I enter the living room and find her on the loveseat, Mel in her wheelchair beside her, and they are watching two men in spandex wrestle.
“Hey, guys,” I say.
The TV goes off as soon as they hear my voice.
“Wow, that’s not suspicious at all,” Mel says.
“I don’t care if it’s suspicious. It doesn’t paint him in the best light.”
“Oh, come on.” Mel laughs. “Everybody has a past.”
Are they talking about Naomi’s husband? I’ve never met Bobby, but Mel described him as a “character.”
“She probably already saw it!” Mel says now.
“Saw what?” I ask innocently, and Naomi looks vindicated.
“Absolutely nothing. Hi, Jessi.”
“Hi, Naomi.” I go around the couch, and she gives me an awkward back-patting hug. I know she doesn’t love hugs, but I haven’t seen her in so long.
“Where’s Luke?”
“Outside taking a phone call.” I crouch down, putting the takeout on the floor beside me, and give Mel a hug too.
“Hey, Jessi-girl,” she says. “You get prettier every time I see you.”
“Stop,” I say, embarrassed.
Mel sighs. “What is it with everyone not being able to take the truth today?”
Before I can ask what she means, Naomi points to the takeout on the ground. “You went to Dynasty?”
“Oh, yeah. We just came from there.”
“Did you eat there or do takeout?”
“Eat there,” I say, feeling uncomfortable about her interrogation. This whole thing was Luke’s lie. He should be here to deliver it.
Naomi’s eyebrow goes up. “That’s weird. I picked up from there just before I came over, and I didn’t see you two.”
“Oh, we must have just missed each other.”
“Hmm.” Naomi says, but she doesn’t seem convinced. “What did you order?”
Mel looks at her. “Let it go! Maybe they went somewhere they don’t want to tell us! They’re young and beautiful and in love.” When I say nothing, Mel takes it as confirmation of her rightness. “See? She can’t even deny it.”
My face warms, and I’m thankful for the cover of dark skin. “Has anybody told you that you have an overactive imagination?” I say.
Mel laughs, but Naomi is still giving me an odd look.
Thankfully, Luke comes in then.
“Hey, Mom. Hey, Naomi.”
After he greets them, Luke’s arms slither around my waist. I jump but recover quickly, letting my hands rest on his.
“So what’s the story? You two ran into each other and decided to give things another try?” Naomi asks, looking between the two of us.
