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“Dating. You sound like Mom.” She snickers, sipping at her chocolate. “Ow. It’s hot.”
“That’s why they call it hot chocolate.” I sink down in a chair, too tired to stand a second longer. “You didn’t answer my question.”
“About the boys she’s dating?” She makes a face. “I don’t know, Tati. Three? I think. But I’m not sure they’re dating.”
“What are they doing, then?”
“They’re all good friends. That’s what she says. She’s known them forever, like I knew our neighborhood boys here in St. Louis, before we moved again. I never dated them.”
“We only moved here two years ago. And are you referring to that Jared boy?”
“His name’s Jarett, and what’s wrong with him, huh? God, Tati, I swear you sound more and more like Mom.”
“Maybe it’s because I am a mom.”
“Whatever.” She waves a hand back and forth. “You acted like that since we were little. You loved playing mom with us.”
I swallow hard. “That’s because I love you and Merc.”
Her easy grin fades. “Oh God, I know, Tati. You think I don’t know that? I’m only teasing you.” She puts her mug on the table, sits across from me and reaches for my hand. “Did I make you sad? I’m so sorry. You know I always speak without thinking.”
I smile at her, annoyed that I can cry at the drop of a hat, just like that. “I know. That you’re teasing, I mean. Well, also thinking before speaking would be ideal.”
She huffs and lets go of my hand. “That was uncalled for.” She winks at me and drags her mug closer. “Anyway, I’m not hiding anything from you. No idea why you’d think that. Sydney has these boy-friends. Not boyfriends, just male friends, and we go out sometimes all together. That’s what we did Saturday night. It was fun, and it keeps stupid idiots from throwing come-on lines at me.”
“Many such stupid idiots doing that?”
She laughs softly, takes a sip of her drink. “Sometimes.”
“And what about your friend? That boy on our street. Jared, or something.”
“Jarett? How did you remember him?”
“You were best BFFs when we first moved here.”
“That’s years ago, Tati.”
“Oh. I thought you’d kept in touch. He only lives a few doors down from Mom’s house, right?”
She turns away. “I don’t keep in touch. But hey. Enough about me. What about you? Tell me the latest news,” she says brightly, turning her gaze back on me. She nods at my hand that’s resting on my belly. “What’s up with that?”
“I…” Heat rises to my face. “I felt the baby move today.”
“Oh my God! Can I feel it, too?”
“Not sure. It’s mostly quiet in there.”
“Aw, the little bean.” She beams at me. “I’m so excited about becoming aunt, like, for real. No, that came out wrong. I mean, from the beginning. Know what I mean? I love being an aunt to Cole and Mary, but I didn’t get to meet them since before they were born, like Bean here.”
I snort. “So her name is Bean?”
“Oh crap, it’s a she?”
“No, I... We don’t know yet.” I pat my belly. “Bean, huh?”
“Yeah.” She leans closer. “Hey, Bean. Can you hear me? This is Auntie Gigi.”
“Auntie Gigi.” Now I’m laughing. Absurd. But real. “Holy shit.”
