Wicked Forest (DeBeers 2)

"Well, Marjorie?" Sharon followed. "Do you or don't you?"

"Stop acting like a bunch of teenage girls," she snapped. She turned to me. "I just don't see the point in beating around the bush or being a hypocrite." she added, glaring back at her companions.

"I probably agree with that," I said. "but I do enjoy foreplay, too."

Now they all laughed, even Marjorie.

"I don't want you to think of us as gossips." Manon said. That isn't why we invited you to lunch."

"Oh, then why did you?" I asked.

"We four consider ourselves a sort of welcoming committee, don't we. girls?"

"Absolutely," Liana said. ''We won't be bringing a basket of fruit or a cake to your door, but we do like to greet new residents properly."

"Everyone could use more friends," Sharon said, nodding at her own statement to get everyone's agreement.

"A friend is something special," I said. "and so rare.

"Precisely," Marjorie said. "That's why it's so important to make the effort to gain them, good ones, that is."

"What would you like to drink. Willow?" Manon asked. She signaled the waiter with a movement of her eyes, and he turned from the table he was serving and hurried to us. "We're all having cosmopolitans."

"Sounds good." I said, and she told the waiter, "Is everyone here a member of Club Florette?" I asked.

"My father is," Sharon said.

"No, none of us are actual members. We're Manon's guests. She invites us at least twice a year, but no more than that." Liana said pointedly.

"You know I don't like to take advantage of my position, Liana," Sharon said.

"No," Liana quipped. "I don't know that. In fact, as long as I've known you, you've taken advantage of your position."

The others laughed, Manon joining them.

Were they actually friends? I wondered, They each seemed anxious to jump on any opportunity to ridicule or criticize another. It was like some sort of socialite parlor game.

"Do you plan on living at Jaya del Mar after you're married?" Marjorie asked.

"I can't think of any reason why not. It's so beautiful," I said. "Yes, it is," Sharon agreed.

"What about the Eatons? Are you all going to live together, one happy family?" Marjorie pursued.

"Eatons? Thatcher and I are the Eatons," I said, pretending not to understand.

"I meant his parents," she said sharply,

"I don't know where they've established themselves, but understand its not far. Why?"

"In-laws have a way of not letting go," she replied dryly.

"Marjorie is recently divorced." Mallon explained. At the moment, she is quite bitter about marriage, in-laws, all of it. right. Marjorie?"

"Just my ex's," she muttered, and the others laughed.

Neither Sharon nor Liana was wearing a wedding or engagement ring. Manon caught me glancing at their fingers.

"These two were married as well_. Sharon twice and Liana only once. My husband is Earl Lapel, of the Lapel jewelry family," Manon said.