Free A Week at the Lake by Wendy Wax Page B

about her exchange of texts with Adam just thirty minutes ago. He’d texted two brief queries about Emma and herself. Then there’d been a flood of text, most of it followed by exclamation points.
Another meeting is scheduled at the studio! Don’t want to jinx things, but this time I feel like something could really happen!!!!
    She’d kept her responses short but upbeat. A few “wows!” Two or three “greats!” each with an exclamation point of its own. It had felt so odd though, almost disloyal, to even be thinking about anything so frivolous as a movie deal when Emma was lying in the ICU like a block of wood, unmoving and unresponsive.
    â€œI guess,” Zoe said finally. “But I’m not going anywhere.” She pushed her plate away. “Not until she wakes up.”
    Serena’s mouth opened and Mackenzie braced. Serena had always prided herself on “telling it like it is,” except, of course, when it came to certain personal truths she was avoiding. She shot Serena a warning look.
    â€œI was just going to say that none of us are going anywhere until Sleeping Beauty awakens. Even if I have to find a handsome prince to lay one on her.”
    Mackenzie rolled her eyes at Serena, but Zoe’s eyes had stopped glistening. “Well, while you’re looking,” Mackenzie said, “maybe you should find out if Doctor Brennan’s single.”
    â€œYou don’t have to be single to kiss somebody awake. It’s not like a fairy-tale rule or anything.” Serena helped herself to one of Zoe’s fries.
    â€œThat may be, but I’m pretty sure the kiss is more potent if the prince who locks lips with you isn’t contractually promised to someone else.”

    B ack at her town house late the next night, Serena kicked off her shoes and sank into the sofa with a groan. Mackenzie and Zoe joined her.
    â€œI was really hoping for some sign, even a small one, today,” Serena said, rubbing her bare feet. “Some tiny signal that Em is getting ready to wake up.”
    â€œWell, Dr. Brennan said this is a critical time while we wait for the swelling to go down. And that we have to remain vigilant for threats of infection or blood clots or other problems,” Mackenzie reminded them. “Since none of those things happened, that makes it a good day.”
    â€œIt didn’t feel like one.” Zoe’s voice was quiet.
    Mackenzie kept her inner Pollyanna to herself.
    The doorbell rang and Serena stared briefly at the door before hauling herself up and heading over to it. She peered throughthe peephole then opened it to a deliveryman who handed over a large gift-wrapped box. As she set it on the coffee table and undid the bow, she wondered if it might be from Wes, who had sent her a series of increasingly lame texts that began with a slightly apologetic, “Wish I’d known you were in the control room last night.”
No kidding
. And ended with a more than slightly indignant, “I can’t believe you left without saying hello.” As if she was the one in the wrong.
    As soon as she opened the box and saw the gourmet popcorn, and boxes of Sno-Caps and Jujubes tucked into the collection of videos, she knew whom it was from. Ethan had sent all six original seasons of
I Love Lucy,
a
Dick Van Dyke Show
holiday special, an early reel of George Burns and Gracie Allen, Abbott and Costello’s “Who’s on First,” National Lampoon’s
Vacation
, and the Three Stooges’
Have Rocket, Will Travel
. A hand-labeled DVD read,
Georgia Goodbody Outtakes. Have fan, will pummel
. The card read,
Watch. Laugh. Repeat. Don’t get Jujubes stuck in your teeth
.
    â€œVery nice,” Mackenzie observed.
    â€œIs all that from your boyfriend?” Zoe asked, reaching for a box of Sno-Caps.
    â€œNo, they’re from my friend Ethan. He’s the producer/creator of . . .”
    â€œEthan Miller?”