Page 32 of The Wright Man

Even when Tina sent airport middle fingers.

I laughed and kept it pushing, still texting as I walked.

SisterSisterSister Chat

Bella : Don't forget Daddy said he doesn't want no healthy substitutes this year.

Tina : I second that. I don't want none of that agave coconut almond foofoo tree bark shit. I want real sugar, dammit.

Angie : Okay but I like agave foofoo tree bark

Tina : You would

Bella : Stick to the plan. Kill us slowly, but make it taste good.

I sighed and backtracked three aisles. Again.

A few years ago, I started swapping out the heavy stuff—real sugar, dairy, white flour—for agave, almond milk, coconut oil. At first, it was about energy, balance, gut health. At least that's what I told people.

But the truth sat lower. Deeper.

The truth was that I'd read somewhere that reducing inflammation could help with fertility... That every little change might make a difference. So I made the changes. Quietly. Desperately.

When nothing changed, I just... kept the habits anyway.

Even now, I couldn't bring myself to pick up the white sugar without reading the damn label.

My fingers ghosted over my abdomen, and I felt a twinge of that familiar old ache...

I shook the thoughts off, decisively putting my phone back in my pocket before grabbing the last item on my list—Hershey's Special Dark cocoa.

The only kind Mom ever used.

I held the canister in my hand a second longer than I meant to, running my thumb over the label.

"Still the one," I whispered.

I made my way toward the registers, humming along to the music, cart full of baking therapy.

The whole drive home, I kept thinking about that first cookie. About the recipe card with "DO NOT SKIP THE SEA SALT" underlined twice. About my dad's face every time he takes that first bite of this cake. About the layers of memory and grief and joy in every swirl of frosting.

And I thought, for a minute, that this year might actually feel normal. Like home. Like tradition. Like maybe, just maybe, it wouldn't be complicated.

Then my phone buzzed again.

Tina. Bella. Group chat.

SisterSisterSister Chat

Tina : Speaking of plans... Bella and I invited someone to the party. Don't swing on us.

Bella : Like... technically, you never said we couldn't.

Angie : Y'all.

Tina :

Bella :