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I turned to look at the metallic rust bikini. “Yup.” Then I continued cleaning out my suitcase. “Fits nice, too.”
“I bet. I ordered the eggplant one but have yet to wear it.” She rolled her eyes back down to her cell.
“Oooooh! Chi-Chi, you’re so pretty!” Corinne cried, stretched out on my bed.
“Is it the one of her eating pasta?” Becky asked on the floor next to my bed.
“No. The one in the garden where she’s posing.”
The day after leavingDella, I’d finally reunited with my girls. Everyone except Shizu, who was in Belize with David, gathered at my place to welcome Chi-Chi and I back home. I’d just texted them a link toShutterfly,where all my vacation pictures were stored. They were swiping on their individual phones at their own pace while I finally unpacked, a task I had been dreading.
“Oh, that was in Saint-Tropez,” I explained from the closet. “That place is heaven. Completely.”
“Shizu’s been. She loved it,” Becky shared.
“We should allgo—oh my god, Chi-Chi!” Corinne cried again. “This pose with you blowing a kiss. You are so cute!”
Chi-Chi, feet away from me, playing in my jewelry dresser, turned and shared, “I the prettiest gorl!” her voice projected. That little face was gravely sober when she explained, “My daddy said that. My daddy said that.” Her little head swung up and down with emphasis.
Peach’s eyes shifted my way, filled with wonder and pride. I snorted, going back to work. Then I nodded with my back to her. “Daddy’s got that right, Chi-Chi.”
“You sure are, baby!” Corinne shouted from the bed. “The prettiest!”
I chanced another glance at a knowing Peach because I knew what was coming; it was just a matter of a swipe.
“Chi-Chi,” I could hear Ines from out in the bedroom but couldn’t see her. “Dinner’s ready. Come wash your hands and eat.”
“Okay!” Chi-Chi dropped myTiffanygold ball necklace into the drawer of the jewelry dresser. She placed theRolexwatch on the correct shelf, too, before taking off. “Coming!” She hopped her way out into the bedroom.
A sharp, “Holy shit!” cracked the air.
“Becky!” Corinne quickly admonished her.
Peach went next. “Becky!”
I closed my eyes tight, anxiety gripping me.
“Could you let the baby leave the room, Becky?” Ines’ voice faded, and I assumed she was leaving my bedroom while speaking.
“Holy moly!” Peach’s eyes grew wild, gaping at her phone with one fist in the air. “I knew it!”
“What the fuck!” Corinne had finally gotten to the collection of pictures in the electronic album.
I’d taken pictures of Jas, half-clothed, without his permission but with his knowledge as he kissed and groped me. There were some of him sleeping on my ass, one with his tongue at the line of my cheeks, and others of his head on my lap. I showed them to him later, only for Jas to shake his head adorably annoyed by my juvenile sentimentality. The one I took of him, crawling up my legs, preparing to devour me, made me wet on sight. I wondered if that was the one that had the girls in an uproar.
“See what I mean now?” Becky argued. “Damn, Jas!”
“Lucy!” Corinne screamed. I then heard creaking from my bed, then her footsteps. “You got some ‘splainin’ to do, bitch!” Her smile could be valued at a million dollars—it was so big.
At the same time, Becky almost tripped over Peach’s feet, getting into the closet. “That damn body of his, Shi-Shi!” she cried, then bit her fist.
On my knees already, I curled over embarrassed, feeling butterflies. Fucking butterflies at the memory of being with him. I missed him. Jas was still inDellawith Juggy. We’d spoken twice yesterday and once today. Each time I wanted to crawl through the phone and straddle his lap—for simple comfort and erotica. But I’d been holding strong restraining from overwhelming him with this thing we’d unearthed in Europe.
“Oh, no!” Peach banged the carpeted floor with the side of her fist. “Let’s hear it!”
“Y’all fucked?” Corinne asked in a whisper.
I straightened, finally with the guts to face my friends. Nodding, I told them, “A lot.”
