Chapter Three
Several days later, Clarissa sat around the lunch table, sipping her water.There was no way she was drinking alcohol again.The last two times she had done so were a bit of a blur, and also, she didn’t want to have to ask Lorenzo for help.Although she never asked him for help, he was there to hold her hair out of the way as she vomited everything up.
She didn’t want to think about Lorenzo.The last few days had been surreal.He didn’t just spend the first day in her sewing room, but for the last couple of days, he had come into her sewing room, and it had been so much fun.She couldn’t even recall the last time it had been this much fun.He made several rectangle placemats, and he’d put them all around the house, to add a splash of color.Next, she got him to make a tote bag, and once he finished, he actually struck a pose for her, holding the thing.He enjoyed being in her sewing room.
Lorenzo also loved to cook.She hadn’t told him she enjoyed it as well, and was often in the kitchen with her grandmother, and that her favorite person made the best chocolate pecan pie.One day, she might make the recipe for him.
At night, she would sit to listen to a movie, and of course, Lorenzo now joined her, and she had even started him knitting.In a strange way, they were developing a friendship.Other than the three women she’d gotten close to, and they formed their special bond, she’d never had friends growing up.Her sister had been her only friend.
Tatiana was the first of her friends to arrive.She always put on a brave face, a cold one, but Clarissa knew the other woman was hurting a great deal.
She slumped down, and turned to look at Clarissa.“Hey,” she said.
“Hey.”
“You know, life sucks sometimes,” Tatiana said.
“I know.”
Tatiana groaned.“Of course you know.You had that thing with your sister and I’m an asshole.”She pressed her face to her arms.“I’m sorry.”
Clarissa didn’t even flinch and she reached out, attempting to offer her friend comfort, but Tatiana sighed and leaned against her.“I’m a terrible friend.”
“You’re not a terrible friend.We all have different levels of what we deal with.”
“But I’ve just got an asshole husband.You actually suffered—”
“Don’t,” Clarissa said.“Don’t do that.Don’t attempt to compare that kind of stuff.You were starting to fall for Emilio.He hurt you, and I’m not sitting here thinking any less.”
“How?”Tatiana asked.“You literally held your dying sister and you were a kid yourself.”
Clarissa shrugged.“I know there are people who have suffered worse and less, but it doesn’t change what people go through.”She gave Tatiana’s arm a gentle squeeze.
“You’re a good friend.”
The truth was, Clarissa didn’t have the first clue how to be a good friend.“Thank you.Are things still not going great between you and Emilio?”
