Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Present Day Rachael

R achael paced the floor. Her son Ryan was at his father's house for a few days. Ryan was in high school now and wanted to spend more time with his dad and playing sports. Rachael had no issues with it, as long as Vickie, the newest Mrs. Newmark, was treating Ryan well. Like most split families with visitation, there was a lot of tension in the beginning, not to mention Rachael's rage over her now-ex-husband's extramarital affair. In retrospect, it was a blessing. She and Greg fought constantly, which is what he blamed his infidelity on. Too much conflict. But that was no justification as far as Rachael was concerned. When you have an issue with your mate, you deal with it together. But Greg decided it was easier to cheat than to face Rachael with his concerns. Rachael could be quite volatile, but it was still no excuse.

There had been rumors of Greg's indiscretions, but Rachael did not want to believe them, until she decided to follow him one late afternoon. She waited in the parking lot of the "No-Tell Motel"—a euphemism for a cheap place for lovers to meet. After Rachael sat patiently in the dark for two hours, Greg appeared with another woman. She couldn't deny the truth when she saw it with her own eyes, and then she exploded. As Greg walked the woman to her car, Rachael revved the engine of her SUV. She slowly inched her way toward him until he could see who was behind the wheel. The stunned look on his face screamed Guilty! mixed with fear as Rachael came closer, picking up speed. She swerved at the last minute, but not before Greg jumped out of the way and landed in a tangle of shrubbery.

"You are dead meat!" Rachael screamed at him. "Dead!" The sound of the squealing tires and her screeches brought people to their windows, and some opened their doors.

"He's a lying, cheating, piece of scum!" Rachael continued her rant. Much to her surprise, most of the onlookers hooted and applauded. One person shouted, "Take him for all he's got!"

Unfortunately, Greg had mangled Rachael's finances, but that didn't stop her from soaping his car with:

Tell your girlfriend I cleaned out what was left in the bank. Now you're really broke.

But she wasn't finished with him. She put a sign on her lawn that said:

C HEATING H USBAND Y ARD S ALE E VERYTHING MUST GO, ESPECIALLY HIM .

The divorce proceedings went quickly. Greg tried to use the excuse that she tried to kill him, but there was no proof and no witnesses except for the girlfriend, and she wasn't about to admit that she was with him at a motel. Greg then tried to squelch the monetary judgment claiming Rachael wiped out their bank account, but that didn't stop a judge from issuing a hefty alimony and child support payment every month. There was no wiggle room for Greg. No negotiations. Done. Over. Bye-Bye.

But not long after the final divorce decree, Rachael went on a mission seeking validation, something many women do when they've been cheated on. She visited dating sites and mixers, but the losers she met only drove her further into believing she wasn't worthy of a good partner. Many men were simply looking for a one-night stand, maybe two, and she was constantly disappointed, so she was excited when her friends decided to do the unthinkable and go on a singles' cruise. At least there would be a lot to do besides looking for Mr. Perfect, Prince Charming, or a Knight in Shining Armor. ( Psst . . . he doesn't exist.)

During the cruise, Rachael met a famous dancer and instructor named Henry Dugan, who was at least a decade her senior. They bonded when Rachael took a few of his classes on the ship. Henry was involved in a foundation called Let's Dance that provided therapeutic dancing to children with special needs. They became lovers, and Rachael became part of the foundation, but things got a little murky between them, and Henry ended the relationship. However, for the first time in her life, Rachael did not place the blame on herself or whatever she thought her failings were. They had an amicable breakup. She was content. She had friends. She had a successful dance instructor business. She no longer had to prove herself to anybody, especially herself.

She glided her way into her home office and picked up her business phone and made a call.

"Randy Wheeler at your service. Just ask!"

"You don't always answer your phone like that, do you?" Rachael asked.

"It all depends on who is on the other line, dearie," he fussed. "And to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Do you have holiday plans?" Rachael asked.

"That would be contingent upon whether or not they sound like fun. What is going on in that tricky little head of yours?"

"My crew is planning our annual holiday trip. This year, it's Italy."

" Molto bene !" Randy cried.

"Is that the extent of your Italian or do you know more?"

" Un pochino ," he answered.

"How little?" Rachael inquired.

" Molto pochino ."

"So that is the extent of it, correct?" Rachael asked.

" Correctomundo ."

"I don't think that's really Italian," Rachael huffed.

"Oh, so, whatev. But does that mean you're inviting me?" Randy perked up.

"Giovanni secured a house in Baronissi, just outside of Salerno. They're going to spend the holidays with his family, and he is exchanging his apartment in the city with some professor's house in Baronissi."

"Sounds divine," Randy cooed. "Where is Baronissi, anyway?"

"Just northwest of the city of Salerno. According to Giovanni, it's a great location for day trips to the Amalfi Coast."

"Now you're talking, sister!" Randy cheered.

"I thought we could fly into Rome first or maybe Florence for a day or so, then head down to the villa."

"Oh, darling, that's a marvelous plan. Where should we go first?"

"I've never been to Florence," Rachael answered.

"Me neither. What do you think? Two days in Florence and then two days in Rome?"

"We should plan to get to Salerno on the thirtieth." She was counting backwards. "That means we'd have to leave on the twenty-sixth. But I'm sure Frankie has a few things in mind, so we'll have to play it by ear."

"That's perfect. I like being flexible. My folks are coming to New York to see the tree, and we planned on doing all the touristy things."

"I don't want you to cut your visit with your family short," Rachael replied.

"Believe me, we'll all need a break after a week of holiday cheer," Randy sighed.

"I thought you made amends with them," Rachael said.

"Yes. They've finally accepted my lifestyle, so the holidays are actually enjoyable now. I just can't take all the tourists and the crowds."

"Me neither. Although I don't think we'll be able to avoid them in Italy."

"At least it will be a different crowd in a different place."

"Good point! So, you're on?" Rachael asked rhetorically. She knew Randy would be up for almost anything she devised.

"Darling, you know I am! I have one more show on Christmas Eve. I got tickets for my parents, so they'll be able to see me in action."

"I don't know if watching you in action is the best plan," Rachael mocked.

"Aren't you funny. You oughta be in showbiz."

"I am kinda funny," Rachael defended herself.

"True. You always put on a good show. On or off stage!" Randy quipped back.

"Well then we should take our show on the road!" Rachael exclaimed. "Let me know when you want to fly out and where you want to go first, and I'll make the rez."

"Sounds fabulous!" Randy was thrilled to be invited to the reunion. It was hard to believe it had been almost a year since he first met all of them when they visited Lake Tahoe. He and Rachael became fast friends when she needed a cohort in her mischief of planting mistletoe and reindeer outside of the other women's rooms. She hadn't committed to joining them at first, but then showed up unannounced. Kinda. She kept leaving hints until she discovered Frankie had gone missing and Rachael went full force on a mission to help find her.

The annual girls' trip was more than just a reunion. It was the reuniting of a long, deep friendship that had temporarily gone off the rails. Misunderstandings can be damaging. It took a little time for Rachael to realize that in order for people to know what's going on in your life, you had to tell them. You couldn't expect them to miraculously figure it out. There's no such thing as "magic thinking." Perhaps there is when you want to try to "make a wish," but not when it comes to expressing your feelings. It's not fair to be angry with someone who hasn't been able to read your mind. Rachael had come to that realization with the help of Randy, who had never met any of them prior to their trip. He offered a fresh new perspective, which Rachael was grateful for. She was also grateful she found a fellow mischief-maker and was thrilled he agreed to go to Italy.