She twirls her wine glass around, snickering. “It’s fine. No hustle, no muscle, right? Whatcha got for me? You’re not thinking of selling this place, are you? Because, for the record, I can’t have you leaving on me. I know we haven’t been able to hang out nearly as often as I’d like, but girl… I need a life outside of work and my girls sometimes.” She eyes me skeptically.
“No, we’re not selling.”
“Good. Who is?”
“Caleb.”
“Oh! One of Gannett’s guys, isn’t he? Marcus’ friend?”
Friendisn’t exactly the word I’d use, but just for nondisclosure’s sake—“Yeah, him.”
“Oh, is he leaving Ternbay? That’s a bummer. I don’t really know the guy because he’s deaf and I can’t sign, but I imagine you and Marcus have gotten to know him well since they started working together.”
Oh dear, sweet Sarah. Marcus and I have gotten to know Calebverywell. Intimately so…
When my gaze gets yanked from that faraway place my mind just went to, and back on Sarah, I see her studying me with a confused look on her face. “Um, Lauren…? How well have you gotten to know Caleb, dare I ask? That look on your face….”
Yeah,yep. Apparently she noticed the flush on my cheeks.
“Can this conversation not leave this room?”
She downs the rest of her wine before refilling her cup. Then, she pats the stool next to her. “Sit. Let me have the tea. We’re going to pretend that you don’t mind going to bars, and this is Gordy’s pub. Tell me everything. It will not leave this room.”
I proceed to tell her everything, and I mean every-friggin’-thing. Start to finish: how I met Caleb, how we started dating, how Marcus and Caleb actually first met, how we all started dating. I didn’t spare any detail, all while Sarah gaped at me, never once even moving, not even to touch a sip of her drink. I explain to her how we’re now going to take on getting Aaron back here, and why Caleb is planning on listing his house to foot the bill.
I even explain to her the teenager who just popped out of his room long enough to grab a soda from the fridge, too engrossed in a video chat to even notice I have someone over while his dad and Marcus are out working.
Suddenly, Sarah shrieks. “Oh my god! Skunk! There’s a skunk in your house, Lauren!”
Cam’s head pops out of his room. “Pepper! Get back here, you little sneak!” He peeks up. “Oh, hi,” he says to Sarah. “Sorry, that’s my skunk. He won’t spray. He’s more interested in finding out if you’ve got snacks for him than anything.”
Sarah still looks horrified as Pepper sniffs around her feet. I scoop him up and ruffle his fur. “Is my little Peppadew looking for snacks? Does daddy Marcus feed you too much human food?”
“Mum!” Brody exclaims, running down the hall from his room and making grabby hands at me for Pepper. “Let me see him real quick, I wanna jump scare the girls with him! Hi, Miss Sarah!”
She smiles at Brody, albeit still obviously reeling about the wild turn of events. “Hi, Brody.”
“Is it okay if I prank them with Pepper?” he asks, cradling the chill appearing skunk in his arms.
“Umm, he’s good with kids?” she asks me.
I nod. “He’s so laid back, just look at him. He’s actually Cameron’s emotional support animal, but we’ve all bonded with him here.”
She turns back to Brody. “Have at it. Maybe take your cochlear off first though. There’ll be screeching…”
It’s mere seconds after Brody runs back down the hallway before Sarah is right. There’s a shitload of screeching, actually, before Pepper comes scampering back into the living room, fluffy tail high in the air, and seeks me out to pick him back up again. I do, and he curls up on my lap, letting me gently run my fingers through his fur.
Sarah eyes me in awe as she takes a sip of her drink. “Clearly, we needed to catch up long before now. I feel like I’ve missed a bunch.”
“Yeah, but for the best. So much great stuff has been happening lately. It finally feels like all the puzzle pieces are clicking into place.”
She smiles and sighs, leaning forward on her elbows and twisting her wine glass around again. “Same for me too, actually. Did I tell you I’ve been seeing someone? Ialsomet him at work…”
“Oh no, you most certainly didnottell me. Spill!”
She smirks. “Well, again, this can’t leave this room, because I still haven’t broken the news to Gannett. I know I should so don’t give me the sameyou’re a bad co-parentrigamarole that’s already eating me up inside—”
“Hey, I’m not judging,” I assure her.
