Diva 04 _ Diva Cooks a Goose, The by Krista Davis Page B

glass but made no move to be seated. “And now ...” She paused for dramatic effect.
    I glanced at Shawna, seated next to Beau. This must be the moment of the big engagement announcement. Shawna sat up straight and beamed, her face full of happy anticipation. She brushed hair behind her ear with her left hand, but I didn’t see a ring—yet.
    “I have an announcement to make.” Bonnie motioned for Phil to stand next to her.
    He struggled to his feet and smiled.
    “I’m thrilled to share my news with you. I will be giving up my organizing business, and Phil and I will be tying the knot!”

SIX
    From “Ask Natasha” :
    Dear Natasha,
    I loathe Boxing Day because it signals the end of Christmas and the beginning of Christmas cleanup. Where do I begin?
    —Vexed in Vixen, Louisiana
    Dear Vexed,
    Take a cue from the British and the origins of Boxing Day. The servants worked on Christmas and had the following day off. Their employers used that day to box up items to give to the poor.
    —Natasha
    In the moment of stunned silence that followed, I thought Phil seemed as surprised as everyone else. I looked around for Marnie, who stared at Phil, who was still as a stone statue. Amid the smattering of applause that broke the painful silence, Shawna burst into tears and ran from the table. Laci and Marnie followed her, and though I couldn’t hear what was being said, after a brief exchange with Bonnie, Phil, who no longer smiled, followed his wife and daughters.
    “Mom!” Beau rose from his seat and glared at her.
    “Oh dear. I thought Shawna would be happy for her father.” Bonnie didn’t look too contrite when she sat down.
    Beau took off after Shawna while his mother addressed her guests, but no one in particular. “I feel just terrible. Who would have thought an adult would react like that?”
    Hannah poked me. “Should we go to help? We’re on their side—right?”
    I didn’t know what we were expected to do. Most of the guests appeared uncomfortable. Bonnie had already moved on and was proudly showing off a diamond ring on her left hand. In the end, it was my brother who initiated the mass exodus of the Bauer family. He motioned to my mother, and our entire family excused ourselves and met in the restaurant foyer.
    Jen immediately located her mother and aunt in the large bar area a few steps down. Shawna stood by the oversized fireplace, wiping tears from her face while Beau comforted her. Laci and her parents clustered nearby. Before anyone could stop her, Jen rushed down the stairs to her mom. Like bewildered baby ducks, we trailed after George into the bar lounge.
    Bernie stopped me and asked, “What happened?”
    When I explained, he appeared puzzled. “That doesn’t sound like Bonnie. She’s always so considerate.”
    “Exactly. It’s totally out of character for her,” I said.
    Mom leaned in to our conversation and whispered, “Did it occur to you that she may have done it on purpose to help Beau save face?”
    “What?” Hannah wedged between Mom and me. “That makes no sense at all.”
    “People do a lot of things for their kids. Maybe Beau isn’t ready to pop the question, and Bonnie wanted to provide another reason to celebrate.”
    “But Bonnie is already wearing a ring,” I whispered. “It couldn’t have come as a last-minute thing.”
    “Good point!” exclaimed Hannah.
    And then, as though we had planned it, our little group turned and watched Phil, Marnie, and Laci. Deep in conversation, no one bothered to lower their voices, and they were plenty agitated.
    “You have your nerve waltzing into Christmas with a fiancée on your arm.” Marnie’s jaw twitched in anger.
    “As I recall, you’re the one who threw me out into the cold. What did you expect me to do? No loving wife, no family. Did you think I’d sit on the stoop and cry?”
    “It’s not like you to be so hurtful. Is this what that woman brings out in you?”
    “In retrospect, I see that it may not have been the