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“I’ve been on the verge of crying all morning,” Joni said. “I’m just afraid if I start, I won’t be able to stop.”
“God, this is all so horrible,” Mia wailed and promptly burst into tears.
The Old Ladies swarmed her and enveloped her in a hug. I stood at the sidelines, feeling uncomfortable but wanting to lend support.
Darcy looked up from the group hug and said, “What are you doing? Get in here.”
I wrapped my arms around Doc and Darcy and the five of us stood as one until Mia’s tears subsided.
“Thanks,” Mia mumbled as she wiped her cheeks.
Several cell phones vibrated, and they all took a moment to check them.
“Old Ladies group text,” Doc explained.
I nodded.
“Willa and Duke are on their way,” Darcy said, putting her phone back in her pocket.
“Can I talk to you a second,” Mia asked, directing her question at me.
“Sure,” I said.
“Porch,” she suggested.
I nodded.
“Oh, the funeral arrangements,” Mia said.
“Brooklyn and I are taking care of it.” Joni squeezed her hand.
Mia and I took our coffees to the front porch. I breathed in the humid air, wondering how I could feel such duality inside me. Elated one moment because of Viper. Despondent because of South Paw the next.
“I’m sorry,” Mia blurted out. “I kinda blew out of the office before I fell apart.”
“Oh, it wasn’t even a thing,” I insisted. “You have nothing to be sorry about.”
She sighed. “How are you doing. Really?”
“Still trying to make sense of everything…”
“How’s that coming for you?”
“I’m worse off this morning,” I said with a tremulous smile.
She nodded. “That’s usually how it goes.”
“Viper…he asked me to be his Old Lady last night. For real, I mean. Not for a finite period of time. But for as long as he’s…”
“Alive?”
“Yeah.”
“And what did you say?”
“I said yes.”
“You sure that’s the right thing for you? I mean, with what just happened…”
