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“Mom?”
“Oh, honey, finally.”
“What’s up? I just got back into town with Brandi and—”
“Travis, I just wanted you to hear it from me first,” she says, cutting me off, the regret in her tone sending dark shivers down along my spine. “It’s Tyler.”
The high I still rode from the honeymoon fizzles completely at her words. “What about him?” My brother, the doctor douche.
“Your brother’s fine, Travis,” she says. And then she pauses, the silence stretching way too long, taking my nerves with it. “He moved Jessica back in with him.”
11
BRANDI
“Omigod!”Maya squeals loud in my ear as she throws her arms around me. “That is fantastic news.”
Poppy laughs and squeezes my arm. “I knew it!”
“No, you didn’t.” I look between the two women, my friends, and my heart wants to burst in my chest. “I’m not even showing.”
“Ha, bitch, you can’t hide shit like that from me. Tell her, Maya.” Poppy picks up her cocktail and takes a sip through the thin red straw. “The moment she said no to booze, we knew. And you’re glowing.”
Maya releases me and grins. “It’s true, you are. I just thought it was the whole marriage thing to hunk of the year.”
“Donotembarrass me, or I’ll tell Brian that you said that.”
Maya’s face goes all dreamy at our table in the little bar. It’s early enough so the regular afterwork crowd hasn’t arrived yet, and I like it that way. A little private celebration. I reach out and clutch my soda, the cool, slippery condensation of the glass somehow calming.
“Brian’s my hunk,” Maya says. “There shouldn’t be any type of comparison between them anyway. But we’re not here to talk about me; we’re here to celebrate you. And the baby. I can’t wait to go shopping.”
“And the shower,” Poppy volunteers, almost bouncing in her seat. “This girl needs a baby shower.”
“I just can’t believe my life right now.” I say the words, letting them hang in the air.
Maya closes her hand around mine. “Good, right?”
“Yeah, I mean, I hate to waste prime man meat, but I’ll kill Travis if it’s not good.” Poppy takes a slurp of her drink.
I look at my friends and roll my eyes. “It’s good. Really good.”
“I knew it, you dirty bitch!” Poppy claps her hands as my cheeks burn, and I am thankful for the growing noise in the little bar.
“I didn’t meanthat!”
“Yousodid.” Poppy leans in. “And don’t spare us a single detail. Especially of the honeymoon.”
“Poppy!”
She raises her brows at Maya and flashes an impish grin. “I’ve been trying to get all the deets since our little dark horse got back, and it’s Wednesday.”
“And what about you? Didn’t you have a date this weekend?” Maya demands.
Poppy lets out a sigh. “Way to bring down the mood, girl. No, I mean I did, but it was nothing to write home about. That’s why I’m trying to live vicariously through young love here.” She hooks her thumb in my direction. “And she’s keeping it all to herself. Soo selfish!”
“And me?” Maya asks. “What about that?”
Poppy rolls her eyes. “You’re an old married woman now. Come on. This is new and exciting and… ow.”
