Autumn Leaves by Barbara Winkes Page B

though.” The table was set for brunch, complete with champagne glasses.
    “Oh good. At least one of us has good news.” Rebecca gave Betty a quick sideways look. Betty shrugged. “David isn’t worried at all, is he?” There was a hint of condescension to her voice.
    “Why would he be worried?” Rebecca had other problems to solve. She was still puzzled about Asha Malik’s comment and what it implied. She was afraid she’d risked a good friendship by speaking her mind. Maybe she should have just followed Dina’s example and go back to bed in a darkened room. She sure felt like it.
    “Well...He leaves you alone a great deal of the time.”
    “Because it’s his job?”
    “I bet he’s glad the new neighbor you’re spending all your time with isn’t a guy.”
    Betty’s insinuations were beginning to get on Rebecca’s nerves.
    “Wouldn’t do much if the guy was gay,” she returned, not even trying to hide her irritation. Only the stunned silence at the table alerted her to what she’d just said moments later.
    “Imagine that!” Betty said, sounding triumphant. It seemed like the news very much improved her mood, for whatever reason. “I knew she was trouble.”
    “Why do you say that? If she minds her own business, why would she be trouble?” Roz laughed a bit uneasily. “It’s kind of funny that she couldn’t fix the sink herself then.”
    “Come on,” Rebecca protested. “It’s not like knowing your way around the house makes you a lesbian.”
    “Sure doesn’t.” Betty was amused. “Because you’re better with these things than most of our husbands are, I’d be worried.”
    “You’re crazy.” The course of this conversation made it very clear that Rebecca was never going to mention Callie’s books in this group. The atmosphere had gotten a little lighter, but Rebecca couldn’t help the feeling that she’d made a terrible mistake. How often had she warned Callie to keep quiet about her private life, about the importance of keeping secrets? It was a terrible feeling that she couldn’t trust the people she thought of as friends. Rebecca really wanted some of that alcohol now. She could always walk home.
    “Does David know?” Betty asked, interested. “Maybe he should be worried after all.”
    “Hold it right there, Betty. There’s nothing to know. It’s her life, none of my business, or yours, for that matter.”
    “You must know.”
    “Hello there!”
    The conversation came to a halt when Maria breezed into the room, all cheery and excited. “I’m glad you’re all here.”
    “Well, yeah, we’ve been kinda waiting for you,” Roz reminded her.
    “Of course. Look, we’ve got a new member in the church choir. She’s new in town, and I thought she’d be the perfect addition to our little Saturday morning tradition.”
    “Warmest welcome,” Roz mumbled.
    Rebecca wanted to disappear. Maria’s surprise guest was, of course, her favorite neighbor Callie Bryan.
    “It’s nice to meet you all,” Callie said. “Hi, Rebecca.” It sounded apologetic and defensive at the same time. Maybe Rebecca’s imagination had gotten the better of her. Her head was spinning. Why the church choir? How had Callie and Maria met in the first place? Rebecca had to admit a moment of jealousy. For a long time, she had wanted to be part of the choir. She didn’t have much of a singing voice, but there was no audition necessary to join. Once her children were born she just saw herself unable to fit it into the schedule, or at least that was what she’d told herself. Once again, she was assuming things about Callie without questioning them, thinking that a writer who liked a reclusive life wouldn’t be much interested in performing on a stage. She was too comfortable with that image of Callie, a shy young woman who needed Rebecca’s guidance. She was overestimating herself. It looked like Callie was able to find her way around the social structures of Autumn Leaves and find friends on her