Member-only story
CHAPTER 11
The Ringo Effect
An empty chair at Christmas dinner
CHAPTER 11
Dinner is served on Christmas day at 3pm in the Ringo home. It’s been that way for thirty years. But it’s 2:45 and Davinia has yet to arrive.
While Dahlia and Clarice fill the serving bowls to be placed on the buffet in the dining room, Penelope sits at the kitchen island sipping chardonnay, nibbling hors d’oeuvres and helping to keep things light. Her date, Lewis, is watching a football game with RJ in the family room. He’s younger than Penelope. Only forty-five. And she likes to keep him on his toes.
She bends low, undoes the top three buttons of her yellow jumpsuit and pulls back her lace bra to take a five second video of her left nipple. She sends it to Lewis. His phone dings and he looks at the video twice before recognizing the yellow jumpsuit. He grins and looks over at her, but she’s kee-keeing with Dahlia and Clarice as if she hadn’t just send him a boob shot. Finally she glances in his direction and blows him a kiss. He chuckles, shaking his head in amazement.
Once the food is placed on the dining room buffet, Dahlia slips out of her apron to reveal a magnificent red velvet hostess robe. Clarice looks her over from head to toe with an admiring nod of approval. Most of her friends despise…