birthday material. Humm . . .” She kept reading. “ Superman, Pride and Prejudice, Last of the Mohicans, The Accidental Tourist, The Color Purple, The Witches of Eastwick. ” She stopped.
    â€œThis is exactly what I need. Some Girl Power.” She plunked the video in the VCR. “No,” she corrected herself. “This is better than Girl Power—it’s Women Power!” CC raised her glass to the screen, toasting each of the vibrant movie goddesses as they appeared. They were unique and fabulous.
    Cher was mysterious and exotic, with a full, perfect mouth and a wealth of seductive ringlets that framed her face like the mane