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“Nah, don’t do that. What good would it do to have your mom experiencing the same heartache that you’re feeling? Are you trying to bond over betrayal? I know that no matter how long ago a situation happened, the moment you find out about it, it’s brand new. Let that go. You’re never going to get any answers from a dead man. Your father is gone, and your ex is about to transition. Make peace with the past and move on.”

Myla nodded. She knew he was right.

You are so wise. You’re right. Everything you just said is things I would’ve said to my patients. I know better, but even doctors need someone to talk them off the edge sometimes. Thank you.”

Because of Terry’s deathbed confession, happiness wasn't an emotion Myla was feeling. But because of Dante's tenderness and comfort, she could feel the corners of her lips lift into a smile.

“You’re welcome. I wasn’t calling about the jacket though; I was calling to see if you were off. I wanted to take you out for breakfast as a thank you for bringing my keys. I’m thinking we can do breakfast, then catch a pottery class. For lunch, I was thinking we could go to The Melting Pot and do fondue.”

Myla smiled from ear to ear. She loved a man who knew how to take charge and lead.

“Ok, so is this a date?” Myla joked.

Dante chuckled. “No, it’s not a date. Just two friends hanging out. I just want to be that friend that helps you change the way you view a New Year.”

“I’d love that. I can be up and ready by nine. Does that work for you?”

“Let’s do 9:30. Meet me at the Sunnyside Up Café. It’s my favorite breakfast spot.”

“Oh…ok,” Myla answered somberly.

The disappointment in her voice was obvious. She knew he said it wasn’t a date, but a part of her still wanted the full dating experience.

“Is everything ok? Did I say something wrong?” Dante asked.

“No, I just assumed you’d be picking me up and escorting me there. Since you did make the plans,” Myla added.

Dante smiled like a Cheshire Cat.

“I apologize. No problem. I’ll pick you up. I didn’t want to overstep my boundaries by demanding that I come to your home. Send me your address, and I’ll see you at 9:30. We’re going to change your view of the New Year,” Dante added.

“See you then. I’m kinda glad that you ran into my life,” Myla joked. She had no idea that in time she’d regret those words as well as sharing her family’s secrets.

9

“Umm, so are we arguing for real or do you just want some attention?” Myla asked the moment Miranda answered the call.

There was no time for salutations; if there was really an issue, she wanted to work it out right then before she started her day.

“Why would I be mad at you?” Miranda asked as she opened a box of Goody’s Hangover Last Relief.

Her head was pounding. She hadn’t stayed out as late as she planned, but she had drunk more than she meant to. The drinks at Château Noir were so strong that she felt as though she were having an out-of-body experience.

“You’d probably do it because, for some reason, you were acting like you weren’t fond of my new friend. Not to mention the fact that you didn’t call me on your way to work like you normally do. I wanted to make sure that we were ok,” Myla said as she searched for an outfit to wear on her first official outing with Dante.

You cannot be serious, Miranda thought as she rolled her eyes.

Her head was hurting too badly to go back and forth with Myla. Miranda was aware that she didn’t always make the best decisions. She liked to have fun. Becoming a mom had calmed her down tremendously, but there were still moments when she enjoyed being a free spirit.

However, when she was being reckless, she listened to constructive criticism and attempted to correct her behavior. That’s where she and Myla differed. Myla refused to accept or change anything about herself. She preferred to hide behind her multiple degrees, case studies, and peer reviews to convince herself that her actions were always right.

This was the part of their friendship that Miranda couldn’t stand. The parts where Myla dismissed or outright ignored what she said. She clearly remembered telling Myla about seeing Dante running from two security guards; even after telling her that, she still drove for an hour to get to his house.

If Myla couldn’t understand why she was angry, it was because she didn’t want to. There was no need to address that again.

Instead of voicing her grievances, Miranda simply said, “I didn’t call on my way to work because I called out. I feel like shit. I drank more than I expected to last night. My head is pounding. I think I’m just going to relax until Heaven comes home. Apparently, she and the old folks had a grand ole time. I called her little ass, and she didn’t answer.

“I checked my Life 360 app, and she is still at her GiGi’s house. Mama Linda literally said they were tooooo litty! I almost died.” Both Miranda and Myla laughed because it was indeed a term that they’d heard Linda say before.