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“You’re not an old hag,” said Odelia, then remembered that Abbey was in her forties now. It’s hard to imagine that the heroes of your youth age, too. She’d seen Abbey Moret play the peppy ditzy blonde in so many movies it was hard to imagine she was a forty-year-old mom now, not a teenager.

“But you know, who cares?” said Abbey, though it was obvious she cared a great deal. “It’s not as if I’ll be seeing the jezebel for much longer. After this weekend is over, it’s sayonara, stupid cow, and good riddance.” And with these words, she returned to her table with her tray.

“What was that all about?” asked Chase.

“Apparently Alina isn’t the only one who hates Kimberlee. Abbey does, too.”

“My God,” said Chase. “It’s like high school all over again, isn’t it?”

“Just human nature, I guess.”

“Human nature, my foot. I work with the same people year-round and I never get into screaming matches or blow my top. You know what I think?”

“I’m sure you’re about to tell me.”

“Big egos clashing. Put one movie star in a movie with a bunch of nobodies, and everyone gets along great. Put five movie stars together and fireworks are guaranteed.”

“I don’t know about that. Sometimes the most successful people have the smallest egos.”

“You don’t believe that.”

“I do, actually. Just look at Emerald. She’s so gracious and so humble. Not the diva I thought she would be at all.”

Chase eyed her curiously.“Are you seriously calling Emerald Rhone a humble person?”

“Down-to-earth, unassuming, kind—in a word, humble.”

They’d taken a seat and devoted themselves to the items on their plates. “I disagree,” he said. “She’s the classic diva, and all these other divas probably hate her guts and she loves it.”

Like last night, the food once again was to die for: there were so many different choices on display that Odelia was sorry she only had one stomach. She took a sip from her freshly squeezed orange juice and took a bite from her buttermilk pancakes with maple syrup and some of that saut?ed spinach.

Chase, meanwhile, attacked his hash brown potatoes, blueberry pancakes, streaky crisp pork bacon and roast honey glazed ham with French toast while sipping from his piping hot and spoon-standing-up strong black coffee.

“I think Emerald has managed to stay with both feet firmly planted in reality—a regular person like the rest of us mere mortals, and I’ve always admired that about her,” said Odelia.

Just then, the doors to the breakfast room swung open and Emerald burst in. She was looking resplendent in an Adidas tracksuit, and had a brilliant smile plastered across her face.“Hello, my beloved friends!” she cried. “I trust you’ve all had a wonderful night. And I trust all differences have been put firmly aside.” She cast a meaningful look at Alina and Reinhart, neither of whom reacted. “I’m not going to keep you in suspense. It’s time for your gift!”

“Whoopsie,” said Odelia, putting her hands together and joining in the applause.

Chase was already removing his watch to make a place for the new and snazzier one he was sure to receive.

Emerald clapped her hands and a cart was rolled in by two servers, overseen by Emerald’s husband Pete. On the cart cans of Coke had been piled in a nice pyramid.

“Ta-dah!” Emerald sang on a high note, an excited trill in her voice.

Everyone stared at the cans of Coke.

Chase started putting his watch back on.

Emerald picked up the top can and showed it to her stunned guests.“Coke Emerald! The Coca-Cola Company has created a new Coke especially for me! It tastes a little sweeter than classic Coke, with a minty aftertaste, not unlike myself,” she said with a wink at her husband, who looked appropriately embarrassed. “Go on, try it,” she said, and started handingout the cans. “There’s plenty for everyone, so take as many as you want. They won’t be in stores until the fall so this is a real treat for you and your loved ones.”

Chase took a can from the servers who’d started distributing the cans among the guests, who all accepted the unique gift with the requisite murmurs of appreciation, while still looking slightly stunned and baffled.

Chase turned the can over in his hand, then opened it with a pop and took a swig.“Tastes like Coke,” he said. “Like she said—a little sweeter.”

Underneath the Coke logo the name Emerald had been added, and a green-and-gold stripe added to the famous swoosh. Odelia caught Chase’s eye and they both had to suppress a snort of laughter. So no watches, bracelets or earrings but cans of Coke. Ah, well, she thought. At least she had something to write home about. Literally.

Chapter 12

“Do you think they’re missing us already?” asked Dooley.

We’d spent the night in the park, not far from cat choir’s rehearsal spot. Of course all of cat choir’s members had gone home by now, to their respective couches and beds and extra-soft and fluffy pillows, and to their food bowls and litter boxes. The only fools still in the park were the four of us, the elopers.

“I hope so,” I said. “I miss my bowl of food.”