Hot Tropics & Cold Feet

Chapter One ; "Maggie, you've got to help me. Lily is acting weird," Ron Albert, ; Lily's soon-to-be-husband, says in a higher-than-normal baritone voice. ; "Lily is weird, Captain." Once he and Lily started dating on a regular basis, I began calling him Captain. Everyone thinks I call him that because he loves boats. The reality is he reminds me of Captain Kangaroo. "She was born that way, and there's not a thing I can do about it. I'm her best friend. I've earned the right to say that." With coffee mug in one hand and my cordless phone in the other, I walk into the living room and sit down on my sofa, causing the dappled sunlight to splay across my black pant legs as the recliner stool flips out. ;"Come on, Maggie," he says, followed by a heavy sigh. ;Okay, he's serious and I'm, well, not. "Sorry. What's up?" Lifting the warm cup to my lips, I take a quick sip. The smell of coffee mingles with the cinnamon scent coming from a nearby wall plug-in. The aroma relaxes me while Captain tries to undo my contented moment. ;He lets out another exasperated sigh that gets my attention. I can almost see him raking his fingers through his white hair, a habit to which I've become accustomed. And let me just say here that Captain has a mustache as thick as his hair. But who am I to talk? I did, too, until I discovered that waxing thing. My husband hates it when I talk that way. Gordon says I'm perfect. Peacemaker that I am, I'm not about to argue. ;"I don't know. She's acting as though she's having second thoughts about the wedding," Captain says, pulling my thoughts away from Gordon. ;That comment makes me smile. How cute. He's getting jitters that she'll back out. Placing my coffee cup in a coaster on the stand, I mentally put on my counselor's hat. "What makes you think that?" Fingernail clippers on the stand catch my attention, and I reach for them. There's a hangnail on my right pinkie that has been driving me wild. ;"Last night when I told her everything was set for the honeymoon on Bermuda Island, she said she wasn't sure she wanted to go." ;I stop midclip. This is serious. If there's one thing I know about Lily Newgent, it's that she would not miss a chance to go to Bermuda Island. She's wanted to go there ever since she heard about that whole Triangle thing. Twisted, I know, but there it is. ;"Maybe she was just tired. She had to do two perms yesterday." Okay, that excuse sounds lame even to my ears, but it's the best I can do on short notice. Back to clipping. ;"I can't help thinking it's more than that." There's no mistaking the concern in his voice. It's probably that going from baritone to high tenor deal. ;"Maybe she just needs some time to relax. She's been busy planning the wedding and all. She's probably worn out." With the determination of a lion going in for the kill, I snip off that troublesome hangnail and set the clippers aside, feeling rather victorious. ;"That's why I'm calling you," he says. "I know this is asking a lot, and maybe you can't arrange it, but well, I was wondering if you could gather your coffee group--the Late Girls, or whatever you call yourselves--and take her somewhere to talk things out. You know, sort of a weekend getaway or something." ;"Um, that would be Latte Girls." Get it right, will ya? Why is it men always put the words late and women together in the same sentence? "You really think it's that serious?" And I'm questioning this, why? A weekend getaway sounds heavenly. ;"I wouldn't be calling you if I didn't. Every time I try to talk to her about the wedding, she changes the subject to that dollhouse she's decHunt, Diann is the author of 'Hot Tropics & Cold Feet ', published 2007 under ISBN 9781595541932 and ISBN 1595541934.