“So Rowan, who’s your friend?” Wren asked after they had all situated.
“This is Claire Bowers.”
“Hi Claire, I’m Wren, and that’s my cousin Juniper. Juniper and Rowan used to be best friends as kids.”
Claire looked across Rowan and smiled at her. “Aww, how sweet.”
Juniper gave her a tight-lipped smile back and swirled her empty highball glass around in circles on the table, willing it to magically fill itself back up.
“How did you two meet?” Wren asked.
“I followed her for a while on social media watching the work she was doing with environmental protection and Indigenous rights.”
“Oh,” Wren hummed.
“I’m an ecology professor,” Claire promptly added, “so when I saw she posted about being back home I wanted to see if shewould come speak to my coastal ecology class. Plus she’s so cute it gave me an excuse to slide into her DMs.”
Even though most at the table laughed earnestly, except Juniper, she also noticed how every word made Rowan sink further into an awkward uneasiness.
“Dr. Bowers, you should teach a class on successful DM-sliding,” Kyle laughed and others joined in, except Juniper and Rowan again.
Claire added, in what Juniper could only characterize as an ingratiating manner, “Oh, please call me Claire. I think the work you all do issoimportant. And people like me need to listen to you all and learn from you.”
Wren made eye contact with Juniper across the table in their secret cousin nonverbal communication, they way they got on the same page about the trouble they were about to cause.
Wren turned her gaze back to Claire. “I think the only other person here who does that kind of work is Junie. Right, Junie? None of the rest of us are that smart.”
Rowan turned her head at Juniper’s feeble attempt at subduing a snort.
“Oh, I just meanIndigenouspeople in general. We have so much to learn from you,” Claire added, not picking up on theIndigenoussarcasm.
Rowan interjected. “Wren, have you had a good birthday so far?”
Juniper smirked, dragging her glass to her lips to beg the liquifying ice mixing with the remnants of alcohol to help her out some more.
“I did! My baby boy, well he’s not a baby anymore, but he’s my baby. He made me breakfast in bed this morning. Toaster strudels you know,” she said with widening eyes and a nodding head to playfully demonstrate just how important that was to a nine-year old.
Everyone chuckled and Kyle added, “Only the best for his mama!”
“Oh yes, he even shared his cinnamon roll ones, which isa big deal for him. Then I basically laid around all day doing nothing, and that was amazing. And then I went to Junie’s house to borrow an outfit for tonight and get ready.” The mischievous sparkle reappeared in her eyes, and she added, “This see-through shirt is hers. Scandalous, isn’t it? You guys should have seen the lingerie I pulled out of her drawer to wear underneath.”
“Oh, okay, Junie,” Kyle teased, tucking his hand under his chin and resting his elbow on the table.
“I couldn’t wear any of her bras though. Her boobs are way bigger than mine.”
“Wren,” Juniper snapped abruptly while kicking her leg at her under the table.
“Does anyone need another drink?” Rowan asked while starting to stand up.
“I’ll go with you,” Claire quickly answered.
“Crown and Coke. Double.” Juniper slid her empty glass across the table toward Rowan with one finger. “Thanks.”
She didn’t even consider telling Rowan she could put it on the open tab she had for herself and Wren at the bar. Wren looked at her from across the table, and Juniper didn’t like the worried expression she saw as Wren’s eyes tracked between her, the glass, and Rowan, then back to her.
As the night went on, Juniper’s drink number went up. Her thoughts were running wild, and they were about to take her to a place she wouldn’t be able to return from. She had always worn her heart on her sleeve, and that was made infinitely worse with alcohol.
The larger group dispersed into smaller groups across the bar, dance floor, and game area. Rowan and Claire went back to the dart boards, and Juniper and Wren were at a stand-up table.
