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“Ilike this adult version of apajama party.” Laura cut through the silence, glancing around the room. Her exhaustion was less evident despite it being one in the morning.
“And you didn’texplain what’sthere on your mug. That is, if you want to share.”
It read,If you met my family you would understand.
“Yeah, sure.” Iregained some of my senses back at the mention of my family. “They got it for me after another so-called civil birthday party at my parents’ home.”
She patted my arm, offering me comfort. “It’snot abirthday party unless afamily member acts like ajerk.”
Ibarked out alaugh, but the ugly memories washed it away. “You can say that again. My father had another one of his greatest monologue hits, featuring,You’re never going to be successful with your shit of afirm, adding,Maybe next year you’ll be more like your brother, and rounding up with,Maybe someone could tolerate you for more than one date and be willing to marry you.”
Laura’slips twisted first, then her whole face scrunched when Iadded, “With Erin and Thomas as my guests.”
“Fuck.”
“Yeah.” Imoved my tea to the nightstand, suddenly not interested in drinking from that specific mug anymore. “Ithought he was wrong.”
“Uh, duh. The asshole couldn’tbe more wrong if he tried. Sorry, for calling him an asshole.”
The laugh that escaped me this time held alot of humor in it. Because of her. On an impulse, Itook her hand in mine and kissed the back of it. “You can call him whatever you like.”
“Good.” She snatched her hand back and brushed her hair behind her ear. “Because I’mnot really sorry.”
“Iwasn’ttoo sad to call him that either when Ianswered him.”
“Oh my gosh, yes!” She punched the air. “Tell me everything.”
“There’snot much to tell.” The image of Laura in the middle of one of my family’sclusterfucks made me cringe. “Itold him that if he wanted me to be alapdog, the least he could do was teach me to fetch like he did with my brother.”
Laura handed me the mug before she erupted in laughter, holding her belly and letting her head fall into my lap. The sound and her nearness softened the hard edges of the memory. The fact that Igave him the reply he deserved, didn’ttake away from the fact that hearing it over and over hurt.
“Don’tget me wrong, my brother isn’tthat big of an ass. Val isn’teither.” Iput her mug next to mine. “And Ilove my niece and nephew to death. Ihope at least apart of me rubs off on them.”
“I’msure it will.” She smiled at me from below. “You’re great with kids.”
My ears were used to many things, but rarely acompliment. “What makes you say that?”
“For starters, how you act around our godchildren.” She chuckled, hiding her face before Iremoved her hands to see what had made her laugh. “Ifeel so old—godchildren.”
“You did leave aquarter of your life behind.” Idodged her attempts at slapping my face by twisting it to the side. “Okay, okay, I’msold on how you’re not old. You were saying?”
Her bottom lip jutted out in apout. “Well, Iwas saying how good you are with them. You carry them around as if you’ve been handling babies your whole life.”
“Babies are cute. Who doesn’tlike babies?”
“And you bonded with Olivia.” Arush of red hue rose on her cheeks. “Thank you for that. She wrote me today, the longest message she’sever sent me, about how you ripped Dad anew one. She adores you.”
“Okay, okay, enough with the praise-fest.” Icovered her mouth without putting too much pressure on it, just enough to stop her from embarrassing me. “Ilove kids, but AJ’swill always have aspecial place in my heart. They were the first babies Iever held.”
“Do you see them often?”
“Not as much as Ishould,” Iconfessed, massaging her scalp. She allowed her eyes to drift shut while Italked. “Iwish Icould be there for them when my father and their father make them feel as small as they made me feel. To be that support for them when it seems like it’sthem against the world.”
“Is that why you…?” She peeked at me, cutting her question short.
Icould easily make alist of the fuckups in my personality that were in plain sight. “Why I’mwhat? Stubborn? Blunt? Immature?”
“No, you idiot.” Laura shot up to sit, pinning my place with her gaze. “When Isee you, Isee someone who’sincredibly independent, successful, and strong.”
