Spanish Moss (who knows what it will actually be)
an excerpt

“He had to go back to the hospital.” Kate picked up a plate and added it to the stack in her arms. Carly stared at her friend suspiciously. Ben was Kate’s sometime boyfriend and they hadn’t been seeing each other for the last few weeks. Carly had listened to Kate whine about it since Carly had returned from Hawaii a few weeks ago.
“And you know this how?” Carly pressed her lips together to keep from laughing. Ben and Kate had been doing this dance for the six years that Carly had known them. Fight, break-up, get back together, fight, break-up, get back together. One of these days they were going to figure out how to fight and stay together. It was clear to Carly that they loved each other.
“He told me before dinner.” Kate glanced at Carly. “Go ahead and laugh. I know you want to. You’ve done it enough times before.”
“That’s true enough.” Carly’s eyes twinkled. “What happened to I’m never going to speak to that big jerk again as long as I live?”
“It got cornered in the supply closet at work. The big jerk didn’t like that Dr. Raymond was flirting with me so he begged for another chance.” Kate picked up a fork and placed it on the top of the stack of dishes. Carly sighed. It wasn’t fair that Kate could look so graceful and beautiful picking up a fork and Carly had to look like a Bartlett pear. “ I know. I know. I gave in too easily, but Ben and I…well we have this past.”
“You love him.” Carly took the stack of dishes from Kate and placed them on the buffet. “Help me get this tablecloth.” She directed the other girl to the end of the table. “You won’t be the first woman to be foolish with love.” Carly was in the position to know that first hand.
“I do love him and I know we can make it work this time. It’s not foolish.” Kate sounded petulant and defensive. “He loves me too.” Kate stalked off to the kitchen with the folded tablecloth. Carly followed with the stack of plates.
“Mmhmmm.” Carly murmured incoherently. It was better just let her talk when she was like this.
“He promised me that things would be better this time and I know that they will. He’s almost done with his residency. He’s not so tired anymore.” Kate sounded as if she was trying to convince herself.
Carly caught Trudy’s gaze and nodded at her questioning look.
“You back with that nephew of mine, girl.” Trudy continued at Kate’s nod. “He’s a good boy and a good doctor, but those aren’t necessarily the qualities that you should look for in a husband. You…”
“But.” Kate spluttered as Trudy cut her off.
“Girl you better listen to me. Ben is not for you. The boy loves you. That’s true enough, but he loves medicine more and you aren’t the kind that can accept that so you just need to look elsewhere.”
“No, it’s going to work this time. I just know it is!” Kate glared mutinously at Carly and Trudy and stalked off.
“You’re wasting your breath, Trudy. She’s not going to listen to you.” Carly started drying the dishes as Trudy washed.
“Don’t I know it. I’ve been running the house for almost seven years now. I’ve tried to tell a half dozen or more girls that they were making a mistake and not one of them listened to me.” Trudy chuckled. “All those youthful hormones aren’t worth a Confederate dollar. Little Kate has got veils and magnolias in her head and they aren’t coming out without a fight.”
“Six weeks ago, she was vowing that she’d never speak to him again.” Carly dried the last dish and placed it on the top of the stack. “and now, she’s swearing that she loves him. I just hate to see her get disillusioned.”