Line Dancing Can Be Murder Read Free Page B

husband’s illness. From the moment Chad was diagnosed with lung cancer, I’d been there for her as much as possible. The others had done what they could, but I’d had a lot of vacation time saved up that allowed me to help when they couldn’t.
    When Donna couldn’t get off work, I drove Chad to his treatments. I regularly cleaned the house for her, did her grocery shopping, and made meals. Stress and depression had caused her to become mentally and physically exhausted. I was an ear for her when she vented over how unfair life was. Chad had never smoked, which we all thought was a terrible travesty. When he died after a short battle, I was Donna’s shoulder to cry on.
    I chuckled and linked my arm through hers. “We can room together if you promise not to snore.”
    “Promise. I brought nasal strips with me.”
    “That leaves Annette and Crystal as a pair.” They smiled at each other, satisfied. “Let’s get settled into our rooms and then meet back in the lobby in thirty minutes. Sound good?”
    They all agreed.
    While I was oohing and ahhing over our pretty room, I noticed Donna seemed a little down. “Tired?” I asked.
    She shook her head of chestnut brown corkscrew curls and sunk onto the edge of one of the two beds.
    I sat next to her believing I knew what the problem was. “Are you thinking about Chad and wishing he was here with you?”
    She smiled but looked on the verge of tears. “He never liked to travel, as you know. He was a home body.”
    Chad had always been that way. He and I had grown up next door to each other, and his family had never taken a vacation in their lives, as far as I knew. His lack of interest in traveling must have come natural. “Then what is it, Donna?” I was sensitive to her emotions, but dang it, we were supposed to have left our troubles at home and be enjoying the vacation of a lifetime.
    “I told you all I had a little nest egg. And I did,” she added quickly. “But I spent most of it to come on this trip. When Chad got sick and had to quit working, we got behind in some of our bills. Our savings was wiped out. We were barely making ends meet, so we cashed in our life insurance policies. I would have lost the house if we hadn’t. It was irresponsible of me to take this trip, because now I don’t have much cushion left. I should have saved the bit I had for a rainy day. But I didn’t want to let all of you down, and I wanted to come with you so badly.”
    I patted her hand. “You’ve never let anyone down, Donna. But I wish you’d told us. We’re always here for each other. As for this trip, I could have loaned you the money. We wouldn’t have come without you.”
    She nodded. “You girls have done so much for me already, but especially you. I couldn’t ask you then or now for loans that I might never be able to pay back.”
    “You could have asked Jackie,” I teased. “She’s married to a man richer than God.” That was our go-to line when any of us stressed about money.
    Donna cracked a smile.
    “What about the kids? Can they help out if you’re in a bind?” Donna and Chad had two adult children, both married and doing well.
    “I won’t ask them and don’t want them to worry. They have their own families and responsibilities. I’ll get by. I’m just feeling guilty about spending so much money for my own pleasure.” A tear slipped from her eye.
    I hugged her, knowing guilt tugged at her. I’d had to delve into my own savings to pay for the trip, but I felt I deserved it. “Chad would want you to do something nice for yourself. You were a good wife to him for close to twenty-eight years. You stuck by him, through better or worse, richer or poorer, in health and in sickness, all the way to the end. You earned this vacation.”
    After a few moments, she hugged me back. “You’re absolutely right. For these nine days, I’m going to put aside my worries about the future and have fun. That’s why I’m here.”
    “That’s why we’re all