Becky Doughty [Unknown] - Renata and the Fall from Grace

Renata

&

The Fall From Grace

The Gustafson Girls

Book 2

BECKY DOUGHTY

BRAVEHEARTS PRESS

Copyright 2015 Becky Doughty

Renata & the Fall From Grace

The Gustafson Girls Book 2

All Rights Reserved. This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual names, characters, places, actual events or people, living or dead, are purely coincidental. No part of this publication may be reproduced, or transmitted in any form or by any means, without written permission from the author. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the authors rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

First published in the United States of America by BraveHearts Press

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Author Information: www.BeckyDoughty.com

Renata & the Fall from Grace

Table of Contents

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To enigmatic married women everywhere.

You know who you are.

God knew what He was doing

when He made

You .

So, Juliette darling , what diabolical deed could you have possibly committed?" Phoebe wound a black tendril of hair around her forefinger as she glanced pointedly at the clock on the wall. "Whatever it is, make it quick. I've got a date tonight." The dark-haired artist was resplendent in a scarlet kimono dress paired with thigh-high stiletto boots. A pointed toe dipped up and down in time to the music playing in the background, one of Juliette's beloved 80s' movie soundtracks.

"What on earth is there to do on a Tuesday night in this town?" Renata asked from across the room. The question was out before she could stop it. Phoebe liked nothing better than to flaunt her wild lifestyle, and Renata had just given her leave to do so.

Phoebe's smile became sultry. "I don't think you want to know, Rennie. Let's just say it probably isn't your cup of tea." Then she raised both her bangled wrists above her head and did a slow and sensual gyrating motion.

"You're going to hell, Phoebe Gustafson."

"Oh, I'm well aware of that, thank you very much. You, on the other hand, may be headed for the pearly gates, but at least I'm having fun along the way."

"Hey, you two. Cool it." Juliette's soothing voice cut through the mounting tension, and Renata took a deep breath, hating the tightness in her chest when Phoebe mocked her faith. But Juliette didn't look very happy, either. "What time do you have to leave, Phebes?"

"You've got me for thirty minutes. Brandon is picking me up at my place at six and I still have to fix my face."

"What's wrong with your face?" Gia asked, her back to the entertainment center, her fingers buried in Bob's scruffy fur. Bob, once Tootles, was the beloved dog Juliette had rescued from the park with Renata's help last fall. Although she brushed him regularly, Juliette had given up on taming her dog's coat.

"I can tell you what's wrong with her face," Renata quipped unkindly.

"Please." Juliette held up a hand, an uncharacteristic scowl on her face. "If I had known we only had half an hour, I would have waited to call a G-FOURce. I have something pretty serious to talk to you about."

"That's not for like two hours, Phebes. You look fantabulous already. Do you really need that much time?" Gia asked, her curls spilling down her back in a riotous waterfall of autumn hues. The youngest of the four sisters, she was the only Gustafson girl who still lived at home with Grandpa and Granny G, but she'd obviously forgotten the epic Battle of the Bathroom that took place every morning when they'd all shared the same room.

Renata rolled her eyes. "Don't be silly, Georgia. It only takes her ten minutes to actually get ready. The rest of the time she's just admiring her own reflection." She was feeling especially snarky today, and Phoebe had been on her nerves since Christmas. Besides, for various reasons, January was always a difficult month for her. Putting away holiday decorations and giving the house a thorough cleaning gave her a satisfying sense of accomplishment, but it never lasted. No matter how hard she tried, within weeks, she'd broken all her New Year's resolutions, particularly the resolutions involving coffee, gummy bears, and the cookie dough in a tub she kept stocked in her freezer year round. Once the boys were off to school in the morning, she could hear the little chocolate chips calling her name.

Not that she would have thought of that herself, but right before the big family Christmas meal last month, Phoebe had been sent out to the garage freezer for a bag of ice. She'd taken four-year-old Judah with her, the two of them chattering away about how much lizards and aliens look alike. They returned shortly, a bag of ice in Phoebe's arms, and one of the chocolate chip cookie dough tubs in Judah's.

"I didn't ask for cookies," Renata sighed. "Just ice. We're almost ready to sit down."

"I know. But the poor little chocolate chips were calling us, weren't they, Jude-Dude? Their tiny sad voices cried out, 'Phoebe! Judah! We're so cold in here, so c-c-cold.'" Phoebe peeled off the lid and began chipping away at the frozen lump with a fork from one of the beautifully-set places around the table. "We knew just where they'd get nice and warm very quickly."

She winked at the little boy and they both shouted gleefully, "Belly-town!"

Phoebe's fork slipped and a huge chunk of dough plopped onto the clean, white tablecloth and rolled a few inches, leaving a discolored smudge in its wake. "Oops!" Before she got to it, Judah reached under her arm, snatched it up, and popped it into his mouth, then dove under the table so Renata couldn't get to him. Phoebe laughed out loud.

"Great. Thanks for spoiling his appetite." Renata grumbled. She didn't want to fight with Phoebe, not today of all days, but it seemed inevitable no matter how hard she tried not to.

"Did I just make you lose your appetite, Jude-Dude?" Phoebe lifted the edge of the tablecloth and peeked underneath at the boy. Judah chortled gleefully, but shook his head, then crawled out to prove that everything, including his hunger, was still intact. Tell-tale brown streaks ran down the front of his white shirt as he stood in front of Renata.

"I'm starving, Mommy! I'm starving for salad, and smashed tater toes, and and turkey bird, and corn." He continued to list the items he could see as he craned his neck to get a better view of the dishes on the table. "My appetite didn't get lost. It's right here." He patted his tummy, leaving even more smudges.

"Oh, dear. Let's go wash up and change your shirt, shall we, little man?" Phoebe shoved the tub of dough in Renata's already packed refrigerator and grabbed the boy's hand. The two of them disappeared down the hall, and Renata frowned after them.

Now here she was, sitting across from Phoebe, picking fights with her again, and it occurred to her that she was breaking yet another resolution: I will not fight with Phoebe. "Sorry," she muttered. "That wasn't nice."

"Maybe not, but it's true." Phoebe wasn't going to allow her to be gracious. "I practice my pucker, my blink, my surprised look." She put both hands on her cheeks and shaped her mouth into a perfect, scarlet 'O.' Gia grinned at her antics from her spot on the floor and Renata wished the girl wasn't so easily impressed with Phoebe. "I even practice my 'come hither' look because there's always a chance I might meet Hither while I'm out and about."

"Cute, Phoebe. But enough. I really do need to tell you about something," Juliette cut in. "I just don't want to feel rushed." She shifted in her favorite corner of the beige-toned sofa. She'd added some new throw pillows, Renata noticed, in plum shantung silk and a gorgeous apple green. She saw traces of the same colors around the rest of the room, too. Even the black and white Ansel Adams prints on the walls were now accented with pieces that looked like some of Phoebe's artwork; bold, swirling colors against serene blue backgrounds. Renata had to admit she approved.