When Girlfriends Chase Dreams by Savannah Page

dining table. Although, in the name of wedded bliss, I think breaking this old table over cutout paper birdies is okay. It’s old and ratty, anyhow, and these birds are so darling.
    “I should do something like this for an art project for Rose’s room,” Robin says, making another cut and rattling the table some more. “Bobby and I have been talking about redecorating it.”
    “She’s seriously already asleep?” I interject, amazed that Rose isn’t up at such an early hour of the night, giggling and crawling and being the adorable baby she is.
    Robin says, “Yes, thank God! That girl's crawling every where. Soon she’ll be walking!” She makes another paper press. “Rose is growing up so fast. Hence, room decorating time. Time to actually get her nursery looking like a little girl’s room.”
    “Are you thinking all pink again?” Lara asks.
    Lara and Robin used to be roomies. A couple years ago, Robin was single and living solo when she accidentally got pregnant. So before Rose came along, she moved in with Lara; and Robin’s room, which doubled as Rose’s nursery, was painted floor to ceiling in pink. It was really pretty, but Lara finally got around to changing the bubblegum pink room after Robin and Rose moved out late last year.
    “I don’t know about pink,” Robin says. She looks at Lara and puts a hand on her shoulder. “Not that I wasn’t in love with my room at your place, Lara.”  
    Lara waves away the thought.  
    “Bobby and I were just thinking of something that could also work for her as a toddler and as she gets a bit older,” Robin says. “Since Bobby owns the house and we don’t plan on moving in the foreseeable future…and since we don’t really feel up to constantly repainting and decorating a room…”
    “I know you two are serious and all,” Jackie says. She drains her wine and makes a motion for someone to pass her the bottle. I hand her the nearly empty bottle of red. “But don’t you think this says something about Bobby?”
    “What do you mean?” Robin asks.
    “You know, like this is a big step. You guys are agreeing on paint swatches and decorating motifs.”
    Robin casts about the dining room, then shrugs.
    “I’d say moving in together was a big step,” Lara offers.
    Robin guffaws and says, “Bobby asking me out when I was pregnant. That says something.”
    “You found yourself a keeper, Robin,” I tell her. I sweep my pale blue, pink, and green bird cutouts into a small pile.
    “We should all be so lucky,” Lara says with a small sigh.
    “Still dry on love?” Sophie asks, then, in an effort to assuage her choice of words, adds, “But things with Nathan have to be going well.” She raises her eyebrows. “Aren’t they?”
    Nathan’s the guy Sophie foisted on Lara. Foisted in a nice way, really. Lara was seeing this horribly awful guy for the longest time, and we all told her she needed to get out of that sordid relationship, like, yesterday. As for finding herself a new love interest, it was tough going, but Sophie saved the day.
    There was this guy, Nathan, who stepped in for Sophie at Katie’s Kitchen when she went to Paris and then became part-time. He was a nice and attractive and available guy. Lara was reluctant at first, as she had been with every dreamboat and doofus we tried to introduce her to. Eventually she and Nathan met, hit it off, and the last I’ve heard they’ve already been out on two very successful dates.
    “They’re going,” Lara says so nonchalantly.
    I’m nosy and can’t help myself. “Going where? Up? Down? Good? Bad?”
    “Claire,” Lara says. “They’re going. We’ve only been out three times. Nothing crazy to report.”
    “Three!”
    “Yes, three. ” She tucks a loose strand of her short, brown hair behind an ear. “Three really good dates.”
    Is that Lara blushing ever so slightly?
    “Good for you!” Emily says. “I’m glad you’re getting action!”
    Lara waves her hands about, trying to end the