Losing Shirley would be a huge blow for the rescue. Not to mention, emus mated for life. Shirley and Squiggy were a bonded pair and if we lost her, I was afraid he might follow from a broken heart.
“How are you doing tonight, Miss Shirley?” I entered the area where we’d contained her while we waited for her leg to heal. She looked at me with such trust in her eyes, it almost slayed me.
Maybe I should do what my brother suggested and get a desk job at a non-profit in Austin. He couldn’t understand why I busted my ass day in and day out for a “bunch of dirty farm animals.” Duke didn’t get it. He didn’t have an ounce of empathy. One of these days, it would come back and bite him in the ass.
My phone pinged with a reminder that my book club group chat was about to start. I’d hoped to have already showered, slipped into my pajamas, and poured myself a big glass of wine before we got going. Two out of three would have to do.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, Shirley.” I ran my hand over her soft, oily feathers. Then I hightailed it into the house and emptied the last of a bottle of merlot into a glass.
Gem: Valentine's Day sucks.
So that’s how we were going to start off the conversation tonight? I took a swig of my wine and kicked off my boots.
Cordy: Nope. No way! We are not moping on Valentine's Day this year!
Tabitha: We always mope on Valentine's Day.
Cleary: It’s our thing.
These women had been my ride or dies since we met over our shared love of books several years ago. Every year we grumbled and bitched about Valentine’s Day. It was tradition.
Me: It's why we have wine.
Gem: You have wine. I’ll stick to my chocolate liqueurs. Booze and chocolate without the hangover.
Mandy: And cake! Cake is a must!
My stomach grumbled, reminding me I hadn’t had dinner yet. The beauty of living alone was that no one would judge me for making bad food choices. Once I got changed into my pajamas, I could rustle up something to eat. I carried my wine into the bedroom and tugged my jeans down my thighs.
Peyton: Don’t forget book boyfriends. They help ease the ache, lol.
Cleary: Especially when paired with “the rose”
I laughed out loud. Leave it to Cleary to bring up “the rose.” Lucky me, that little red rubber toy had provided the only action I’d seen in over a year.
Cordy: I have an idea.
Peyton: Wait up. I just need to grab a flak jacket.
I tugged on my pajama pants with the llamas reading books printed all over them. They were my favorite pair, and I’d gifted the same ones to all the girls last Christmas.
Gem: Oh, lord! Last time you had an idea, we almost got arrested. And I never did find my inflatable dolphin.
Me: That was the night I came home with one shoe. Your dolphin’s probably with my lost sparkly stiletto.
Except for a pair of lime green pumps that had been dyed to match a bridesmaid’s dress, those sparkly stilettos were the only heels I owned. I sighed as I remembered how slipping them on made me feel like a princess.
Mandy: Rum and I broke up after last time we all got together. I can’t see a bottle without feeling a little nauseous.
Peyton: See? That’s why I keep my nose buried in a book. You girls are dangerous.
Cordy: I'm not that bad.
Cleary: YES, YOU ARE!
With wine in hand, and a pair of comfy, fuzzy pj pants covering my ass, I settled into my favorite spot on the couch. No matter what kind of funk I was in, our Friday night chats could always pull me out.
Peyton: Cordy, I love you, but you are on a whole other level.