Chapter 25
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
“Oh, that looks just perfect! I’m so excited.”
Audrey clasped her hands as she surveyed the table that she, Elaine, and Harper had decorated together.
It was sprinkled with yellow and peach-colored rose petals, and they’d arranged beautiful candles on silver candlesticks in the middle.
They’d strung garlands of flowers above the table like a canopy, and behind it they’d hung a gold-framed sign that read, “New Beginnings.”
They had rented out the smaller back party room at Bluewater Bistro and gotten full permission from management to decorate to their hearts' content. On another, smaller table, they’d arranged a few gifts, wrapped beautifully in gold and pink paper, along with a resplendent bouquet of roses.
“We did ourselves proud,” Elaine said, her eyes sparkling. “I just know this is going to make Penelope feel incredibly special.”
Harper grinned, looking thrilled, and then glanced down at her pocket as her phone dinged. “Maybe that’s them!” she squealed and looked at her phone. “Yes—it’s Michelle! She said they’re walking up.”
All of the women made noises of excitement and began to flutter around the room, making finishing touches on all the decorations.
Penelope thought that she and Michelle were going by themselves to dinner, and it was important to everyone who had planned the party that the moment of surprise be just right.
“Can you see them yet?” Harper whispered to Elaine, who was peering around the doorway, keeping an eye on the part of the restaurant that led to the back party room.
“Not yet,” Elaine said. “But I’m sure—oh! Here they come!”
Audrey’s heart jumped up and she started laughing with a sudden feeling of giddiness. “Come on, hide!”
The three of them scampered behind the gift table and crouched down, holding their breath and stifling their excited noises. Audrey strained her ears, trying to hear the sound of Penelope and Michelle’s voices over the noises of the restaurant.
“Shouldn’t we wait for a hostess?”
Audrey grinned when she heard Penelope’s voice. She couldn’t wait to see the look on her friend’s face.
“No, I made a reservation,” Michelle said cheerfully.
“But not back in this room?” Penelope sounded confused. “Isn’t this for parties—”
“SURPRISE!” Michelle bellowed, and Elaine, Harper, and Audrey hopped up, tossing petals into the air and yelling “Surprise!” a few seconds after she did.
Penelope gasped and clapped her hands to her mouth. She stared at the scene in front of her as if she couldn’t believe it for a few seconds, and then she burst into tears.
“Oh, honey,” Audrey said, hurrying forward to give her a hug.
“They’re happy tears, don’t worry,” Penelope said, laughing through her sobs. “I just—wow. You guys are so sweet. I had no idea—this is so kind of you.”
She hugged each of them tightly in turn, and Audrey exchanged a look of joy with Harper. Audrey gave her friend two thumbs up, and Harper danced in a circle.
I know she feels just as proud as I do, Audrey thought, feeling that she could dance around in a circle herself. We did it.
“You all look beautiful,” Penelope said, gesturing to the dresses and suits the women were wearing. “When Michelle said we should dress up, I figured she was just trying to do something that would cheer me up. I’m so glad I didn’t fight her on it.” She laughed.
“Come on, show us what you wore,” Elaine urged, since Penelope was still wearing her long winter coat.
Penelope made a face, but it was clear she appreciated the attention. She took off her coat as if she was a fashion model and the other women cheered and clapped when they saw the beautiful purple dress she was wearing.
“You look gorgeous, Penelope,” Audrey said, meaning it sincerely. “What a dress!”
“Thanks.” Penelope blushed, smiling radiantly. “I’ve had it for ages, but I never get an excuse to wear it.”
“Well, now you do,” Harper said, kissing her friend on the cheek. “We’re going to celebrate your new era in style. We ordered two of the best bottles of rosé that the Bluewater Bistro offers. Let’s all have a glass now before our waitress arrives.”
“Sounds great to me,” Penelope said, her eyes tracing over the beautiful decorations as if she could hardly believe that they were real.
They all sat down together at the table, and Harper poured everyone a glass of the blush-colored wine.
“I would like to propose a toast,” Harper said, lifting her glass. “To looking toward the future in full faith that it will be better than the past.”
“Hear, hear!” Michelle said, lifting her own glass. “And to building a beautiful life full of joy in the big moments and the little moments.”
“And to being supported by a big community who adores you,” Elaine said, shooting a warm look toward Penelope.
“And to healing fully so that you’re open to all of the wonderful things that life has in store for you,” Audrey said, lifting her glass and making eye contact with her friend. “Cheers!”
“Cheers!” the women echoed as they clinked their glasses together.
A few minutes later, their waitress arrived and took their orders for food. Most of them settled on comfort food, such as meatloaf and mashed potatoes or chicken pot pie, but Penelope ordered sushi.
“It is a comfort food to me,” she said with a laugh. “I love sushi and Robert hated it, so I never got to make it for dinner. Now I can make it whenever I want.”
While they waited for their food to arrive, Penelope opened the gifts.
They were simple items, since everyone at the table had already bought her something else for Christmas, but each gift was thoughtful and more than one brought tears to Penelope’s eyes.
Michelle gave her a simple gold necklace with a crown pendant, telling Penelope that it was time for her to step into her “Queen energy.” Elaine gave her a pair of purple mittens that she’d handmade earlier in the month, and Harper gave her a beautiful journal with a pink, blue, and gold cover.
Audrey gave her a cookbook filled with exotic recipes as well as a card that contained a list titled, “100 of the World’s Best Movies and Books (in Audrey’s Opinion). ”
“Thank you all so much,” Penelope said, wiping a tear off her cheek. “These gifts are all so thoughtful. You all mean the world to me, you really do.”
“You mean the world to us too,” Harper said.
The waitress arrived with their food, and they all spent a few minutes hardly talking at all, but simply enjoying their food and swapping bites with each other.
This is a wonderful evening, Audrey thought. Penelope seemed truly touched by all of our support, and I feel so proud to be a part of this group of women. I couldn’t ask for more supportive friends.
“This is amazing, what you’ve done for me,” Penelope said, taking another sip of her wine. “I’m so grateful.”
“This is a new chapter in your life,” Audrey said warmly. “And it should be celebrated.”
“’Tis the season for celebrating,” Michelle said. “We’re celebrating tonight, and before we know it, it’ll be Christmas.”