Free Age Before Beauty by Virginia Smith Page B

“They make sports bras, you know. The things work wonders.”
    “Thanks, but no thanks.” Allie gave her sister a smile to show she really did appreciate the offer. “I just need to cut back on the sweets, that’s all. Starting tomorrow. After my birthday.” She pinched off a chunk of chocolate chip cookie, popped it into her mouth, and winked at Joan before she left the kitchen.
    “Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday, dear Alllllliiieeeeeeeee. Happy birthday to you!”
    Allie giggled at her sisters’ awful attempt at harmony. Beneath the table Eric squeezed her left hand while Mom set a chocolate layer cake in front of her. Twenty-eight candles glowed in the darkened room, creating a ring of light that illuminated the faces around her. Joan’s boyfriend Ken looked a little bemused at the exuberance of this birthday celebration. This was his first family birthday with the Sandersons, and Allie knew they could be a little overwhelming when they got together. She cast a quick glance at Betty, seated on Eric’s left. Her mother-in-law wore a completely blank expression, though she watched everything from the depths of those sad-looking eyes. From what Eric had told her of his childhood, big, loud, noisy family gatherings were completely alien to Betty. What must she think of theirs?
    “Make a wish!” Tori said.
    Mom stood behind her right shoulder, cake knife in hand. “Hurry, honey, the candles are melting onto the icing.”
    Allie closed her eyes. She didn’t place much stock in birthday wishes, not since her fourteenth, when she wished Mom and Daddy would stop arguing and love each other again. But tradition was tradition, so she needed to pick one.
    I wish … I wish I’d become the bestselling Varie Cose consultant in Kentucky!
    No sense wishing small. Might as well go for the gold. She sucked in air until her lungs burned and then blew out every candle. First try.
    “Yay, Allie!” Joan clapped her hands, grinning. “You’ll get your wish.”
    “I hope so,” Allie said as Mom flipped on the overhead light. Mom whisked the cake away to the kitchen counter, where she began pulling the candles off.
    “I’m sure your wish is going to come true when you open my present.” Tori’s grin flashed around the table.
    “Cake first,” Mom said. “Then the presents. Who wants ice cream?”
    “Oh!” Gram hopped up from her seat. “Don’t forget the cookies. I know Eric will want one.”
    A dimple creased her wrinkled cheek as Eric nodded. “I can never pass up your chocolate walnut cookies.”
    “Cake for me,” Allie said as Mom placed a full dessert plate in front of her. “And Moose Tracks ice cream, my favorite.”
    She picked up a fork, then hesitated as it hovered over the plate. How many calories did chocolate cake have? More than iced cinnamon rolls?
    Forget it. Birthdays only come once a year.
    Brushing away thoughts of caloric intake, she plunged her fork into the fudgy icing and fluffy cake. “Oh, yum. Mom, this is delicious.”
    Mom patted her shoulder, then looked at Eric’s mother. “Betty, would you like ice cream with your cake?”
    Betty sat upright as she had all evening, not allowing herself to rest against the back of the chair, her posture so perfect it could almost be called rigid.
    Like the queen of England or something. Allie smashed cake crumbs into the tines of her fork, regretting the unkind thought. Betty probably just felt uncomfortable in front of all these people she didn’t know.
    “It’s really good.” Allie smiled at her mother-in-law to include her in the family atmosphere.
    The corners of Betty’s thin lips turned up briefly. “I’m sure it is, but I rarely eat sweets. Don has problems with sugar, you know.”
    Allie didn’t reply. Granted, she had not spent much time around her in-laws, but she remembered Don scarfing down several pieces of cake at their wedding reception. If he had sugar problems, he certainly hadn’t seemed