Free Marrying Mr. Right by Cathy Tully Page B

Don’t be such a stranger.”
    As soon as they started to cross the street to reach Luigi’s, Missy asked in a low voice, “Are you pregnant?”
    Cara stopped in her tracks, eyes wide, mouth in the shape of an O and stared at her mother.
    Uh-oh, had she blown her daughter’s surprise?
    An instant later, Cara laughed. “Mom, please get serious.”
    “What else is a mother to think? You show up out of the blue, you’re happy and you claim to be starving. I don’t know—it seemed like a good guess.”
    They resumed walking. The combination of warmth from the sun mixed with a delicious autumn breeze felt exhilarating. Missy made a mental note to get out of the shop more often at lunchtime if only to clear her head and re-energize. Now was an especially good time to make a change, with the change in weather signifying her favorite time of year. A block away, a small crowd of kids gathered outside the local library.
    Cara nodded toward the children. “What’s going on?”
    Missy smiled. “Remember when we used to go to reading time at the library?”
    Cara nodded. “Oh yeah. Mrs. McCormick read us all the Judy Bloom books. She was great.”
    “She’s retired, but her daughter-in-law stepped in to take over. Things sure have changed since you went to the library. Remember when it was only girls who attended? Look at all the boys in line. Of course, there are a lot more books available now to interest both boys and girls, like the Harry Potter series and The Hunger Games.”
    “I wish I had more time to read,” Cara whispered.
    “Once you’ve established yourself at the law firm, you’ll have more time, you’ll see. First you’ve got to pay your dues.”
    They stopped at the corner and the only traffic light in the small town. Pete the cop blew his whistle and waved for them to cross.
    “Back to the subject at hand,” Missy said.
    Cara shook her head. “Trust me when I say that kids are a long way off for Dan and me.”
    Although she would have been supportive if Cara had announced a pregnancy, she couldn’t help feeling a bit of relief. Her daughter had a bright future ahead of her with one of New York’s most prestigious law firms. And at only twenty-four, there was plenty of time before she and Dan started a family.
    Making a left at the corner, they almost collided with a kid on a skateboard. Missy jumped back, and Cara hollered, “Shouldn’t you be in school?”
    He responded with an upraised middle finger on his left hand and a smart mouth, four-letter suggestion for her to mind her own business.
    “Are you okay?” Cara asked.
    “I think so.”
    “Do you know that kid?”
    She shook her head. “No.”
    “Great. The town’s next juvenile delinquent.” They entered Luigi’s where the spicy aromas of homemade marinara sauce and roasted garlic made Missy’s mouth water and all the aggravation from a moment ago disappear. Soon after, her stomach set up a growl. Round tables with white linen tablecloths, red napkins and a small vase containing one rose dressed each table, and soft music filled the cozy space.
    Anna Maria, Luigi’s wife, all of four feet ten inches tall, dressed completely in black, threw up her arms in delight when she saw them. “What a wonderful surprise!” After they were seated, Anna Maria handed them menus. With clasped hands, she said, “Wait until I tell Luigi you are here.”
    Cara leaned in and kept her voice low. “When was the last time you ate here, Mom?”
    Nine months, one week and twenty-one hours, but who’s counting? “I can’t remember.”
    Luigi emerged from the kitchen and rushed over to the table. “Missy and Cara! How wonderful to see you both.”
    Together the women stood and hugged the man who was a saint to run a family friendly restaurant. Her mind traveled back to the night many years ago when she and Vinnie brought the kids in for dinner. Nick had complained of a stomachache earlier, but since he seemed to always complain about something,