Page 347 of John + Siena: The Complete Duet

“Less dead,” Siena replied honestly. “That’s an improvement, trust me.”

Laughter passed between the three women at the table. They quieted when one of the servers made her way to the table to refill Siena’s coffee, bring Jordyn another glass of lemon water, and then took an order from Haven as well.

“And John? How’s he doing with … all of this, I mean? I know he gets a little on edge whenever something is going on with you. I imagine he must have been something else for the past few weeks, huh?”

That made Siena pause.

Just for a second.

Haven didn’t mean any harm by asking. And nothing that she said was a lie, either. It was no secret that John could become just a touch unbearable when something was wrong with his wife. Snappy, difficult, and moody … those were just a few of the things that anyone in direct contact with John had to deal with during times that put him under a lot of stress.

At the same time, they were so private. They didn’t share a lot about what was happening in their personal lives because it was one way that John felt like it kept his mental illness a closed book to anyone who wasn’t his parents or wife. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to share, but without meaning to, people often projected their own assumptions or beliefs about how John should deal with it even when they knew nothing about it.

It was easier to just … well, not.

“He’s fine,” Siena said. “You know John.”

Yeah.

That seemed like a good way to say it.

Or deflect.

But hey, if Haven was offended that Siena didn’t get deep into the details about how John had handled her sudden illness and short hospital stay, the woman didn’t know it. Not that it stopped Siena from still feeing like she had to be defensive of her husband, and their choices not to discuss anything that even remotely touched his bipolar disorder or might even bring it into the conversation.

It was only after Haven’s order came in, and her phone rang with a call that she stepped away from the table to take that Siena turned to her mother-in-law who was still busy making an entire inspiration board for her younger sister’s birthday party.

“Is it always going to be like that?” she asked.

Jordyn lifted her head. “What do you mean?”

She sighed.

And took a second to think.

Maybe feel, too.

If there was anything that being with John had taught Siena, it was that there was nothing wrong with taking a moment to handle yourself before someone else. It was a good lesson to learn because everyone had to look out for themselves first whether that was for their mental health or whatever.

“John,” Siena eventually said. “Will I always feel like—when it comes to other people—I have to defend him or protect him … you know, without offending everyone who asks about him or me or us?”

Jordyn smiled softly. “Do you feel like you have a reason to be defensive about John—or rather, has he given you a reason to do that?”

Siena didn’t even have to think about it.

“No, he doesn’t. It’s just … I don’t want anyone else to, either.”

“Well, that’s your answer, then. And if you don’t allow them to, then they can’t. What’s to be offended over about that, Siena?”

She had a good point.

Siena would remember it.