"Yeesh! I’m so nervous my toes are shaking!" Libby hugged herself. "Let’s skip the reunion and go to a nightclub."

"No way! It’s been twenty years. It’s time to see everyone again." Ruthie glanced slyly at Libby. "Besides, Alan Shaw might be there."

"Alan who?" Libby fluffed her hair and put on another coat of lipstick, in a vain attempt to hide her red face.

Ruthie snorted, "As if you haven’t been mooning over him since the summer after graduation."

"It’s sad, isn’t it?" Libby casually changed the subject as they pulled into the parking lot. "We all thought we’d be together forever. I haven’t seen most of our class since graduation."

"Yeah," Ruthie sighed. She pulled into an empty space.

The two got out and smoothed their dresses and headed towards the hall that overflowed with people. Eighties music drifted through the warm June night, a background for excited chatter and laughter.

They entered the crowded, noisy hall and were immediately surrounded by old classmates. The rush of memories that flooded back overwhelmed Libby.

She scanned the room, hoping for a glimpse of Alan. Would she even recognize him after so much time?

A man gave a bark of laughter and Libby’s stomach did a flip-flop. Alan’s laugh! She spun around, and the back of a tall dark-haired man caught her eye. She tried to decide if it would be better to casually tap him on the shoulder or maybe circle around so she was in front of him and let him "find" her first, or… The man turned and she saw with disappointment it was definitely not Alan.

"You look great." Barb Nolan startled Libby out of her reverie with a rib-cracking bear hug. "I guess being my gym partner set you on the path to fitness."

"Hardly," Libby snorted, "We exerted ourselves as little as possible, remember?"

"I still do," Barb said ruefully, pinching her love handles. "So, are you married? Any kids?"

"No to both." Libby shifted uncomfortably. She realized this would be the dominant question of the night. "I was engaged, but broke it off.  It wasn’t going anywhere."

"Been there, done that." Barb nodded sympathetically. "Somehow I managed to hook a husband and have two kids as part of the deal. You will, too."

Libby pasted on a grin and managed a few enthusiastic words for the pile of photos Barb whipped out. "What a fantastic family. You must be so happy."

She noted the flicker that ran across Barb’s face before her old friend said over enthusiastically, "Yeah, I am lucky. I adore them all."

Laurie Linville, Libby’s best friend throughout high school, joined them. She faked a smile. "You look fantastic, Libs! I always did hate you. "

"Thanks ever so much, I’m sure," Libby drawled. She felt pretty in her flowered dress with the bow on back. Very nineteen-fifty garden party chic.

"So, are you married?" Laurie eyed Libby, "You can’t have kids, looking so skinny."

"You goof." Libby gave Laurie a gentle push on the arm. "No hubby, no kids."

Libby blushed at the abrupt halt in the conversation as Laurie and Barb exchanged looks. Barb came to her rescue, sort of.

"Alan’s here." Barb blew out a deep breath and shook her hand up and down.  "He looks fine, girl."