Red Lily

she’s so cute! And almost as big as Lily.”
    “That was the idea. Mitch spotted her before I did, and nothing would do but we bring her home to Lily. What do you think, sweetie?”
    Lily poked the doll in the eye a couple of times, pulled its hair, then was happy to sit on the floor and get acquainted.
    “It’s the kind of doll she’ll name in a year or so, then keep in her room till college. Thank you, Roz.”

    “We’re not done. There was this little shop, and they had the most adorable dresses.” She began to pull them out of the bag while Hayley goggled. Soft smocked cotton, ruched lace, embroidered denim. “And look at these rompers. Who could resist?”
    “They’re wonderful. They’re beautiful. You’ll spoil her.”
    “Well, of course.”
    “I don’t know what to . . . She doesn’t have any grand—anybody to spoil her like this.”
    Roz arched a brow, folded a romper. “You can say the G word, Hayley. I won’t faint in horror. I like to think of myself as her honorary grandmother.”
    “I’m so lucky. We’re so lucky.”
    “Then why are you tearing up?”
    “I don’t know. All this stuff’s been going on in my head lately.” She sniffled, heeled a hand under her eyes to rub away the dampness. “Where I am, how I got here, how it might’ve been for us if I’d been on my own with Lily the way I thought I’d be.”
    “Might’ve beens don’t get you very far.”
    “I know. I’m just so glad I came to you. I was thinking last night that I should start looking for a place.”
    “A place to what?”
    “Live.”
    “Something wrong with this place?”
    “It’s the most beautiful house I’ve ever seen.” And here she was, Hayley Phillips from Little Rock, living in it, living in a house that had a parlor furnished with beautiful antiques and deep rich cushions, with generous windows that opened up to acres of more beauty.
    “I was thinking I should look for a place, but I don’t want to. At least, well, not right now.” She looked down, watched Lily struggle to carry the doll around the room. “But I want you to tell me, and I know we’re good enoughfriends that you will, when you want me to start looking.”
    “All right. That settled then?”
    “Sure.”
    “Don’t you want to see what we brought you?”
    “I got something, too?” Hayley’s lake blue eyes went bright with anticipation. “I love presents. I’m not ashamed to say it.”
    “I hope you like this one.” She took a box out of the bag, offered it.
    Wasting no time, Hayley took off the top. “Oh, oh! They’re gorgeous.”
    “I thought the red coral would suit you best.”
    “I love them!” She took the earrings out of the box and holding them to her ears rushed to one of the antique mirrors on the wall to study how they looked. The trios of delicate and exotic red balls swayed from a glittery triangle of silver. “They’re wonderful. God, I have something from Aruba. I can’t believe it.”
    She dashed back to give a chuckling Roz a hug. “They’re just beautiful. Thank you, thank you. I can hardly wait to wear them.”
    “You can give them a test drive tonight if you want. Stella, Logan, and the boys will be over. David tells me we’re having a welcome-home dinner.”
    “Oh, but you’ll be tired.”
    “Tired? What am I, eighty? I just got back from vacation.”
    “Honeymoon,” Hayley corrected with a smirk. “Bet you didn’t get a lot of rest either.”
    “We slept in every morning, you smart-ass.”
    “In that case, we’ll party. Lily and I’ll go upstairs and get ourselves all clean and pretty.”
    “I’ll give you a hand up with all these things.”
    “Thanks. Roz?” Everything inside her had settled down to a glow. “I’m really glad you’re home.”

    I T WAS SO much fun to put on her new earrings, to dress Lily in one of her pretty new outfits, to fuss a little over both herself and her daughter. She shook her head just for the pleasure of feeling the way her hair fell and her earrings swung.
    There now, she thought, not feeling dull and blah anymore. Since she was feeling celebratory, she capped it off with new shoes. The thin-heeled strappy black sandals were impractical and unnecessary. Which made them perfect.
    “And they were on sale,” she told Lily. “Gotta say, they’ve got to be more fun than Prozac or whatever.”
    It felt great to wear a dress—a short dress—and sexy shoes. A new haircut. Red lipstick.
    She gave a turn for the mirror and