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“What happened?” a brunette said simply, taking a seat opposite Elana’s desk and then holding out her hand. “I’m Karen Sorensen – this dork’s sister, and Hot Cakes is my husband over at Flyboys.”
“Spill it, ladybug,” the skinny woman with glasses blurted out, also extending her hand before pushing Karen’s aside. “I’m Emily Masden – the big dummy’s other sister…”
“Oh, for Pete’s sake…”
“And X-Ray’s wife over at Flyboys. We know you came to dinner, but why’d you leave before we could meet you? Did you think you were going to get away from us all? Uh, hellooo? You have that family,” she said waving at Chase, who was still standing there, rubbing his grimy forehead and looking chagrined. “… At the fire station – but you have us too! I feel like the red-headed stepchild right now. I’m not shy, so if you won’t come to us – we’ll come to you.”
“And I was going to say all of that but in a much gentler manner,” Karen smiled. “Hey, Eileen. I don’t know if you remember me. I was at the Christmas party last year with Jace. We dropped in, and my husband was Santa for Johnny.”
“Oh yeah!” Eileen grinned. “I do remember now. I thought you looked familiar.”
“So what gives, girlie?” Emily repeated. “Do we need to smell like ‘charred dork’ to get you to like us and come hang out?”
“Em…” Chase muttered, chuckling, and looked at Elana. “My sister cuts to the chase and doesn’t mince words.”
“Nope.”
“Me neither.”
Emily and Elana said simultaneously – and then looked at each other in surprise.
“Oh, I like her,” Emily added, grinning.
“Elana forgot she had a conference call,” Eileen volunteered. “Which is why I’m here.”
“Ah, business. I completely get that. January to April, my husband jokes that he’s a widow because I do tax preparation and work my fingers to the bone,” Emily nodded. “I can fully respect that.”
“Thank you for talking to me, and I’ll let you know what we decide,” Eileen said gently and looked at Chase. “We should head out.”
“I think you should proceed with what we were discussing and don’t look back,” Elana volunteered.
“You too.” Eileen looked at Elana, who winked at her.
“Karen, we’ve gotta change your name and Chase’s,” Emily chuckled. “We’ve got all these ‘E’ names in this room alone, and it’s pretty cool. Emily, Eileen, Elana. Chase, you big goober decked in yellow – you should be ‘Edward’ and Karen, you should be ‘Esmerelda.”
“Uh, no,” Karen said flatly – and everyone laughed.
“I’m here…” another voice sang out, walking right in the office. A blonde-haired woman walked in with pig-tailed tinted pink at the tips and wearing a bright yellow shirt that said, ‘Passenger Princess’ and a pair of denim overalls.
“… And here’s ‘Ellie Mae,’” Emily winked, and Karen smothered a laugh as the other woman did not stop talking.
“I brought the two-liters, and Dixie is right behind me with chocolate croissants. Y’all – chocolate croissants?! Harley is gonna be five minutes late. They were still boxing up the sandwiches. Do you like brisket sandwiches? I love brisket, especially when it’s all trimmed, and you don’t have any chewy pieces that look like…”
“Glory,” Karen interrupted. “Breathe, hon, and everything is fine.
“OH, THANK YOU, JESUS…” the woman with pigtails sagged. “I was freaking out that I’d done something wrong at dinner the other day.”
“Do I get a chocolate croissant?” Chase grinned.
“Wrong team, fella…”
“Glory!” Karen and Emily both burst out laughing – and even Elana chuckled at the woman’s retort right before Glory rolled her eyes.
“I’m just teasing, Chase. Good gravy, you don’t have to ask, and you know it. Y’all are practically family because of Karen and Emily - and also welcome anytime. Grab one,” Glory ordered as a redheaded woman walked in the door carrying three boxes full of pastries.
And Elana realized that no matter what, they were actually right – this was a strange, distant, makeshift sort of family that she was suddenly attached to and was grateful. Eileen met her smile, grabbed Chase by the front of his jacket, and dragged him out the front door with a croissant sticking out of his mouth and another in his other hand, laughing. Karen, Emily, and Glory were smiling at her expectantly, looking much more at ease.
“Dixie-Pixie-Poo-Poo, take a seat…”
