DALTON, GA. — The Rainbow Wash House has been transformed into a picture-perfect baby shower. Pink and green balloons dangle from ceiling and walls. A buffet table is loaded with pastel-colored tea cakes, strawberry punch, pistachio ice cream and miniature croissant sandwiches.
The defunct strip mall coin laundry occasionally is used as a safe-party venue for residents of the Carter Hope Center, an alcohol and drug rehab center and, for this special occasion they have been allowed to invite family members, but only a handful of relatives show up. They flock to the buffet centerpiece — a watermelon carved into a baby buggy with pineapple-ring wheels and a cantaloupe baby head perched above a blanket of honeydew mini-balls.
This is the first time in years that some of the guests have socialized — sober — with others from the opposite sex, but the flirtations are as demure as a church social. Then another female rehab patient offers what she considers an icebreaker: “Now would be a good time for me to read my poem about death being like my most-loyal boyfriend.”
Before the small group chatting with her can respond, the room erupts with applause as the guest of honor, Stephanie, and her high school sweetheart, Justin, move to the front of the room to open gifts.
Stephanie is seven months pregnant, six months clean and sober. At 24, she looks like America’s most wholesome girl next door: blonde and fit with an infectious smile; many say she is a dead ringer for actress Cameron Diaz. Justin, 22 and also six months sober, fathered all her children: 5-year-old Landon, twin 2-year-old boys (whose names she prefers not to disclose) and daughter Journey, due next month.